ASHADI CELEBRATIONS - 2nd DAY

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ASHADI CELEBRATIONS - 2nd DAY

a virtuoso musical concert

by pandit suresh talwalkar and group

Posted on 3rd July 2009 @ 0030 hrs. IST

July 03, 2009

Music is verily Divine! In olden days, there used to

be the tradition of court singing wherein celebrity singers would

perform in presence of Kings, royal family members and invited guests

of honour. Now with the tradition of court singing no more in practice,

Prasanthi Nilayam brings a new dimension to this older version of court

singing, wherein devout artistes of greater talent come and sing in the

immediate Divine Presence of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba! Verily this

has been happening when troupes after troupes, singers after singers,

artistes after artistes visited Prasanthi Nilayam over the years,

tagged to various festivities to sing in His immediate Divine

Presence!. …and Prasanthi’s music tradition is on…

2nd July 2009, the second day of Ashadi Ekadashi

celebrations, after a morning session when Bhagawan chose to sit on the

dais for quite some time graciously blessing the packed gathering with

His Divine Darshan, the stage was set in the evening for a musical

extravaganza.

An elaborate stage approximately 10 ft. x 10 ft.

consisting of two levels laid with metallic frames having an equally

grand acoustics, the first of its kind in Sai Kulwant Hall greeted the

devotees and students to the Hall. The stage covered the entire stretch

of the central part of the Hall horizontally. Eight big focus lights

gave a good view of the artistes on the stage. What was in store was a

Tala Kutchery, as one could call it, by 12 artistes led by Taalyogi

Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar is one of the

greatest Tabla exponents of the present times, synonymous for the

untiring efforts, devotion, and endless passion in pursuit of promoting

Indian classical music. Pandit Sureshji belongs to the illustrious

“Keertankar†family of Sri Dholebuva.

“Keertana†being a classical form of devotional and

musical discourse, a liking for the classical music was inculcated in

him right from his childhood. Pt. Sureshji introduced for the first

time, the novel concept of taking vocal accompaniment and added a new

dimension and direction to the solo playing of tabla.

 

 

 

 

The artistes after offering their obeisance to

Bhagawan took the stage for the performance and anannouncement was made

that they felt they should enhance their efforts in the path shown by

Bhagawan, the path of Namasmarana, to understand Nirguna Nirakara

Swarupa. The Pandit, introducing the programme to Bhagawan and the

audience, said that he was most privileged and fortunate to do Seva

(service) after having his maiden opportunity to sing in His immediate

presence, way back in the year 1973. The percussion based performance

had five tablists, including a lady tablist, a flautist, two vocalists,

one on sarangi, an artiste on dholak, one each on harmonium and

keyboard. The Sarangi is a bowed, short-necked lute of the Indian

subcontinent. It is an important bowed string instrument of India's

Hindustani classical music tradition. Of all Indian instruments, it is

said to most resemble the sound of the human voice – able to imitate

vocal ornaments such as gamakas (shakes) and meed (sliding movements).

The twilight’s music extravaganza was a continuous

stream of music, with a harmonious blend, at times reaching a

crescendo. Weaving musical waves on the combined percussions, often

building up to bring it down in the next, most meticulously perfecting

the beats, was indeed a treat to the ears; with the lights on, and the

Sun that was setting was overshadowed by an emerging twilight, with

Bhagawan on stage, it was the perfect stage for Easwara, the Nataraja,

the Lord of Dance, to dance listening to the beat of music. …and the

first song was on the Lord of Dance, “Shankara Mahadeva…â€, right

tribute to the Musical Divine!

The songs “Ananda Lahari Bhajave …†and “Dheem,

Dheem Dama Damaru Baaje …†by the two vocalists and the taals (vocal

beats) by the Panditji kept the appreciative audience riveted to their

places with intermittent applauses for more than an hour. There were

also interludes in the form of performances by the flautist, one each

on the tabla, on the Sarangi, on the harmonium and on the keyboard that

added variety to the performance. The whole concept was designed in an

innovative way as the Panditji was well known for it, to make it an apt

offering to the Musical Divine in physical frame.

At the end of the performance, Bhagawan asked the

State President, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Maharashtra and Goa

to honour the artistes with shawls and white safari suit pieces.

Bhagawan also blessed the artistes with Padanamaskar and a group photo

session. Prasadam was distributed to the entire congregation of

devotees. After Arati, Bhagawan retired for the day at 6.45 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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