“SOUL CONNECT”-Through divine morning Music

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I have been receiving invitations from Ms. Mita Kapur,CEO,Siyahi, Jaipur to attend their venture “SOUL CONNECT” for last few months.
SOUL CONNECT is a morning music concert powered by Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan and is an initiative of Siyahi supported by the Raghu Sinha Mala Mathur Charity Trust, and Rajasthan Forum.

This Sunday I was in Jaipur and grabbed this opportunity to visit Mandir Shri Baldev ji, Opposite Jal Mahal, Amer Road. I went with Kathak Guru of Jaipur Gharana Harish Gangani and my friend Durgesh Chandwani, a music lover. Bit far from the Pink city this temple is situated in a very peaceful atmosphere. Ancient Arches, big doors, tall trees, open space create very healthy ambience. The random ringing of bell of temple supplements the ongoing concert.

Last Sunday morning Pandit Alok Bhatt of Jaipur performed at Mandir Shri Baldev ji.. The performance began with rendition of Suryamangalashtakam in morning Ragas followed by Bhajan ‘Prat Bhayo Jaago Yadurai’. He sang Bhajans of Meera Bai and Sant Kabir to allure the audience. This divine music concert was attended by a good number of music enthusiasts.

He was accompanied by Anwar Hussain on Santoor, Muzaffar on Tabla, Ankit and Rudraksh on Guitar, Sanjiv on Violin, Shalini onTanpura and Brijesh on Manjira.

For last ten months this series of concerts ( SOUL CONNECT) has been organized in the old temples situated in Jaipur. These ancient Vaishanv temples are part of our cultural heritage but most of them are so neglected that they are not visited by devotees or common people. The vicinity of these temples has ample space to accommodate good gatherings of people as they were activated in the past history. Now days the plight of temples is not encouraging. Many people who dwell in Jaipur do not know about these temples. Some of them have threat to become Addas(place of anti social activities).
In order save these ancient heritage temples and promote healthy and divine cultural activities, Mita Kapur and Vinod Joshi started this event of morning music concert with the name “SOUL CONNECT”. After the concert, I had informal chat with Mita and Vinod and congratulated on their initiatives and knew how they worked on this project. Initially such projects face organizational problems. But slowly things get settled and like minded people also start supporting such positive activities.
Normally music concerts are organized in the evenings or nights. Morning Ragas are very rarely sung and played, hence this new venture would give impetus to Classical and Semi Classical musicians at the same time it would create opportunity to music lovers to listen to Morning Ragas in live and on the top, it would also make the old temples more visible and active. Many of them will get good maintenance. Truly speaking “SARVE BHAVANTU SUKHINAH”…
I wish such initiatives should be given encouraged. Even Devshtan Vibhag should organize or at least support such ventures. I have attended few Music concerts at Shri EklingNath ji Temple but only on Guru Poornima. Such activities may get impetus if the Nagar Nigam and Urban Improvement Trusts also join hands with Devsthan Vibhag.Such experiments will provide great help to the neglected temples and also to the artists.

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