Manilal Nag – the Sitar maestro

Sitar recital in Dawn Raga Lalit: Total playing time - 61:30

Born in West Bengal, Manilal Nag is recognised in serious Indian classical music circles as one of the most talented and serious exponents of classical sitar. He comes from a family of musicians who have evolved the Vishnupur Gharana, a style of music that originated nearly 300 years ago. His grandfather, Govinda Nag, and his great-great grandfather, Buridas Nag, were both distinguished sitarists in their times. Manilal was initiated in the art of sitar playing at the age of four years by his distinguished father, Sangeetacharya Gokul Nag and made his stage debut at the age of fourteen. Since then, he has become one of the most popular and sought-after concert sitarists the world over. Manilal’s style retains the depth, resonance and sensitivity of the Dhrupad Ang in the alap, followed by an extensive range of taans, gamaks and tihais in the jor, and the use of subtle and lilting phrasing in the jhala. Through this combination, he brings to perfection every raga. He is accompanied on the Tabla by Anand Gopal Bandopadhyaya, who also hails from a family of musicians of the Vishnupur Gharana.