Sirpur Fest 2015 of Chhattisgarh was an eclectic confluence of international and national artists presenting an extravagant gala of music, art and culture from 16 to 18 January this year.
The festival, is in its third year of being launched and organised in this ancient city of ruins – Sirpur – by the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board. The three day cultural extravaganza presents a mesmerising performance of tribal artists from Chhattisgarh, folk artists of Rajasthan matching beat to beat with artists of repute from across the globe and creating an enchanting magic on the audience. This year was no difference from the previous two and I was there to witness this enthralling cultural and musical fest in this town, renowned for its archaeological ruins and ancient temples.
After traversing 85 kms from Raipur, I reached Sirpur with some of my fellow travelers on the evening of 16th January. The stage was intricately designed with local sculptures and the ambience it created in the evening was rivetingly transformative. The setting was perfect – set amidst the manicured garden and flanked by the famous Lakshman temple.
Over the next three days, the festival witnessed a celestial performance and soul-stirring music by Grammy award winner Pete Lockette with percussionists Giridhar Udupa (ghatam), Swaminathan (kanjira), Anubrata Chatterjee (tabla) and Umar Faruq (bhapang) and fusion with 60 tribal artist; santoor maestro Rahul Sharma and Rajasthani folk artists, Kathak exponent Pt Birju Maharaj, devotional singer and playback artists Anuradha Paudwal, Leonard Eto and group presenting a power pact performance of the Taiko drumming of Japan et al.
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Amit is a travel blogger, photographer and an avid traveller. He tweets at @lifeon140 and based out of New Delhi.