Music Malt | culture, festivals and more

— by Ankur Deka | Shillong Music remains part and parcel of human life. It has close affinity with man’s happiness and sorrow. There is no man on earth who has never moved by the sweetness of music. Even the cruelest one also not alienated from it. In this regard I remember a story about the infamous Mussolini who was suffering from insomnia or sleeping disorder due to tension. By the same time Indian classical singer and the representative of Gwalior Gharana Pt. Omkarnath Thakur happened to visit Italy as a part of his Europe tour. Hearing his presence in Rome Mussolini invited him to his court where he presented Indian classical music. The music had a deep effect on Mussolini and led him to sleep and thus he was cured of his sleeplessness. The same singer also calmed down a roaring angry lion in the Kabul zoo by his rendition of Kaphi raga. Similar stories are found in ancient India where in the court of Akbar, Mia Tansen produced fire by Deepak raga and brought rain to extinct

Photo by Kangkan Hazarika From time immemorial, Assam has had various kinds of folk songs and dances sung and played at different seasons of the year by the common folk of the countryside when festivals are held to make merriment of various kinds. Among the festivals, the new year festival is celebrated with great pomp and grandeur in the spring season when the sky is overwhelmed with the utterances of the coming of the "Bordoichila". All classes of people, irrespective of caste, creed and religion take part in the new year spring festival. This festival in Assam is known as Rongali Bihu or Bohag Bihu . The most significant part of the spring festival is the songs and dances which are sung and played expressing delight and also the love for life, society and friendship. Young girls from the countryside sing and dance to welcome Bihu. Nature begins to bloom with new colours and a new urge for recreation. This is expressed through various rites and festivals, song and dances a

Published: Friday, Mar 30, 2012 By Sandhya C D'Souza | Place: Bangalore | Agency: Deccan Herald Bangalore echoed with the melodious symphony created by 1,110 Veena artistes who performed on one platform in a unique concert titled ‘Sahasra Veena Jhenkara’ on March 28. The first of its kind concert organised by Art of Living and Ranjini Kalakendra had Veena artistes from more than eight districts across Karnataka attempting to get their names registered in the Limca and Guinness book of world records. Mangalore too contributed to this historic event with 50 artistes from Shree Vani Veena Vidhya Kendra in Kadri performing at the concert. Speaking to City Herald, Vidushi S V Vaniraj who coordinated the Mangalore team says that the experience is beyond words. “I was contacted by Ranjini Kalakendra Secretary Dr Suparna Ravishanakar about two months back. She requested if I could arrange a team from Mangalore. I assured to arrange at least 15, however, I managed to co