Governor P. Sathasivam on Sunday recalled his suggestion last year that the Nishagandhi Dance and Music festival should not be limited to dance alone and should feature an exclusive festival of music.
Within a year, the Tourism department had translated the idea into reality, he said here, inaugurating the first edition of the Nishagandhi Monsoon Ragotsavam.
Delivering his inaugural speech, Mr. Sathasivam said festivals similar to the Nishagandhi Monsoon Ragotsavam should be held in other cities to attract more domestic and international travellers to the State. However, this would be possible only if there was better connectivity, both by air and road, he said.
The mood of monsoon
Commenting on the festival coinciding with the monsoon season, he said though rainy season was mostly associated to floods and landslides, there was the musical and rhythmic aspect of monsoon that enchanted and mesmerised. The rhythm of cool showers, the patter of heavy rain, the humming of the wind, the roar of the storm, and the distant murmur of thunder had inspired the country’s legendary musicians to create raagas. The harmony of these raagas was believed to clear the clouds of pessimism from human minds. Like the monsoon which brought life to a parched land that had been thirsting for water, these raagas could soothe our minds.
The Nishagandhi Festival had become popular at the national level for being held regularly and for the participation of the finest artistes. The Raagotsavam, he expressed hope, would take its fame to greater heights, and the festival would evolve as a mark of the State’s commitment to music and become a globally attended event.
Beginning with Bombay Jayashri, the five-day festival will see nearly 20 artistes presenting Carnatic, Hindustani, ghazal, Western music and fusion genres of music. Young musicians Steven Samuel, Lydian Nadhaswaram, and Amirtha Varshini presented a fluter ensemble on Day 1.
More events
M.S. Lavanya will present a Carnatic saxophone concert on Monday, and Rimpa Siva and Mrittunjoy Mukherjee will present a table-flute concert the next day. Wednesday will see a classic fusion ensemble comprising flutes, sitar, electric violin, mridangam, keyboard, and tabla. Singer Hariharan will woo the rain with his ghazals on Thursday.