Arani hosted a day-long programme on Sunday, at the Kala Mandir. Santanu Bandyopadhyay of the Bishnupur Gharana presented the raga Miyan Ki Todi. The range of Bandyopadhyay's voice and the skilful execution of the vibratos won over the audience. Bandyopadhyay concluded his recital with the raga Jaunpuri. Following this inaugural session Mahashweta Devi released Uday Pather Sahajatri authored by the late Timir Baran. The book recounts Timir Baran's tour of Europe with Uday Shankar……

He is a descendent of one of the oldest gharanas in classical music in Bengal, but Shantanu Bandopadhyay, who hails from the Bishnupur gharana, is shorn of any airs. Modest to a fault, the singer, son of the illustrious Amiyaranjan Bandopadhyay, who also happens to be his guru, enthralled a selected gathering of music lovers at the Oxford Bookstore Gallery last Friday. With his interactive ability with the audience, his melodious voice and his trademark humility, Santanu won over the hearts of even those who just happened to stroll into the store.Organised by the oxfordbookstore.com, as a means to further the reach of the bookstore, the event was titled 'An Evening of Ragas'. The concert was Santanu's second performance at the bookstore.With Samar Saha on the Tabla, the accompaniment was sharp and did not lack imagination. Staring off with raag Kalyan, Santanu expanded on its nuances with telling effect. Moving on later to raag Kedar, Santanu elaborated on the taans and the swars with some vigorous jugalbandi with Samar. Samar a regular at the Dover Lane Music Conference, put his experience to good use, matching Santanu swar for Swar.........

Quiet streets, a cool evening and repturous melodies. Does a connoisseur of music need for the pure unsullied entertainment? The Oxford Bookstore gallery has notched up quite a reputation amongst book lovers and seems all the set to captivate the mind of the music fraternity as well. The occasion this time was a workshop with the fifth generation exponent of the Visnupur Gharana, Santanu Bandopadhay. For the uninitiated, the Visnupur Gharana happens to be the only one of its kind in Bengal and Santanu, an artist who has the task of continuing a lineage and a legacy stretching back as far as 695 A.D...........