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Gandhinagar, Nov 21 (IANS) The annual Tana-Riri Music Festival, a cultural event celebrating Gujarat’s classical music heritage, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Vadnagar in Mehsana district on Saturday.
This year, renowned classical singer Kalapini Komkali will be honored with the Tana-Riri Sangeet Samman Award.
The two-day festival, starting from Saturday, will feature evening performances of classical singing, instrumental music and folk styles by acclaimed artistes.
Minister of State for Forest, Environment and Transport Praveen Mali will be the chief guest on the second day of the festival.
The festival, organized annually by the Sangeet Natak Akademi under the Department of Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities, was founded in 2003 by then Chief Minister and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the immortal legacy of the great sisters Tana and Riri.
The Sangeet Samman Award was started in 2010. This year’s line-up includes classical performances by Kalapini Komkali, instrumental performances by Neeladri Kumar and folk performances by Ishani Dave on the first evening.
The next day, classical singer Dr. Subhadra Desai, instrumentalist Ninad Adhikari and team, and folk artiste Parth Ojha and troupe will perform.
The festival commemorates the historic contributions of Tana and Riri, granddaughter of Sharmistha, daughter of poet-saint Narsingh Mehta, who earned an eminent place in the musical heritage of Gujarat.
As legend has it, his mastery over Malhar ‘Raga’ soothed the burning effect caused by Tansen’s singing of Deepak Raga.
His devotion and sacrifice towards music is honored every year at his Samadhi Sthal in Vadnagar, where the festival is being organized since 2003.
Meanwhile, Gujarat is set to host Spatak Classical, a vibrant celebration of India’s rich classical music tradition, adding to the state’s growing cultural calendar.
The festival will bring together acclaimed singers, instrumentalists and emerging artists for a series of performances that will highlight the depth of Hindustani and Carnatic styles.
Spatak Classical aims to create a comprehensive musical experience for audiences through major events such as the Tana-Riri ‘Mahotsav’ as well as strengthening Gujarat’s position as a thriving center for classical arts.
–IANS
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