Ajmer : The setting was perfect. As the rains drenched Ajmer, art and culture enthusiasts soaked in the spirit of the monsoon through art and music at the Malhaar Festival here.
The two-day festival that began on Friday evening is being organised by Divine Abodes Al Ikhlas Gallery.
The fest opened at Al Ikhlas Gallery here with a series of MoNSoon Colours paintings in various media by Artist from India and Abroad.
Paintings by Michael Templin, from Germany showcased his collection. Michael says the invitation gives a mystical impression.The fog and cloud make a secretly element.He send his greetings to visitors and artists.
Dr Sudeep Rai in his paintings have defined a perfect mystical mountain.
Gulshaa Begums art draws its spirit from the classical raga Malhaar theme With the splash of rain , colours and musical hues .
Jitendra Patniwals portrait of surdas, meera bai and tansen is a representation of the medieval singers who are said to have been capable of invoking rains using various kinds of Raga Malhaar.
However The major attraction was the unveiling of the rare paintings , a collection of the Gallery with real gold hilkari work representing Malhaar and a life size painting of Lord Krishna with real gold work in Fatehsagar Lake welcoming the first shower of rain.
A large painting on MoNSoon Colours was created as backdrop for the perfect stage set up by Ms Begum Gulshaa, Chairperson Divine Abode , a mystical artist herself.
The festival draws its inspiration from the classical raga Malhaar , believed to trace its roots to Mallari, a tribal melody that was practised by inhabitants of the tribal-dominated Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh centuries ago, an spokesperson from Divine Abode said.
As the name suggests, Raga Malhar is about rain and the different hues it carries during the monsoon. Legend has it that singers like Tansen and Baiju Bawra would sing the raga and compel rain gods to splash their generosity on earth. – the raga can still evoke emotions and feelings from its pentatonic melody.
Though the raga heralds monsoon, it brings out some of the sweetest melodies for all seasons.
On Saturday , the festival will see Sitar Maestro Dr Sudeep Rai, disciple of pandit debu chaudhari , on the sitar accompanied by Amjad Khan on tabla.