Dhrupad Mela, Varanasi – Dates, Duration, Venue, Attractions

Dhrupad Mela Varanasi

Vital Information for Visitors

Month:

February / March

Frequency:

Once in a year / Annually

Duration:

Lasts for 5 days

Mode of Celebration :

Everyday it commences from dawn hours; celebration of classical music by legendary music artists from all over India; several kiosks offering various delicacies and articles in the fair.

Place of Celebration:

Tulsi Ghat in Varanasi

Organized by :

Maharaja Banaras Vidya Mandir Trust

Come March and Varanasi has the most splendid spring climate. Add to that, the annual music festival, Dhrupad Mela, attended by hundreds of people. Scores of singers, musicians and performers gather here to participate in this festival of dance and music, held at Varanasi's Tulsi Ghat. The performances here are based on the Dhrupad style of Indian classical music in the five-day long festival that goes is held in February / March. The vocals in this style of Hindustani classical music involve using ‘fixed words’ or Dhrupad sung in rhyme. It is based on Nada Yoga and is therefore music of divinity. It has religious & spiritual verse and romance too, set to music, which is offered to the Divine. A typical Dhrupad performance comprises a lead singer and a few members of the chorus and instrumentalists who play the Pakhawaj, Rudra Veena and Tanpura. To experience wonderful & melodious performance of Dhrupad, it is absolutely necessary to make a visit to Varanasi the classical Indian vocalists & musicians hold you in their thrall for a long, long time.

One can easily understand the significance of Dhrupad by the fact that the Dhrupad tradition of music has its origins in the ancient Vedic times when it was set to hymns and shlokas. It transcended the times until it was declared court music in the courts of the Mughal emperors. In fact, the guru of Tansen, Swami Haridas was also a well-known singer in this style. The fact that it has withstood the ups & downs of so many centuries with different influences coming into India is a matter of great pride to Hindustani classical music. The history of Dhrupad Mela on Tulsi Ghat of Kashi is more than four decades old. It has been kept alive in the mind and hearts of people today by noted musician families such as the Dagars, apart from all those musicians and singers who devote their lives to this form of singing.

Annual Dhrupad Festival in Varanasi assures Dhrupad singers and performers an important and sustained platform to showcase their unique talent. Some of the greatest proponents of this style of music who performed here include Pt. Prem Kumar Mallick, Pt. Ramashish Pathak, Sukhdev Chaturvedi, Fayaz Wasifuddin Dagar, Pt. Kartik Kumar and Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar. Dhrupad Mela in Varanasi attracts not just local and domestic people but also international tourists. The foundation of the Dhrupad Mela was revived in 1974 to resurrect the popular Dhrupad music. Bhavra Prabh Padma Institute constituted Akhil Bharatiya Dhrupada Mela Samiti in 1975. The first episode of Dhrupad Mela in Varanasi was organized by Virbhadra Mishra, Mahant of Sankat Mochan Temple, with the help of donations from the Kendriya Sangeet Natya Akademi New Delhi. Later on, this festival kept getting institutionalized support of the king of Kashi, Vibhutinarayan Singh. The Dhrupad Mela commences three days prior Shivratri. This event is mentioned in the tourism department manual. Dhrupad Mela in Varanasi is credited with reviving musical instruments & folk songs like Surbahar and Pakhawaj which were lost in oblivion.

Visit the Varanasi Dhrupad Mela and enjoy its richness & melodious tunes of an age gone by. Such an experience is a complete rarity in our present times; so step out of your familiar zone and enter the Dhrupad Mela venue. Book your tickets now and make sure you get a good seat at the show. You can also be part of one of the most soul-enriching and glorious festivals of Indian classical music that is much-awaited by singers and audience alike.