Naad Yatra promotes classical arts in Kashi

It is a joint effort of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (Regional Centre, Varanasi) and Sanskar Bharati

: A special musical journey called Naad Yatra is being held in Kashi to preserve and promote classical Indian arts. These include classical music, dance, and traditional instruments.

Renowned classical Jal Tarang artist Padma Shri Rajeshwar Acharya with a young performer during Naad Yatra in Kashi (Sourced)

The yatra offers a stage for young and promising classical artists to perform in different parts of the city. These performances take place in the presence of well-known classical gurus, giving the young artists a chance to learn and grow.

The Naad Yatra began in August 2023. It is a joint effort of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (Regional Centre, Varanasi) and Sanskar Bharati. In August this year, it completed two years.

“In the past two years, over 90 young artists have performed in this yatra,” said Deepak Sharma, general secretary (organisation), Sanskar Bharati, Kashi province. “Each month, three to four young artists get a chance to perform in front of experienced gurus.”

The aim is to keep classical traditions alive by encouraging the younger generation. It also allows them to connect with senior artists, seek their blessings, and learn from them. Kathak dancer Namrata Mali performed with Aditya Deep on the pakhawaj at Adarsh Shiksha Mandir in March. Jal Tarang maestro Padma Shri Dr Rajeshwar Acharya was present.

Sitar player Dr Sangeeta Singh and vocalist Dr Shivani Shukla gave a two-hour performance at Assi Ghat in April. Dr Sangeeta Pandit sang classical ragas, and Sudhir Kumar Gautam played the flute at the IGNCA regional centre. Other performances included Sucharita Gupta’s classical singing and a solo tabla act by Piyush Kumar at Basanta Degree College in August. Earlier this year, vocalist Ram Shankar and young violinist Anish Mishra performed at Assi Ghat, as did Suhas Joshi and tabla player Anand Mishra. Renowned tabla artist Puran Maharaj has also performed as part of the yatra, which continues to fill Kashi with classical sounds each month.

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