On Saturday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the city of Kashi as the “cultural capital of India” and said that the city is rich in both music and the arts.
At the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre, which is located in this city, he was delivering a speech at the closing ceremony of the Kashi Sansad Sanskritik Mahotsav-2023. During this event, the Prime Minister also opened 16 new Atal Awasiya Vidyalayas that were erected all throughout the state of Uttar Pradesh at a total cost of around 1,115 crore rupees.
According to Modi, Kashi is recognized as the cultural center of India, and he went on to say that it is only natural for the city to be filled with music since this is the place where Nataraj, also known as Lord Shiva, resides. Kashi also has the distinction of being the oldest city in India.
Noting that Lord Shiva is the origin of all art forms, Prime Minister Modi said that the arts were established and organized by ancient sages such as Bharat Muni. He added that Lord Shiva is the source of all art forms.
In addition to that, he brought attention to the city’s rich tradition of classical music and noted the fact that the city is a melting pot of several types of musical instruments, such as the tabla, shehnai, sitar, sarangi, and veena.
The Prime Minister of Kashi said, using examples from local festivals and festivities, that music and the arts permeate every aspect of life in Kashi.
He brought attention to the fact that the city has, over the course of many centuries, maintained the musical traditions of Khyal, Thumri, Dadra, Chaiti, and Kajri, as well as the Guru-Shishya legacy.
During his speech, the Prime Minister made reference to the musicians of Ramapura Kabirchowra Muhalla, as well as the Teliya Gharana and the Piyari Gharana. He said that Varanasi is home to a large number of musical legends who have made their mark on the international scene.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, also expressed his thanks for the chance to speak with a number of really talented artists from the city.
