Pandit Nirmalya Dey

Established his position as performer and teacher of Dhrupad in India and abroad. Inspired by his mother, he started initial Dhrupad training with Prof. Nimaichand Boral, who was a disciple of Ustad Nasir Moinuddin Khan Dagar. From 1988 he has taken advanced training from Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar, a celebrated master of Dagar tradition. Nirmalya Dey continued to actively learn from Ustad till he passed away in 2013.

Being one of the distinguished performers of the Dagar tradition, he has taken part in many prestigious festivals and concerts in India and abroad. At the beginning of his musical carrier, Pandit Nirmalya Dey was awarded the first prize at the national music competition organized by All India Radio, in 1979. As recognition in the field of dhrupad and for the excellence of achievement in this field, he was awarded with the senior fellowship by the ministry of Human Resource Department, Government of India.

Pandit Nirmalya Dey is a world renowned teacher and master of Dhrupad, who has taught in University of Delhi and Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra (Delhi) as a visiting lecturer. Over the past decades, Nirmalya Dey has participated innumerous Dhrupad festivals and conducted workshops all over the world including European countries and North America. As a long standing master of dhrupad, Pandit Nirmalya Dey has a large number of serious students. When he is not performing he generously devotes himself to teaching at the Dhrupad Gurukul in New Delhi, India. Read more

Major
Events

August 2013 - Darbar festival, London (link) and other concerts in England.
September 2013 - Concert tour in Fiji
February 2013 - Dhrupad Festival Netherland, Utrech, organised by Rasa (link)
December 2012 - Tansen Festival, Gwalior, India
October 2012 - USA tour with concerts and masterclasses (link)
March 2012 - Dhrupad Festival organized by National Television Channel, Kolkata, India

Go to "Events" menu for more information about recent and past events.

Raag Shuddha Sarang

Raag Puriya - Alap

Raag Bhupali

Raag Desh

Ust. Zia Faridudin Dagar & Pandit Nirmalya Dey

About Dhrupad

Dhrupad is the oldest existing form of Indian classical music. The nature of Dhrupad is spiritual - its purpose is aradhana (worship). Seeking not to entertain, but to induce deep feelings of peace and contemplation in the listener.

Its origin is linked to the recitation of Sama veda , the sacred Sanskrit text. Dhrupad probably evolved from the earlier chanting of Om , the sacred syllable which is claimed to be the source of all creation. Later, the rhythmic chanting of the Vedic scriptures evolved into singing of Chhanda and Prabandha.

One significant characteristic of Dhrupad is the emphasis on maintaining purity of the ragas and the swaras.

According to some accounts, Dhrupad was sung in temples, the singer facing the divinity. From this early chanting, Dhrupad evolved into a sophisticated, classical form of music. The language of Dhrupad changed from Sanskrit to Brijbhasha sometime between the 12th and the 16th century.

About six centuries ago, Dhrupad came to be patronized by the royal courts and its complex rendering became highly sophisticated for royal audiences. The compositions became more secular. Some were written in praise of the emperors ; others were elaboration on the music itself. However, the pristine nature of Dhrupad survived. Even today we hear this majestic form of music performed like it was more than 500 years ago in the royal courts of the emperors and kings of India. Read more