NEW DELHI: A mesmerising performance by young santoor maestro and composer, Abhay Rustum Sopori, was the highlight of an evening held in the capital to mark the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Lalit Kala Akademi.

Culture and Tourism Minister Shripad Naik inaugurated the celebrations which included an exhibition of works of art selected from the collection of the Akademi that show how artistes have been viewing India in their own perspective. Others present included Culture Secretary Ravindra Singh, eminent artiste Krishen Khanna, Alademi Chairman K K Chakravarty, Suresh Goel, Pt. Bhajan Sopori (Santoor Legend), Prof. Aparna Sopori, and danseuse Pratibha Prahlad.

Abhay has carried forward the great legacy of his family and particularly his father Pandit Bhajan Sopori in propagating and promoting the Indian culture globally. He has the credit for holding the first-ever music festival in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir, thus bringing the youth together through music. His efforts and initiatives have been path-breaking creating a new generation of music connoisseurs and bringing more recognition to the art and culture of the country.

He commenced his performance with Raga Rageshree with brief Aalap and Jod followed by a Gat in Ektaal, Bandish "Pholwan Ke Mala" and Sufiana Tarana "Ta Nom Ta Dare Dim Dim" in Teentaal and Gat in Atidrut Teentaal presenting some of the nuances of the "Sopori Baaj", the style created by the legendary Pandit Bhajan Sopori which incorporates the essential technical nuances of both the Gayaki (vocal) and Tantrakari (instrumental) Angs (aspects) such as 'Meend', 'Gamak', 'Glides', 'Taan', 'Bol', 'Chhand' and 'Laya' patterns, he was accompanied by Ustad Akram Khan on Tabla.

The solo performance was followed by Abhay's composition called "Devotional Bliss" which sends the message of the Shaivaite and Sufi thought - "Submission to the Ultimate in love". The composition presented a joyful spirit of Kashmiri culture. The composition started with "Nasar" - an opening recitation for a Sufiana Muquam followed by a Lal Wakh, the recitation of Laleshwari, the great Sufi Saint Poetess of Kashmir.

The young artiste concluded his performance with a final composition "Irfaan – the Ecstasy" on Santoor. The composition took listeners on a journey of India through the notes of Santoor with some of the percussions of India. The composition was based on a classical raga which is equally popular in North and South Indian Classical music.

The music ensemble featured about 25 artistes: Durjay Bhaumik (Tabla), Rishi Upadhyay (Pakhawaj), Himanshu Bhandari (Percussions), Parveen Sethi (Duff, Darabuka, Deru & Percussions), Vetri Bhupati (Mridangam), Varun Rajasekharan (Gattam), Manish Kumar (Khol & Percussions), Mani Prasad (Nakara), Sundaram (Nagada), Malay Dey (Drums), Abid Hussain (Sarangi), Haminder Soni (Viola & Keyboard), Narendra Rathi (Cello), Akshay Dwivedi (Double Base), Amar Sangam (Guitar & Tenor), Srikant Agasty (Sur Santoor), Poushali Dutta (Tanpura), Nitin Sharma, Aashik Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Rakesh, Leena, Priyanka, Oshin Bhatia and Harsimran Kaur (vocals).