MELBOURNE: Music lovers braced rains and a cold day to enjoy the music of popular Indian band The Raghu Dixit Project, who enthralled the crowd in their first Australian performance held at the iconic Federation Square building here.
The gig was a part of the ‘Confluence : Festival of India’, a first of its kind initiative launched by Indian government in seven Australian cities till November this year.
Wearing colourful Lungis and short Kurtis, the band created an electrifying atmosphere of fusion music with their famous “Jag Changa” song.
Other renditions that the band played in their two hours performance were “Masti ki Basti,” “Amber,” “Gudgudiya,” “Mysore se Ayi” and several other Kannada songs.
Present at the occassion, Melbourne Consul General Manika Jain said that the ‘Festival of India’ initiative was the biggest cultural program launched for Australia which would bring the variety of events including exhibitions, dance and music and theater.
‘Raghu Dixit Project’ will also be performing in the Sydney Opera House on Sunday and Adelaide’s OzAsia Festival next week.
The Confluence Festival was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he made an first official visit to Australia in November 2014.
The 10 week long festival will showcase over 25 different productions, shows, exhibitions and seminars in over 60 separate events including the “Colours of India” rooftop projection at Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney, life-sized puppet procession at MPavilion in Melbourne and Festival Gala at Opera House.
A key component of the festival is collaboration between Indian and Australian artists and thinkers such as a joint performance by the Indian spiritual music group Sonam Kalra & The Sufi Gospel Project and Australian musician Ashlee Clement along with didgeridoo player Si Mullumby.
Renowned Indian cartoonist Ajit Ninan will also be a part of this festival where he will discuss political humour with counterparts like David Pope, Mark Knight and Cathy Wilcox. (AGENCIES)
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