Pune, 15 December 2025: The 71st Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav concluded on a deeply reverential and musical note, paying homage to one of Indian classical music’s greatest guru traditions, Ustad Abdul Karim Khan Saheb, his disciple Sawai Gandharva, and Sawai Gandharva’s illustrious disciple, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi.
As a tribute to this lineage, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi’s disciples, Pt. Upendra Bhat, Srinivas Joshi, Anand Bhate, and Viraj Joshi, offered musical renditions of their guru’s compositions, symbolically presenting a “musical offering” through their voices. As per tradition, the festival concluded with the recorded Bhairavi of Sawai Gandharva.
The fifth and final session of the festival on Sunday showcased a rich blend of senior maestros and promising young artists, reflecting both continuity and evolution in Hindustani classical music. The session began with a performance by senior vocalist and renowned disciple of Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Upendra Bhat, setting a dignified and melodious tone.
The youngest performer of this year’s festival, Aniruddha Aitall, impressed the audience with his rendition of Raag Multani. Beginning with the vilambit ektaal composition “Eri Baat Na Maane…”, he unfolded the raga through a calm and unhurried alaap. His effortless singing and tonal purity stood out as highlights of his performance.
During the festival, the Vatsalabai Joshi Award, presented annually by the Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal, was conferred upon Pune-based senior tabla accompanist Mauli Takalkar. With a career spanning over eight decades, Takalkar has accompanied artists across four generations, making his contribution invaluable to the world of Indian classical music.
The 71st Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav thus concluded as a celebration of tradition, talent, and timeless music, staying true to its legacy of honouring the past while nurturing the future.