Brief description of the Jaltarang
The
Jaltarang is a rarely heard instrument today,
despite being one of the oldest instruments in
the world. It consists of china bowls filled
with water, struck by means of two cane sticks.
In the past, as china clay bowls were not
available, artists adapted the instrument to
metal bowls. The Jaltarang has a distinct and
pleasant tone adaptable to both to classical
Indian ragas and to light melodies. Each of the
bowls can be tuned to the desired frequency by
varying the quantity of water in it. These bowls
are placed in a semi - circle arrangement around
the performing artist.
Milind Tulankar (Jaltarang)
Born
in a family with a musical background, Milind
Tulankar started learning music from a very
tender age. His grandfather Late Pandit
Shankar V Kanhere (Satara), a prominent
Jaltarang player, inspired Milind to take up
this unique, but slowly fading, instrument the
JALTARANG. Tulankar also received guidance
from sitar maestro, Pt. Nayan Ghosh,
Padma Shri Ustad Shahid Parwez &Padma
Shri Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. This
rare instrument has kept him busy in concerts
in India as well as abroad. Today, is one of
India’s topmost Jaltarang artists. He has
performed at prominent venues, including
Baba Harivallabh Sangeet
Sammelan at Jalandhar, Abhisheki
Mahotsav at Goa, Haa Mela (Indian
Military) Bhutan and the
FES Festival Morocco, where of his art was
acclaimed and appreciated. Milind has also
presented his art in several countries –
including the USA, Canada, New Zealand,
Switzerland, Germany, France, Sweden and
Singapore, to name a few. Milind’s Jaltarang
has provided background scores for Tamil
Film ‘Tirumanam Ennam
Nikah’ and a BBC production 'West is
west', as well as for a few commercials.
Milind’s untiring efforts, devotion, and
endless passion in promoting this rare
instrument are paying off - Tulankar is fast
becoming a synonym for the Jaltarang.
Pt Ramdas Palsule (Tabla)
Ramdas Palsule is a respected and popular name
amongst Indian Classical Music enthusiasts He
carved a niche for himself as a tabla player at a
very young age being introduced to Tabla by Pt.
G.L. Samant in his school days. He was born
in a well-educated family in Pune. His father Dr.
G.B. Palsule, a Sanskrit scholar, was a recipient
of the prestigious President’s Award, Kalidas
Puraskar, K.K. Birla Award, and many more for his
work in Sanskrit literature.
After obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree in
Mechanical Engineering at the prestigious Jnana
Prabodhini Prashala and College of Engineering,
his passion for tabla overtook his desire for
successful career in engineering at the age of
twenty-three. He became the disciple of Tabla
Maestro Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, and his
natural ingenuity, relentless toil and insatiable
thirst for knowledge, made quick strides as an
acclaimed soloist and a versatile accompanist. As
a solo artist, Ramdas developed his own style of
presenting traditional compositions with a new
perspective and fresh thought-process. He mastered
the craft of “Jod-Taal” and “Jaati-Bhed” to
acquire unparalleled expertise in that area. He
earned the praise of connoisseurs and patriarchs
alike with his refreshingly vivid style or
presentation with his trademark subtle
contemporary touch. He has enthralled audiences
with his enchanting solo performances as well as
accompaniments at prestigious concerts like The
Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav (Pune), Saptak
Festival, All India Radio, and SPICMACAY, Isha
Foundation’s Yaksha 2020, Dussehra Festival, All
Bengal Festival, Tansen Mahotsav, Kalidas
Festival, Pt. Abhisheki Mahotsav and many more.
Apart from being a proficient Solo Artist, Ramdas
also proved his dexterity as a versatile
accompanist with Vocalists, Instrumentalists and
Dancers from both, Hindustani and Carnatic styles
of Classical Music. Doyens like Pt. Jasraj,
Vidushi Prabha Atre, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Vidwan
L. Subramanyam, Vidwan M. Balamuralikrishna, Pt.
Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Birju Maharaj and many more
have trusted him as an able accompanist for their
performances the world over. He also has performed
in countries like U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Germany,
Switzerland, Austria, Australia, many countries in
Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the
Gulf. A strong advocate of the Guru-Shishya
Parampara – he believes that Art needs to be
ingrained with Sanskar. Ramdas imparts training to
youngsters of Tabla free of cost. This has
continued through online sessions even in the
pandemic induced lockdown. He is a Guru at The
Lalit Kala Kendra (Center for Performing Arts) of
University of Pune since 1995, and at Bharti
Vidyapeeth School of Performing Arts, since 2008.
Ramdas is a founding member and Guru at Avartan
Gurukul, a unique Gurukul started in Pune in 2016.
Since 2001, Ramdas has been arranging concerts in
North America thereby providing a platform for
Indian Musicians and Dancers as well as
propagating Indian Classical Music. Ramdas is a
committee member of CFPGS (Cultural Functions and
Production Grant Scheme) of Ministry of Culture,
Government of India, since 2018. In collaboration
with Rotary Club of Pune Westend and Maharashtra
Mandal (Bay Area, California, USA), he is helping
to raise funds for musicians who were economically
affected due to CoVid-19 Pandemic under project
“Saath”. He was also one of the
organizers/performers of a concert, namely “Artist
for Artist” to help all the instrument-makers in
flood-affected Sangli-Kolhapur areas in 2019.
Thus, Ramdas Palsule is a humble student, a
passionate teacher, an intellectual academic,
zealous entrepreneur, and most importantly a suave
ambassador for Indian Classical Music and a
role-model for generations to come.
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