‘Malwai Sath Chapar’ revives forgotten notes with irresistible warmth at AMU

Aligarh : The melody of two beaked Algoze, chiming metallic sounds of Chimta; pitchy tunes of Gagar; simple notes of single string Tumbi; metallic jingles of Khartal and the index finger plucking the string of Ektara leaned on shoulder, casted its spell as the audience at the NRSC Club, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) swooned to the sounds of the traditional Punjabi musical instruments played with irresistible warmth by the ‘Malwai Sath Chapar’, a band a traditional musicians from Ludhiana, Punjab in the ‘Sur Taal Sandhya’ a musical evening of the Uttar Pradesh Punjabi Academy, Lucknow.

“In times when the modern musical instruments have taken centre stage, the music instruments from the long lineage of Punjabi traditional musical instruments have been forgotten. But, we want today’s generation of music lovers to know how these simple utensil looking instruments produce melodies”, said the members of the ‘Malwai Sath Chapar’ as they captured the mood.

The Chief Guest, Prof M Shafey Kidwai (Department of Mass Communication) remarked: “This musical programme highlights that traditional instruments will surely not lose the battle to the modern instruments as long as the musicians in Punjab are taking keen interest in inventing, improving and making traditional musical instruments popular.

“Malwai Sath Chapar with many other exponents of Punjabi classical music are trying to revive and popularise these traditional instruments, especially those in the category of stringed instruments. But, there still is a pressing need to train more people in playing these traditional musical instruments”, said Prof Kranti Pal (Department of Modern Indian Languages).