Earlier in the evening, as Ustad Sultan Khan took the dais, it was a personal tribute to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Ustad Khan, whose family has been the vanguard of sarangi vadan for the last seven generations, presented a Carnatic raag, Charu Keshi, accompanied by Fazal Qureshi on the tabla.

Qureshi's taal (Qureshi is the second son of Ustad Allah Rakha) ably supported Ustad Khan's notes. In a night dominated by Hindustani classical music, the latter's rendition of the Carnatic raag added to the kaleidoscope that the programme had to offer.Continuing with his digression, Ustad Khan went on to perform a lori, responding to a farmaish from the audience. A piece rendered immensely enchanting by its lyrical simplicity... Subah Ho Gayee, So Jaa.The evening had started off with the traditional shehnai vandana as has been the practice for the last two nights. Pramod Gaikwad presented raag Durga, which went largely unnoticed as the audience was yet to settle in. A problem that persisted with Shalmali Joshi's performance. The floating crowd, while rather disconcerting, however, did not ruffle the singer, whose voice is gifted with great richness and depth. She put forth two khayals, one based on raag Shudhnat and the other on raag Paraj. Her renditions of the bhajan, Baaje Murulia, rounded off a rather polished performance.Similarly exploring the intricacies of raag Malkauns was Yadavraj Phad, accompanied by Tulsidasji Borkar on the harmonium and Dr. Ravi Borgaonkar on the tabla. Both provided adequate sur and taal to Phad.But the night belonged to the old guard as they all came together to fill up the vacuum that Pandit Bhimsen Joshi's ill health had left behind.As Zarine Sharma, a much-travelled and noted sarod exponent took the stage, it was a responsive and eager audience that revelled in her renditions. Raag Jog and Sagar were sung with great finesse, and she was accompanied by Vibhan Nageshwar and Sudhakar Chavan on the tabla and Lonar Kulkarni on the tanpura.But as the recently-turned octogenarian (December 12 was his birthday), Pandit Pheroze Dastur, started his performance, the audience was warmed up and primed for his immensely soulful rendition of raag Villas Khani Todi.

Although at times his breath would run out, the maestro's rich voice more than made up for the vagaries of age. Following this up with Piya Ke Milan Ke Baad..., based on the raag Jogia, he built up an intricate pattern of notes.But the curtain was kept at bay as the audience demanded more from the maestro. With an affectionate ``Mala tumhala nirash karayche nahi,'' he rendered the bhajan, Gopala, on the jhap tal.

But all good things come to an end and the night culminated with a recorded version of raag Bhairavi by the legend himself - Sawai Gandharva. And the tradition will continue, as the sangeet mahotsav will usher in winter on December 9, 1999.