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RAIN AND RAGAS
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Youngsters flocked to the recent SPICMACAY concert, despite the rain, and chitraveena vidwan Ravikiran had a record 128 requests from the audience
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If Shobhana's Bharatanatya drew them by the droves
PANDIT HARIPRASAD Chaurasia didn't play Amritavarshini on his bansuri, but it started drizzling as soon as he finished an inspired pahadi dhun at Yamini — Malkauns se Bhairavi tak, a cultural extravaganza organised by the IIM Chapter of SPICMACAY. In fact, Bombay Jayashri had started her recital, when rain put a brake on the proceedings. But, for the 4000-strong crowd, the event was memorable in many ways.
Pandit Chaurasia, Carnatic vocalist Bombay Jayashri, and IIM-B Director Prof. Apte lit candles and set them float in a huge brass uruli, already decorated with an Ikebana arrangement. The innovative lighting of lamps set the tone for the event, probably the first, all-night, classical, cultural event organised specially for the youth in the city. The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music & Culture Amongst Youth (SPICMACAY) routinely presents the best performers to the youth of the country, but this event had several luminaries.
Ravikiran's gotuvadya recital evoked tremendous response — Photo: R. Shivaji Rao
Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia started with Malkauns and went on to play "Vaishnava Janato" to mark the eve of Republic Day. The hum that accompanied his music in the open-air auditorium made a beautiful impact. Caught in a naughty mood, the flautist teased the young and good-natured tabla player Yogesh Samsi, much to the amusement of the crowd.
Bombay Jayashri continued in spite of the rain and the resultant chaos. The audience settled down quickly to appreciate her kritis in Mayamalawagowla, Poorvikalyani, and Abheri. Shobana's Bharatnatya, surprisingly, drew a peak crowd. Her two-hour performance included a piece from the Dashavatara and a bhajan. If Grammy-award winner Vishwamohan Bhatt was pleasantly surprised to see such a large gathering of youth at a midnight concert of classical music, the youth was more awe-struck with the speed with which his fingers moved over the strings!
And, if any one has a doubt about the popularity of Indian classical music among today's youth, one just had to be at this event sponsored by Aashirvaad Ready Meals, Hewlett Packard, and MICO — at 5.30 a.m., chitraveena vidwan Ravikiran had a record 128 requests from the audience! After a soulful rendition of "Jayathi jayathi" in Kamach, Ravikiran rounded off Yamini with a piece in Sindhu Bhairavi.
MALA KUMAR
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
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