JOIN USSaamrajya Pattabhisheka
Sri Sadguru Seva Trust has organised Sri Rama Saamrajya Maha Pattabhisheka on a grand scale with cultural programmes – including music, dance, gamaka, drama, discourse – and religious rituals. The event will continue till January 7, 2016.
Pandit Venkatesh Kumar, who gave a music programme here, is a popular Hindustani vocalist and a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademy Award. A sizable audience heard his music on Wednesday with rapt attention and respect. The detailed development of Puriyakalyan was systematic and a treat to the ears. His approached the raga methodically with an aesthetic touch.
Shankara was slightly brief but rendered with great impact. Venkatesh Kumar is also known for his renditions of devotional songs. ‘Ra emba’, ‘Thoredu Jeevisabahude’ of Kanakadasa, ‘Pranathi ide’ and a Meera bhajan were sung with good feeling. It was a soul stirring concert. Viswanath Nakod and Dr Ravindra Katoti gave competent support on thabala and harmonium respectively.
Spectacular show
On the completion of 20 years of service, the Abhinava Dance Company organized a two-day dance programme at the Kanteerava Indoor Stadium. Rajendra and Nirupama not only performed with 150 students (and 100 technicians and back stage workers), but also directed Abhijna, showcasing their productions performed in the last two decades.
The Naadageethe ‘Jaya Bharatha Jananiya’ gave a rollicking start. In ‘Samagama’, Rajendra and Nirupama gave a Kathak and Bharathanatya recital. The blossoming of lotus in ‘Padmashali’, movement of bees in ‘Shakuntala’, that of animals in ‘Panchavati’ and the valour of Abhimanyu were all highlighted with melodious movements. LED screens, dazzling light and sound brought cinematic effect for a popular appeal, though it was a bit too loud at times. But colourful costumes, beautiful background and graceful performances by a large number of young dancers made a lasting impact.
It was narrated through conversation between Bharatha Muni and Abhinava Guptha. It was a pleasant surprise to see senior scholar Shathavadhani Dr R Ganesh as Bharatha and music director Praveen D Rao as Abhinava Guptha. Music, both vocal and instrumental (Praveen D Rao, Dr Mysore Manjunath, Praveen Ghodkindi, Faiyaz Khan and few others), also contributed to the success of the show. The spectacular and colourful show was an exhilarating experience.
Promising prodigy
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and the Infosys Foundation in association with MES Kalavedi and Ananya presented veena and vocal concerts under the ‘Outreach Cultural Programme’ series.
Fourteen-year-old Ramana Balachandran is a child prodigy. He is not only a Vainika, but also a vocalist and a mridangist too. After initial lessons from his mother he continued his veena lessons from his father Balachandran and has performed nearly 100 veena concerts across South India and in the Rashtrpathy Bhavan in New Delhi. He has won many prizes including the Bangalore Gayana Samaja, Shanmukhananda Fine Arts, Mumbai, Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai, and CCRT scholarship.
Ramana caught the attention of connoisseurs right from ‘Sachidananda’, an infrequent varna in the raga Bhegade. It was followed by a keerthana in Dharmavathi. But the piece de resistance was the well known composition of Saint Tyagaraja ‘Ea Vasudha Neevanti’. Earlier Shahana alapana blossomed with good ‘ragabhava’ sans gimmicks. Thana was brief but brisk and sparkling. He concluded his fine concert with the famous thillana in jinjoti.
No doubt, Ramana Balachandran has a bright future in the years to come. He was well supported on the mridanga by C Cheluvaraj and on ghata by N Gurumurthy.