Namaskar,

My greetings to all music lovers in Mauritius on the World Music Day.

Music has evolved since pre-historic times across the globe.

While, its origins remain a subject of much speculation and scientific exploration, this human creative pursuit is an aspect that defines and enriches all cultures.

In addition to voice, humans have used materials such as wood, plants, animal skin or fibers to craft a range of wind, percussion and string instruments producing myriad melodies, rhythms and harmonies of sounds through the ages.

Music through different arrangement of notes evokes emotions, which transcend cultures, languages and borders.

Folk music also marks various daily activities or special occasions such as harvest.

Several distinct musical traditions have evolved over thousands of years in different regions assimilating new influences.

Very often, the popular music of an earlier age starts being considered classical with the passage of time.

In earlier centuries, classical music was often sustained through patronage of courts.

Technology has democratized access to music. With improvements in technology, nature of sounds have also evolved.

The pace of change is accelerating now. In recent decades, technology has greatly influenced the arrangement of soundscapes.

Radio, record players, tapes, CDs, internet have enabled music to become much more widely available to people across the world.

It has meant that music from great maestros and different regions reaches individual homes and collections.

This has also led to an explosion in creativity and experimentation.

In the Indian tradition, the origin of music can be traced back to the primordial sound; and music and dance are integral to spiritual pursuit.

Music also marked an important aspect of the early oral transmission of knowledge, history and culture.

Like elsewhere, in India too, musical traditions have evolved over millennia.

The Indian classical music speaks to different moods, days and seasons.

India is known for its mega-diversity of cultures including classical, folk and popular music forms including by film music.

Mauritius also represents a mélange of cultures and musical traditions.

Various influences from Asian, African and European traditions make the music of Mauritius very vibrant and enriching.

It is no confidence that several of the musical and dance traditions from Mauritius are now recognized as global intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. These include, for instance, Geet Gawai and Sega Tambour.

I would like to thank the Director of the Indian Culture IGCIC in Mauritius for this initiative to organize online events to mark the World Music Day and spread positivity through music in these difficult times.

Thank you.