MUMBAI: National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai presents the 6th edition of Saz-e-Bahar: Festival of Indian Instrumental music on 10th and 11th April. The two day festival will feature four exceptionally talented female instrumentalists presenting the repertoire of Indian musical instruments from different categories – string-bowed, string-plucked, woodwind and percussion. The current season will kick start with an enthralling performance by Rimpa Siva on Tabla and Anupama Bhagwat on Sitar.

The festival will be concluded with a captivating presentation by Rajrupa Chowdhuryon Sarod and Sangeeta Shankar on Violin.

NCPA, Head Programming – Indian Music, Dr. Suvarnalata Rao said, "Instrumental music has always been a male dominated area, especially with percussion instruments. For centuries, majority of women instrumentalists remained in oblivion due to lack of encouragement. However, this scenario is changing with more women instrumentalist coming to the forefront. The current season of Saz-e-Bahar will celebrate this change by presenting four promising female instrumentalists with exceptional skills. This edition, we are not only showcasing the best of instrumental music, but also the changing trend in the scenario by putting up an all-women festival of Indian instrumental music that we hope will  inspire many."

The first day of Saz-e-Bahar will showcase performance by Rimpa Siva and Anupama Bhagwat. Rimpa Siva also canonized as the ‘Princess of tabla' is one of the few female tabla players representing Farukkhabad gharana. Anupama Bhagwat represents Etawah Imdad Khani gharana of sitar and has to her credit a number of performances in several countries as well as performances on AIR, DD and radio stations overseas. The festival will conclude with the performance by Rajrupa Chowdhury and Sangeeta Shankar. Rajrupa Chowdhury has performed sarod at major festivals in India and overseas. Sangeeta Shankar made her violin debut at the age of sixteen with a Grammy nomination on her name.

This season of Saz-e-Bahar will surely take the audiences on a rhythmic journey while demonstrating the individuality of their instrument.  The festival is supported by Macquarie.