Gandhi Park on Friday was the meeting point of many songs. Songs of a tranquil world, where life marries spiritual peace, where equality reigns, where compassion extends beyond the confines of the individual, and where freedom ensures a harmonious existence.
And singing these songs were a thousand girl students and music teachers. Some of the songs rendered were classical notes that have been made famous by eminent singers. Like ‘Vaishnava janato,’ one of Narsi Mehta’s compositions that Gandhiji loved, and ‘Maithrim Bhajatha,’ composed by Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathy and sung by the legendary M.S. Subbulakshmi. The other songs sung, as part of the Bharatiya Ganathon as a prelude to the Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair, included ‘Daivadashakam,’ composed by Sree Narayana Guru in 1904, ‘Vande Mataram.’ and ‘Jis Ghar Mein Mitti Multani.’ Songs on themes such as environment protection and so on followed.
Being held for the first time in the State, the programme was a tribute to Sri Swati Tirunal, the musician from the ruling family of erstwhile Travancore. It was third in the series of events leading to the service fair to be organised from February 2 to 5 by the Hindu Spiritual and Service Foundation.
Classical vocalist K. Omanakutty inaugurated the event. Singers B. Arundathi and Bhavana Radhakrishnan were present.
The first two programmes held as part of the fair included a walkathon by 154 students dressed as Swami Vivekananda on the occasion of the seer’s 154th birth anniversary. The walk was held from Manaveeyam Veedhi to the Kowdiar square. The second was a thematic yoga programme by 1,000 boys at Poojappura.
The fourth event, a painting competition for schoolchildren on forests and environment, will be held at Museum on Sunday.
The State chapter of the foundation is led by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, and S. Priyadarsan, filmmaker. K.T. Thomas, former Supreme Court judge, is the patron-in-chief.
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