The Hindu : New Delhi News : Striking notes of human harmony

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 19, 2007
ePaper

New Delhi

New Delhi

Striking notes of human harmony

Madhur Tankha

New Delhi: Aimed at promoting “human harmony”, a nationwide “Veena Arpana” will begin at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the Capital this Sunday with a rudra veena recital by Ustad Azad Ali Khan in the presence of President Pratibha Patil.

Simultaneously across the country, veena players in thousands representing the Hindustani and Carnatic music traditions will also perform to invoke the spirits of human harmony.

Organised by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and the Veena Foundation of Delhi, the event assumes significance as the veena is one of the oldest musical instruments in the country and finds pride of place in epics and Buddhist texts.Addressing a press conference on Thursday, IGNCA Trust president Chinmaya R. Gharekhan said the celebration of the veena is part of the IGNCA’s programme of research in Adi Sravya and Adi Nada for revitalisation of vanishing and languishing musical traditions in the country. “Over the past two decades it has documented and archived folk, tribal and classical musical traditions and published classical musical texts with translation and annotation,” he added.

Quintessential symbol

Stating that the veena was the quintessential symbol of the science of musical sounds, Veena Foundation secretary-general V. Raghurama Ayyar said it symbolises the Indian philosophy of harmony and tranquillity. “Such synchronised Veena Arpanas will be offered annually on Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti, the New Year, Id and Vijaya Dashami,” he added.

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