Review: KAUSHIKI CHAKRABORTY'S SAKHI Graces at Zankel Hall

The classical music of India encompasses all of the subtle and blaring complexities of modern life in continuity with millennia of cultural tradition. The rhythmic nuance of vocalization, in unison with ancient instruments, truthfully dramatizes the frenetic synchronism of contemporary street life from Delhi to New York.

Sakhi, the name for classical vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty's musical troupe, is an ancient word for "friend" in Sanskrit, the language most sacred to Hindus. Sakhi is an important spiritual notion with respect to Hinduism, which understands the absolute sanctity of the cosmic Self.

As propounded by Chakraborty and her fellow musicians, Sakhi also holds special meaning and importance of women in Indian culture. This understanding is increasingly critical not only for the world as a whole, but also for India, where women face daily harassment and all forms of violent sexism.

In this spirit of Sakhi, of friendship, Chakraborty graced the Zankel Hall floor.

Robert Browning, the legendary world music advocate from the Lower East Side of the 1970s, presented the first tour of Kaushiki Chakraborty's Sakhi, which began performing in January 2015, and has now delighted audiences at Carnegie Hall.

Chakraborty, a rare proponent of the Gwalior and Patiala traditions, has received high nods from the likes of Anoushka Shankar, who first played Carnegie Hall at 18 years of age. Chakraborty sings with a musical genius beyond her years, Shankar affirms. Her beautifully rich tone is all the more impressive for her impeccable mastery of the technicalities of Indian classical music.

Naman, the opening piece of the evening, is an invocation to Ganesha, the elephant-headed god known as the "friendly one," whose power to dispel obstacles is especially auspicious for women treading the path to individual freedom, glorified by the beauty of her cultural heritage.

"Percussion is balance," Chakraborty said to begin the second piece Samanjasya. To her right sat Mahima Upadhyay, the only pakhawaj player in the state of Bihar, and the youngest musician performing in Sakhi. In the 400-year tradition of her specific pakhawaj discipline, Upadhyay is a trailblazer.

Debopriya Chatterjee introduced Radharang, an ode to the spring festival Holi, also known as the festival of colors. The Indian festival round ritualizes mythological storytelling, such as in Holi, when Krishna seduces Radha. In the spirit of feminism, Sakhi centered the role of Radha in musical dramatization.

For Radharang, Talwalkar also played a cajon, arranged with the tabla to back the percussive vocalization and fineries of dancer Bhakti Deshpande, whose steps surged with a neo-soul feel.

Hansini, a dialogue in rhythm, bridges Hindustani and Carnatic musical styles. Chakraborty taught how Indian classical percussion is syllabic, as heard in the sargams, also known as vocables. Rhythm is language, she said.

From an illustrious family of musicians, violinist Nandini Shankar related how the Navratri festival in India concurred with Sakhi's first tour. During this festival, Hindus perform offerings to the mother-goddess, known as Durga Puja. In the spirit of devotion to Durga, an empowerment to all women, Sakhi offered the piece, Rudrani.

As Chakraborty calmly professed, the traditional models of femininity in Indian culture, such as goddess, wife, lover, mother, sister, and daughter simply do not represent the whole character of a woman. What is most greatly needed today is simply to regard women as friends. The final piece, Sakhi, imparts friendship through music.

Sakhi tells the true story of six Indian women befriending the world through a most inspired, and uplifting music. In every note, beat, word, and movement, Sakhi exudes the immemorial friendship that women bestow to the world, and how that relationship has stood the test of time despite the harshly oppressive patriarchies of India.

"Thanks to all the mothers who helped us to be the Sakhi we are, the individual we are, and who have given us the strength to fulfill all roles," her voice resounded tenderly. "To the divine mother, our mothers, and to all who have encouraged us to be ourselves...a gift of love from Sakhi."

Photo Courtesy of Mid-Day.com

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