Week-long music festival begins

Laya Nada Kala Sravanthi (LANKAS) has commenced a week long music festival on Tuesday at Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao Government Music and Dance College. As a part of 10th Anniversary the organisers arranged vocal, veena and violin concerts from August 29 to September 4.

Lanka Bala Subrahmanyam, founder of the organisation said that the organisation was started in memory of their father Lanka Venkateswarlu, the direct disciple of music maestro Parupalli Ramakrishnaiah Pantulu along with Mangalampalli Bala Murali Krishna, N Ch Krishnamacharyulu, Annavarapu Ramaswamy.

Bala Subrahmanyam added that Venkatewsarlu worked in Vijayawada Music College as instruments in-charge and also rendered violin support for many music exponents. Besides arranging concerts, this year competitions are also planned for juniors and seniors in classical Vocal segment.

The festival commenced with the vocal concert of G Mahathi (Hyderabad). She started the recital with traditional krithi on Ganesh “Gajananayutam” in Chakravaka ragam and followed with the keerthanas “Paridanamichite” in Bilahari ragam, “Mayateeta” in Mayamalavagowla ragam, “Telisi Rama Chinta” in Poornachandrika ragam, “Nannu gana talli” in Sindhukannada ragam and “Koluvi unnadu veede” in Kalyani ragam.

Mahathi captured the attention of the audience with her melodious voice. Instrumental support was given by G Pranav on violin and K Karthikeya Adinarayana Sarma on Mridangam. Subha Sri started with the keerthana “Neerajasamee” in Jayanthisri ragam.

The gathering of the festival enjoyed the vocal concert of Subha Sri. She continued the concert with “Annapoorne Visalakshi” in Sama ragam, “Upacharamulu” in Bhairavi ragam and “Antakanna” in Bhageswari ragam. The concert was supported by K Subrhamanya Raju on violin and K Karthikeya Adinarayana Sarma on mridangam.

The first day of the festival ended with an impressive vocal concert of G Annapurna (Mumbai). She has chosen Natakunji varam as first item and continued the concert with “Ninne Bhajana” in Nata ragam, “Ninne” in Reetigoula ragam, “Entani Vinnavintura” in Urmila ragam, “Sabhapatiki” in Abhagi ragam, “Manavi Aalakimpara” in Nalinakanthi ragam and “Kamalamba” in Kalyani ragam.

Annapoorna concluded the concert with Thillana in Khamas ragam. With rich experience and perfect notes she mesmerised the spectators present there. Before commencement of the regular concerts, competitions were held for Malladi Ananya Sarala, Kottapalli Sridevi Parvallika in vocal juniors and seniors segment. The programme was conducted by P Sivaram and Madhavi.