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Celebrating India’s unity in diversity, a festival of different genres of music and dance kick-started with the Hindustani classical music concert at Nehru Park wherein some of the greatest contemporary artists performed.
Organised by Delhi Government along with Sahitya Kala Parishad, the concert opened with a sitar recital by Meera Prasad, known for her pure rendition of the ragas. Meera is a disciple of the famous Beenkar Ustad Ahmad Raza Khan and legendary sitar maestro Pt Uma Shankar Misra. “The musical concert is an initiative to showcase the nuances and shades of Indian culture. We performers are here to celebrate the richness that our country offers, from Hindustani Classical Music to Punjabi pop,” said Meera, about the event.
The festival Raag Rang also aimed at connecting contemporary audiences with classical forms of music and dance.
“Throughout the event, different artists of various genres will present their pieces in a compact, seamless format that will appeal to contemporary audiences, while maintaining the essence of the ancient tradition,” she said.
Meera’s performance was followed by the Khayal exponents Rajan and Sajan Mishra.
While presenting the glory of age-old Banaras gharana, the duo captured the audience with their brilliant musical skills and aura on stage. Then came a dazzling performance by Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan, who masterfully combined the depth and rigour of the tradition of Hindustani classical music.
“Delhi today is a very powerful hub for all kinds of cultures and music is a very integral part for the people here. It feels great to be a part of the celebrations. These days,
people have numerous choices in terms of music and it is nice to see such a dedicated crowd,” said Amaan Ali Khan after the performance.
The duo defined their music as traditional with a contemporary vibe. “One doesn’t need to murder tradition to be contemporary. They can have a very musical co-existence,” he said.
The five-day festival will be on till September 9 at three different venues Nehru Park; Dilli Haat, Pitampura; and Utsav Park, IP Extension, to reach a larger audience.
The event will also feature Sufiana qalaam by Ali Brothers, a qawwali session by Javed Husain Khan. Dilli Haat will have punjabi folk and pop music; Langas of Rajasthan by Pappa Khan and traditional folk form by Prakash Bhagat and Kamal Bhagat. Punjabi pop singer Ashok Masti will also enthrall the audience.
Traditional folk music band, Dunes of Rajasthan will set the mood of the crowd at Utsav Park crowd be followed by ghazal by Ahmed Hussain and Mohammed Hussain, qawwali by Ehsaan Bharti and Bhojpuri folk music by Malini Awasthi and Sharda Sinha.