G-20 leaders will witness a unique musical extravaganza at the dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu when 78 artists from across the country perform on some of the rarest of rare Indian instruments like ‘Surbahar’, ‘Jaltarang’, and ‘Rudra Veena’.
The dinner programme will be held on September 9 at the ‘Bharat Mandapam’, the venue of the G-20 leaders summit.
The 78 artists, include 11 children, 13 women, 6 differently-abled artists, 26 young men and 22 professionals.
The concert ‘Bharat-Vadya-Darshanam’ (Musical Journey of India), being organised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, an autonomous body under the Union Culture Ministry, will feature 34 Hindustani musical instruments, 18 Carnatic musical instruments, and 26 folk musical instruments from across Indian States.
The one-and-a-half hour-long programme will celebrate the rich tapestry of India’s musical heritage through the representative music of different States of the country.
Some rare Indian musical instruments which will be played include the ‘Kamaicha’, used by the ‘Manganiar’ community of Rajasthan, ‘Naltarang’, created by Baba Allauddin Khan of Maihar, Madhya Pradesh and ‘Rudra Veena’, considered one of the most ancient instruments.
“We will immerse in some of the most ancient Vedic musical instruments, Tribal instruments, and Folk instruments alongside classical musical instruments, creating a beautiful soundscape. The participating musicians too are hailing from different regions of India, playing an array of traditional instruments in their traditional attire,” said a senior official of the Ministry of Culture.
The performances will be in ascending tempo from slow or “vilambitlaya” (slow pace) to medium or “madhyalaya” (medium pace) to “drutalaya” (fast pace).
One by one, each group will perform with their various instruments, such as string instruments, instruments with membranes, wind instruments, and metal instruments.
The musical programme has been conceptualized by Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi and directed by Chetan Joshi.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi has been functioning as the apex body in the field of performing arts in the country since its inception in 1953. The Akademi coordinates and collaborates with governments, major cultural institutions, and art academies of different States and Union Territories of the country.
