Bhubaneswar: Set amidst the premises of the magnificent Rajarani temple, the three-day annual music festival kicked off amid huge fanfare here Monday.
The musical soiree features artistes from across the country and widely sought after by the connoisseurs of classical music.
The festival is conceptualized in such a way so as to be a platform for classical Indian music, be it the sonorous instruments unique to India or the mellifluous genres of vocals in Hindustani, Carnatic, Sufi or Odisha’s home grown Odissi music, the Rajarani Music Festival encourages and gives our musical heritage the license to mesmerise the audience.
The evening’s first programme was Bidushi Sudha Raghuraman, a great Carnatic singer who by her mellifluous and sonorous voice recited Sidhivinayak Bandana followed by the two songs set to Rag Hansadhwani and Tala Aditala and Ragshree set to Aditala and lastly Sivapanchakhyara.
The delineation of Rag giving full vent to the imagination based on the musical notes with an eclectic and compressive description by Sudha Raghuraman regaled the audience.
The evening’s second artiste was Tabla player (instrumental) by maestro Bickram Ghosh’s Rhythmscape (Indian Fusion Band). He presented Siva Tandaba, Little Krishna followed by different Indian classical fusion which was played through Tabla, Hand Sonic, Body Drum and other percussions.
The art connoisseurs were captivated by the superb presentation of the evening’s musical programme and were present till the end.
The dignitaries who graced the inaugural function were Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi, Minister, Tourism and Odia Language, Literature & Culture, Odisha; R. Balakrishnan, Chief Advisor to Chief Minister, Odisha; Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary, Tourism; Shreemayee Mishra, Chairperson, OTDC Ltd. and Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav, Diretor, Tourism.
The programme was anchored by Sangita Gosain and Anuja Tarini Mishra. Officers/ Staffs from Tourism Department, OTDC and Sangita Nataka Academy were coordinating during the festival.
The festival falls back to the age old tradition of music being the cornerstone of spirituality and has helped Bhubaneswar emerge as a top classical music destination in the country.
