The Onset Of Every Ramanavami In Bengaluru Brings In A Feast Of Melodies, Unique To Karnataka

Bengaluru seems to be a tech city, growing commercially with real estate developments and job opportunities.

But its melodic scene gleefully wafts across several genres as diverse as Indian classical, Western classical and Latin American dance styles.

Not to forget the city’s youth competitions in Indian and Western classical forms, and the mushrooming music classes in every area.

While Bengaluru's sabha culture with music is a throbbing one with packed schedules, the Ramanavami concerts too hold equal significance, as a spiritual and spirited offering remains nostalgic to music lovers since decades in their own ways.

Says violinist N Venkatesh, “They were ‘gradually constructed’ along people’s sincerity of purpose and honorary work. Sabha, mandali and samithi founders were known for lodging musicians at their own residences.

"They tapped a layman’s door for funds. Connoisseurs who connected with music offered their share to the collective pool for evening entertainment. Flute Mahalingam played at Seshadripuarm Samithi until 2am. But none in the audience moved, that was the kind of passion witnessed by organisers and listeners.”

Venkatesh goes on to reminisce the open-air concert ambience extending at the Seshadripuram Ramaseva Samithi where their Ramanavami concerts were aired with speakers at the opposite park for a cool aural treat for people in summer.

“How simple, modest and affordable it was to get entertained. Do you believe, the locals walked across to the concerts at Seshadripuram, Malleswaram and Chamarajpet after an early supper,” cherishes Venkatesh, who now teaches violin to hundreds across the globe. 

Decades ago, the Bangalore Gayana Samaja (in the South) and the Malleswaram Sangeeta Sabha, were both in their competitive best to flash star musicians in their programming.

Alongside was born the festive banners the Sree Ramaseva Mandali (Chamarajpet); the Seshadripuram Ramaseva Samithi and the modest and publicity-shy 117-year-old Rama Bhaktha Bhajana Sabha in Malleswaram bringing a melodic festivity during Ramanavami.

“Do you believe that the doyen and founder of the 85-year-old Chamarajpet Ramaseva Mandali, (late) S V Narayanaswamy Rao took upon himself the mantle of even organising special buses from the transport corporation for people’s convenience during its 45-day Ramothsava?

"The commitment and social responsibility were traits he was blessed with,” adds Venkatesh, a student of R R Keshavamurthy, carrying forward the seven-stringed violin play of yesteryear maestro T Chowdiah.

Late V Tarakaram, senior advocate who served as the secretary of the Seshadripuram Samithi for nearly 15 years until 2018 writes in the ‘History of the Samithi’ that while the south already had Ramaseva Mandali steered by S V N Rao delighting music connoisseurs in Chamarajpet, CD Gopala Iyengar (of Gopalan & Co, leading stationers then), a prominent citizen of Seshadripuram along with public spirited citizens wanted to meet the growing needs of the public in North-West Bangalore with music concerts.

Iyengar was supported by like-minded G Narasimhamurthy (of Kalyan Cafe), Narasinga Rao Mane (businessman), Sripadachar (teacher in Arya Vaidya Shala) and V Krishnamurthi (a leading lawyer) to personally visit people and source funds.

Justice E S Venkataramaiah, Chief Justice of India was also associated with the samithi.

“The samithi this year celebrates its platinum jubilee with well-known names in their programming with 29 concerts this season from 30 March to 27 April at the Seshadripuram College premises,” says Revathi Tarakaram, of the committee.

D Balakrishna (veena) Mysore Nagaraj and Manjunath (violin), Dr Vidyabhushana (vocal), S Shankar (vocal), Vignesh Eshwar (vocal), Anahita and Apoorva (vocal) are some of the prominent local artistes featured apart from top-rung musicians from all over.    

