Pune: ‘NaadMudra Mahotsav’ Concludes on a High Note

Pune, 11th March 2024: To preserve and promote the ethos of Indian Classical music, the three-day ‘NaadMudra Mahotsav’ organized by Alpha Events concluded on a high note with the melodious vocal rendition of Padma Shri Pt. Venkatesh Kumar. The Mahotsav was held from Friday 8th March to Sunday 10th March from 6 pm to 10 pm at Keshav Baug, DP Road, Karve Nagar. Entry for this festival was free for all on a first come first served basis. The three-day festival began on Friday, 8th March with a melodic vocal performance by Dhananjay Hegde, a disciple of Pt. Vinayak Torvi and Pt. Venkatesh Kumar.

During the second session of the day, the audience was left mesmerized by ‘Rutusamhar’, an opera featuring music, poetry, and dance inspired by the verses of Mahakavi Kalidasa. This special program witnessed the performances of vocalist Aparna Panshikar, the disciple of Pt. Bhaskarbua Joshi and Vidushi Meera Panshikar; Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar, the disciple of Gaanasaraswati Padma Vibhushan Kishori Amonkar, and Kathak Dance exponent Sharvari Jamenis, disciple of Pandita Rohini Bhate. ‘Rutusamhar’ was conceptualized by Aparna Panshikar based on a collection of Mahakavi Kalidasa’s verses describing the various seasons of the year in the form of traditional Bandishes. These vocal compositions were presented by her along with Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar, while Sharvari Jamenis expressed these poems through her dance.

Day two of the festival began with a soulful Sitar recital by Mehtab Ali Niazi, son, and disciple of Sitar Maestro Ustad Mohsin Ali Khan of the Bhendibazaar Gharana, while the day concluded with the enthralling vocals of Vidushi Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande. The last day of the Mahotsav began with the blissful vocal rendition of Aparna Panshikar. The festival ended on a high note with the melodious vocal rendition of Padma Shri Pt. Venkatesh Kumar.

Organizer Nikhil Joshi, Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar, Vocalist Aparna Panshikar, Vidushi Meera Panshikar, Sameer Belwalkar, Sampada Belwalkar, Pt Vijay Koparkar and other dignitaries were present during the festival. The three-day festival was anchored by Neeraja Apte, while Aarti Patwardhan presented on day two of the Mahotsav.