Rupesh Samant
Dona Paula (Goa) Inspired after visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha for last few months curates a special evening on full moon night, and this time, it was a state minister and police chief enthralling the audience at Raj Bhavan last night.
State Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar mesmerized the audience with his classical singing while Director General of police Muktesh Chander played songs on the flute dedicated to the moon on the occasion of ‘Chand Ke Saath’, a program curated by Sinha at Raj Bhavan.
“After taking oath as Governor of Goa, I had gone to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and told him that after I go to Goa I don’t want to just sit in Raj Bhavan but want to do something for the state,” Governor said addressing the audience during the event last night.
“He (PM) asked me whether we can arrange program in each of the village panchayat and cities where people will sit below the star-lit sky and discuss one local topic and accept suggestions from the people,” she added.
The prime minister suggested to the Governor that the government officers can also be the part of the program which will also have performance of the local cultural talent.
“It is soothing to sit below the star-lit sky. Being Governor, I thought, rather than going to panchayats, I will start the experiment from raj bhavan itself. Seven such programmes are organised on full moon night. People who participated in it loved the experience,” she said in the begning of the program which was opened with the performance of Chander, who is heading 3,000-odd police force of the State.
After playing the songs dedicated to the moon on his flute, Chander said that he had received the invitation to perform in this program, just a day in advance.
“I was told by Governor that I will have to play for the program, just yesterday when I had come to wish her Happy New Year. She also suggested that I should play songs related to the moon,” Chander said.
The DGP who has been performing across the state said that “playing flute gives him relief from his stress.” “I love playing flute and I do it everyday. It is a stress buster for me,” he said.
State Fisheries Minister representing Goa Forward Party in Assembly had classical singing which panned across from ‘Rag Kalyan’ to Bhajan praising Sai Baba and ended with ‘Bhairavi.’
Palyekar, a disciple of late Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, was nostalgic recalling the time when he used to have numerous stage performances. “Since last one year, I could not perform as I was elected as member of legislative assembly and was busy in social work. This was my performance after a year,” he said.
The minister said that he used to rehearse for almost eight hours a day, which is currently reduced to only two hours due to his hectic schedule as a member of Manohar Parrikar-led cabinet.
