NEW DELHI, November 11: The towering Qutab Minar wore a new look as the three-day Qutab festival of dance and music began on a colourful note today. Showcasing the rich cultural heritage of India, the festival is a joint venture of the Delhi Tourism & Transport Development Corporation and Sahitya Kala Parishad. Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit inaugurated the festival and presented the traditional gifts of coconut and shawls to the performing artistes.The first artiste to come on stage was Guru R.K. Singhajit Singh with his troupe of Manipuri dancers. In the beautifully choreographed Manglacharan, a ritualistic Manipuri invocation, Singhajit literally transported the audience to the faraway hills of Manipur. Depicting the traditional temple dance with synchronised body movements, the group of male dancers kept everyone glued to their seats.This was followed by a rivetting Odissi performance by Sonal Mansingh. Giving life to one of Tulsi Das's compositions, Mansingh, with her swift and acrobatic movements and facial expression left everyone enchanted. This was also followed by a Batu performance.Pandit Bhajan Sopori concluded the first day's programme with a scintillating santoor recital. Though the turn-up at the inaugural function was a big disappointment with little more than 150 people present, the organisers are expecting a larger turn-out for next two days.The regional food stalls set up at the complex and serving delicacies from different states of the country also added to the cultural extravaganza, and are likely to be the crowd-pullers. The highlights of the last two days are Kuchipudi and sarangi recitals, while ghazals and qawwali will mark the end of the festival.
