Music and dance review

Colourful Ganesha Fest

A variety of Cultural Programmes are being held in all parts of the city, in connection with the Ganesha Festival.

Among them Sri Vidya Ganapathi Seva Samithi has been conducting the cultural festival at the Dodda Ganapathi Temple, Basavanagudi, the last 42 years.

This year solo violin, instrumental trio and Harikatha recitals apart from vocal were organised in the special Pandal. Pattabhirama Pandit, a rising star in the firmament of classical music gave the concluding concert here on Wednesday.

He made a graceful impact in the invocative piece itself – especially in the meaningful Nerval (Siddayaksha Kinnaradi) and Swara prasthara.

After a super fast “Thatwameruga”, another pleasing composition “Parama Pavana”, with raga and swara, was evocative. His involvement and rendering with good feeling lent flavour to his recital and was a welcome experience even to the seasoned listener.

Pattabhirama Pandit was supported by Mysore Srikanth (violin), H S Sudhindra (mridanga) and Ullur Giridhar Udupa (ghata). Old time favourites – Mathada barodeno, Devi brova – also delighted.

Promising vocalist

The Vidyaranya Yuvaka Sangha has organised Ganesha Utsava at the Acharya Pathashala College grounds, N R Colony. Apart from a caravan of celebrities, the Sangha has given stage to upcoming artistes, every day, before the main programme, which is commendable. One such young artiste Vijayashri opened her programme with a familiar varna. She sang brief swara also, for the invocatory piece on Ganesha. ‘Chandrachuda Shiva’ was a fine composition and a favourite of music lovers. She possesses a good voice and rendering is also neat, without overdoing anything.

All she needs is concert experience and some more training. Dr Sangeetha and Kirankumar supported her on violin and mridanga.

Music camp

More than 50 young aspirants attended. Nonagenarian R K Srikantan taught few rare compositions of reputed composers.

The participants sang these compositions in the valedictory function on Friday.

Tyagaraja’s “Anandsagaramu” (raga Garudadwani) and ‘Kanalu Takam’ (Kalyanavasantha) – are less known krithies. ‘Idi Nyayamu’ of Pathanam Subramanya Iyer was in raga Maallavi. ‘Paramadbuthamaina’ (Kamach) of Mysore Sadashiva Rao, was quite familiar in old Mysore, while ‘Mandaradhara’ of Swathi Tirunal was in the raga Thodi.

After Mohana raga (‘Nenarunchara’ – Karigiri Rao) Mukhri was represented through ‘Ekamranathaya’ of Dikshitar.  The curtains came down with ‘Okabaari Judaga’ a fine krithi of Saint Tyagaraja, in the raga Kalavathi.