Vivekananda embodies ancient spiritual idea of India: Prez

President Pranab Mukherjee today said Swami Vivekananda embodies the ancient spiritual idea of India while inaugurating a auditorium named after the spiritual leader at the Sangeet Natak Akademi here.
Speaking on the occasion, the President praised the Akademi in carrying forward and strengthening the great artistic legacy of India.
He said Vivekananda embodied the ancient spiritual idea of India -- an India that was open, assimilative and ever evolving.
Kathak similarly, he said, is a primary Indian dance form that openly embraced influences, assimilated them and evolved and perpetuated itself since its origin in the 4th century BC and during the times of the Mahabharata.

Mukherjee said Vivekananda, whose name adorns this beautiful auditorium that has been inaugurated today, was not only a good singer but was also an accomplished pakhawaj player.
"We talk so much about Swamiji's profound spiritual prowess, his singular erudition, elocution and charm, that his unquestionable musicality is often forgotten. Not only was he a performer himself, the very first book he wrote was on the subject of music.

"He was trained in Hindustani Classical music and it is said that towards the latter part of his life at dawn he would tune his tanpura and sing a dhrupad composition by Tansen in the Raga Ahir Bhairav to awaken the other ashram-dwellers of Belur Math," he said.

He dedicated the Swami Vivekananda Sabhagar to all the gurus, students and disciples of Kathak.
Among those present at the programme were Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, Culture Secretary N K Sinha and Sangeet Natak Akademi Chairman Shekhar Sen.