MUMBAI: 2009…Sandesh, leading Gujarati news daily with over 65 lakh readers across the state of Gujarat, today announced its association with �Vividhotsavam' – A National Festival of Performing Arts that is organized every year by JG College of Performing Arts.

The week-long festival starting April 2, is aimed at celebrating the variety in Indian classical music and dance by way of workshops and performances  The festival, fourth in a row since the college's inception, provides a platform to not only accomplished artists but also to its students and faculties.

As part of the festival Baha-ud-din Dagar of the celebrated Dagar family will conduct a four-session workshop in Dhrupad-Dhamar, the genre that in its rendition and impact has kinship with the chanting of Vedic mantras, on the opening and the second day and will give a lecture-demonstration on the second evening.

Eminent Khayal vocalists Rajan and Sajan Mishra, whose names are synonymous with enchanting Jugal Gaan, will give a special performance on April 4, followed by a four-day workshop  There will be simultaneous morning and evening workshops in Kathak and Bharatanatyam from April 5 to 8. While the resource person for Kathak will be Rajendra Gangani, Kundanlal Gangani's son, from Delhi's Kathak Kendra, for Bharatanatyam Deepak Mazumdar, who has made a name as an imaginative choreographer besides being a graceful dancer and a competent guru, is coming.

Ranjana Gauhar, director of Utsav (Delhi), a gifted vivacious Odissi dancer of repute, will also be performing in Ahmedabad for the first time on April 5. Kumudini Lakhia's accomplished senior disciples Vaishali Trivedi and Prashant Shah will present traditional Kathak items the same evening. Two outstanding Gujarati contributors to dance, drama and music each will be felicitated at the festival.

Commenting on the association, Mr Falgun Patel, CMD – Sandesh said Performing Arts -especially classical dance, music and theatre interest a niche segment of society. And being a news daily that has found patronage amongst this class of readers, we knew our readers would love us for an association of this nature. We have been receiving several inquiries about the festival and our readers are eager for the festival to begin. This leads us to believe �Vividhotsavam' festival will be a hit....