Sky Lantern Festival
For the first time in the city, a Guinness Record of a different kind will be broken. Thousands of Sky Lanterns will brighten the night skies with 5,000 drums playing in the background here in Hyderabad. From folk dancers to traditional artists, you will find them all right here at Gahibowli Stadium.
Performances by singers and artists will be held for the audience and this event will be the first and the initiation of an Annual Festival, bringing together all the cultural aspects that the State of Andhra Pradesh has to offer.
The opening ceremony will be conducted by the Honourable Chief Minister Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy, and other prominent Ministers of State along with Tollywood stars. It will be held at Gachibowli Stadium, Hyderabad on February 11th 2012 at 5pm.
Sky lanterns, are airborne paper lanterns that are best known as a tradition found in some Asian cultures. They are constructed from oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame, and contain a small candle or fuel cell composed of a waxy flammable material. When lit, the flame heats the air inside the lantern, thus lowering its density causing the lantern to rise into the air. The sky lantern is only airborne for as long as the flame stays alight, after which the lantern sinks back to the ground.
The time has come for a new world event, join them in reviving an ancient tradition to appease the Rain Gods and bless the upcoming harvest.
Remember Shakti
‘Remember Shakti’ is a quintet which combines elements of traditional Indian music with elements of jazz. The band comprises English guitarist John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain (Tabla), U. Srinivas (Mandolin), Shankar Mahadevan (Vocals) and V. Selvaganesh (Kanjira, Ghatam, Mridangam), who are all of Indian descent. The band`s name is derived from John Mclaughlin’s acoustic Indian fusion band Shakti which was active in the 1970’s. This band consisted of John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, L. Shankar, T.H. Vikku Vinayakram and R. Raghavan. The word Shakti has been derived from Sanskrit meaning ‘female creative power’ or ‘Goddess.’
After disbanding in the late 1970’s, Shakti enjoyed a 25 year hiatus before McLaughlin and Hussain decided to reform the band. In addition to John and Zakir, T.H. Vikku Vinayakram (Ghatam, Mridangam), returned for the band’s eponymous debut album in 1997. However, violinist L. Shankar was replaced by Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia for the live recording. ‘The Believer’, the band`s second album (1999) and ‘Saturday Night in Bombay’ (2001), the third and so far the last recorded album, was augmented by an army of guests, notably Pt. Shivkumar Sharma (Santoor), percussionist Taufiq Qureshi and Shankar Mahadevan, who has now become ‘Remember Shakti’s’ fulltime vocalist. The band has toured extensively all around the world.
Don’t miss this concert at Chowmahalla Palace, Hyderabad on February 10th 2012 at 8.00pm.
Harithon 2012 – Green Run
Harithon 2012 – Green Run by Planet 3 Protection Alliance is on February 19, 2012 from 7:00 am to 9:00 am at People’s Plaza Parking Lot, Necklace Road, Hyderabad. It is to promote healthy and eco-friendly ways for a better living.
This green run aims to protect the environment for giving the world a better tomorrow. Make your contribution count. Go green. Save the environment. Come leave your green footprint for a greener Hyderabad. Harithon aims at making ‘every citizen of Hyderabad responsible for their own premises.’