Passion, emotion and melody
RANJANI GOVIND
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In a rare event, singers S. Janaki and P.B. Sreenivos joined hands to create music.
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PHOTO: R. SHIVAJI RAO
NEW EXPERIENCE: Written with fervour and sung with feeling — Sreenivos and Janaki.
``There are many `firsts' to this programme," said anchor M. S. Murthy at Kalatapasvi Creations' evening of `Bhajans and Ghazals' by playback singer S. Janaki in association with P. B. Sreenivos, at Vani Mahal this past weekend. The novelty was in the jugalbandi of bhajans and ghazals by South Indian artistes — illustrious playback singer S. Janaki trying it for the first time and P. B. Sreenivos showcasing some of his passionately penned ghazals.
``We decided to bring in a spark of originality, and we need your blessings," said the modest Janaki as the curtains went up. ``Jaago Bansivaale," a Meera bhajan in the soothing morning raga Bhoopalam that celebrates the waking up ritual of the Lord with the bamboo reed, opened the show.
Effortlessly handled
It was indeed a new experience to watch Janaki sing, with one hand on the mike and the other handling Adi talam, as she effortlessly traversed on the melody with her characteristic ease. And with gusto, PBS explained the mood and the emotion that went into each song, generously laced with Urdu.
It was not just his compositions that were served that evening. The subtleties of satire and the taunts that go with this genre were presented through the works of various composers. For instance, Delhi poet Mir's `Mai Nashe Me Hoon' lightly sprinkled with swaras and the variations brought about by Janaki in the concluding words `Mai Nashe Me Hoon,' aptly reflected the feelings hidden in the ghazal.
The singing did not swerve from the traditional style in which ghazals or the bhajans are rendered, be it the ghazal `Roz Hum Lethe Hai Rabh Ki Duwain' or the Tulsidas Bhajan 'Jaanakinaath Sahaay Karen. Near-equivalents of Sivaranjani, Sindhubhairavi, Kedar and Hamsanandi were some of the scales chosen for the exposition.
``Did you know that Janaki is also a multi-lingual poetess?" asked the anchor before the singer herself explained her Hindi lines in the bhajan, `Behte Hai Aansu Nadiya Jaise.' The course of tears and the journey of rivers to the sea were juxtaposed to create a spectrum of emotions exposed on melodious lines by Janaki herself. And would anything get over without the involvement of the audience? Janaki made the crowd sing along in unison for `Hai Jag Daata Vishwa Vidhaata' reminding you of `Aigiri Nandini' to bolster the bhajan-bhakti mood.
It was a balanced musical platter — from the orchestra conducted by P. Ramu that sent the right notes across for Janaki to take the cue for the lyrical interpretations of PBS. This unusual exercise was worth the effort as the `benefit show' was to assist the Ellen Sharma Memorial Primary School that strives to give village children free education.
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Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
