Merton will come alive with the sound of Indian music and poetry in March.
The Ghazal, Thumri and Kheyal Festival celebrates the three distinct forms of Indian classical music and poetry. It includes performances at Raynes Park Library on March 5 and Morden Assembly Hall on March 12.
It is organised by Saudha, the society of poetry and Indian music.
Festival director Ahmed Kaysher said: “What we are trying to develop is quite unique, I think.
“It is more or less pure Indian classical music, or a hypnotic presentation of Indian classical music, but we try to accommodate as many different forms of art that can go with the mood of the music.”
Read more:
- Interview: Saudha launches Indian classical music festival in Merton (from 2015)
- Indian singers perform with Merton poets at Ghazal and Thumri Festival
He added: “Ghazal and Thumri are quite popular art forms, especially among the Indian and Asian diasporas, because Bollywood use those kinds of songs in their films so people are familiar with them.
“This year we have included Kheyal in our performances which is a supreme form of Indian classical music.
“It's comparable to Johann Sebastian Bach's musical compositions in terms of its intricacies.”
As well as music, the festival features dance performances and aims to widen the audience for Indian classical music in the west by fusing it with the likes of western classical music, dance and painting.
The festival will run two free workshops featuring an in-depth discussion on Indian classical music both as an art form and as a form of therapy, along with accompanying demonstrations.
The first performance is at Raynes Park Library on Saturday March 5, where Carnatac vocalist, musicologist Smt Manorama Prasad and notable Thumri singer of Benaras Gharana Dr Aswin Kalbag will be playing.
The second show at the Morden Assembly Hall the week after on Saturday, March 12, will be more experimental as the performers blend Kheyal, Thumri and Ghazal with Kathak dancing and Western poetry recitals.
Saudha has previously performed on London's Southbank, the Royal Albert Hall, and will feature at this year's Edinburgh fringe festival.
Go to saudha.org
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