Fitting debut of Harmony park with rhythm and beat

Lucknow: The newly constructed Harmony Park at CG City in the state capital came alive with the vibrant inauguration of a two-day music and art festival, organised by the LDA in association with Lok Lab on Saturday.The festival opened with a serene sarod performance accompanied by chants of ‘Om', setting a soulful tone. The morning session featured classical vocalist Sudesh Khare, who rendered morning ragas and hymns. Khare began with a vilambit ektaal composition in Raag Yaman, ‘Sumiran tora tu Karim Rahim Rehman', followed by a chhota khayal in teentaal, ‘Main wari wari jaoongi' and concluded with ‘Gao re Hari naam madhur' in drut ektaal and ended with the bhajan, ‘Mangal murti Maruti Nandan'.Audience member Trisha Singh said, "The way he blended ragas with devotional lyrics felt like a spiritual awakening." In the evening, a vibrant percussion ensemble by five students from Bhatkhande Cultural University performed, directed by Arun Bhatt and coordinated by Gyan Patel. The group began with ‘Vakratunda Mahakaya', followed by a teentaal composition in Raag Mishra Khamaj. The ensemble included Pawan Chaudhary on tabla, Abhishek Shukla on pakhawaj, Upendra Dwivedi on naal, Kundan Pathak on dholak and Dinkar Dwivedi on harmonium. Their synchronised rhythms and mastery of instruments left the audience in awe."I was blown away by coordination and energy of the percussionists," said Ashutosh Verma, an audience member. "Each beat resonated deeply, and the experience was unforgettable." The festival will continue on Sunday, featuring classical music, dance, and art exhibitions, promising another day of cultural immersion for the people of Lucknow.