Artists enthral music lovers.

KARACHI -- A sizable number of music lovers witnessed some top-notch vocal performances and instrumentals by artists from India and Pakistan during the two-day 13th Tehzeeb Festival organised by Tehzeeb Foundation and the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) .

The tone for the last day of the festival was set with a heart-warming sitar recital by young Ritika Dhanja, accompanied on stage by tabla player Yousuf Bashir. She played raga charukeshi. The girl from Hyderabad has been learning the musical instrument for quite a few years. Initially her teacher was the late Ustad Rais Khan and she used to come to Karachi from Hyderabad every week.

These days she is acquiring education in the same field from an institution in Mumbai. She is an ardent student of the art form who is increasingly gaining confidence in her ability. Her performance on Sunday was marked by youthful exuberance, especially in the latter half of the recital. The audience liked it very much.

Another young artist, Aizaz Sohail, came next. The vocalist presented a khayal in raga bihag...