Melodies usher in Ramanavami season in Bengaluru this year

Hindustani expert N Rajam and Mandolin Rajesh are among the National Awardees of the Sree Ramaseva Mandali’s Chamarajpet Ramanavami this year

It is Ramanavami season and Bengaluru is basking in melodies. Besides the 40-odd mandalis and samithis in the city lauding Lord Rama with music, dance, discourses and Yakshagana, ‘Vande Mataram’ turning 150 years is also a vital part of the celebrations this year.

The Chamarajapet Fort High School grounds is the venue for Sree Ramaseva Mandali Trust’s Ramanavami celebrations. Now, in its 88th year, this musical jamboree will feature 27 days of concerts, that will begin on March 27 with as many as 200 artistes participating. Musician Sridhar Sagar will inaugurate the festival with a piece on his saxophone, which will be followed by a Carnatic presentation by vocalist Abhishek Raghuram.

“My father SV Narayanaswamy Rao was a Gandhian and would insist on a rendition of ‘Raghupathy Raghava Raja Ram’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ during Ramanavami. We still follow this custom,” says SN Varadaraj, son of SV Narayanaswamty Rao, also known as SVN.

According to Varadaraj, this year marks the birth centenary of legendary flautist TR Mahalingam, who with violin Chowdiah supported SVN and the Mandali in establishing this unique Ramanavami festival.

“The centenary tribute will feature a panel discussion by scholars on Mahalingam’s music, followed by a flute recital by JU Jayanth on April 15. Every connoisseur of classical music knew Mahalingam (known as Flute Mali) stayed in Chamarajpete’s Malabar Lodge in his latter years to help Narayanaswamy cultivate his musical interests.”

SV Narayanaswamy Rao with Flute Mahalingam | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement