Shimla Him Sangeet Festival to Celebrate Classical and Folk Music from March 10

Shimla: A five-day Shimla Him Sangeet Festival celebrating classical, semi-classical, light, ghazal and folk music will be held from March 10 to March 14 at the Gothic Auditorium of Gaiety Theatre on the Mall Road.

The festival is being organized by the North Zone Cultural Centre in collaboration with the Department of Language Art and Culture Himachal Pradesh and the Gaiety Dramatic Society.

Director of the Language, Art and Culture Department Rima Kashyap said the event aims to promote and preserve the rich folk and musical traditions of the region and the country. She added that under the guidance of Rakesh Kanwar, the festival will feature a diverse range of performances by renowned artists.

The programme schedule includes Kathak dance by Nitin and group and classical singing by Gunjan Channa on March 10. Classical and light music performances by Deepak Mehta, Charu Sharma and folk songs by Dharampal Thakur will be held on March 11. Sufi Kalam by Malik Ali and group will be presented on March 12, followed by Qawwali by the Nizami Brothers on March 13. The festival will conclude on March 14 with a flute recital by Gulzar Hussain and contemporary music and dance by Santosh Nair and group.

The Director of the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala will attend the inaugural session, while prominent dignitaries from the state are expected to grace the cultural evenings.