Taj fest ends

Singer Adnan Sami mesmerised audience on the concluding day of the Taj Mahal festival.

The year-long celebrations to mark 350 years of the Taj Mahal concluded here late last night with a mesmerising performance by popular singer Adnan Sami here.

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The Pakistan-born Sami sang a select soulful melodies which left the audience spellbound at the open air stage outside the famous Agra Fort.

Renowned singer Abida Parveen's blending of music and the mystic Sufi poetry drew applause from the appreciative audience as the three-day concluding ceremony of the "Taj International Year" got under way on Sunday evening.

Parveen sang verses penned by legendary poet Amir Khusro and couplets of saint Kabir to the accompaniment of the sitar and tabla in a programme 'Jahan-e-Ishq' prepared by dircetor Muzzaffar Ali.

Flute maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia gave a scintillating performance on Monday evening followed by a stunning ballet by actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada.

Jaya Prada, a Samajwadi Party MP from Rampur performed a dazzling dance drama depicting the life of Amrapali, a noted danseuse in ancient India.

As part of the celebrations, models of the Taj in wood by N A Khan and black sand by Sudarshan Patnaik were also put on display.