The violin and the sitar

A few jugalbandis dot this season's fare.

Carnatic violinist A. Kanyakumari and sitar artiste Janardhan Mitta performed on Sunday for Mudhra at the Infosys hall in T. Nagar though the rasikas filled in a little late.
Since the campus in located in an inner street and it is huge, the music isn't polluted by the roar of traffic.

The music blended well.
Kanyakumari briefed the rasikas on each song. Abheri by her and Bhimplas by Mitta,

Chakravakam went with Ahir Bhairav. It was a learning experience for many rasikas. Saxophone maestro Kadri Gopalnath walked in soaked in the music.
The tani avarthanam was enjoyable with mridangam and tabla complementing each other.
A few north Indian rasikas were present. Augurs well.

P. S. Another promising jugalbandhi coming up is by violinist G. J. R. Krishnan and Bhattacharya on guitar. At the same venue. on Dec.18. 6.30 pm

Small stage, big lineup!

That is what Bharat Kalachar's opening evening always is.

It was on Dec. 14. About 20 artistes received awards. Veteran Subbu Arumugam's villupattu and his 'vazhiyave' electrified the atmosphere. Said Arumugam, "I must be the only person to have uttered the 'vazhga' term the most number of times".

He said he felt proud that people identified the word well with him. Y. G. Mahendra, secretary, suggested a standing ovation for Subbu and the rasikas obliged.

There was another standing ovation led by the number of sishyas, when Bharatanatyam guru Chitra Visweswaran was honoured. Chitra who lost her husband recently, has been keeping a low profile.

Lalgudi Jayaraman was the chief guest. Speakers said he was a pithamaha after Semmangudi. Madhuvanthi and Sudha Mahendran, the sabha's office bearers compered the event and Y. G. Mahendra chipped in with his witty comments.

But the star was singer S. P. Balasubramaniam. SPB kept the banter going, "See how the place where you are seated brings honours; I too got lots of 'namaskarams' from the young artistes. Thats because I am sitting in the first row along with the stalwarts!"