Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday instructed officials of the state Information & Cultural Affairs department to take Sangeet Mela upto the block level from next year.
"We have to take Sangeet Mela right upto the grassroot level. We are organising the fair in different localities in the form of 'Paray Paray Sangeet Mela'. We also organise fairs for the adivasis. There are many talented artistes and such fairs on the block level will provide a good platform for them," Banerjee said at the inaugural programme of Sangeet Mela held at Uttirna in Alipore on Friday.
"I travel to districts and often listen to local artistes whose voice and rhythm make me mesmerised. The folk music that they render is simply outstanding. Music is life and it will continue to be so till eternity," Banerjee maintained.
As many as 9 artistes were conferred the Sangeet Maha Samman award by the state government. The recipients included Arijit Singh, Santanu Mukherjee (popularly known as Shaan), Raghab Chatterjee and Rupankar Bagchi to name a few. As many as 11 artistes were awarded Sangeet Samman by Banerjee at the programme.
The awards were introduced by the state government in 2011, to recognise outstanding contribution to the world of music.
The Bangla Sangeet Mela will be held in as many as 10 venues in the city from Friday till December 22, in which an estimated 2,000 singers, including those from districts, are expected to perform.
The Biswa Bangla Lok Sanskriti Utsav was also flagged off at the same event and it will be held side-by-side from December 14-18 at Ektara Mukta Manch. This is for the first time when students from 32 schools and 16 colleges will be participating in Sangeet Mela.
Around 2,000 singers and 450 artistes who are adept in playing different musical instruments, will take part in the mela. Rabindra Sadan, Sisir Mancha, Rabindra Okakura Bhavan, Phanibhusan Bidya Binod Jatra Manch, Mohor Kunja, Hedua Park, Madhusudan Mukta Mancha, Ektara Mukta Mancha, Deshapriya Park and Rajya Sangeet Academy Mukta Manch will be the venues for the mega event. Deshapriya Park will see performances from promising Bangla bands and budding artistes. There will be an exhibition of a variety of musical instruments titled 'Banglar Lokbadya' at Gaganendra Pradarshanshala in the Nandan complex from December 15 to 22. The Ektara Mukta Mancha will host a discussion on basic Bengali songs and Bengali film songs on December 22. The Sangeet Mela will conclude with a night-long musical programme at Rabindra Sadan on December 22.