BITS Pilani Ragamalika’s Sangamam Captivating Music and Scintillating Dance
Among the Music Festivals of India although much has been written about the Chembai Music Festival, Dover Lane Music Festival, Gunidas Sangit Sammelan, ITC SangeetSammelan, Saptak Music Festival, Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, Tansen Music Festival, Thyagaraja Music Festival etc not much has been written about Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani Rajasthan’s Sangamam.
Ragamalika, the classical dance and music club of BITS, Pilani was established in 1990 by a group of enthusiastic students and faculty with the purpose of nurturing India’s rich heritage and carrying forward the Indian tradition by advocating the opulence of Indian fine arts. Ragamalika is passionately dedicated to the cause of promotion of classical music and dance amongst the BITSian public.
Ragamalika conducts cultural programmes and concerts in Pilani throughout the year. Its members are actively involved in the organization as well as the management of all activities related to the events, apart from participating in the performances themselves.
The most important programme organized by Ragamalika is SANGAMAM, a cultural festival normally held in February every year at Pilani. It features eminent artistes from all over the country performing for a cosmopolitan audience of over 4000.
In 2008, Sangamam marches proudly into its 12th year thanks to the continuing support of well wishers and sponsors. The sponsors for this year Sangamam include Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Chennai based Shriram Group of Companies.
One of the highlights of Sangamam each year is a scintillating inaugural performance by the hosts before the artistes take their bow on the center stage. For this year Sangamam inauguration, Ragamalika chose episodes from Vana Parva – the twelve years in exile in the forest by the Pandavas and Virata Parva – the one year in exile spent incognito by the Pandavas at the court of King Virata from the great epic Mahabharata for dancing. The inaugural performance was truly dazzling.
Scheduled from 22nd to 24th February 2008, this year’s Sangamam featured Violin duet by Lalgudi Shri G J R Krishnan and Lalgudi Smt Vijayalakshmi on the first day, Jugalbandhi by Smt Jayanthi Kumaresh on Veena and Pandit Ronu Majumdar on Flute on the seond day and Bharatha Natyam Ballet by Smt Shobhana Balachandra and Group on the last day.
Sangamam 2008 has indeed surpassed the previous eleven years in terms of brilliance and grandeur.
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Students of BITS Pilani Rajasthan which is one of the top ranking universities in India today are truly interdisciplinary and indeed multi talented