Music festival changes name in tribute to Girija Devi

An annual classical music festival in the city will now be christened as 'Sur Girija Devi Festival' in tribute to the late Thumri queen.
The festival, to be held on February 4 this year, is organised by Debapriya Adhikary and Samanwaya Sarkar, disciples of Girija Devi who passed away here on October 24 last year at 88 years of age.
"In the past three editions, it was called 'Sur Festival. From now on, it will be 'Sur Girija Devi Festival. She had been a constant support to the festival," a spokesman of the organisers Sublime Urge to Rejoice (SUR) said today.

The music festival will have performances by artistes such as Pt Viswa Mohan Bhatt, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, Pt Anindo Chatterjee, Pt Subhankar Banerjee, Pt Ramdas Palsule, Shubh Maharaj on February 4.
The Sur Festival was originally scheduled to be held on November 24 but the death of Girija Devi, a Padma Vibhushan awardee, led to its postponement, the spokesperson said.