Bokaro: The Bokaro Kala Kendra in Sector 2D came alive on Saturday evening as the Jharkhand Music Festival 2025 drew a packed house on the occasion of Jharkhand Foundation Day. Organised jointly by the Ancient Art Centre, Chandigarh, and the Bharatiya Sangeet Kala Academy, Bokaro, the festival celebrated the state’s cultural spirit with a rich blend of classical music and dance.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Dr. Kumar Sanjay Jha, Regional Director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Ranchi; Dr. T.M. Singh, Senior Consultant and Head of Oncology at Medicent Hospital; Sajal Kausar, Secretary of the Ancient Art Centre; Dr. Rakesh Ranjan, Program Coordinator of the Bharatiya Sangeet Kala Academy; patron Ashok Kumar Singh; and poet-singer Arun Pathak. Together, they offered floral tributes to Goddess Saraswati and lit the ceremonial lamp.
Welcoming the audience, Sajal Kausar highlighted the Ancient Art Centre’s ongoing work in classical music and dance, expressing happiness over hosting such a grand event in Bokaro. Guest of Honour Dr. Jha praised the contributions of both organising institutions, while Dr. Singh spoke about the healing and positive impact of music on human life. Several distinguished artistes and academicians, including Arun Pathak, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Chaudhary, and Dr. Narendra Kumar Rai, were honoured during the function.
The festival opened with a dynamic tabla ensemble by students of the Bharatiya Sangeet Kala Academy, followed by a soulful performance from Kolkata’s renowned classical vocalist Piyu Mukherjee, who mesmerised listeners with renditions in Ragas Yaman, Majh Khamaj and Pilu. She was accompanied by Dr. Rakesh Ranjan on tabla, Devashish Adhikari on harmonium, and Gauri Jha on tanpura.
A major highlight of the evening was the spellbinding Kathak recital by Chandigarh-based senior Kathak exponent Dr. Samira Kausar. Beginning with a devotional “Krishna Vandana,” she moved seamlessly into traditional Kathak pieces—Aamad, Paran, Chakradar, Upaj and more—culminating in her expressive dance drama “Kaya Swaroopa,” which explored the many shades of human life. Her performance, supported by Guru Brijmohan Gangani on padhant, Mahmood Khan on tabla, Arindam on vocals and Monit Paul on sarod, drew repeated applause.
The festival drew music lovers from Bokaro, Dhanbad, Giridih, Ranchi and Jamshedpur, and saw the presence of many veteran musicians of the region, making it one of Bokaro’s most memorable cultural evenings.
