Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Healing music

Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji, at his performance in Ganapathi Sachchidananda Ashram at Girinagar, selected shlokasand tuned them to classical ragas which was endearing. He rendered profusely the bhajans of his Guru Himself a trained mridan gist and a polymath, Sri Bala Swamiji was at home in carrying the audience along with him. He covered salient aspects of Valmiki Ramayana in his neatly planned and systematic delineations. Accompanied by violin, flute, mridanga, and tabla, his renditions

It was a time for celebration of music and music therapy during a three-day event at the Nayana auditorium held under the joint aegis of Prapancha, BTM Cultural Academy, and Avishkar. “The divine healing touch of Bhairavi raga” was unveil ed under the guidance and direction of veteran flautist B. Shankara Rao. Another highlight of the event was a workshop on music therapy under the banner of ARTIST (Asian Research & Training Institute for Skill Transfer) conducted by Joe Moreno of Maryville University, USA.

The students of Shankara Rao - Ananth, Niranjan Damle, Madura, Vinay and Mardawa assisted by Savithri (violin), Vasudeva Rao (mridanga), Dayananda Mohite (ghata) and Arun Kumar (special effects) brought to the fore the essence of Bhairavi raga by rendering the ata tala varna (“Veeri Boni”), Shyama Sastry’s grand swarajathi (“Kamakshi”) and a Purandaradasa krithi “Odi Baarayya”. Earlier they drew the attention of the rasikas by presenting the all-powerful Gayatri Mantra in Bhairavi raga. “Endaro Mahanubhavulu” was impressive. Arun’s pictorial presentation of music therapy was rewarding.

Veteran singer S. Shankar accompanied by his trusted accompanists B. Raghuram (violin) and N. Vasudev (mridanga) was true to his form . The Nattakuranji varna, Shankarabharana (“Manasu swadheena”) and the navarasa-oriented ragamalika delighted the audience.

K. Varadarangan, a noted scholar-singer who has been conducting research on classical music, impressed the lovers of music with his neat singing of Hamsadhwani (“Harivallabha”), Hamsanada, Kambhoji (“Rathna kanchuka dharini”), Ganamoorthe and Andolika ragas. H.N. Bhaskar (violin), Vasudev (mridanga) and M.A. Krishnamurthy (ghata) accompanied him.

But the vocal duet by Trichur Brothers — Krishna Mohan and Ram Kumar Mohan — became unpalatable due to the gross indiscipline of the artistes. There are a set of mandatory rules to be followed while presenting a Carnatic concert. It was surprising to see the singer-brothers and their father and veteran mridanga vidwan Trichur Mohan (imparting excellent mridanga support) in trousers. The excessive expression of mutual appreciation could also be avoided.

Nevertheless, the brothers should be credited with a high standard and quality performance. They began with the Bhairavi varna followed by “Gajanana yutham” (Chakravaka). The vocalists’ artistic prowess and skill made the singing of Kalyani and Kadanakutoohala adorned with the manodharmic recreations an outstanding exercise. Their expertise was enjoyable. H.N. Bhaskar (violin), Trichur Mohan (mridanga) and M.A. Krishnamurthy imparted inspiring support.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail