Of faith and music
B.R.C. IYENGAR
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The music and dance programme organised by Sri Sandeepani Gurukula Seva Trust was refreshingly unique.
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The dance programme, was an attractive and illuminating capsule of four scenarios from the spiritual concept
DANCERS ALL Nama Sankirrthanam, performed by Rajeswri Sainath and her group.
"Music is a means to devotion and not an end in itself," goes an adage. This saying can include the art of dance as well.The turmoil, tension, greed, immorality, cowardice and abominable sin have driven the society into desperation and depression. And man is impatiently and passionately in search of peace.
But two Hyderabad based practicing Charted Accountants have successfully won this tranquillity through devotion. And in their efforts to spread the message of bhakthi have started a trust, Sri Sandeepani Gurukula Seva Trust, a couple of years back.
In their first effort to popularise this concept, the trust organised a music and dance programme, `Naama Vaibhavam Anirvachaneeyam', last week at Ravindra Bharathi.
The programme was largely attended and well appreciated. Any amount of accolade for their efforts will sound inadequate for their dedication and service in this regard. In essence, the motive is bhakthi and the means, music.
The programme, which was presented in two sections, included a musical episode by O.S. Arun called Nadopasana followed by a dance line up, Nama Sankirrthanam, performed by Rajeswri Sainath and her group.
For the vocal programme, Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani was on the mridangam, Nagai Sriram on the violin, V. Suresh on the ghatam and V.B. Madhusudan on the tabla. In the past, Harikatha (Kathaakalaakshepam) was a popular mode of spreading such message and bhajan seems to have come up as an equally sustainable alternative although its effect is debatable. Arun hails from a family of musicians and he has chosen this mode in place of traditional classical music.
Devotional music is vastly different from classical music and needs a totally different format. Although Arun tried his best to emotionally convey the message of bhakthi and carry the audience with him it was full of needless mannerisms, excessive brigas and intermittent episodes of theatricals.
In a situation that is devoid of grammar and rhythmic ecstasy, so essential for classicism, these highly efficient percussion team could not contribute much but just add some thrill.
It was evident that so great an artiste as Mani was superfluous to the dissertation. The 90-minute music programme included several devotional songs in different languages but pointlessly laced with rhetoric.
It must be commented however that a good part of the programme was devastatingly ruined and valuable time miserably lost by futile interpretation of each item. This destroyed the spiritual logic, which was the main premise of the programme. At moments the two commentators were actually hooted out.
The dance programme, on the other hand, was an attractive and illuminating capsule of four scenarios from the spiritual concept conceived and directed by Rajeswari. Disciplined and rigorously trained by her, a dozen artistes performed each item excelling the other.
Befitting costumes, colour, trinkets, specialised skill and professionally proscribed illumination, the episode was the highlight of the program and brought in due compensation to the earlier downside.
The message was clear and candid. The rhythmic exercises along with the planned orchestral support were a great activity.
In short, the entire evening was a new move towards a much-needed change from the routine entertainments coming week after week
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