Diwali Pahats make for melodious start to Festival of Lights

Pune: The Festival of Lights in Pune is incomplete without the melodious Diwali Pahats that fill the early morning air during the festival. Attending these musical gatherings is an important tradition among Puneites and it is no exception this year.Various organisations and individuals are celebrating the festival through the timeless tradition of Diwali Pahats. Several big housing societies have also taken the initiative to organise such gatherings for their residents. Classical guitarist Prateek Rajkumar, who is set to perform in a housing society behind SPPU on Nov 2, said, "The concert will provide an engaging way for people to start the festival on a positive note by listening to morning ragas. My performance will be different than the usual Hindustani musical concerts, where I tune my guitar and play it like a sitar."Many political parties often fund and organise Diwali Pahats. However, this year, they have refrained in order to adhere to the code of conduct ahead of the assembly elections. BJP politician from Kothrud Shyam Deshpande said, "It is election time, candidates will not take the risk."Citizen activist Sangeeta Singh said, "Community events transcend political boundaries and bring people together during festivals."Shivsrushti, a heritage museum and historical theme park, is organising a unique Pahat focused on songs related to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Shivsrushti administrator Anil Pawar said, "The programme will depict various aspects of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's life — like his vision, discipline, administration, strategy, navy and so on, through 43 new songs created by Anil Nalawade."Institutions such as the Violin Academy, Sanskar Bharti and Shree Devdeveshwar Sansthan in Parvati are jointly organising special programmes. Rajas Upadhye from Violin Academy said their events will include a Nrutya Deepotsav featuring Swati Daithankar and her disciples, a Mangal Sur programme with Pramod Gaikwad on the shehnai and Pt Atulkumar Upadhye on the violin and a Diwali Pahatrang — featuring vocalists Rajesh Datar and Rashmi Moghe.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.