Multi-talented musicians for India’s Republic Day
‘Stringstruck’ a sitar concert at the Bishop’s College auditorium organised by the Indian High Commission in Colombo was held on Monday, January 26 in celebration of the 67th Republic Day of India.
Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha, Speaker of Parliament, Karu Jayasuriya and his wife as well as Sitar enthusiasts were among the distinguised guests looking forward to hearing Sitar maestro Purbayan Chatterjee.
The concert is one in a series of events organised as part of the Festival of India which isto continue throughout 2016.
The theme of the festival is “Sangam” – a confluence of cultures between India and Sri Lanka and both the High Commissioner of India and Mr. Jayasuriya spoke of these great historical links.
Purbayan Chatterjee was warmly welcomed onto the stage by an enthusiastic crowd. He began with a few words to his audience, explaining how it was a real honour to represent his country this evening.
Chatterjee has had an international career spanning 23 years, showcasing his work in many prestigious venues such as the Sydney Opera House and we were privileged to see him perform here in Sri Lanka. Joining him was Darshan Doshi on drums, Prakash Ulliyeri on keyboard and Manas Chowdhary on bass guitar.
The multi-talented musicians captivated the audience with their mesmerising sounds. And the impressive lighting and setting added to the ambience of the evening.
Chatterjee with his unique style, transforms the traditional sitar sound by combining it with electronic music and the result is outstanding! There was even audience interaction which added to the light hearted, celebratory tone of the evening. The performance was commended by a standing ovation.
In February an exhibition on “Digital India” will be the next festival event.