Music and dance reviews - Aradhana concerts

Aradhana concerts

The Raghavendra Swamy Aradhana provides ample opportunities for music lovers to listen to their favourite musicians every year, as several temples and organisations celebrate Aradhana with cultural programmes.

One such institution Sri Raghavendra Seva Samithi conducted Aradhana festival at its own premises, situated at Sudhindranagara, Malleswaram, with music, dance, harikatha and discourses which will conclude on Friday (August 11).

R K Padmanabha (RKP) is a popular artiste, who has made a mark both as a vocalist and an able teacher.

He started his current concert with the delectable “Dasarendare Purandara Dasaraiah.” It is composed by Purandara Dasa’s Guru Vyasaraya, on his “Sishya.”

The devotional appeal in  “Yake Mookanadyo Guruve” of Jagannatha Dasa was appealing. His own composition “Rayara Brindavana” was in a majestic “Vilamba Kaala,” which suited the “Sahitya Bhava” also. RKP chose raga Chhalanata, a full-fledged heptatonic scale, which is designated as the 36th mela. Alapana of Chhalanata by Padmanabha created the requisite musical atmosphere in the Mutt. The articulate lyricism in the devaranama “Agnanigala Kooda” further enhanced the impact. “Mantralayadolu Rajipanare” and “Mangalam Jaya” also pleased the gathering.

J K Sridhar on violin and A Renuka Prasad on mridanga - gave good support on violin and mridanga.


A pleasant rendition

Saralaya Sisters – Kavitha and Triveni Saralaya – combine well to make for pleasant listening. They presented 10 compositions of different Haridasas in their concert on Tuesday.

“Yeddu Baruthare Node” of Jagannatha Dasa was in the raga Hamsanada. “Bhajisi Badukelo Manave” in ragamalika of Kanakadasa was also a fine selection and “Sakala Grahabala Neene” of Purandara Dasa is a familiar devaranama. Their Kalyani alapana was studded with some alluring “Sangatis.” The lyrical appeal in the devaranama (Nambi Kettavarillavo) was as evocative. Dasana Madiko Enna, Hari Kunida, Mantralayadi and Jaya Mangalam – were also appealing.

B Raghuram, B R Srinivas and Narayana Murthy supported on violin, mridanga and ghata respectively.


Premature performance

Ananya presented three dance recitals by five youngsters, in their monthly Nrythyollasa, at the Seva Sadana Auditorium.

M Maithri Rao, disciple of Badri Divya Bhushan and Anjana, opened her programme with a Mallari. Bhageeratha and Gange episodes were well performed in “Mahadeva Shambho.” Her performance also included a composition of Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar on Rajarajeswari, which was performed with expressive abhinaya.  Undoubtedly Maithri Rao was the pick of the fare.

Divya Prabhakar and Sandhya Prabhakar from the US. chose “Panchvidha Bhava Bhakthi” through different compositions. Well known Sudhama episode for Sakhya Bhava; “Paduka Pradana” Ashtapadi and a devaranama (Jagadoddarana) - for different “Bhava” and “Bhakthi” and their performance was lively and neat. Ritika Iyer and Shreya Reddy from Singapore are the disciples of Gayatri Sriram and both are below 15 years age. Narasimha Kautwam, a composition on Devi, Jaya Janakee, etc,  were their selections. But their performance made one feel that they have been thrust into the limelight a little too prematurely. Before pushing them on the platform, they need some more rigorous training,
Mysore V Subramanya