It is time for Ramanavami and music celebrations at the Sri Rama Bhakta Sabha, Karanji Anjaneya Swamy Trust and Vani Vidya Kendra are underway. About 35 Ramaseva Mandalis across the city will further reverberate with melody in open-air pandals offering perfect summer breaks.
The three-foot long programme pamphlet of the 76 Ramanavami National Music Festival of the Chamarajpet Ramaseva Mandali lists nearly 90 events — 25 discourses and 65 concerts — in 31 days beginning April 8.
‘Biggest music fest’ “Ours is the biggest organised music fest in India,” says S.N. Varadaraj, general secretary of the Mandali.
“My father believed in celebrating music for its secular get-together. Yesudas always sings here to express his ‘respect to the Lord,’ while Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan had once demanded, ‘Where is my share of the Lord’s prasada!’
This generous attitude for the cause of music is what artistes should contemplate on,” said Mr. Varadaraj.
This year during the the National Award is being bestowed on vainika Prof. R. Visweshwaran and violinist M. Chandrasekharan and violinist L. Subramanyam will receive the Ramagana Kalacharya.
“We have a good representation of artistes from all southern States,” says Mr. Varadaraj.
Nearly 240 artistes are expected to perform at the Fort High School grounds.
Talented gathering
The Ramanavami Fest at Seshadripuram Ramaseva Samithi (April 8 -29) would be inaugurated by Kamala Hampana and R.V. Raghavendra at the Seshadripuarm College grounds.
Their list of 22 free concerts features both professionals and promising youngsters.
“Apart from the Malladi Brothers, Vidyabhushana, Gayatri Venkatraghavan, Sikkil Mala (flute), G. Ravikiran, R.K. Padmanabha and Sankaran Namboodiri, youngsters such as Saitejas on Harmonica; grandsons of Mysore Mahadevappa, Karthik Nagaraj and Sumanth Manjunath; and Mahadevan Shankaranarayanan, son of T.V. Shankaranarayanan are some interesting additions,” says V. Tarakaram of the samithi.
He also said that the vocalist trio ‘Neelambari Group’, and the Pancha Veena by D. Balakrishna and Geetha Ramanand are other team efforts in the offing.
