M S Sheela is among the top Carnatic vocalists of Karnataka, who has earned international fame as a concert artist. Her admirers are fond of her soulful rendering of dasa padas . Hamsadhwani Creations is Sheela’s outfit, exclusively established to promote Carnatic music. Sheela has been organising classical music festivals for the past eight years through Hamsadhwani.
Her refrain that Hindustani music gets better patronage from the corporate sector, unlike Carnatic music, and especially the musicians of Karnataka, is a truism.
Without getting into the merits of the argument that it’s the musicians from Chennai who draw a larger audience, compelling cultural organizations to invite them more often than the local artists, the fact is that local musicians do not find it easy to perform on stage. That Hamsadhwani has been concentrating on Carnatic music, promoting the artists of Karnataka, and also giving away awards to them, is certainly laudable. In Hamsadhwani, local musicians have certainly found a champion for their cause.
This year’s festival, to be held at the Seva Sadan from November 7 to 9, appears to offer interesting fare, especially to those, who would like to delve into our cultural history. Navarathra Neerajana, is a special music feature where Shatavadhani Ganesh will talk on what the Navaratri festival symbolises, focusing especially on Durga, the principal deity of the festival. M S Sheela will then translate this into music through apt compositions, some of which has been written by Ganesh specially for the occasion. This musical programme will also have a visual dimension to it, backed by a multi media presentation. This programme is on the November 9, at 11.15 a.m.
Sheela points out that the last day of the annual festival always begins with a Lalitha Sahasranaama Saamuhika Pooja, where those interested can join in the recitation and worship the female deity. The pooja essentials will be provided free of cost by Hamsadhwani. This event is at 8 a.m. on the same day.
This year’s Hamsadhwani awardees are the Tirumalai Sisters — veena artist T Sharada and musicologist T Sachidevi.
Sharada, a retired professor of music of the Maharani’s Arts College, is an A-Grade artist of All India Radio and Dooradarshan, and has co-authored several books with her sister. Sachidevi, who also served at the same college, is a research scholar who has worked on Sulaadi, Ugaabhoga and Haridasa compositions among others. She heads the Karnataka Sangeetha Textbook Samiti and is the author of Karnataka Sangeetha Darpana in Kannada and English.
Sharada will give a veena recital on the inaugural day of the festival, also on the event will see a release of CD of Vaggeya Vaibhava, a series on Mysore composers.
November 8 will see a vocal concert by G Ravikiran, at 6.30 p.m., preceded by a vocal rendition by Sheela’s students. For details contact 23325302, 23326901.
jyothi@epmltd.com
