New Delhi, June, 2022.

On the occasion of World Music Day, Founder and Trustee of Arpan Foundation, Manesha A Agarwal presented a unique concert ‘Spiritual Symphony’ at Kamani Auditorium on Tuesday evening. Hon’ble Minister of Culture& Tourism, Government of India, Shri G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated the concert which wasshowcased under ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and SangeetNatakAkadamy’s‘ Jyotirgamaya’. This was an enchanting ensemble of an auspicious 108performers,priests and crew, with highlight performances by Padma Bhushan Pt.Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Padma Shri Anup Jalota, Manesha A Agarwal, Padma ShriAnwar Khan and Ravi Pawar.

On the occasion, Manesha A Agarwal said, “Music is a universal integrating force and I express my gratitude to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for showcasing this event to celebrate Oneness through music.” She informed, “This program is specially curated for ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. The concert is woven with chants, mantras, beliefs and spiritual songs that speak only about love, compassion and inner awakening or freedom, aptly curated for ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. This concert is a confluence of 5 segments of the evolution of spiritual music of India - journey from Omkaar to Om covers the 4 stages of human consciousness - the waking stage, dreaming stage, then the dreamless depths and finally Samadhi; Saman singing (Samved to Classical music) merging into Bhakti Parampara which further travels to the exploration of Sufism, music of the sufi fakirs, dervishes all concluding into Oneness, singing prayers of all faiths, concluding with ourpatriotic rendition.”

Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt said, “I am happy to be a part of this concert promoting national unity and world peace. It is unique in form as it traces the very journey of music from the primordial sound ‘OM’ to the origin of music in Samved through the most primitive nature sounds and its culmination into Indian Classical Music and Folk Music.”

Padma Shri Anup Jalota said, “diverse musical virtuoso from Indian classical music, Folk music, Samvedi priests of the Bhakti parampara, all praising the Divine in unisonthrough their performance was an enthralling experience during this concert. It indeed reinstilled the power of prayers.”

Composer and conductor of Spiritual Symphony, Ravi Pawar further said, “this is a one of its kind concert we developed with in-depth research into the origin and evolution of Indian music. The symphony consisted of - strings section, chorus choirand instruments of the likes of violin, cello, guitar, sitar, flute, drums, santoor, algoza, ravanahatha, khartal, electric violin, octopad, tabla among others". The concert showcased devotional renditions - Saamved, Gayatri Mantra, Kesariya Baalam, Taan, AajBiraj Mein Holi, Mann Kunto, SarveBhavantu, Buddham Sharanam, Lead Kindly Light, Ik Onkar and concluded with prayer for Mother India, Maa Bharti.