Leading names of Indian classical music, including vocalist Pandit Jasraj, flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia, Grammy-winning Indian slide guitar player Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and others will perform at a concert in Patna on Saturday to highlight the need to protect the environment for the coming generations.
The state government-organised concert, named Panchtatva, will be held at the Sri Krishna Memorial Hall to on celebrate the five elements of nature - ether, wind, fire, water and earth - to emphasise that their balance will sustain the world.
"We live on the earth. We cannot survive beyond it. It represents all the five elements of creation and nature. I will present these facts through music and singing in front of the audience," said Pandit Jasraj, a Padma Vibhushan winner. "I cannot tell right now what I will render at the concert, but a wide range of sounds that emanate from the earth will be brought to the fore."
Jasraj was interacting with journalists here on Friday along with Vishwa Mohan, percussionists Taufiq Quershi, Shridhar Parthasarthi and Shubhankar Banerjee, singers Ratan Mohan Sharma, Ankita Joshi, Niraj Jaitley, Durga Jasraj (Pandit Jasraj's daughter) and Patna divisional commissioner Anand Kishor.
The musicians will take up separate elements of nature and render ragas associated with them. For example Ratan will sing raga Bhairav which is associated with ether, Hari Prasad will highlight wind, while Subhankar, Taufiq and Shridhar will showcase the fire element.
Vishwa Mohan said: "Music represents all the elements. This concert is a very important step by artists to root for environmental protection. I will play raga Malhar, which is associated with water."
Durga Jasraj, who has conceptualised the concert, said separate renditions on the five elements will be followed by a grand finale where all the artists will present a " panch bandi" to showcase how all the elements are necessary for life.
"The concert will give a chance to music connoisseurs to feel about the five elements of nature," she added. "We are grateful to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for giving us a chance to come and perform here."
Divisional commissioner Anand Kishor said free passes for the concert can be collected from his office during daytime on Saturday.
