Date:26/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/26/stories/2008072657460200.htm

New Delhi

Rains, ragas, monsoon, melodies….

Madhur Tankha

Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt and Salil Bhatt performing at ‘Barkha Ritu’ in the past.

NEW DELHI: Banyan Tree Events is organising a festival of Hindustani classical music at Stein Auditorium of India Habitat Centre here this Saturday.

A nationally acclaimed monsoon music festival “Barkha Ritu: Celebrate Rains... Celebrate Life...,” will see a unique performance by Grammy Award winner Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt along with his son Salil Bhatt on “Mohan Veena.”

Presented first in Mumbai in 2003 by Banyan Tree Events, “Barkha Ritu” festival aims at promoting traditional and rare Indian performing arts among not only connoisseurs but also Generation X. Having achieved tremendous success for half a decade now, the festival that is held in Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Poona has evolved into the most awaited national monsoon music festival for lovers of Indian classical music. The lilting lyrics, musical brilliance and the masterful rendering make this festival a truly unforgettable experience.

Commenting on the sixth edition of “Barkha Ritu” festival, Banyan Tree Events director Mahesh Babu says: “Creating and organising festivals like Barkha Ritu is one of the ways by which we are making Indian classical music popular and appealing to the common man which is what our organisation stands for. What makes this festival special is that you can get to listen to monsoon ragas based on the theme of the monsoon that are not performed during the rest of the year.”