A feast for music lovers

This year’s ‘Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan’ was held at NTR Kala Mandiram (Telugu University Campus) recently. All India Radio (AIR) has been conducting this programme since six decades, to showcase renowned musicians of our country.

This tradition has continued for all these years, thanks to the efforts of Late BV Keskar, the then Information and Broadcasting Minister, who was the pioneer in introducing various programmes in AIR in the early decades of independent India.

The programmes were held at 24 venues simultaneously across various cities, giving an opportunity for 63 musicians and 150 instrumental musicians of repute - a gigantic task undertaken by Prasara Bharathi.

As part of this grand Sangeet Sammelan, Hyderabad had two programmes by classical musicians S Mahathi of Chennai, a Carnatic vocalist and Pandit Tejendra Narayan Mujumdar, a sarod musician.

P Poornachand, retired AIR music composer and orchestra conductor from Chennai, was felicitated by Udaya Sankar, acting station director of AIR Hyderabad.

While Mahathi’s mellifluous rendition was a treat, Tejendra Narayan Mujumdar’s sarod had a soulful touch, which made the audience sway to Hindustani music.

S Mahathi, an ‘A’ grade artiste of AIR is a child prodigy. She received many awards and rewards internationally by prestigious organisations in India. She is a sought after classical musician of our times.

Mahathi started her recital with “Ninney Bhajana,” a Nata Raga krithi of saint Thyagaraja. She then moved onto “Idi Samayamu” (Natakaprivya) of Vasudevachari with a brief swara kalpana. She attempted a quick number of Muthuswamy Deekshitulu “Sri Guru Guha” in Devakriya Ragam.

It was in the main piece “Ethavunaraa Nilakada Neeku” (Kalyani) of Thyagaraja that Mahathi showed her trait of Swarakalpana and Manodharama in ample measure and won the appreciation of the listeners.

While dwelling Anupallavi Charanams “Seetha Gowri Vageeswari Yanu,” her execution of neraval’s kept the audience awe inspired. `

Raga Prastharam and Swarakalpana proved to be amazing. Instrumental musicians HM Smitha (Voilin) and S Sayeeram (Mridangam) made a stupendous display.

Tani Avarthanam by Sayeeram and S Venkatswarlu (Ghatam) was also catchy and showed their expertise. Mahathi concluded her concert with a thillna in Rag Behag of Dr Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna.

The second programme of the evening was that of Pandit Tejendra Narayan Mujumdar, a sarod solo. Tejendra Narayan Mujumdar is one of the prominent sarod instrumental musicians having international fame.

Both his grandfather Bibhuthi Ranjan and father Ranjan Mujumdar encouraged Tejendra in music study. He took intensive training for 18 years from sarod legends like Ustad Bahadur Khan and Hindustani vocalist Pandit Amresh Choudary.

He enriched his Hindustani music study from Ajay Sinha Rai and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan too. In his sarod solo, Tejendra Narayan Mujumdar started with Rag Janjhooti.

Subsequently, he mesmerised both Hindustani and Carnatic music lovers with his impeccable style in elaborating Rag Madhu Malathi and in the concluding item in the Rag Manj Khamaj.

All in all, Tejendra showcased the subtle melody of sarod instrument and gave varied experience to the august audience.

It is observed that the AIR staff including the crew of photographers, made noise both prior to beginning of the programme and also during the recording of the programme.

Even some of the AIR staff (overseeing the recording arrangements) made noises. This could have been avoided if proper and prior monitoring arrangements were being executed in a methodical manner.

Except this small interruption to the audience the programme of ‘Akashavani Sangeet Sammelan’ went on well.

By:Chivukula Rama Mohan