JOIN USSwanubhava
Swanubhava conducted a two-day cultural festival, last week in Bangalore. Fortunately, it was not just an another festival.
The programme provided an opportunity for the young students (middle and high school students along with students of music) to watch a variety of performing arts. It also paved way for interaction with the artistes to understand the performing arts to improve their knowledge and savour in a better way.
Another welcoming thing was that the organisation was managed entirely by young students of performing arts. Though started in 2008 itself in Chennai, Swanubhava came to Bangalore, for the first time, last Friday and Saturday.
Apart from classical vocal – both Hindustani and Karnatic, instrumental music, classical dance, folklore, puppetry, theatre and cinema too provided a variety of programmes, which youngsters enjoyed with gay abandon.
It was a pleasure to see Abhishek Raghuram, who gave a vocal concert on Friday morning, shaping well to give a creative continuity to an illustrious line. He has progressed very fast to emerge as a sought after vocalist. Tyagaraja’s familiar composition, ‘Aadamodigalada’ in the raga Charukesi attracted with a few lively
sangathies. But it was Varali that was the pick of the morning, with evocative alapana.
“Mamava Meenakshi” the dignified composition, studded with a flurry of sangathies building the swaraprasthara phrase by phrase, to reach a crescendo. It acquired a special delight because of the chiselled phrasings of swara. It was followed by a lively ‘Tani’ of Mridanga by Arjun Kumar. Charulatha Ramanujam supported well on violin.
A brief explanation of alapana, nerval, swara and composition could have been enlightening for the young listeners, though he answered a few questions after the concert. The interaction duration could have been enhanced by reducing the number of programmes.
Beautiful Bharathanatya
Sridhar and Anuradha Sridhar, popular dancing couple, chose five episodes from Mahabharatha for their Bharathanatya recital. Laaksha Griha Dahana, Dyutha, Vastrapaharana, Keechaka Vadha and Geethopadesha – were performed beautifully. Changing their roles in quick succession with impactful Abhinaya, they stole the show.
Though one felt at times it was more theatrical, the duo sparkled with dignified and lively visuals. Apart from their impressive Abhinaya the melodious music also contributed for the success.
Impactful voice
The “Pattabhirama Seva Mandali” is not only a religious centre but also a popular cultural centre of Jayanagara. On the occasion of the anniversary of Sri Vishnusahasra Nama Goshti, the Mandali had organised a cultural festival with music (vocal, flute), dance and lectures. Bellary M Raghavendra, who gave a vocal recital on Thursday hails from a musicians’ family and is serving the Akashavani, Mysore, as a staff artiste. S Yashasvi, Anoor Dathatreya Sharma and C P Vyasa Vittala accompanied on violin, mridanga and khanjari, respectively.
Raghavendra chose a few compositions of vintage flavour. For instance ‘Sakethanagara,’ a popular keertana of yester years, was a favourite of old timers. Both ‘Sri Vasudeva’ and ‘Simha Roopanaada Sri Hare’ – were sung in quick succession, before the ‘Palinchuvo’. Any how the piece de resistance of the concert was ‘Manasuloni,’ which acquired a special delight as the vocalist was in his elements. Using his good voice admirably, the keertana chiselled with delectable phrases.