THE Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha will be hosting ‘Ben Parag in Concert’ this ‘Arrival Day’ as the organisation celebrates its 45th anniversary, and as the country commemorates the 181st year of the arrival of Indians in Guyana.

Parag, born to Guyanese parents in New York, is now a well-known performer based in Mumbai, India.

The concert is being held on Sunday, May 5, at 9:00hrs, at the late Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud’s Dharmic Sanskritik Kendra in Prashad Nagar.
Other performers will include Artie Sookhai-Khelawan, who won the first runner-up place in ‘Emerging Voice’; Ganindra; and a wide variety of dance performances by the Dharmic Nritya Sangh.

President of the Sabha, Dr. Vindhya Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle that based on her conversations with Parag, the show will feature music that will appeal to everyone in attendance.

Parag has communicated that he wants to do the kind of music that will appeal to all those present, and to put his own personal touch to the songs. “The music is to be broad-based. He was trained in classical music for ten years, and will also be doing gazelle, folk, old and new Bollywood, and might even throw in some chutney,” Persaud said.

Dinner will begin at 18:30hrs. Although the event may not be as big as those held at the Guyana National Stadium and the National Cultural Centre, Dr Persaud says the show will be done with the same style and standards, and that it would be good for young people to come out in support of it, as it may be able to serve as a good example to them. Despite being so young, Prag has managed to achieve quite a lot, and hence will serve as a good inspiration.

Parag received the sixth spot in the Star Plus TV Reality Show in India, called Dil Hai Hindustani, and has performed before some of the most famous judges. His performances were lauded by Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar and Vidya Balan, among other popular actors. Karan Johar even commented that Parag sang one of his songs better than its original singer.

Tickets are $5000 each, and will include dinner. A limited number of VIP tickets are going for $6,500 and are still available. Ticket locations include the Dharmic Kendra, Red Mango, and Unique Innovations at Giftland Mall. Persons can also call 227- 6181 and 219 1900 for tickets.

Parag’s mini tour in this part of the world will take him to Trinidad and Tobago next. His show was sold out the last time he performed in Guyana.
His parents are Guyanese with roots in Black Bush Polder and the East Bank Demerara. Parag was born in 1997 after they migrated to New York.