The third edition of the Delhi Samvadini Festival 2026, organised by Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh, concluded on a musical high at Triveni Kala Sangam. Held on October 30 and 31, the festival brought together six distinguished harmonium (Samvadini) artistes from across the country, offering audiences an enriching experience of India’s rich classical music traditions.The festival was inaugurated with the traditional lighting of the ceremonial lamp in the presence of Dr. Mamta Rani Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Association of Indian Universities, as Guest of Honour, and Ajay Verma, Managing Director, Arjun Publishing House, as Special Guest. Sajal Koser, Secretary, Pracheen Kala Kendra; Pt. Devendra Verma, Festival Coordinator; and Debashish Adhikari, Cultural Coordinator, were also present.
Deepti Kulkarni of Pune presenting a solo harmonium recital accompanied by Ujit Uday Kumar on the tabla
A significant highlight of the inaugural day was the launch of KALA SHOBHA, the Kendra’s first peer-reviewed and refereed research journal, published by Arjun Publishing House. The initiative marks an important step towards encouraging scholarly research and intellectual discourse in the fields of art, music and culture.The musical proceedings on the first day featured captivating performances by Vidushi Deepti Kulkarni, who presented Ragas Jhinjhoti and Bihag, concluding with the bhajan ‘Baje Muraliya’; Supriya Modak Joshi (Mumbai), who showcased Ragas Rageshri and Pahadi; and Rupashri Bhattacharya (Kolkata), who enthralled the audience with Ragas Malkauns and Bhairavi, along with the popular thumri ‘Ka Karoon Sajni’.The second day featured three impressive performances by Varad Soni, who presented Raga Madhuwanti and a Natyapad; Omkar Agnihotri, who showcased Raga Yaman and the popular Sufi composition ‘Chhap Tilak Sab Chheeni’; and renowned Mumbai-based harmonium artiste Pramod Marathe, who captivated the audience with Raga Kirwani, the composition ‘Thumak Chalat’ and a concluding presentation of Raga Bhairavi.
Supriya Modak Joshi of Mumbai presenting solo harmonium Recital accompanied by Pushkaraj Joshi on the tabla
All six artistes received warm appreciation from the audience for their musical command, technical brilliance and expressive presentations, highlighting the immense potential of the harmonium as a solo concert instrument.Speaking on the occasion, Sajal Koser, Secretary, Pracheen Kala Kendra, expressed gratitude to the participating artistes, distinguished guests and music lovers. He reiterated the Kendra’s commitment to preserving and promoting India’s cultural heritage for the past seven decades and emphasised the importance of providing dedicated platforms to established and emerging Samvadini artistes.
