Raags Performed:
- Raag Abhut Kalyan

Musicians :
- Nirmalya Dey (dhrupad vocal)
- Sukhad Munde (pakhawaj)
- Priya Sharma (tanpura)
- Veronique Depont (tanpura)

The 2013 Darbar Festival—that grand celebration of Indian classical music steeped in tradition and reverence! Among the many memorable performances that year, the recital by **Pandit Nirmalya Dey** truly stood out as a soul-stirring offering of the Dhrupad tradition, presented with the depth and discipline that this ancient form demands.

A Night of Dhrupad: Nirmalya Dey at the Darbar Festival, 2013

Held at the prestigious Darbar Festival, the 2013 concert featuring Nirmalya Dey was nothing short of a spiritual journey. A seasoned and devoted practitioner of the Dagarvani style of Dhrupad, Pandit Dey brought an atmosphere of meditative stillness and majestic grandeur to the stage—a rare and treasured experience for lovers of classical Indian music.

Raag Abhogi Kalyan – An Invocation of Peace

He began the evening with Raag Abhogi Kalyan, a gentle yet emotionally rich raag that blends the serene qualities of Kalyan with the introspective beauty of Abhogi. Dey’s alap unfolded slowly, like the petals of a lotus opening at dawn, each phrase carefully crafted and delicately placed. With the tambura's steady drone behind him, his voice meandered through the notes, invoking a sense of calm and sacredness. The purity of the raga was held aloft with masterful control over meend (glides) and gamak (oscillations), evoking the true spiritual essence of Dhrupad.