Age no bar at fest

Asked what brings him to the musical extravaganza, Vedant said, "I love listening to the music. My mother has been brining me here since I was a toddler. May be this is why I have started taking interest in it. I am also taking lessonsu00a0in classical music and have started playing theu00a0harmonium."

Vedant is not the case in isolation. Of late, parents have been bringing their children to the fest, as they believe if the kids are exposed to classical music at an early age, they will develop an ear for music.u00a0Seema Marulkar, Vedant's mother, says, "He has given his pratham exam of harmonium classes. I always wanted him to learn music. I think being in the presence of these maestros would encourage him."

If kids like Vedant areu00a0growing up listening to soulful songs of these maestros, people like Gualb Wadhawani (80), who have been attending the fest for over 20 years, have grown older enjoying the artistes' immaculateu00a0

performance. "I have never missed the Sawai fest. I have grown up with the music and the artistes. I consider myself lucky to have done so."u00a0

Asked about the voidu00a0created by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi's demise, Wadhawani, with his eyes welling up, said, "I feel like I was his shadow. I am really sad that he isn't here this year, he will be fondlyu00a0remembered."

Day II of the fest was graced by immaculate performances. The first performance was that of Panditu00a0

Ronu Majumdar on the flute followed by debutante artiste Mahesh Kale who is also the disciple of the maestro Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki. Shaila Datar performed third followed by Kadri Gopinath on saxophone and finally culminating into arguably the most awaited performance by Dr Balmurarikrishnan who was playing at the festival after a prolonged gap of several years.