MADRAS MUSIC MELA 2002
JAYA TV MARGAZHI MAHA UTSAV - A REPORT
Jaya TV's Margazhi Maha Utsav 2002 started off with a bang on December 1, 2002. The inaugural function started off with a Nadaswaram duo by Injikuddi Brothers. As expected, the hall was packed with rasikas even by 5.30 pm for the Mandolin concert scheduled for 6.30 pm. Though the inaugural function got delayed by half an hour, the crowd was all-enthusiastic and eagerly awaiting the concert of Mandolin U Srinivas. The concert was received very well.
For the past few days, the Jaya TV Maha Utsav has been witnessing huge crowds. Rasikas from all over the city and nearby towns have thronged the place to hear their favorite stars like U Srinivas, Nityasree, Bombay Jayasree, Anuradha Sriram and Sriram Parasuram. Only four major concerts are over as of today.
One interesting fact about the series is that all the concerts are thematic. Anuradha Sriram and Sriram Parasuram chose a theme titled "Saptapati Rama in seven languages", and gave an excellent performance well supported by M A Sundaresan, Umakanth Puranik, K V Prasad and Udayaraj Kapur. Starting off with the rare raga Ramakali, they rendered Subbarama Dikshitar's masterpiece in Sanskrit, Rama rama kalikalusha. Then followed a song in Hindi (Rama nama japare), a Bhojpuri song in raga Kanada Bahar (Rama pada padma paraga pari), the familiar Tyagaraja kriti Sukhievaro (raga Kanada) in Telugu, a Bengali song by Keerti Bas Ramayan in raga Misra Chandrakouns, celebrating Rama's victorious return to Ayodhya, the popular Tamil song in raga Desh (Rama namame tudi) and a Purandaradasa devarnama in Kannada. The concert was rounded off with a beautiful Abhang in Marathi. The entire concert was presented crisply, and the artistes took pains to explain in lay terms the key aspects of each Hindustani and Carnatic raga.
Nityasree Mahadevan gave her concert on December 4th. Nowhere else can one see the entire city, including NRIs, and above all, her own die-hard fans, scrambling to get whatever seats they could grab! Such was the crowd that day! People didn't dare move a finger or breathe aloud! Why, even the usual exodus during the Tani Avartanam didn't happen that day! The fear of losing their seats had gripped everyone! Nityasree as usual sang with great confidence and composure. Her chosen theme was "Om Saravana Bhava" and she rendered many beautiful songs on Lord Muruga, keeping her audience glued to their seats.
Like last year, the organizers of this Utsav have also allotted time for open-house sessions during the concerts, where rasikas can pose questions for the artistes. And guess what? The best questions will even be awarded prizes!
Posted on December 5, 2002
