By M.L. Krishnaswami
On the fourth day of the 128th Sri Ramanavami Music Festival (Mar. 28) at Alamma Choultry, Devaraja Mohalla, there was a Hindustani vocal recital by the well-known popular musician Pandit Venkatesh Kumar. He was accompanied on the tabla by Pandit Ravindra Yavagal and on the harmonium by Pandit Veerabhadraiah Hiremutt. Venkatesh Kumar is a proud product of the famous Gadag School of Pandit Puttaraja Gavai, the cradle of Hindustani music in North Karnataka which has churned out hundreds of musicians. He joined this school at the age of 12 and learnt all the nuances of this art for the next twelve years. Long years of ardent learning and the discipline imbibed by the school have churned out a top grade musician in the filed that he is today. Several awards have come to him and the coveted Padma Shri award given by the Central Government is a crowning recognition of his humility and talent. Panditji commenced his concert in raag Purya Dhanusri and with the Bhade Khayal – Vilambit Ek taal ‘abtho ruhumana’ and Chota khayal - drut teental ‘Pagariya Jhanakara Mori.’ This inaugural number was brilliantly rendered. The second number was in raag ‘Kedar.’ ‘Janakana pari’ being the number. The next raag he chose was ‘Behag’ and the song was ‘Baala More More Manake’ very well rendered. Pandit Venkatesh Kumar totally stole the show in this and won wide applause from the more than half-a-thousand connoisseurs who had thronged the auditorium. After the pure classical repertory the Pandit, on popular demand, galloped his singing spree into: 1) A devaranama ‘Toredu Jeevisabahude’ by Saint Kanakadasa; 2) A vachana ‘Akka Kelavva Nannodu Kanasa Kande’ and ending the concert with ‘Sharanu Sakaloddara asura kula samhara,’ a Devaranama. The assembled crowd of connoisseurs and music-lovers rose on their feet and gave a thunderous clapping. As usual the musicians were honoured by the organising Sabha. About a month back, Pt. Venkatesh Kumar had given a concert arranged by ‘Raga Vaibhava’ here in Mysuru and the frequency of these two programmes did not deter the connoisseurs to attend this programme in large numbers.
