NEW DELHI: Doordarshan's culture channel DD Bharati, which has taken several new initiatives to woo viewers with programmes on music and cultural heritage of the country since its re-launch in November last year, is telecasting a new programme on the classical music form- Dhrupad, which today has very few exponents in the country.

This ancient form of classical music, which comes from the Samveda and is linked to songs sung in praise of Lord Krishna, has a long rooted history derived from ancient times.

The tradition of this music has been kept going by exponents like the late Dagar Brothers and their family including Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, Dr Shanno Kburana, the Darbhanga tradition, Bettiah tradition, Talwandi Tradition and Bishnupur tradition.

The three-day 'Dhrupad Yatra' programme which commenced on DD Bharati consists of legendary Dhrupad musicians of past and present including Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, and Pt Prem Kumar Mallick.

Curated by Prashant Kumar Mallick, the programme which began from 18 August is being held till 20 August at 9 pm and a repeat telecast of it is on the next day at 5 am and 1 pm.

DD Bharati is also telecasting a series next week on the monsoon season, 'Bharkha Ritu', with special musical programmes devoted to the inspiration that the season provides to artistes.

After the long gruelling months of summer, the monsoons bring an overwhelming sense of joy that inspires writers, musicians, dancers, painters to express their creativity.

Indian classical music has specific ragas for not just different time of the day but even different seasons. The monsoon ragas naturally are to be performed only during the monsoon and hence are not heard in the concerts held through the year.

The charisma of music with Barkha Ritu will feature two eminent Hindustani music exponents – Pandit Chhannulal Mishra and Pandit Shivkumar Sharma – who will enchant music lovers with monsoon ragas. The recital by Pt. Shivkumar Sharma on the santoor will be aired on 24 August and Pt. Channulal Mishra on vocals will be on air on 30 August to mesmerise the audience with a musical extravaganza at 10 pm respectively.

Barkha Ritu is thus the only national thematic classical music festival that presents the beauty of the monsoons in a musical interpretation. Apart from creating awareness of the performing arts, it has also been a significant catalyst in providing a new lease of life for some near extinct forms.

DD Bharati is also commencing a telecast of 'Purva Uttara: Past Forward' from 20 August in which eight of India's most spectacular sites – Sanchi, Konarak, Mamallapuram, Vijayanagara, Delhi, the Taj Mahal, Mewar, and Goa – are examined in a thought provoking manner in the context of the history of the time and the socio-economic milieu. The approach may best be summed up as "Art and the History of Ideas". The series tell the stories hidden in boulders and cliffs turned into timeless works of art.

The programmes will be telecast every Wednesday at 4 pm and repeated the next day at midnight and at 8 am.The first programme will be 'Mamallapuram: A Riddle in the Sands', while the second one will be 'Vijayanagara: Where Kings and Gods Meet'. Others are 'Sanchi: Monument of the People' and 'Konarak: Chariot of the Sun'. 'A World Apart: Princely Mewar', 'Rome of the Tropics: Goa', 'Immortal Capital: The Many Cities of Delhi' and 'Visions of Paradise: The Taj Mahal' are the others.

Conceptualised by art historian Vidya Dehejia and directed by Shyam Benegal and Zafar Hai, the series present events and forces that shaped these towns and cities that are today icons of India's architectural and cultural heritage.