Pune percussionists all set to join the beat in unique feat

There will be 70 women tabla players,most of them from the state,and 50 women will play the pakhawaj.

The event,being organised by the Art of Living Foundation,was designed by Pune-based Pandit Arvindkumar Azad,himself an acclaimed tabla player.

Besides Maharashtra,participants are coming in from Uttar Pradesh,Arunachal Pradesh,Bihar,Chhattisgarh,Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

“The idea is to create awareness on Indian classical music,primarily percussion instruments like tabla and pakhawaj. Despite being such significant instruments,solo performances on tabla and pakhawaj are few. This rarest of rare presentation will not only enthrall the audience but also give them a lifetime experience,” said Pandit Azad of the Banaras Gharana,who is also associated with Talayan Music Circle. The hour-long performance is expected to be attended by over 1.5 lakh music lovers.

The youngest performer will be 13-year-old tabla player,Sayee Barabote,from Aurangabad and the seniormost 71-year-old Ramchandra Pawar from Pune.

From within the state,there are participants from places like Pandharpur,Mumbai,Nashik and Kolhapur,besides Pune. Participation is free but the travelling and boarding expenses are being borne by the Art of Living Foundation.

Once the concept was finalised,an audio CD on the sequence and presentation was given to participants across the country to prepare for the event.

“It helped them to prepare for the final event,” explained Pandit Azad.

The 450 tabla players from Pune performing at the event,who are learning the instrument under their gurus,have met four times in the past two months for group rehearsals.