Live Music to save Mumbai heritage, the two day festival – ‘Mumbai Sanskriti’ 2019 is scheduled for January 12-13

 

 

 

MUMBAI, (GNI): City’s best-known open air music festival is back and it is bigger and better. The two day festival – ‘Mumbai Sanskriti’ 2019 is scheduled for January 12-13 on the steps of Town Hall, popularly known as the Asiatic Library. Day one will witness duet dance by kuchipudi sisters -Yamini and Bhavana Reddy and day two will have a unique Mohan Veena recital along with rajasthani folk elements by Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Entry Free for all music & dance lovers.

MUMBAI, (GNI): Mumbai is all set to usher the New Year on a grand musical note. Mumbai’s best-known classical music fest – ‘Mumbai Sanskriti’ 2019 is back with performances in classical music and dance.

In its 10^th year, this annual festival is an initiative of the Indian Heritage Society-Mumbai (IHS) which is supported by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. (MTDC) and is scheduled on 12 & 13^th January 2019.  With no entry fee, music & dance lovers can watch this two day concert under the open skies on the historic steps of the Town Hall (also popularly known as the Asiatic Library), the first public building in the island city.

The Indian Heritage Society – Mumbai (IHS) began the initiative of using ‘Live Music to Save Heritage’ way back in 1992 with the Banganga Festival, but after the court order and subsequent noise rules, the festival had to be relocated along the Asiatic Library steps and renamed “Mumbai Sanskriti”. The festival is sponsored by HSBC and Tata Consultancy Services and managed by Shyamal Events.

Celebrating the richness of our culture, the first day of the festival will see kuchipudi dance duet by Yamini and Bhavana Reddy.  This has been choreographed by Padmabhushan duo of Dr Raja and Radha Reddy. Enthralling the crowd on day two will be well-known exponent of Mohan Veena – Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, who will present the ‘Desert Slide’ along with Rajasthani folk musicians.

“Heritage is reflective of the existing culture. Thus the effort to use ‘Live Music to Save Heritage’ was born in 1992 with the first Banganga Festival. This is the 10^th year of ‘Mumbai Sanskriti’ and we will continue to bring awareness of the rich heritage of the city because of its people and their culture. It is a tribute to our city, built over 2000 years ago,” said Anita Garware, Chairperson, Indian Heritage Society –Mumbai

. The IHS has been instrumental in organising some of Mumbai’s best-known festivals like Banganga Festival, the son-en-lumerieshow in 1995 outside the University of Mumbai, ‘Art in the Park’ events at various public parks across the city and most recent ‘Eco-friendly Kala Utsav’ at Ballard Estate.

Excited to perform in the front of the Asiatic Library, Yamini and Bhavana Reddy said, “It is our first time of performing together in Mumbai and what better platform than the prestigious ‘Mumbai Sanskriti’ festival which is held at such a beautiful heritage precinct.”

 “There is a story with these monuments. Dance is poetry of movements affected deeply by space. This is one perspective that excites us as dancers,” they added.

Known for virtuosity and limitless melodies Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt who won the world’s biggest music award in 1994 – the Grammy award, has not only given a broad comprehension to Indian classical music, but has also given rise to the possibility of unique blend of Indian and western classical music in the form of Mohan Veena. “It is wonderful to perform on a historic venue and in front of thousands of people in Mumbai. Mumbai Sanskriti is a great initiative and I’m happy to be part of it,” stated Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.

Free Passes for the Mumbai Sanskriti 2019 are available at MTDC counters at Dadar East and Gateway of India, Chetana Book Centre (Kala Ghoda), and Maharashtra Watch Co (Dadar) . Ends