Key Highlights:
- Origins: The festival began in the early 1950s as a small gathering of music lovers at a residential area in Dover Lane, Kolkata. Over the years, it has grown into a major event on the Indian classical music calendar.
- Duration: The festival typically takes place over four nights in late January, usually from the 22nd to the 25th. Each night features a series of performances that often go on until the early hours of the morning.
- Artists: The festival showcases performances by some of the most revered and accomplished artists in Indian classical music, including vocalists, instrumentalists, and dancers. Legends like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Bismillah Khan, and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi have graced its stage.
- Genres: The festival primarily focuses on Hindustani classical music, including vocal and instrumental performances. There are also occasional performances of Carnatic music and classical dance.
- Venue: Though it started in a small neighborhood, the festival has since moved to larger venues to accommodate the growing audience. In recent years, it has been held at the Nazrul Mancha Auditorium in Kolkata.
Cultural Significance:
The Dover Lane Music Festival is not just a concert series but a celebration of India's rich musical heritage. It has played a crucial role in preserving and promoting Indian classical music, providing a platform for both legendary artists and emerging talents.
History
The Dover Lane Music Festival first began in the City of Joy, Kolkata in 1952. The festival gets its name from the fact that it first took place in Dover Lane, a popular street in the Ballygunge area of Kolkata. It started here as a dream nurtured by a few music lovers who got together to share their common interest for classical music. In the initial years, it was a small event with fewer numbers of artists and attracted only the local population.However, today has culminated into a full blown cultural celebration of Indian Classical Music organized at Nazrul Mancha on Southern Avenue. The head office of the organizing committee is still at 18/2 Dover Lane.
The numbers of days and artists have increased over the years. It has become a premier festival in Eastern India and draws a crowd more than four to five thousand people on every night of the performance. The attendees come from Kolkata, its neighbouring states, other parts of India and overseas. It has established itself as an important cultural program not only for the musicians but also for the public who are passionate about music.
Every year the city welcomes thousands of music aficionados flocking to Nazrul Mancha for the event that has enchanted foreigners and natives alike for so many years. The crowd has people from all walks of life and different age groups sharing a common interest. Today, its popularity can be gauged simply by looking at the increase in the number of sponsors added each year. The tickets are sold out within days of the opening of the counter making it one of the most coveted music festivals in India.
Types of Music
The festival is held for four days and each day there is a different classical music show that entices the audience. There are exponents of not only Hindustani Classical Music but also of Carnatic Music. They encompass both vocal as well as instrumental forms. Eminent musicians from all over the country have performed and continue to perform at the Dover Lane Music Festival. The performances begin late in the evening and go on all night long till the next morning.Character
One differentiating factor of the festival is that the Dover Lane Festival places great emphasis on promoting new talent in the music industry. The fans and community members of the festival also insist on the same and therefore the 2020 festival will provide a platform to more upcoming artists to showcase their talent. The young Sarod master Anupam Shobhakar performed last year. Other requests were for popular icons like Anushka Shankar, Shubha Mudgal, Kala Ramnath, Rashid Khan, Bombay Jayashree, PadminI Rao who is a wonderful example of the Kirana Gharana style and Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande.Having the opportunity to write to the festival organizers the names of artists they would like to hear the following year is a very interesting approach initiated a few years ago by the festival organizers. The Festival is engaged in the promotion and propagation of Indian Classical Music. Most soul -stirring musicians of the generation find a place at this prestigious festival which has been running to full houses for 62 years.
Competition
There is a talent search contest for items like Kheyal, Thumri, Bhajan, Ragpradhan, Sitar, Sarod, Tabla, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kahthak. The age limit for vocal and other items is 16 to 24 years whereas for dance item is 16 to 22 years.
How to Reach
By Air:Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU): Kolkata’s main airport is located about 17 km from the city center. It is well-connected to major cities in India and many international destinations.
Domestic Flights: Major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad have frequent flights to Kolkata.
International Flights: There are direct flights from cities like Bangkok, Singapore, Dubai, Doha, London, and more.
Transportation from the Airport:
Taxi: Prepaid and app-based taxi services (like Uber and Ola) are available at the airport.
Buses: There are also government and private bus services to various parts of the city.
Metro: The Kolkata Metro's Line 6 (under construction as of 2024) will connect the airport to the city.
2. By Train:
Howrah Junction (HWH): One of the busiest railway stations in India, located on the western bank of the Hooghly River. It is connected to almost every part of the country.
Sealdah Railway Station (SDAH): Another major station, located in the central part of Kolkata, serving primarily eastern and northeastern regions of India.
Trains: Kolkata is well-connected to major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and more. Some of the prominent trains include Rajdhani Express, Duronto Express, and Shatabdi Express.
Transportation from the Railway Stations:
Taxis and Auto-Rickshaws: Available outside the stations.
Local Trains: Connect to various suburbs and nearby cities.
Buses: Numerous bus routes operate from the railway stations.
3. By Road:
National Highways: Kolkata is connected to the rest of the country by a network of highways, including NH16 (part of the Golden Quadrilateral) and NH12.
Intercity Buses: Regular bus services operate from nearby cities like Durgapur, Asansol, Siliguri, and also from other major cities like Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, and Patna.
Private Cars/Taxi: You can hire a taxi or drive to Kolkata from nearby states.
4. By Water:
Kolkata Port: Though not a common mode for travelers, Kolkata has an international port (Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port) and is accessible by waterways from certain regions, especially for cargo and occasional cruise services.
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