Classical music fest Sapt-Sangeeti begins Jan 2

Rajkot: Music lovers are in for a rich musical treat as the eighth edition of Sapt-Sangeeti 2026, a seven-day classical music festival, begins Jan 2 at the Hemu Gadhvi Auditorium.Renowned artists from across the country will offer listeners an immersive experience of Indian classical music. The festival is organised by the Neo Rajkot FoundationAround 40 artists, including principal performers and accompanists, will present their art across 14 sessions over the week. In addition, two special sessions will be organized as part of the Sapt-Sangeeti tradition.The festival will open with a shehnai and flute recital by Pandit Rajendra Prasanna along with his son, Rajesh. The shehnai segment will include Pandit Mangal Prasad, Rudra Kumar, and Vikas Babu Dayal, with Abhishek Mishra on tabla.On Jan 3, Padma Shri Malini Awasthi will present thumri and ghazal, accompanied by Pandit Dharmanath Mishra on harmonium and Pandit Shubh Maharaj on tabla. Jan 4 will feature a sitar recital by Ustad Shujaat Khan, with Sapna Anjaria and Shariqu Mustafa accompanying him on tabla.On Jan 5, vocalists Pandit Ritesh Mishra and Pandit Rajneesh Mishra, sons of the late Pandit Rajan Mishra, will perform, accompanied by Neeraj Dholakia on tabla and Palash Dholakia on harmonium. The fifth day, January 6, will see the debut of the group "Rasiya" at Sapt-Sangeeti, presenting a fusion of piano, violin, and tabla, featuring Ishan Rao on piano, Yadnesh Raikar on violin, and Ishan Ghosh on tabla.On Jan 7, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt will perform a mohan veena recital, accompanied by Himanshu Mahant on tabla. The festival will conclude on January 8 with a performance by internationally acclaimed vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty, accompanied by Ustad Murad Ali Khan on sarangi, Yashwant Vaishnav on tabla, and Milind Kulkarni on harmonium.