SPIC MACAY 2026 - Mishra Bandhu
In a morning of pure harmony, our school hosted the world-renowned, Grammy-nominated classical vocalists, Pt. Ritesh Mishra and Pt. Rajnish Mishra. Carving a legacy across 45 years of music worldwide, SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth) brought the 400-year-old Banaras Gharana lineage straight to our school.
The interactive session began with the simply arranged song ‘हर एक सुर कितना सुन्दर है...... संगीत अमर है’ and the students of Classes VI and VII joined in easily on the lyrics. Following the musicians, the children enthusiastically sang each line of the song in a perfect synchronised rhythm taking them through the notes of the ‘अलंकार’.
The morning commenced with the evocative notes of ‘राग नट भरैव’, a choice perfectly suited for the time octave of the day - ‘दिन का पहला पहर’. The maestros captivated the children with a soulful rendition of ‘करो कृपा मोहे पेसतगुरु, भोर भई पंछी जागे...’, explaining why this specific song was chosen- it is a beautiful morning awakening melody that aligns human energy with the cycle of nature.
The musical journey was followed by curious students eagerly asking questions to the maestros, who gave deep insights into the structure of Indian classical music. “Why do you sing for others, and how does it feel to perform?” The artists shared a beautiful philosophy- "हम अपने लिए गाते हैं. Once we achieve inner satisfaction, that joy naturally overflows to others." The musicians introduced students to the ‘स्वर मडंल’, describing it as a "galaxy of सुर" and demonstrating it as the Indian equivalent of a harp. When asked about the shape of the drums in tabla, they humorously shared the legend of how a large ‘पखावज‘ drum was split in half with an axe to create the two halves. They clarified further by explaining that the differently sized drums produce bass and treble sounds.
Addressing another question about creating their own music, they humbly noted that all ‘राग’ already exist eternally in nature. "We have not reached a level to create something entirely new, we simply improvise them on the spot," they shared, emphasizing that no form of music exists outside all of the foundational ‘राग’. Singing since the tender ages of 7 and 9, and with over half a century of stage performances, they credited their legendary fathers and gurus, Pt. Rajan and Sajan Mishra, as their ultimate inspirations. They warmly added that seeing the curious school children serves as a constant, fresh inspiration.
The performance culminated in a captivating journey through rhythmic तीन ताल. On Minoti Didi’s request, the musicians oriented our students on the origins of the seasonal and time-based structures of music. With their performance, the esteemed Mishra brothers brought our children the gift of awareness and pride in their own rich cultural heritage.