Sandeep Narayan turns Natakapriya delineation interesting
The Hindu
Sandeep Narayan went beyond the usual to showcase his imagination
When Sandeep Narayan rendered ‘Gita vadya natana’ in Natakapriya as the piece de resistance, his concert felt like a tribute to composer Thanjavur Sankara Iyer, who died in May this year. The young vocalist subsequently showed his own capacity to pen, tune and sing by winding up the two-hour programme with a thillana in the late night raga, Bageshri.
Kartik Fine Arts’ Musically Margazhi 2021 came to a close with Sandeep’s concert. Natakapriya, a parent scale in Carnatic music, is not often heard, despite its curious intertwining of popular ragas, Chakravakam and Thodi. The 12-minute alapana climaxed in long upper-range passages, treated in a way that was close to the Hindustani Ahir Bhairav. H.N. Bhaskar enhanced it with the violin.

A vacuum cleaner haunted by a ghost is the kind of one-liner which can draw in a festival audience looking for a little light-hearted fun to fill the time slots available between the “heavier” films which require much closer attention. A useful ghost, the debut feature of Thai filmmaker Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke being screened in the world cinema category at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), even appears so in the initial hour. Until, the film becomes something more, with strong undercurrents of Thailand’s contemporary political history.

Sustainability is not an add-on, but stamped firmly into the process: every piece is biodegradable, waste-free and unembellished, free from glitter or beads. “Products should be sustainable and biodegradable so that our planet is not harmed,” says Anu Elizabeth Alexander, a student of Sishya, Adyar. At a recent exhibition, the stars she made sold the fastest, followed by the small diamonds. “I would like people to know about the process, how it is created, and that it is sustainable,” says Anu. Infanta Leon from Kotturpuram developed an interest in crochet as a teenager. It was a hobbyhorse that evolved into a steed that would help her embark on a journey of identity-shaping creative engagement. She started making Christmas-themed decor two years ago, spurred by a desire to craft safe, eco-friendly toys for children. “With a toddler at home, and my elder child sensitive to synthetic materials, I wanted to create items that were gentle, durable and tactile,” she explains. Her earliest creations were small amigurumi toys which gradually evolved into ornaments that could adorn Christmas trees with warmth and charm.











