Shower of melodies for Ramanavami at Sree Ramaseva Mandali

Interesting jugalbandis, a jaltarang concert and a symposium are some of the offerings at this year’s Ramanavami programme at the Sree Ramaseva Mandali in Chamarajpet

There are nearly 35 Ramothsava banners in Bengaluru heralding the music season, starting with the distribution of kosambri and paanaka to beat the heat wave that seems to be a part of this Ramanavami celebrations. 

So, what sets apart the Sree Ramaseva Mandali celebrations at Fort High School grounds in Chamarajpet? SN Varadaraj, son of founder SV Narayanaswmay Rao (known as SVN Rao), says, in many places of Karnataka, especially Mysore, Ramanavami was celebrated with music, decorations and food. In 1939, his father SVN Rao, established this mandali for the purpose of integrating different celebratory practices.

The initial three-day celebrations that marked the founders’ love for music is now in its 87th year. “The most respected names in classical music from all over India have graced this temple of music as C Rajagopalachari termed it, as even the erstwhile Mysore Royals were patrons of the mandali,” says Vardaraj.

“This year, we will have a total of 56 concerts from April 6 to May 2, apart from Ramayana discourses. The 27-day offering will see as many as 225 artistes gracing the mandali platform.” Vardaraj adds the event will play out in a 40,000 squarefoot waterproof pandal with 6,000 seats and LED screens.

Varadaraj recalls the initial years when SVN Rao would book star performers of the time over the telephone, offering them ₹20 as an advance. “Neither Chembai nor his student, Yesudas, accepted a paisa; vocalist Balamurali Krishna was given ₹12 for his concerts; sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan considered his performance, a ‘service to the Lord’.”

Violin Chowdiah and MS Subbulakshmi would instantly donate whatever they received during Ramanavami, while Mandolin Shrinivas would humbly accept only divine blessings, Varadaraj says. “Top names from Karnataka such as RK Srikantan and Veena Doreswamy Iyengar as well as mridangist Umayalapuram Sivaraman from Chennai, were given ₹500 for their concerts.”

Buoyed by the encouragement and passion of SVN Rao and ghatam exponent KS Manjunath, several Ramaseva samitis and mandalis began to take shape in the city. Nearly 120 years ago, compounder Subba Rao started the Rama Bhaktha Sabha and SVN Rao began his Mandali in Chamarajpet in 1939. Soon, every area in the city echoed with music during Ramanavami, and it eventually came to be known as ‘Bangalore’s Music Season’.