For A Socio-Cultural Cause

“My father S V Narayanaswamy Rao worked tirelessly towards a socio-cultural cause. Befittingly, the road from where the mandali operates now is named after him. Our mandali’s offering is the biggest organised music fest in India,” says S N Varadaraj, son of S V N Rao, and general secretary of the Sree Ramaseva Mandali in Chamarajpet today.

“Balamurali Krishna started performing for the mandali as a teenager; violin Chowdiah supported my father to have the greats coming in; M S Subbulakshmi has performed here for 30 years; K J Yesudas performed here for teeming crowds when the day would witness special police protection.

"Our Ramayana discourses in the morning session have spectacular people-gathering,” says Varadaraj, adding that this year Satyatma Tirtha of Uttaradi Mutt would speak on Valmiki Ramayana from 11 to 15 April.

A book Sangraha Ramayana based on his discourses at the mandali will be launched for the special year.   

The mandali this year from 30 March to 29 April offers 64 junior and senior concerts with nearly 260 artistes stepping on to the spiritual platform, from all over India.

“We will flag off with a solemn Pancha Suktas by the Sadguru Veda Patashala followed by Tyagaraja’s Pancharathna kritis presented on Nadaswara by Mysore Vijay Surya. Ranjani-Gayathri would present the main concert on the inaugural day. March 31 would see the mandali honouring flautist Pravin Godkhindi with the ‘SVN Rao Global Award’ for his lifetime achievements, just before the fusion concert by Godkhindi and violinist Ambi Subramaniam that evening.  April 1 would bring in a youth connect with Harish Sivaramakrishnan — of AGAM band — who is taking on a solo Carnatic classical as the mandali’s interest is also in having the youth pull for the heritage to grow,” says Varadaraj.

Says Pravin Godkhindi, “I enjoy performing at the mandali where I get to see audiences, young and old. The award comes as a pleasant surprise as all these years, only senior musicians have been the recipients. All the more, I see my responsibilities increasing with such a prestigious honour.

"And the fact that this is the first time that both the mandali awards are going to Hindustani musicians, is something that has to be valued, what with Karnataka being the only state where both Hindustani and Carnatic equally flourish.”       

The mandali will also honour popular Hindustani vocalist Pt M Venkatesh Kumar with ‘Rama Gana Kalacharya’ award (before his concert on 21 April) recognising his achievements and for furthering his legacy by mentoring students.

“I am grateful to the mandali for selecting me for the award. That Hindustani is given equal prominence is also gratifying,” says Kumar on phone, his mastery over the genre and equal modesty had filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli in 2022 make a documentary Naadada Navaneeta that unpacked the charisma of a humble artiste.

Blessed with a booming voice, Pandit M Venkatesh Kumar’s signature is his erudite khyals, with equal importance given to devotional Kannada Vachanas and Dasarapadas.

The Hindustani classical vocalist conscientiously mirrors his schooling at the Veereshwara Punyashrama in Gadag where he was trained by the visually challenged Veerashaiva Saint and eminent Hindustani musician Puttaraj Gawai.

Special 85^th Moon Stone Year

Speaking about the fest’s 85^th year, Varadaraj goes emotional rewinding to the days when SVN’s melodic passion had him work indomitably to see the mandali grow.

“SVN believed in celebrating music for its secular get-together for the divine, the reality we saw all these years. Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan always demanded his share of the prasada soon after his concert. SVN initiated the mandali’s activities in 1938 on the 3^rd Main footpath of Chamarajpet when his Ramanavami collections delightfully showed up some extra money. He courageously built a cultural establishment to set a trend comparable to mammoth international fests across Europe. We look forward to celebrating SVN’s Centenary in 2024,” says Varadaraj, taking forward the activities along with his son Abhijith Varadaraj who is thorough with the mandali’s online presence.      

While Seshadripuram Ramaseva Samithi’s concerts at the Seshadripuram College premises are free (ssrss.org); Tickets for Ramaseva Mandali concerts are available @ Fort High School Grounds/www.ramanavamitickets.com or call 9448079079/9483518012)