'Bangla Sangeet Mela' a great platform for rural artists: Sen

An estimated 2,000 singers, including those from districts, are expected to perform at a music festival in the city from December 14, West Bengal ninister Indranil Sen said Saturday.

He said the festival -- Bangla Sangeet Mela 2018 -- will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on December 14. The music festival is a government initiative to promote artists from rural areas.

Sen, minister of state for information and cultural affairs, told a press conference here that several singers from remote areas, apart from participants in different state-run music competitions and workshops, would perform at the festival that concludes on December 22.

Students from as many as 32 schools and 16 colleges would get an opportunity to exhibit their talent in the festival. Promising Bangla bands would also get an opportunity at the festival which will be a bouquet of contrasting genres, Sen said.

To reach out to people, 'Paray Paray Sangeetmela' (music festival in your neighbourhood) will be held from Decemmber 15 to 22, the minister said.

An exhibition called 'Banglar Lokbadyo' at Gaganendra Pradarshansala will be held.

The contribution of basic songs and film-playback songs -- two parellel flows in Bengali music -- will be deliberated at a discussion on December 22 where luminaries of Bengali music will be present.

The song and music performances will take place at Rabindra Sadan, Sisir Mancha, Rabindra-Okakura Bhavan, Phanibhusan Bidyabinod Jatra Mancha, Mohorkunja and Madhusudan Muktamancha.

'Biswabangla Loksanskriti Utsab' will be held alongside the music festival from December 14-18 at Ektara Mukto Mancha (open podium), he said.

A few leading figures of Bengali music industry will be conferred 'Sangeet Mahasammman' and 'Sangeet Samman' at the inauguration ceremony at a state-run auditorium, he said.