Media should take steps to popularise Indian music: Jasraj

Kochi, Sep 27 (UNI) Renowed Musician Pandit Jasraj today urged media to take the rich legacy of Indian music to the masses including the younger generation.

Talking to newspersons here, he said ''Indian music has a long and rich tradition, which was more than 1,000 years old and it should continue to enthrall the coming generations''.

The great exponent of the Mewati Gharana style of singing was here to perform at 'Idea Jalsa', a music entraganvaza promoted by Idea Cellular Limited and the Indian Music Academy (IMA).

Pandit Jasraj said the Indian music was spiritual and scientific, and had no parallels in the world.

As part of 'Idea Jalsa', acclaimed artists including Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pandit Zakir Hussain, Pandit Jasraj Kailash Kher, Pankaj Udhas, Jagjit Singh and Haiharan would conduct 24 concerts in 22 cities across the country from September to February, 2008.

Speaking on the occasion, Durja Jasraj of IMA and daughter of Pandit Jasraj said ''last year our initiative showcased only Indian classical musicians and this year other genres like Sufi, Ghazals and Bhajans would be included''.

The purpose of organising these concerts was to spread and popularise the rich culture and traditions of all genres of Indian music.

In the inaugural concert here tomorrow, Pandit Jasraj will be accompanied by Pandit Vijay Ghate (Tabla), Sridhar Parthasarathy (Mridangam) and Mukund Petkar (Harmonium).

UNI