Parvati Khan's 'satsang' at Varanasi Central Jail

Varanasi, Nov 25 (UNI) After rendering devotional songs at Delhi's Tihar Jail and Lucknow District Jail, 'Jimmy Jimmy' and 'Khula Tala' fame pop star Parvati Khan organised her 'satsang' to purify the inmates of the Varanasi Central Jail here.

The singer arrived in the jail yesterday and stayed with the inmates for over an hour. She also inspired them to recite the 'Gayatri mantra' and perform 'Ganesh Vandana'.

Earlier on the last day of the three-day 'Ganga Mahotsava' on Thursday evening, Parvati recited the sacred 'mantra' of 'Om Namah Shivay' and followed it up with Mahatma Gandhi's favourite bhajan 'Vaishnao Jun' to nearly empty stands.

A champion of world peace, who aspires changing the mindset of global leaders, was not sure what she was going to sing at the Mahotsava. When asked by the announcer of the festival as to what she will perform, Parvati said ''I have not yet made up my mind.'' The tabla player, who was entrusted to consort her on the stage also urged her in the Green Room to do a short 'riyaz' before the actual performance, but the singer declined.

Interestingly, Parvati's name did not feature in the original list of artists at the Mahotsava and a performance for her was arranged on the penultimate day following orders from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh tourism department sources said.

In a free wheeling chat with mediapersons just before her performance, Parvati said for the last seven years her only dream was establishment of world peace, for which she had met world leaders such as UN Secretary General Kofi Anann, former US President Bill Clinton and former Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

''But I have not found a world leader, who matches me in terms of committment to world peace. I want to reform political leaders so that establishment of world peace becomes a part of national agenda across the globe,'' she said recounting rendition of song ''Down with guns down with the wars'' in the UN General Assembly in 2000.

She also informed that plans were afoot to embark on a worldwide tour to sing the national anthem of every nation in the concerned country.

After her trek to jails across the country, Parvati plans to drive her devotional programmes to mental hospitals and homes for the aged.

UNI ARS DH VP0427