Aradhana concerts

Raghavendra Swamy Aradhana was celebrated in many parts of the city which brought another opportunity for connoisseurs to listen to their favourite artistes. One such organization, Sri Raghavendra Seva Samithi conducted a 12 days cultural festival including music (vocal and instrumental) concerts, Harikatha and discourses, apart from religious rituals at their own Mutt, at Sudhindra Nagara, Malleswaram.

N. Vijayalakshmi, who gave a Veena concert at the Aradhana Mahotsava, is a “A-Top” grade musician of Akashavani and is well versed in both Veena and vocal.

A student of her mother Rajalakshmi Narayanan as well as Kalpagam Swaminathan, she has also learnt vocal under Dr. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. She is a recipient of prestigious awards like “Kalaimamani” and is also a staff artiste of Madras AIR.

Vijayalakshmi opened her concert with “Gajavadana Beduve” customarily. “Jaya Jaanakee Kantha” was followed by “Sakala Grahabala Neene”. The evergreen Pancharathna Kruthi “Endaro Mahanubhavulu” brought an air of dignity, casting the shadow of coming musical experience. “Indu Enage Govinda” enhanced this effect.

The alap of Kalyani, the legendary raga of the Karnatic music was yet another instance of the Veena player’s mood and the choice of “Nambi Kettavarillavo” brought out the entreating mood of both the raga and lyrics.

Few more popular devaranamas like – Jagadoddarana, Bhagyada Lakshmi – were presented to top the concert. Without any showmanship or glamour of contemporary Veena style, Vijayalakshmi played with good tonal quality and was lively throughout.

Both the percussionists – B.K.  Chandramouli and Sukanya Ramgopal – rose to the needs of the occasion and the Veena style.

Prodigious artiste
Though Harikatha is a popular art form from centuries, there are very few artistes in it now, compared to other arts. When many youngsters are not taking Harikatha as a profession, entrance of a teenager – that too a girl – is most welcome and appreciable. Tushar L Acharya, who hails from Udupi, but settled now in Bengaluru, is a disciple of Ravi Kumar Das and is also learning music and dance. She has passed SSLC with distinction and recipient of few awards already.

Tushar chose the story of Prahlada for her Harikatha recital in the Aradhana Mahotsava. Apart from portraying the beautiful picture of the Prahlada, she gave a good picture of Hiranyakashipu, Narada, Parvatharaja and others with good humour also. With her rich voice she sang a number of songs like – Bho Shambo, Om Namo Deva, Deva Lakumi Ramana, Hari Narayana etc. etc. She narrated the story without overdoing anything but in a pleasant way. Though bit loud at times, the accompanists [Srinivas – Harmonium, Jagadeesh – Thabala, Sri Prakash – Khanjari and Krishnamachar – Thaala] supported well on their respective instruments.

Rare kruthies
Sri Guru Raghavendra Sevashrama conducted the 344th Aradhana celebrations at their temple at L.R. Bande, Kavalbyrasandra, with vocal and veena recitals apart from Bhajan programmes. Senior musician Dr Sukanya Prabhakar who gave a vocal recital on Monday, is a recipient of Doctorate from the University of Mysore, for her thesis on the compositions of Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wodeyar.

Sukanya Prabhakar presented a number of Kannada compositions of different Haridasas which suited the occasion and was well appreciated.

With her decades of concert experience, Sukanya brought to her rendering of some infrequently heard devaranamas in evocative ragas that pleased the gathering. The opening Ugabhoga (Hari Para Daiva) and the pada (Dangurava Saariraiah) caught the attention of the listeners on her musical potential with good involvement and enjoyment.

While “Sharanu Sri Guru” of Guru Jagannatha Dasaru was tuned in Mayamalavagowla, “Baro Raghavendra Namma Manege” of Achutha Vittalesha was in Maand. She revelled in the alap of Hindustani Kaapi and more so in the espansive presentation of B.K. Padmanabha Rao’s master piece “Tunga Teera Nivasi”. She brought out the lingering effect in the “Ramachandra Raghavendra Bhaktha Vatsala” of Anandamma successfully.

With a prelude of a Ugabhoga (Ra Enda Mantradollu) the kruthi “Nanena Maaduveno” (Durbari Kannada) also got a detailed airing. J.K. Sridhar and M. Gururaj extended good support on violin and mridanga, respectively.