Kennedy Center comes Alive at Ghazal Queen “ Vatsala Mehra’s” Encore Concert by Neeta Krishnamurthy
India This Week
October 9, 2009

Kennedy Center on September 27th, 2009 came alive with a veritable feast for ghazal enthusiasts, when the Ghazal Queen Vatsala Mehra regaled a nearly 500-strong audience captive with her flawless renditions of all time favorites.
Vatsala returning to the Kennedy Center for a third encore performance displayed her distinctive versatility by singing a poignant collection of Sufi Kalaam, Ghazals, and Geet. Till date, Vatsala remains the only Ghazal artist to have performed at the prestigious Kennedy Center.
Even though, Ms. Mehra is settled in Washington D.C. with her husband and daughter, she frequently travels to India to record her albums and for Live Shows in all the major metropolitan cities. She is currently all set for another tour of concerts in major cities of India in February 2010. She has recorded 15 albums/CDs so far under major music companies including Music India, and Zee Music etc. In 1980 her first album, Guftgu, was released. Since then the trek has always been upward. Guftgu was followed by Shamakhana II in 1981; Khazana I and Khazana II in 1982 and 1983 respectively; Nigahen in 1984; Hasrat in 1985; followed by Nasheeli Peshkash (1987) and two pop albums, Ole Ole (1989) and Jhoom Jhoom (1990). Atlantic Video released the Nigahen video in 1992. Subsequent ghazal releases include Shokhiyan in 1993, Gubar in 1996, Meri Jaan in 1999, and the latest Hasratein in 2009 at the occasion of her concert at Kennedy Center. It takes talent to galvanize listeners and Vatsala possesses this lethal combination of talent and style. The ensuing standing ovation was well deserved! From the very outset, she displayed a keen mastery over the lyrics, the musicians and even the audience. Her opening rendition of “Maula Mere Maula” a sufi kalaam, left the audience with the feeling of a higher presence in the Theater.  She followed it with the Ghalib piece - Dil-e-Nadan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai? - might have been too much in the classical style to suit those attuned to the film version of "Ghalib lite," but it was clearly to the liking of the assembled connoisseurs and Ghalib himself would be touched with this tribute.
Vatsala Mehra regaled the audience for well over two hours with a repertoire of the traditional ghazals that delved to the depths of human and divine love and the pangs of separation, but also a number of light, lively, lilting tunes that had the audience clapping along. Vatsala’s breathtaking voice, with its perfect bass notes and her tone, rich and glorious, continues to bring freshness and fire into the world of Ghazals.  Her astonishing range breaks all barriers with its purity and her lustrous voice adds sheen to timeless renditions. It is a voice that celebrates an epoch in ghazal singing – an epoch of excellence and fluid interpretations.  She mesmerizes her audiences with her unique style, gayaki, bass, and mood - incorporating all of these in the  favorite themes of Love, God, Life, and Death. Her mellifluous voice along with youthful and bubbly vitality in her renditions has a magnetic attraction for the young and old alike and leaves her audience awestruck with her energetic singing. In fact, her rendition of “Aaj Jane Ki Zid Na Karo” evoked memories for the audience from her previous performances, and left them awestruck with her expressive delivery infused with her well admired husky voice.
Abhi to Main Jawaan Hoon was an all time favorite with the audiences, young and old alike. As one of them rightfully commented,” Vatsala’s rendition was more powerful and expressive than even the original sung by Mallika Pukhraj”. She also sang a few ghazals from her new CD Hasratein.
“Your melodious voice  will continue to reverberate in our ears”, said Rahul Chhabra, Minister Press, Information, and Culture. Both The Indian and the Bangladesh Ambassadors were thrilled and called it a phenomenal evening.
Vatsala Mehra, who infused just the right amount of sensuality into her ghazals, has developed a strong stage presence and perfected the art of carrying her audience with her. But when it comes to enthralling audiences with pure musical entertainment, Vatsala has created a niche for herself. She brought the house down with the Thumri, composed by Sadiq Ali Khan Sahib at the request of the Emperor Wajid Ali Shah. Many in the audience were mesmerized with her phenomenal command over her classical range and effortless presentation.
She has adorned the cultural firmament of Greater Washington for quite a while and is deservedly known now as the Ghazal Queen. Her impressive stage presence has always elicited the appreciation of her audiences and her singing is full of verve, vigor and vivacity. Judging by the standing ovations Vatsala received, the enthusiastic audience heartily agreed. Her penchant for punctuating her performances with her natural and perfectly timed gestures has become a very powerful instrument in the overall presentation. She is rightfully the Cultural Ambassador of India in United States and has been running the Balaji Music Academy located in McLean, Virginia for the last 10 years to promote the Indian Culture and instill the fundamentals of the Indian Classical Music in the young and old alike. Her students have performed at major Bollywood shows, cultural events and National Television.
The Terrace Theater was electrified by her performance, reinforced by the accompaniment of some of India's top musicians, who had come all the way from Bombay, for the Washington event.. The rapport between Mehra and the tabla player Manoj Bhati, had the audience in raptures over the jugalbandi. Bhati, is the Tabla Maestro of India and is a very familiar face on Zee TV’s popular Sa Re Ga Ma Pa show, has also accompanied Mehra in many of her recordings.  Akhlak Hussein Warsi, renowned Harmonium artist, has been associated with Mehra for a number of years and has accompanied her in many of her live shows, in India, and in America. Sushant Sharma (Guitar), and Mohammad Bashir Khan (Banjo), were equally appreciated for their musical talent.
 The concluding piece, "Dama Dam Mast Kalandar", had the audience clapping in their seats. Manifold artistes have sung this number but Vatsala's rendition was unforgettable, with her energetic, enthused voice threatening to bring the walls down of the Terrace Theater, and left her audience enthralled and awestruck. The evening ended on a unanimous feeling that Vatsala, the Queen of Ghazals, must return to The Kennedy Center in the very near future for yet another memorable performance.