KOLKATA: The aviation crisis has disrupted the Indian classical music community, particularly during peak performance season when musicians rely heavily on air travel. Artists like Pt Bickram Ghosh were forced to cancel their concerts due to flight cancellations. Meanwhile, organisers like Pt Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, who helms the Swara Samrat Festival starting Dec 12, are scrambling to rebook flights.
Ghosh had to cancel his concert scheduled for Dec 7. "I was eager to perform in Agartala, but the Indigo flight was cancelled. The cost for a one-way Air India ticket was Rs 40,000. With two others travelling with me, the organiser would have incurred Rs 1,20,000 for one-way tickets, totalling Rs 2,40,000 for round-trip tickets," Ghosh said. Considering the financial implications, the organiser decided not to rebook Ghosh.
Majumdar faced similar challenges for his concert in Goa on December 6. "I was in Delhi and planned to fly to Goa via Indigo, but the flight was cancelled. The organiser tried business class tickets but that wasn't available in the alternative airline. So, he had to pay over Rs 58,000 for a one-way Air India premium economy ticket from Delhi to Goa. Under normal circumstances, I would have left my Delhi hotel at 5:50 am and arrived in Goa by 8 am, allowing ample time to rest before the evening performance. However, with the revised schedule, I left at 5:30 am and reached Goa at 1:30 pm, checking into my hotel at 3:30 pm, leaving little time for a sound check," Majumdar stated.
Due to several cancellations, the concert timing was adjusted and extended, and Majumdar was asked to perform at 6:30 pm instead of 7 pm. "The programme extended till 9 pm since some musicians couldn’t make it and the organisers were in a fix trying with their schedule. I do not mind playing longing but the stress of ensuring timely arrival is challenging, especially for those of us with consecutive scheduled events," Majumdar added.
Organizers in Kolkata are facing logistical challenges. Majumdar is particularly concerned about the timely arrival of musicians for SSF. "Adjustments have been made, including rebooking Taufiq Qureshi on Air India for his December 12 concert at SSF. Due to unavailability of business class tickets, a premium economy seat was secured at Rs 24,000, significantly higher than the usual Rs 10,000. Abhishek Raghuram has also been rebooked on Air India Express from Chennai to Kolkata,” Majumdar said.
Sarod player Indrayudh Majumdar is scheduled to perform in Pune on Dec 11. He had planned to depart Pune via an Indigo flight after his concert, returning to Kolkata by dawn on Dec 12. The revised plan involves an Air India flight to Mumbai on Dec 10, followed by a long drive to Pune. After his concert, he'll repeat the journey, arriving in Kolkata by Dec 12 noon. "My son is a key member of the management of SSF, which begins at 5 pm the same day, adding significant stress to the schedule," Majumdar added.
Ghosh is curating the 10th Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa, commencing on December 12. "I have a concert scheduled for December 13 with 25 musicians. Although I have been rebooked, these are challenging times for organizers to ensure all musicians arrive in Goa on time," Ghosh stated.
He expressed disappointment with the situation. "Winter is our peak season, and musicians frequently travel for performances. Most classical music concerts are driven by passion. Organizers often use personal funds or secure sponsorships to finance these events. Such cancellations are highly discouraging and have financial repercussions for both musicians and organizers," Ghosh commented.