Tansen Music Festival highlights MP’s cultural revival: CM Yadav

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday said that a cultural renaissance is unfolding in Madhya Pradesh under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India continues to gain a strong global identity while preserving its rich artistic and cultural heritage. The chief minister virtually inaugurated the 101st edition of the prestigious Tansen Music Festival in Gwalior, one of the world’s most celebrated festivals of Indian classical music.Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Yadav said the state government is moving steadily on the path of development while ensuring the preservation and promotion of art and culture. “Today, the world is looking towards India. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, India is making its distinct mark globally, and Madhya Pradesh is witnessing new dimensions of cultural prosperity,” he said.Calling the Tansen Music Festival a remarkable and prestigious cultural event of the state and the country, the chief minister said that music maestro Tansen was a towering figure and a father-like presence in Indian classical music. He noted that Tansen’s melodies and compositions gave Gwalior a unique identity on the global cultural map. Under the guidance of his guru Swami Haridas, Tansen mastered the subtleties of music and gave new dimensions to classical and dhrupad traditions. His fame was such that Emperor Akbar counted him among his Navratnas.Yadav also underlined the deep roots of classical music in Indian civilization, stating that since the Vedic era, music has been an integral part of life and culture, with the Samaveda standing as testimony to this enduring tradition.

Earlier, additional chief secretary for culture and tourism Sheo Shekhar Shukla highlighted the significance of the Tansen Festival and presented an overview of the five-day event.Alongside the inauguration, the National Tansen Decoration and Raja Man Singh Tomar Award ceremony was held. Renowned classical vocalist Raja Kale of Mumbai was honoured with the Tansen Decoration for 2024, while eminent santoor maestro Tarun Bhattacharya of Kolkata received the Tansen Decoration for 2025.In the institutional category, Sadhana Parmarthik Sansthan Samiti of Mandleshwar was awarded the Raja Man Singh Tomar Award for 2024, while Ragaayan Sangeet Samiti of Gwalior received the award for 2025. The chief minister congratulated all the honoured artists and institutions, extending his best wishes for their continued contribution to Indian classical music.Each award carries a tax-free honorarium of ₹5 lakh, along with a citation and shawl-fruit. The National Tansen Award is regarded as the highest national honour in the field of Indian classical music, instituted by the Madhya Pradesh government in the name of music emperor Tansen.

Presiding over the ceremony, culture and tourism minister Dharmendra Lodhi described the Tansen Festival as a continuous journey of a grand cultural tradition that has flowed uninterrupted for 101 years. He said the festival reflects the collective penance of melody, the experience of ragas and the soul of India’s musical heritage. According to him, when music resonates at the Tansen Festival, it evokes a sense of Indianness, wisdom and spiritual strength.Energy minister Pradyumna Singh Tomar termed the occasion a day of pride for the people of Gwalior, noting that one of the most prestigious music festivals in the country and the world is rooted in the city’s cultural soil. MLA Mohan Singh Rathore also shared his views during the programme.Accepting the Tansen Award, Raja Kale remembered stalwarts of the Gwalior gharana and dedicated the honour to its rich and aesthetic vocal tradition. He expressed gratitude to the Madhya Pradesh government for the recognition.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by senior officials and cultural figures, including divisional commissioner Manoj Khatri, collector Ruchika Chauhan, municipal commissioner Sangh Priya, director of culture N. P. Namdev, and representatives of the Ustad Alauddin Khan Music and Art Academy.On the occasion, a souvenir dedicated to the Tansen Festival was released. The booklet Swaraang Darshan, compiling compositions of noted Gwalior gharana vocalist Raja Bhaiya Poochwale, prepared by P. L. Gohadkar and Balasaheb Poochwale, was also unveiled.

(Asstt.Editor)