NEW DELHI: Monsoon is the season, and it is also the reason for music to stream into the ocean of sonorous melodies. Brimming with mirth, it’s music that becomes a man’s best company. Harmonising the soul with the fervour of the rain’s resonance is singer Vidhi Sharma’s songs. This one is called Seasons with Krishna, a recital with vocals that capture the essence of the six seasons—grishma ritu, varsha ritu, sharad ritu, hemant ritu, sheeth ritu and vasant ritu tied to the subtext of Lord Krishna. As each season rolls into the next, new shades of emotions emerge.
The renditions will be performed by Sharma in poetry of saints like Meera, Surdas and a few of Asshtachhap Kavi. “Apart from capturing the bhakti part, I will also be performing semi classical/folk songs like kajri and jhoola to express this mesmerising season,” she says. ection of particular ragas that absorb the essence of the poetry. The other aspects are the music and sound where the tabla, pakhawaj and percussions like the majeera, iktara, daff and flute, add to the musical ambience. Just like the many hues of monsoon, human emotions too, find manifestations within the heart.
“From feeling happy, calm and peaceful as the trees and plants turn green all around you, to feeling blue because you cannot walk down the lane because of water clogging and traffic—all of it transforms the entire experience. As Sharma speaks with us, she sits in her balcony and sings looking towards the sky. It’s as though the rain Gods are responding to her in their own way. With elaichi chai, samosas and pakoras for company, she watches the rain cover her surrounding with its fresh embrace.
In her dictionary, two words—ultimate surrender—have brought eternal happiness. She is a deeply spiritual person who believes in God’s mercy to create miracles. An untoward incident, no matter how upsetting, gets taken care of as she feels the presence of God inside her. It’s expressed through her music, she believes. The stage is where she feel most herself, and it is also the place where she loses herself. Once she enters that scared space, she sees questions in the eyes of her audience. As minutes pass, she begins to answer all those with her performance.
The journey that she undertakes in those 60 minutes or so, of any performance is never an easy one. Erratic travel schedules, recordings, pre-performance work, riyaaz, rising fatigue, are some of the things that Sharma constantly battles. However, she finds a way each time, to adapt to what’s required for a particular evening. It’s one of her strengths.
What makes the occasion even more special is Janmashtami bring around the corner. The occasion is intertwined with Sharma’s latest release called Seasons with Krishna, released on Mystica Music, also uploaded on Youtube, where she has sung and composed a Meera bhajan titled, Bansiwara Aajyo
Mhaare Des. In the past, she has been awarded the Bhakti Ki Awaaz on Zee TV. She has also won the Global Indian Music Award for the album, Cinema- a collaborative album, but her biggest achievement, she says, remains being true to music.
The journey ahead is long. Challenges have come and gone but Sharma believes these to be the music of life. “Just like white and black keys in a harmonium, a great composition is mostly, if not always, a combination of the white and black metaphorical keys. Similarly, an artist’s music is reflected in the number of challenges faced. Nobody keeps a count of how many were good and how many were bad. Each experience is like Tabula Rasa, adding to an artist’s personality and musical tenure,” she says. With a smile and a nod, Sharma turns to the rain once again . It’s been pitter-pattering behind her. She breaks into a song again, and gets lost in the beauty of the moment. Good to know: August 13, at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi oad, 6.30 pm onwards. Open entry; first come first serve.
What’s in store
This one is called Seasons with Krishna, a recital with vocals that capture the essence of the six seasons—grishma ritu, varsha ritu, sharad ritu, hemant ritu, sheeth ritu and vasant ritu tied to the subtext of Lord Krishna. The renditions will be performed by Sharma in poetry of saints like Meera, Surdas and a few of Asshtachhap Kavi. Apart from the bhakti part, there will also be semi classical and folk songs