The Bangalore Lalithakala Parishath paid homage to Purandara Dasa through music last week. Senior vocalist and musicologist T S Vasantha Madhavi sang a number of Kannada 'devaranamas' in attractive ragas. She opened the programme with 'Vandisuvudadiyali' customarily. Brief swara for the invocatory piece enhanced the impact and helped to set mood. With the Purvi Kalyani prelude, 'Aathana Paduve Anavaratha' was brief, but full of ragabhava. Highlight of the programme was delineation of 'Vyarthavallave Januma'.
The alapana of Kaanada and swara prasthara enhanced the musical stature of Vasantha Madhavi, which was proof of her expertise and scholarship. Seasoned instrumentalists, B Raghuram on violin and N Vasudeva on mridanga, shared the honours with the artiste.
Twenty students of Ragashree College of Music, led by Vidushi Vasantha Madhavi, sang 'Navarathna Malike', peans to Purandara Dasa. Starting from - 'Jaya Janakee Kantha' (Raga Naata), 'Aadidano Ranga' (Aarabhi), 'Kallusakkare Kolliro' (Kalyani), 'Odi Baraiah' (Bhairavi), 'Sakala Grahabala Neene' (Athana), 'Pogadiralo Ranga' (Shankarabharana), 'Na Ninna Dhyanadolu Iralu' (Kaanada), 'Krishna Mooruthy Kanna Munde' (Kambodhi), 'Bandanene Ranga' (Sri) and 'Indina Dinave' - were sung in unison.
Legendary dancers
In the spacious lawns of 'Tamarind Tree', Anjanapura, connoisseurs squatted leisurely on the green grass and chairs and some stood, to watch the performance on the stage that reminded them of the Band Stand of the Cubbon Park - round-shaped with small pillars, black and white pictures. A decked-up portrait of Saint Tyagaraja, the greatest composer of Carnatic music, was placed in the front.
Five celebrities performed Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Mohiniyttam, besides Bharathanatya. Bharati Shivaji, the youngest of them launched the event with Mohiniyttam. She chose a popular lullaby of Malayalam with slow and soft movements and restrained expression, and to the background vocal and soft 'chande'. It was neat and evocative.
Sonal Mansingh chose a Astapadi of Jayadeva for her Odissi recital. She performed ten incarnations of Vishnu, in quick succession. With fast movements, the Astapadi rose to its lyrical heights and was impressive.
'Patralekha' from the traditional Kuchipudi repertoire, was the choice of Dr Yamini Krishnamurthy. Love, anger and other feelings of Satyabhama were rendered effortlessly. 'Krishna Shabda', with a little fast movements, dialogue with Madhavi and performance by Dr Yamini, enthralled the spectators.
And came the much-awaited moment: Charismatic Pandit Birju Maharaj's performance. After a few tiny pieces, he chose one of his grandfather's lyrics for 'Kathak'. He wowed the audience with the beautiful 'Jhulath Radha'.
Dr Vyjayanthimala Bali's 'Bharatanatya' was the fitting finale for the Nataraja Samman programme. She chose a Abhinaya-oriented lyrics, from the 'Krishna Karnamritha'. Her presentation of 'Baala Leela' of Lord Krishna enthralled the audience.
Years of hard practice, training by great gurus, experience, erudition and dedication were seen in the unique flavour of dance forms presented by the five legendary dancers.
Earlier, the Sadguru Sri Thyagabrahma Aradhana Kainkarya Trust conferred the 'Nataraja Samman' on Dr Vyjayanthimala Bali (Bharathanatya), Pandit Birju Maharaj (Kathak), Dr Yamini Krishnamurti (Kuchipudi), Dr Sonal Mansingh (Odissi) and Bharati Shivaji (Mohiniyttam).
The programme in the evening featured performance by Bharathanatya artistes of the City - Satyanarayana Raju, Poornima Ashok, Soundarya Srivatsa and Subhashini Vasanth. They chose a popular keerthana of Saint Tyagaraja and presented 'Endaro Mahanubhavalu' well.
The alapana of Kaanada and swara prasthara enhanced the musical stature of Vasantha Madhavi, which was proof of her expertise and scholarship. Seasoned instrumentalists, B Raghuram on violin and N Vasudeva on mridanga, shared the honours with the artiste.
Twenty students of Ragashree College of Music, led by Vidushi Vasantha Madhavi, sang 'Navarathna Malike', peans to Purandara Dasa. Starting from - 'Jaya Janakee Kantha' (Raga Naata), 'Aadidano Ranga' (Aarabhi), 'Kallusakkare Kolliro' (Kalyani), 'Odi Baraiah' (Bhairavi), 'Sakala Grahabala Neene' (Athana), 'Pogadiralo Ranga' (Shankarabharana), 'Na Ninna Dhyanadolu Iralu' (Kaanada), 'Krishna Mooruthy Kanna Munde' (Kambodhi), 'Bandanene Ranga' (Sri) and 'Indina Dinave' - were sung in unison.
Legendary dancers
In the spacious lawns of 'Tamarind Tree', Anjanapura, connoisseurs squatted leisurely on the green grass and chairs and some stood, to watch the performance on the stage that reminded them of the Band Stand of the Cubbon Park - round-shaped with small pillars, black and white pictures. A decked-up portrait of Saint Tyagaraja, the greatest composer of Carnatic music, was placed in the front.
Five celebrities performed Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Mohiniyttam, besides Bharathanatya. Bharati Shivaji, the youngest of them launched the event with Mohiniyttam. She chose a popular lullaby of Malayalam with slow and soft movements and restrained expression, and to the background vocal and soft 'chande'. It was neat and evocative.
Sonal Mansingh chose a Astapadi of Jayadeva for her Odissi recital. She performed ten incarnations of Vishnu, in quick succession. With fast movements, the Astapadi rose to its lyrical heights and was impressive.
'Patralekha' from the traditional Kuchipudi repertoire, was the choice of Dr Yamini Krishnamurthy. Love, anger and other feelings of Satyabhama were rendered effortlessly. 'Krishna Shabda', with a little fast movements, dialogue with Madhavi and performance by Dr Yamini, enthralled the spectators.
And came the much-awaited moment: Charismatic Pandit Birju Maharaj's performance. After a few tiny pieces, he chose one of his grandfather's lyrics for 'Kathak'. He wowed the audience with the beautiful 'Jhulath Radha'.
Dr Vyjayanthimala Bali's 'Bharatanatya' was the fitting finale for the Nataraja Samman programme. She chose a Abhinaya-oriented lyrics, from the 'Krishna Karnamritha'. Her presentation of 'Baala Leela' of Lord Krishna enthralled the audience.
Years of hard practice, training by great gurus, experience, erudition and dedication were seen in the unique flavour of dance forms presented by the five legendary dancers.
Earlier, the Sadguru Sri Thyagabrahma Aradhana Kainkarya Trust conferred the 'Nataraja Samman' on Dr Vyjayanthimala Bali (Bharathanatya), Pandit Birju Maharaj (Kathak), Dr Yamini Krishnamurti (Kuchipudi), Dr Sonal Mansingh (Odissi) and Bharati Shivaji (Mohiniyttam).
The programme in the evening featured performance by Bharathanatya artistes of the City - Satyanarayana Raju, Poornima Ashok, Soundarya Srivatsa and Subhashini Vasanth. They chose a popular keerthana of Saint Tyagaraja and presented 'Endaro Mahanubhavalu' well.