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When fine tunes ushered in the New Year in Kochi

MELODIES FOREVER: The popular singer P. Jayachandran singing at Vasanthotsavam in Kochi.

Though Kochi is bustling with activities on the commercial front, the city has often been lacking in initiatives on the cultural front. Despite a heterogeneous population, cultural shows that catch the fancy of a cross-section of people have been few and far between in this city of future. The Vasanthotsavam, a week-long cultural event organised by the District Tourism Promotion Council, became a remarkable experience in this context.

The show presented a few artistes well known for their extraordinary performance. P. Jayachandran, Sobhana and Hariharan were among the performers who took the audience to great heights in the artistic realm. Living up to their image among the masses, the virtuosi did enthuse the audience by their popular numbers interwoven with improvised ones.

Jayachandran's songs are part of the Malayali ethos. His songs have gained entry into the hearts of the old as well as the new generation.

The aficionado takes a voyage into the past when Jayachandran sings `Manjalayil mungithorthi... .' The singer is at ease with old songs as well as new ones. His `Thankamanassu' did create a sensation among the audience. The stalwart also provided opportunity to a few up-and-coming singers who proved their talent. Hariharan's repertoire was mixed, with Tamil and Hindi songs weaving an aura of pleasantness transcending regional boundaries. His gazals, well received by the audience, did echo the Indian spirit in its essence.

Sobhana's dance performance was a new experience to Kochiites. The items she chose for the occasion had an international flavour. She held the audience spellbound by dancing to Caribbean tunes as also to Sufi music.

Kathakali, saxophone concert and Kathak recital were among the other programmes meant to mark the end of a year and usher in the New Year. The Vasanthotsavam is being planned to be a permanent fixture in the cultural calendar of Kochi. That will be good news for the people of Kochi who have been yearning to watch the performance of great artistes at close range.

R. Ramabhadran Pillai

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