World Music Concert: A mesmeric journey of global music
Music knows no boundaries and it was proved once again at the World Music Concert held on November 15 and November 16 at Meghdoot Amphitheatre, New Delhi. Organised by the Bengal Association, Delhi, the two-day festival saw the presence of about 50 artists from India, Afghanistan, Congo and Iran. The traditional lighting of the lamp was accompanied by the blowing of conches in the presence of Shovna Narayan, flute maestro Pandit Rajendra Prasanna, West Bengal Resident Commissioner Ujjayini Dutta and other dignitaries.
The journey through the landscape of world music started with traditional ‘dhaak’, music and ‘baul’ songs from the plains of Bengal. After an enchanting performance of Kathak performed by Pandit Krishna Mohan Maharaja and his group, the spectators were treated to a syncretic performance in which the sounds of India, Afghanistan and Congo created a mesmerizing harmony. The evening of the first day was concluded by an instrumental performance by Neel Ranjan Mukherjee, Gauri Mishra and others that fused the tunes of various eminent musicians.
The start of the second day was heralded by an energetic performance of traditional percussion instruments of Iran by Sina Fakhroddin, accompanied by the soulful melodies of ‘sarangi’. The glory of the Hindustani classical traditions was put on full display with the graceful twirls of a Kathak performance and the elaborate ‘ragas’ of a vocal performance by Vidushi Bhaswati Mishra. Classical ‘ragas’ were presented by Vidushi Subhadra Dessi. The audience was captivated by the threads across various musical traditions woven by the fusion Sufi troupe ‘Chaar Yaar’. The programme culminated with a presentation of ‘Qawwali’ by the Niyazi brothers of Rampur. The performance reverberated with the spiritual exuberance of the Sufi tradition.
The ‘World Music Concert’ created a beautiful symphony of the sounds and ethos of musical traditions across the boundaries of language, culture and nationality. It has left all the spectators with a truly unforgettable experience, filling their hearts with the universal soul of music.
