Lucknowites witnessed an evening dedicated to Indian classical music as the Prabha Khaitan Foundation, along with Ehsaas Women of Lucknow, hosted a musical gathering to mark the Awadh Region Conference. The evening featured a special performance by Grammy Award-winning musician and Padma Shri awardee Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, bringing together artistes, cultural personalities, bureaucrats, political leaders and music lovers under one roof.
(L) Alok Ranjan and Surabhi Ranjan (R) Sundeep Bhutoria
(L) Afzal Khan (C) Aradhana Mishra (R) Ashish Kumar Goyal
Avanish Awasthi and Malini Awasthi
(L) Vinnie Kakkar (R) Deepa Mishra
Before taking the audience on a soulful musical journey, the maestro instrumentalist spoke about the spiritual and cultural depth of music. “Music is the language of God. It helps in meditation and in the purification of the heart, body, and soul,” shared Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. He then presented evocative renditions on the Mohan Veena, performing select compositions from A Meeting by the River, the album that earned him a Grammy Award in 1994. Accompanied by tabla artiste Himanshu Mahant, the jugalbandi unfolded through intricate classical compositions. As the evening unfolded into a rendition of Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo, many in the audience could be seen singing along with the artistes.
Neelu Kalra, Kanak Rekha Chauhan and Dr Mala Mehra
(L-R) Madhuri Halwasiya, Sudhir Halwasiya and Anand Prakash Maheshwari
(L-R) Praneet Babbar, Aarti Gupta, Neelima Dalmia Adhar, Apra Kuchal and Priyanshi Patel
Speaking about the vision behind the initiative, Sundeep Bhutoria, Managing Trustee of Prabha Khaitan Foundation, shared, “Awadh has long been a cultural cornerstone of our nation, rich in music, folk art and timeless traditions. With the expansion to more cities, we are excited to create wider platforms for diverse art forms in the region.”The evening concluded on a patriotic note with a rendition of Vande Mataram, drawing applause and a standing ovation from the audience.— Amina Ashraf
