KOCHI: The Classical Heritage Series organised by the Ministry of Tourism in association with Spic Macay took people on a ride through an era of classical music and folk art forms came to end at Bastion Bungalow, Fort Kochi.The concluding performance was by Ranjit Gogoi (Bihu, Assam Folk) and Warsi Brothers, Hyderabad (Qawwali). The weekend programmes were planned with one day classical and folk art forms on another day at three places Varanasi, Delhi and Kochi.
The programme included a right mix of vocal and instrumental with folk music and dances from various parts of the country. Some of the artists who performed include Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Vidwan Umayalpuram Sivaraman, Pandit Rajan and Pandit Sajan Mishra, Begum Parween Sultana, Dr L Subramaniam, Ustad Shahid Parvez, Vidwan Kadri Gopalnath, Pandit Bhajan Sopori, Vidushi Shubha Mudgal, Malini Awasthi, Shri Prahlad Singh Tipaniya,Vidushi Shruti Sadolikar Katkar, Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Hyderabad Warsi Brothers and Ustad Shujaat Khan.The intention of the programme was to draw attention to the benefits of tourism and reinforce the principle of ‘Tourism for all’.
In Kochi, On March 10th, Ustaad Shujaat Khan, from the Imdadkhani gharana played sitar followed by Shubha Mudgal. Next day featured a choir by Nagaland followed by Theyyam by Kerala. On March 17, Vidwan Kadri Gopalnath enthralled the audience with his saxophone Carnatic recital, which was followed by Vocalist Begum Parween Sultana. The last day of the programme witnessed some spectacular folk music by Ranjit Gogoi and his team from Assam, qawwali from the Warsi brothers of Hyderabad also mesmerised the spectators.
Spic Macay is a non-profit,voluntary movement that has been working for last 40 years, towards preserving our rich and diverse cultural. Six Thousand programmes of classical music and dance, traditional art forms are being conducted annually across the country.