Introduction

137Glorious Years - Harivallabh 

“Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan is the oldest festival of 
Hindustani Classical Music in the world.”

Harivallabh - A Tradition - A Legend

The vibrant voices of the vocalists,
The soul stirring strains of Sitar, Santoor and Sarangi,
The thundering sounds of Tabla and Pakhawaj,
The cascading notes of Flute & Shehnai,
The magic of Mohan Veena,
The enchanting notes of Veena & Violin and
The harmonious notes of Harmonium
all have touched the souls of enlightened audiences at
Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan,
year after year for the last 137years.

This magnificent achievement has been made possible
only by the great musicians performing at this
oldest festival of Indian Classical Music.

For some it was sheer devotion, for some it was a
pilgrimage and for some it was a mission
to preserve the best in Indian Classical Music, that
made them come to this Sangeet Sammelan and to receive the
blessings from the great seat of music.

• Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan
• Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Pratiyogita
• Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Utsavs
• Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet & Research Academy
• Life Time Membership of Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Mahasabha

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Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan

Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan, the oldest festival of Indian Classical Music in the world, is organized in the last weekend of December every year at the sacred seat of music, the Samadhi of Baba Harivallabh – a saint and an exponent of Hindustani Classical Music.

The first Sammelan was held in 1875 at the sacred Samadhi situated at Shri Devi Talab, in Jalandhar. Since then it has been held every year. 

The Sangeet Sammelan which has grown from strength to strength in the last 137 years has been attracting audiences and artists from all across the country and abroad. 

All prominent artists of Hindustani Classical Music from India and Pakistan have come and performed at the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan at one time or the other during the last 137 years.

Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi accompanied by Pandit Vishnu Digamber visited Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan in the year 1919.

Union Ministers, Governors, State Chief Ministers, State Ministers and other VIPs have been visiting to pay their reverence this festival of music 

The festival attracts around 40,000 music lovers from all over the India and abroad every year. This number is increasing year after year.
Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan provides an opportunity for the music lovers to meet 15 – 20 prominent artists at one place every year and to see and to hear them perform live during this Four day long festival. 
This festival was declared as one of the National Festivals by the Department of Tourism, Govt. of India.
All India Radio and Doordarshan have been covering the festival regularly. Extensive coverage by various TV channels, Internet, FM stations has enabled millions of music lovers across the globe to enjoy the live proceedings of the festival. The Print media gives due coverage in the local, regional and national dailies, magazines and periodicals.

Entry to the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan is Free. 

The present cost of organizing the Annual Mega Event is around Rs. 38 Lacs. 
Major expenses are met out of voluntary donations made by public and private organisations.

Punjab Government has also been extending a helping hand in the organisation of this Sangeet Sammelan.

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Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Pratiyogita

To encourage the young to appreciate and perfect themselves in the field of Hindustani Classical Music and to bring out the best amongst the competitors, an open competition in Hindustani Classical Music is organized by the Mahasabha every year. 

Sangeet Pratiyogita for the Junior category and for the Senior category, Pratiyogita is held a few days prior to the annual Sangeet Sammelan.

There are Four Categories for the competition namely: 

Vocal – Shastriya Sangeet - Gaayan
Vocal – Sugam Sangeet – Gaayan – Thumri – Dadra - Tappa 
Instrumental (Non-Percussion) – Shastriya Sangeet – Swar Vadya 
Instrumental (Percussion) – Shastriya Sangeet – Taal Vadya

There are Two Age Groups in each category namely: 

Juniors (Yuva Varg) - upto 16 years and 
Seniors (Varishth Yuva Varg) 16+ to 25 years

There are Three Prizes in each category namely: 
First, Second and Third. 

In addition, the Winners from the Senior Age Group are initiated as ‘Performing Artists’ during the next Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan. For details refer to the link “Music Competition”

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Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Utsavs & Seminars

As a part of the year long drive for the promotion of Hindustani Classical Music and to keep up the tempo after the annual Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan,

Vasant Utsav, Malhar Utsav and Hemant Utsav are Seminars are organised under the aegis of Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet & Research Academy in the months of February, August and October every year.

Two to Three Artists are invited during these functions to give their Lecture - Demostration programme during a 4-5 hour programme.

During Vasant Utsav, Malhar Utsav and Hemant Utsav, preference is given to upcoming artists in the field of Hindustani Classical Music so as to give them appropriate exposure in the music circles.
 

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Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet & Research Academy

Background
For the last 137 years, Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Mahasabha has been making its earnest endeavours to preserve and propagate Hindustani Classical Music by organizing: Sangeet Sammelan, Sangeet Pratiyogita & Sangeet Utsavs. 

 

But in the recent past, fusion/pop styles in Indian music scene have slowly been influencing the traditional, folk and classical music which has resulted into a marked shift in the interest of the younger generation from the traditional/classical towards fusion/pop music. It was strongly felt that:

• To preserve the purity of Indian Classical Music, 
• To nurture it so that the priceless heritage is not lost with the passage of time, and 
• To propagate in amongst the initiated or un-initiated, especially the younger generation;

Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Mahasabha must establish a modern 'Gurukul' – an institution for imparting rigorous training in Indian Classical Music to the students of music by the most competent guides and maestros.

Thus, the project for establishing Harivallabh Music & Research Academy was initiated in the year 2007. A resolution to this effect was passed by the general body during meeting held on 12th December, 2007. Our plans got a boost when the Chief Minister of Punjab, S. Prakash Singh Badal declared a grant of Rs. One Crore, for the establishment of the Academy during the Sangeet Sammelan in 2007.

Work on the building that will house this academy is going on in full swing.
 

Harivallabh Bhawan

Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Awards