26 February,2017 02:18 PM IST | | Gitanjali Chandrasekharan
Celebrate Holi early this year with an evening of Hindustani classical music
Ashwini Bhide
March 3, 6.30 PM: What do you associate Holi with? Colours, bhaang and afternoons spent lolling around in a post-bhaang daze? Why not add some more culture to the festival? This Friday, renowned Hindustani music vocalist Ashwini Bhide Deshpande of the Jaipur-Atrauli Khayal Gayaki tradition, presents an evening of compositions on Holi. The festival marks the transitioning of the seasons from winter to summer. "It's a pleasant time and is equated with a bloom in the youth of all species. It's a season of ched-chaad full of gaiety and people get away with a 'bura na maano Holi hai'," says Bhide, who was groomed by veterans like Narayanrao Datar, and her mother Manik Bhide.
The amorous subject matter is inspired by the pranks of Lord Krishna, songs of couples in love and the eternal love of Radha and Krishna. There will also be one song on Chaiti, the summer season, in which men and women crave for their partners in the full bloom. Seems like Holi was India's first Valentine's Day.
