Music is the highest art and, to those who understand, is the highest worship

— Swami Vivekananda

The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Gol Park, hosts a solo sitar recital by Pandit Arvind Parikh. He is one of the country’s foremost sitarist with a career spanning over five decades. He is the seniormost disciple of Ustad Vilayat Khan, the reigning torchbearer of the Imdad Khani/ Etawah gharana. The distinguishing feature of this gharana’s music is the adaptation of modern Kahayal -and Thumri- style vocal pieces (taan-tukda) on sitar. The vocalisation of the ‘instrumental’ idiom has been the single most revolutionary and durable contribution of Ustad Vilayat Khan. His is an idiom based in favour of the soulful and contemplative aspects of music. Its emphasis is on musicality as the essence of musicianship rather than intimidating virtuosity. Parikh is an incisive musicologist, a dedicated teacher and an eminent cultural ambassador.

When: Today at 6 pm

Where: The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Vivekananda Hall