New Delhi   

A new lease of life for the Veena

P. Anima

NEW DELHI: The four-day Veena Festival in Delhi aimed at giving a new lease of life to the ancient Saraswati Veena tradition concluded on Saturday. The festival, organised by the Veena Foundation and the Indira Gandhi National Centre of the Arts (IGNCA), was meant not only to reinforce the significance of this ancient instrument but also revive public interest in the veena. It was also part of IGNCA's endeavour to document the various ancient recital traditions of the country.

Recordings of veena recitals by artistes of yore as well as contemporary exponents, rare photographs as well as other significant documents relating to the Saraswati Veena tradition will now be part of the IGNCA archives.

"Veena is the supreme symbol of music," said Union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy at the concluding function.

"Both the artiste as well as the audience attain a certain serenity on listening to the veena," Mr. Reddy added.

Bringing to light the significance of the veena in national integration, Mr. Reddy said "the veena is used by all social groups of the country".

Speaking on the occasion, Veena Foundation Chairman L. M. Singhvi said: "The veena is an instrument that symbolises national integration and it expresses the tranquillity of inner peace."

According to Mr. Singhvi, the priceless recordings presented to IGNCA during the festival include not only recordings of the legendary M.S. Subbulakshmi but also those of her mother done towards the fag end of the 19th Century.

Mr. Singhvi also said that as part of the Veena Foundation's efforts to popularise the instrument, veena festivals would be conducted in other cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata, Banaras, Hardwar and Rishikesh.

"Negotiations are on to take the festival abroad too, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom," said Mr. Singhvi.

IGNCA Member-Secretary and Trustee K. K. Chakravarty and Raghurama Ayyar, veena exponent and Secretary-General of the Veena Foundation, were among those present at the function.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Some laughs, some smiles and some giggles
"4 major Delhi hospitals hit by inadequate staff"
A new lease of life for the Veena
RWAs demand probe into power privatisation pact
62nd phase of pulse polio launched
CAG finds under-assessment in Govt. revenue receipts
Delhi High Court directs Govt. to vacate school
CAG report criticises DTC
Iran for fostering friendship with Asian countries
Dawood gang member convicted
Honour for martyrs' girl child
A new journey
Summoning order quashed
Journalists condemn attacks on media
Haryana also to blame for dry Delhi
Junk food may cause heartburn
Power cuts on in some areas
Around The City
Briefly
In the Capital Today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu