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This music festival coincides with his father’s death anniversary and features talented classical musicians from across the country. The occasion was also reason for the launch of Jasraj’s latest venture, Upasana - a set of devotional CDs on chants and bhajans of Ganesh, Shiva, Devi and Hanuman. Pandit Jasraj and music director Kedar Pandit have collaborated on this four CD venture. The four albums were the brainchild of Kedar Pandit and took only four months from start to finish. “Kedar Pandit has been associated with our family for over 30 years, he is like my son. I now introduce him as Kedar Jasraj Pandit. He has thought of everything, I have only executed his thoughts,” says Pandit Jasraj.

On the albums he adds, “These albums are everyday bhajans. Anybody with devotion in their heart or an ear for music will be able to appreciate them. They begin with basic mantras, take you to a state of concentration and then the bhajans begin”

Though Pandit Jasraj holds high regard for Western symphonies, he is not a big fan of fusion music. “We cannot do these symphonies like them. But no one can offer the world shastriya sangeet like us. To sing fusion music means a lowering of standard, but still people are in awe of fusion music. Fusion music is confusion. Why don’t people look at what the artist has already done before the fusion venture? Why don’t they look at how many years an artist has already been singing for.”

Youngsters, he says, should be coaxed to come for an Indian classical concert. “Only then will they realise how rich our music is. Only when they are exposed to the music will they realise what it is about.”

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