While the Capital’s cultural canvas is dotted with a number of annual classical dance festivals, the connoisseurs were missing adequate number classical music festivals.
Against this disappointing backdrop, launch of Sashtriya Sangeet Sandhya, an annual music festival by the city-based Harihar Sashtriya Pratisthan, (on January 5) broughtcheers for the music lovers and connoisseurs.
Established 14 years ago by Hindustani classical vocalist Guru Harihar Rath, disciple of the distinguished musicologist Pandit Damodar Hota, the Pratisthan has been hosting regular quarterly concerts with small gatherings at the institute and at several venues across the City for the past four years. The festival was, however, its first venture and it received rave response despite featuring budding talents.
The concert staged at Jayadev Bhawan aptly commenced with a choral presentation of Saraswati Vandana, a prayer for the goddess of arts, by the disciples of Guru Rath that was followed by a vocal duet recital of raga Vrindabani Sarang by Swetangi and Narmada, both disciples of the Guru.
The next two artistes were presented as soloists - tabla recital by Bijay Kumar Das followed by vocal recital by Amit Rath who impressed with rendition of raga Kafi.
The concert concluded with a mesmerising recital by Mumbai - based young artiste Ankita Joshi, disciple of legendary Pandit Jasraj. She commenced her hourlong recital with mellifluous rendition of raga Jog, an immensely popular composition of her Guru, that was followed by a traditional composition of a dadra and she concluded her concert with a bhajan.
Presence of stalwarts like musicologist Pandit Damodar Hota and tabla exponent Haramohan Khuntia besides Bhubaneswar Music Circle General Secretary Mahendra Mishra brought enough cheers for the hosts and the performers.
