Exotic melody by Bharat Sundar enthrals rasikas
The Hindu
The fourth day of the 71st Annual Music and Arts festival of Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Samajam featured
The fourth day of the 71st Annual Music and Arts festival of Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Samajam featured a vocal concert by K. Bharat Sundar accompanied by “Madurakala Praveena” Thiruvarur Bhakthavatsalam on mridangam, Kamalakiran Vinjamuri on violin and Chandrasekara Sharma on ghatam.
The concert started with Valachi vachi, a Navaragamalika varnam (Kedaram, Shankarabharanam, Kalyani,,Begada, Kambhoji, Yadukulakamboji, Bilahari, Mohanam and Shree ragam), invoking the blessings of Lord Venkatesa, in which he brought out the raga bhavam, ranjaka prayogas, along with the percussionists..
The vocalist in quick succession rendered “maha ganapatim” in raagam naattai by Muthuswamy Dikshitar and made the audience meditate on the supreme Ganapati who is worshipped by sages such as Vasishta, Vaamadeva and others.
The poet-composer Papanasam Sivan says ‘Come and protect me, Palani Malai Muruga.’ He identifies the divinity he invokes by different descriptions but the repeated ‘va va’ are the words we hear which is set to the beautiful raga Varali, the melodious supplication by the singer touched the hearts of the rasikas.
The vocalist then went on to sing one of the most popular Tyagaraja’s Kriti, “Bantu Reethi Koolu,” in Hamsanadam raga. In this kriti, the Saint pleads with Lord Rama to give him the post of guard for the Lord, with the power to kill lust, craze, desire, krodha, hatred and lobha, the six passions, with the sword called Rama Namam. The song was rendered with an exotic melody and striking identity.
Abheri, one of the most popular ragas, known in North India by the name Bhimpalasi and Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar affectionately called it Devagandharam, was the singer’s main raga for the evening for Saint Tyagaraja’s Kriti “ Nagumo.“
The singer concluded the concert with a Lalgudi Thillana “Unnai Saranadainden” in Maand, a fitting finale to the concert.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.