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Over eighty years old, Giridhar Gumang, the former Chief Minister of Odisha, who is also a musician, showcased the traditional 'Dhap' music belting out rhythms using bamboo instruments at the ongoing Chilika Shelduck International Folk Festival.
He performed on Sunday at the second day of the festival held at the Odi Art Centre here. A group from Vietnam also performed "Taranga," a traditional musical and dance routine also centred around bamboo instruments. This international event brought together artists from Vietnam, South Korea, Manipur, West Bengal, Odisha, and other regions of India, all contributing their distinctive folk music styles. The five-day festival, named the Percussion Music Festival, was organized by Odi Art Centre in collaboration with the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata, and the Government of India. Speaking about his performance, Gumang underlined the universality of sound in music, saying, "Worldwide you will find the sound. Whether that sound will be in language or the musical instrument, the musical instrument with the sound is everywhere... This is a new concept." "My concept is experimental music--a new dimension that crosses boundaries of caste, creed, religion, language, and politics. For me, music is not merely entertainment; it's the enlightenment of the mind, energizing both body and soul. It's eternal and expressive, a bridge between cultures that are rooted in the sound of the world", the former Odisha CM added. Gumang explained that he uses different instruments, creating a "sound of language" without rehearsals, blending folk, classical, and global rhythms. "We have only the drum and musical instruments, not dance, not song. That means we are experimenting with the sound, the sound of music from different countries in the world," he added. A Vietnamese bamboo artist named Hung also introduced his traditional bamboo instrument, the 'T'rung'. Representing the highland region of Dalat Lamdong, Vietnam, Hung expressed his excitement at performing in India for the first time and sharing his culture with the local audience. "We are from the highlands, from Dalat Lamdong, in Vietnam," Hung said. "It's very nice and very beautiful. We call it the 'love city.' In our place, there are vast mountains and forests with plenty of bamboo." Hung explained the origin of the T'rung, a bamboo instrument passed down through generations in his family. "More than 2,000 years ago, my father and his ancestors used bamboo to make sounds like the tone of a bell," he shared. "We choose different bamboo types to make the instrument, which we play at every festival, marriage, or whenever people are happy or sad." The 'T'rung', crafted from carefully selected bamboo, holds a deep cultural significance for Hung's community. Korean artist Park Yeon OK also praised the cultural exchange and shared plans to teach Korean painting and crafts to students. "I am very happy to hear the natural sound of bamboo music here," Park said. Korean artists will also showcase traditional Korean art and performances. (ANI)
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