The New Year is set to begin on a musical note, with the much-anticipated ‘Saptak,’ billed as the world’s largest classical music festival, beginning on the first day.
And this comes after a two-year hiatus. Amdavadis will be able to groove live to the sounds of classical ragas for the first time. Saptak’s 42nd annual edition is now available.
There’s no need to be concerned; this edition appears to be Covid-appropriate. The festival will be a hybrid, with musical sessions taking place both offline and online at the same time.
The festival this year is dedicated to the memory of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj and Padma Bhushan Pandit Rajan Mishra. To commemorate the centenary of Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Padma Vibhushan Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, the first day’s sessions will be dedicated to them.
‘Saptak’ was founded in 1980 by the late Nandan Mehta, a renowned tabla player, and his wife Manju Mehta, along with many other renowned classical musicians. The festival features both emerging and established artists. It includes performances of folk music, classical and semi-classical dance forms, as well as pure classical music.
This year, 125 artists from various locations will travel to Ahmedabad to perform at the 13-day festival, despite the pandemic, with many of them being senior citizens. According to sources, the entire festival will be a tribute to the great musicians who have passed away in recent years. This platform is being provided to a variety of musicians, many of whom have a musical family legacy.
Saptak can be viewed online at shaale.com by viewers who want to experience it firsthand. Each session will be available for viewing for 48 hours after it is completed. Although, due to the ongoing pandemic, some changes may occur at the last minute.