Lucknow: Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt delivered a soulful performance on the opening day of the two-day Awadh Region conference organized by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation at a city hotel on Wednesday.
A Hindustani classical instrumentalist, Bhatt is renowned for inventing and playing the modified Mohan Veena, a slide guitar. His accolades include the Grammy Award, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
The recital drew art patrons and music enthusiasts, who listened intently as he explored intricate ragas and improvisations. "I am an exponent of Hindustani classical music, a 5,000-year-old tradition known for its spiritual connection. The beauty of Indian classical music lies in its momentum, and a musician has the responsibility of playing it out with creativity while keeping its legacy in mind," he said.
He opened the recital with raag Shyam Kalyan, followed by a high-energy jhala. The highlight of the evening was his Grammy-winning composition, 'A Meeting By The River'. Thereafter, he regaled the audience with a vocal recital, starting with 'Aaj jaane ki zid na karo' and including famous ghazals of his friend Jagjit Singh. The evening concluded with a soulful rendition of 'Vande Mataram'.
Metaphor Litfest founder Kanak Rekha Chauhan remarked, "His music touches something very personal." Attendee Sukriti Acharya added, "There was a purity in the performance that is hard to find. It was not just music, it was an experience."
