Feast of ghazals
G. SRINIVASAN
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Pt. Vinod Kumar's recital for Thyagabrahma Sabha, Thanjavur, proved that music transcended barriers.
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MELODIOUS: Pandit Vinod Kumar accompanied by Anis Iqbal on the tabla and Kamal Ahmed on the sarangi. Photo: M. Srinath.
Music lovers of Thanjavur were treated to a feast of Hindustani ghazals on Monday, June 19, thanks to the Music Festival 2006, organised by the Thyagabrahma Sabha, Thanjavur. Pandit Vinod Kumar of Delhi enthralled the audience with his ghazals. He was accompanied by Anis Iqbal on the tabla and Kamal Ahmed on the sarangi. Organised jointly by the sabha and the South Zone Cultural Centre, the programme proved the unity of India through music.
According to Dr. S. Thiyagaraja Sharma, president of the sabha, the North-South barriers disappeared at such festivals. Pandit Vinod Kumar was trained by his father N. N. Chopra. A child prodigy, Vinod Kumar earned the Vadya Visharat and Sangeet Visharat titles from the Sangeeth Vidyapith, Lucknow. He is now the director and Principal of The Hindi Sangeeth Institution, New Delhi. With more than 400 ghazals to his credit, Vinod Kumar has given star performances at the White House in the U.S., played for the Prime Minister's national relief fund and also at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Thyagabrahma Sabha of Thanjavur has been organising music festivals every year since 1942, when it came into being. Accordingly, this year, the festival began on June 17, Saturday, with the Carnatic vocal performance of Mahathi.
The sabha that gives equal importance to Thamizhisai and Harikatha had arranged the recital of Devaram, Thiruvasagam and Thiruvarutpa by Kudanthai Lakshmanan and Divya Prabandham by T. V. Sundaravalli. Udayalur K. Kalyana Bhagavathar presented namasankeerthanam. On (Friday) June 23, which happens to be Maharajapuram Santhanam Memorial Day, Sriram Gangadharan will render a Carnatic vocal concert. The curtain will come down on June 25, Sunday.
Main objective
Tracing the history of the sabha, Thiyagaraja Sarma said that the sabha was established with the sole aim of propagating Carnatic music. Concerts were organised every month then. The first president of the sabha was Justice M. Ananthanarayanan, District Judge of Thanjavur. The monthly subscription for its members was just four annas. "But wholesome music was provided every month and at a time when only the gramaphone was provided indoor entertainment, for the rasikas crowded the concert hall with great expectations," Mr. Sarma said. The silver jubilee was celebrated during the tenure of S. Alphones, Income tax officer who was the president. "The jubilee began with Mali's flute recital followed by the Bharatanatyam of Srividya and two plays presented by R. S. Manohar of National Theatres. The sabha felicitated Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Maharajapuram Santhanam, Viswanatha Iyer and Veena S. Balachander," Mr. Sarma recalled.
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