Following a suggestion by the Prime Minister, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has been holding 'moonlight soirees' at the Raj Bhavan for the past few months.
One such program, held on the full-moon night yesterday, saw a minister and the state police chief enthralling the audience with their musical talents.
While Goa Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar sang an Indian classical 'raga' or two, Director General of Police Muktesh Chander played, on flute, songs dedicated to the moon at the program 'Chand Ke Saath', curated by Sinha, last night.
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"After taking oath as governor, I had met prime minister Narendra Modi and told him that I don't want to just sit in the Raj Bhavan but want to do something for the state," the governor told the gathering.
"He asked me if we can arrange programs in every village and town where people will sit under the star-lit sky and discuss some local issue," she said.
Government officials too can be part of such sessions which should include cultural programs, the PM suggested.
"It is very soothing to sit under the star-lit sky. Being governor, I thought rather than going to village panchayats, I will start the experiment at the Raj Bhavan itself," Sinha said.
She has organised seven such soirees so far.
DGP Chander opened the program with his flute performance.
"I was told by the Governor only yesterday, when I went to wish her on New Year, that I will have to play the flute at the program," Chander told PTI afterwards. "She suggested I play songs with references to the moon," he added.
This is not the first time the top cop has shown his musical side. He has played the flute on other occasions too. "I love playing the flute and I do it everyday. It is a stress-buster for me," he said.
Minister Palyekar, who belongs to the Goa Forward Party, started his performance with Rag Kalyan, and ended with Rag Bhairavi.
A disciple of late classical vocalist and musician Jitendra Abhisheki, Palyekar said he felt nostalgic about the time when he gave stage performances and rehearsed for eight hours a day, which his schedule doesn't permit now.
"I could not sing after I was elected as MLA. I performed after a year last night," he said.
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