Nation-wide Veena Arpana prog to be held on Vijaya Dasami

New Delhi, Oct 19 (UNI) A nation-wide 'Veena Arpana' will launched on October 21, the Vijaya Dasami day, with a Rudra Veena recital by Ustad Azad Ali Khan in the Rashtrapati Bhawan here.

President Pratibha Patil will be present on the occasion.

Veena players in thousands, representing the Hindustani and Carnatic music traditions, will offer 'Veena Arpana' (harmony of the strings), as part of a programme by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and the Veena Foundation of Delhi to celebrate the most ancient Veena tradition and to perpetuate its place of pride in Indian Music and Musicology.

Such synchronised Veena Arpanas will be offered every year on India's Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanthi, the New Year, Vijaya dasami (Dussehra) and Id, the IGNCA spokesperson said.

The IGNCA will receive recordings of the events, which will be added to its valuable archives.

The Veena Foundation and the IGNCA recently held a Veena Navratri in Chennai in which over 30 leading Veena artists participated.

The Veena Foundation will study the ancient Veena's evolution, variations, modifications and innovations and revive and revitalise its melodious music, besides holding Veena Festivals, to disseminate Veena Culture and Literature.

UNI