By PritishaBorthakur
Soothing and uplifting; the message, aura, rhythm, and mood of a distinct kind of poetry so special. This is the atmosphere created by the charming couple, PrassenjitLahiri and Akanksha Tyagi whenever they get the chance to thrill an audience, especially their signature Ehsaas Ka Safar concerts in various parts of the country.
Emotions are brought to life by the masterstrokes of Akanksha, as she weaves her way into the hearts of her audience, taking them on a journey of love.
By her flank is her equally talented husband, the musical maestro. His magical and intoxicating baritone can lead the troubled mind into a hyper-realistic world. But even deeper is the message; of love gained, lost, and found again; of emotions deep and sincere; of nostalgia and pristine thoughts. Their choice of ghazals stems from the fact that they are able to touch and heal every heart, as well as provoke very strong emotions from everyone of all ages.
Making magic with ghazals and shayari
The very name “ghazal” means “flirtation”, implying not only the lovestruck poet expressing desire, love/ devotion and longing for another but also a certain light-heartedness, which in the ghazal is usually expressed in wordplay. However, ghazal as a poetic form tends to express much more than mere flirtation, alluding to powerful emotions and desires as well, often erotic, intense, or even religious in its quest for the beloved, who is often impassive or out of reach. Despite its roots in Arabia, the ghazal has a universal appeal. It has been a growing culture among a special class of poets for many years. With expertise, flair and dexterity, the duo of Prassenjit and Akanksha has assumed a class of their own in composing and rendering ghazals, shayari, and other associated art forms. As they always say, every show reflects their personalities.
“Our roles have never been set in stone. Our performances are always a reflection of who we are, in our personal lives. We are two extraordinary individuals and, together, we make a great team, with strong companionship, exposed to the greatness of feeling every emotion really deeply. And that is what gets conveyed on stage, whether we’re singing or reciting poetry,” says Prassenjit. Their combination of different poetic forms also makes them one of the most dynamic duos in the world of poetry.
Every poetry song or recital is the result of careful planning by the creative couple. Writing begins with nostalgia and the thought of a feeling or emotion. “In Urdu, we say Maazi-Parasti, which means nostalgia. It begins with the memory of an emotion, which then turns into a couplet. Then it takes the shape of a ghazal or nazm, depending on its flow, just like a river or a brook. And then comes the magic of melody,” explains Akanksha. As powerful as the words are, the couple also pays a lot of attention to the rhythm.
Keeping the ghazal culture alive
Prassenjit and Akanksha have, in recent times, become the new ambassadors and champions of ghazals, shayari, nazm, and related forms. From listening to icons like Mehdi Hassan, Jagjit Singh, JaunEliya, SahirLudhianvi, Ahmad Farz, Nida Fazli, Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Noor Jahan, and Jagjit Singh, to performing major concerts at iconic venues like the National Centre for the Performing Arts, NCPA Mumbai; Bangalore International Centre, Bangalore; and India International Centre, Delhi, Jashn-e-Rekhta festival in New Delhi, this wonderful duo has come of age. Last year, their incredible performance at Jashn-e-Rekhta — the world’s largest Urdu language literary festival — won thousands of hearts. They believe these art forms remain relevant even today.
“Today, ghazals are being recited, sung, and passed on through social media and reels — the 8-second magic of virality. Thus, relevance is not the question, the question that befalls us is how do we make ghazals more enjoyable, pleasurable, and adept with newer forms of writing styles and melody, whilst keeping the sanctity of language and writing intact,” they say. The goal is to consistently offer exciting and inspiring poetry to diverse audiences while pursuing their dreams.
There’s no better way to put their feelings than in the words provided by the duo; “In 2021 we were just two dreamers, and today we are two dreamers who can’t really believe their dreams are coming through. It’s difficult to put the feeling into words. But we are thankful and grateful for the opportunities presented to us. Our aim now is to take Ehsaas Ka Safar to more cities in India, and also to different countries, across continents.”
One day at a time, this is becoming their reality, while they continually bless poetry lovers with unique sounds and messages.
More information about their concept ‘Ehsaas Ka Safar’ can be found at https://sfc.asia/events/ehsaas-ka-safar/
