JOIN USThe mesmerising echoes of ragas
The open air theatre of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB), was buzzing with people who had come together on the cold Tuesday evening to celebrate music and dance. The dusk to dawn concert called Yamini was held by the IIMB chapter of SPICMACAY recently. The event saw students as well as faculty members enjoy the music of some great musicians for the entire night. “One generally gets to hear ragas only during morning or evening hours, so the idea behind Yamini is for the audience to listen to them the entire night,” said Vikram, a student.
The seating arrangement was unorthodox, with people sitting on the ground as well as on chairs. A cloud of smoke gave the atmosphere a slightly mystic touch as everyone sat huddled listening to the artistes. The first artiste for the evening was Padma Talwalkar, a Hindustani vocalist. She started out with Raag Yaman, which is traditionally sung during the first quarter of the night. The melodious voice of Padma Talwalkar echoed through the entire ground. She followed this with Raag Durga and even if one was not acquainted with classical music it was not difficult to appreciate the fine voice and the years of experience that had gone behind it.
The night started with the dynamic performance by Ganesh and Kumaresh on Carnatic violin. They treated the students to a wonderful mix of traditional Carnatic violin playing and contemporary Western violin art which was not only original but also extremely refreshing. The music had elaborate treatment of traditional ragas, with the use of the Western instruments.
The next performer for the night was the well-known artiste Unnikrishnan P. He first sang a varnam in Saveri, followed by the popular kriti Nadaloludai in raag Kalyana Vasanta.
The early hours of morning were welcomed in style as the students watched kuchipudi dancer Vyjayanthi Kashi, create magic on stage. Starting with the Ganesha Pravesha Dharavu, she presented a scintillating interpretation of Mohini.
What set her apart was her comfort with both the Indian dance form, choreographed on historical Sanskrit plays and contemporary ballet. The last performer in the early hours of the morning was Ustad Shahid Pervez. One of the finest contemporary practitioners of Sitar descending from the renowned Etawah Gharana, his performance included a spectacular range of ragas rendered in intimate gayaki style, precision and improvisation.
The first piece was the rendition of the Raag Miyan ki Todi which he followed by Bhairav, the famous early morning raga. To watch him on stage under the pitch black sky was an enchanting experience. And while the sky transformed, slowly welcoming the sun, it was the end of the beautiful artistic experience called Yamini.