By Vinod Raghavan*
Muscat: The fusion of Carnatic and Hindustani music will mesmerise music lovers during a three-day festival, “Sangeethotsav 2024”, in the capital city of Oman from October 24 – 26, 2024.
This celebration of Indian music features a diverse array of performances highlighting both established and emerging talents from the region.
The festival is not just a celebration of the rich musical heritage of India in Oman but also a collaboration among musicians, making it a memorable experience for all involved.
On all three days, renowned artists of Carnatic and Hindustani music belonging to different gharanas of India will enthral music lovers at the spacious auditorium of the College of Banking and Financial Studies in Bousher, Muscat.
Girish Nair, Media Coordinator, said the event would kick off with a live vocal concert by Vasudha Ravi, an acclaimed Carnatic musician and a well-known playback singer in Chennai.
On the second day of the event, Indian Ambassador Amit Narang will be the Chief guest witnessing “Laya Vinyasam” – a musical fusion with an exquisite combination of mridangam, violin, ghatam, mukharshangh, and ghanchira, creating a vibrant interplay of rhythm and melody.
On the third day, the Hindustani concert will showcase the vocal talents of Yash Sanjay Devle, from the Gwalior Gharana of Madhya Pradesh. Zuber Shaikh on Sitar, Dwijj Gandharva on Tabla and Vineeth Pandit on Harmonium will provide him with company.
Apart from the “Sangeethothsav” held in the evenings, “Sageetharchana” will be held during the daytime on October 24-25, from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm, on October 25 and 26 to showcase the classical musical talents of Oman. With its focus on fostering creativity and promoting cultural exchange, Sangeetharchana has become a significant event in the local artistic landscape, drawing audiences and participants alike.
“This will be an unforgettable evening of soulful music and rich cultural heritage,” Babita Shyam, Joint Coordinator of Ekata, said.
Since its inception, Ekata Muscat has been honouring prominent musicians residing in India and Oman with the “Sangeetha Sudha Nidhi” Award. This year the award would be presented to Thichur Surendran, who has been performing and teaching Panchavadyam for the last 30+ years in Oman, revealed Muralikrishnan Nair, General Secretary of Ekata.
Ekata Muscat started its journey in the year 2018 with an ambitious plan of promoting the rich tradition of Indian classical art forms, and making all efforts to preserve the cultural heritage and identity and move it on to the next generation so that it can continue to flourish for many more generations, reminded Babita, who is also a music teacher in Muscat.
Since its debut performance, in October 2018, “Sangeethotsav” a Carnatic musical concert, which is the signature programme of Ekata, has been able to showcase and assimilate more than 250 artists and maestros from different regions of India, Oman, and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, said Manoj M N, Joint Secretary of Ekta.
*Senior journalist
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