An evening of soulful music

English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) organised a cultural evening titled ‘Dharohar’ at the football ground, with an opening Carnatic music recital on Veena by Prof KGVijayakrishnan. Prof Vijayakrishnan started learning the Veena at the tender age of six from his mother Late Srimati Karpagavalli Gopalakrishnan who has followed the tradition of Veena Dhanammal style of Veena playing through training from Ranga Ramanuja Ayyangar.

According to Prof Vijayakrishnan, Veena Dhanammal always believed that Veena was a ‘Sarva Vadyam’ and had melody and rhythm within the musical instrument. Therefore this style of playing would be without any accompaniment of percussion or Tanpura and the programs would normally happen in ‘Chamber music’ style.

He started with a ‘Varanam’ composed by Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar in ‘Raga Kalyani’ set to ‘Adi Talam’. He then played an ‘Alaap’in Raga Hari Kambhoji followed by a Tyagaraja Kriti ‘Enduku’.He then played an ‘Alaap’ in Raga ‘Reeti Gowla’ and then played the composition ‘Janani Ninnuvina of Subbaraya Sastri who is the son of famous trinity composer Syama Sastri.Vijayakrishnan went on to play a ‘Ragamalika’ with some ragas from the North Indian classical music also.

He then played a Muthuswami Dikshitar kriti on the Brihadeeswarar Temple in Tanjavur.He concluded his recital with a ‘Padam’ in ‘Pantuvarali’ ragam expressing a courtesan’s love for a Prince set to ‘Adi Talam’. The concluding program was a ‘Qawalli recital’ by the Warsi brothers of Hyderabad who performed many ‘Sufi’ songs. They included ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’, ‘Chaap Tilak Sab Chheeni Mose Naina Milaike’ and ‘Dama Dum Mast Qalandar’.The nearby famous ‘Heritage Stepwell’ at EFLU was also decorated and illuminated on the occasion.

By Jaywant Naidu