Pandit Jasraj’s 48th Pt Motiram Pt Maniram Sangeet Samaroha will be held on the 29th and 30th of November, 2020 at the open air amphitheatre, Centre for Culture Resources and Training (CCRT), Madhapur, Hyderabad.
Supported by the Government of Telangana, ITC and many patrons, this Festival will continue the tradition of the past 47 years, inan effort to mark Pandit Jasraj’s presence in his very own city Hyderabad, where he finally rests now. This festival is so dear to him and to the people of Hyderabad as well.
This is the oldest Annual Music Festival of the city of pearls – Hyderabad, which has a rich & varied cultural heritage, and has been a centre for Performing Arts and especially Fine Arts. Indian Classical Music audiences can be found in large numbers in Hyderabad.
In all these years, this Festival has always been absolutely free for all to attend. For this unique service, Pandit Jasraj was given the title ‘Son of Hyderabad’, by the people of Hyderabad, at the hands of Bharat Ratna – MS Subbulakshmi. It was indeed a proud moment for all Hyderabadis, when their “Son of Hyderabad” was bestowed with an honour by the International Astronomical Union, which named a Minor Planet situated between Mars and Jupiter as “Pandit Jasraj Planet”!
Speaking on the occasion Shri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary Industries, Govt. of Telangana; said, for the past 47 years without interruption Pt Jasrajji hosted the Pt Motiram Pt Maniram Sangeet Samaroha at Hyderabad, this year without him it is being hosted. The festival will be held at CCRT on November 29 and 30th, 2020, as per the government prescribed COVID restrictions with only 200 audience permitted with social distancing. Face Book and Youtube will have live telecast. Hundreds used to attend this event every year, but this year you can experience live program through digital platforms. Pt. Jasraj was an eminent artist and his legacy continues with the program being organised here this year too, several companies have come forward to sponsor the event.
Shri Kishan Rao, IAS (retd.), VC & CEO Yadagiri Gutta Temple Development Authority and Special Officer –Shilpararam; I feel really distressed today, as every year he used to be here and we both used to address the press conference together and this year he is not around. Hyderabad and Jasraj have an inseparable bonding, from the age of 4 he was in Hyderabad, used to reside at Jambagh, he studied at Viveka Vardhini College. The world has lost a great soul and the greatest loss is off Hyderabad, which lost a great son, he made a indelible mark on Hyderabadi’s. A festival being hosted on a specific date continuously is in itself a remarkable episode and happening. People used to wait for November to experience this. He initially used to host this festival at Nizam college, but later it was shifted to Chowmahalla Palace and those used to be packed, such was the love and interest of people of Hyderabad in his music samaroha. Hyderabad can never forget Pt Jasraj. Durga Jasraj has committed to continue the festival here and Pt Jasraj is very fortunate to have a daughter like you, she is honouring Pt Jasraj’s commitment. The audience here is grateful to you and will always look forward to this festival.
Shri Sanjay K Singh, Group Head, Paper & Packaging, ITC; said, it is our honour to be part of this Samaroha, it is also our privilege to part of this momentous event which has become a part of Hyderabad’s culture and heritage. I never had a Face Book account but for this festival I have joined it.
The new logo of the Pt Motiram Pt Maniram Sangeet Samaroha Festival was unveiled at the Press Conference by the dignitaries.
“On behalf of the Pandit Jasraj family, I am overwhelmed with the love and blessings that continue to shower on Bapuji… the support, encouragement and proactive guidanceof these luminaries, has been a source of inspiration, in this new phase of the Festival. We are eternally grateful to the Government of Telangana for the support, and all our patrons who have come forth to make this a reality. We are also extremely thankful to all the performing artistes who have agreed to perform and travel during these times. By the grace of God, in our own way, we would like to continue with Bapuji’s commitment of performing for his beloved Hyderabadis, every 30th November, and hope you will continue to shower your love and blessings on him…”, said Durga Jasraj. This Samaroha was started in 1972, 48 years ago by my father Pandit Jasrajji as a homage to his father, Sangeetratna Pt Motiramji, who passed away at Hyderabad on 30th of November, Pt Jasrajji was four years old then. Pt Motiramji was supposed to be designated as the Royal Musician by the Nizam of Hyderabad, in the evening, the day he passed away. All Pt Jasrajji’s thoughts about his father are associated with Hyderabad, therefore Hyderabad was like place of pilgrimage for him. For 47 years he ensured Legendary as well as upcoming musicians of different music gharanas to perform here. He never had sponsors or even ticket sales for this event, he considered it more as a homage and reach out to music lovers, without fail he was here on November 30th, that was the emotional commitment of his to Hyderabad. This has become the oldest music festival of twin cities. Last year despite being ill and getting treated in USA, he performed live from there through a committed line transmitted to the audience at CCRT in Hyderabad alone. We had biggest of the artists wanting to perform this year too, but it is Pt Jasrajji’s commitment to Hyderabad and Pt Jasrajji will be singing live on 30th November this year, how it’s going to happen is a creative challenge we are embarking on and it is for the Music lovers to experience, words fail me to narrate the experience, added Durga Jasraj. Pt Jasrajji himself will narrate his life journey through performance in five phases on the screen at the festival, he will be your narrator, your host, you will experience his life. To celebrate that life musically, several musicians are coming. This year, due to the pandemic, audiences may login to Facebook to experience the Festival streaming LIVE. Due to the limitation on public gatherings, every performance of the festival will be streamed live, globally.
