Listening to riyaaz (practice) of Hindustani ragas in faraway Kerala may sound like a cultural medley, but a music academy launched four years ago in a village ambience at Padapparamba, near here, is doing just that. And it follows the world famous Bhendi Bazaar Gharana.

Ustad Farook Ali Chand, renowned Hindustani classical music trainer of Bhendi Bazaar Gharana known for his meticulous and systematic teaching style has taken up the responsibility of imparting classical music lessons in the original form.

“I want Keralites to learn Indian classical music in all its purity. Although many people in Kerala have been showing a great love for Hindustani music, most do not understand it,” said Ustad Chand here on Sunday.

Religion of music

As part of the plan, the Ustad launched his fortnightly class at Shaikh Ba Kaja Mueenuddin Music Academy, an institution set up by a philanthropist to spread humanistic values through Hindustani music, at Padapparamba on Sunday.

Students from different parts of the State are attending his classes. “It doesn’t matter which religion you follow. There is only one religion in music,” the Ustad told his students comprising children and adults alike.

“Classical music is vast. Ghazal is only a part of it where you enjoy imaginative freedom,” he said humming a well-known song of Ghulam Ali, who was a disciple of the Gharana.

“You have great singers like Lata Mangeshkar and Manna De from this gharana,” the Ustad said. He said Keralites showed an inclination towards Hindustani owing to its imaginative freedom.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Abdul Latheef Naha / July 16th, 2018