Young Vidushi Bhargavi Venkatram sang at Bidaram Krishnappa’s Sri Prasanna Seetharama Mandira on Apr. 15 for a packed audience. Bhargavi, a Computer Engineer, has chosen classical music as her profession and has carved a niche for herself. It seems as a very natural choice because music flows in her blood. Late Vid. H.V. Krishnamurthy is her grandfather and Vid. H.K. Venkatram is her father. Her mother, aunt are performing as Saralaya Sisters. Grandmother was a dancer. It is but natural for Bhargavi to opt for music. But she owes the tutelage to Vid. T.M. Krishna, who has shaped her musical talent.

The interesting part of that day’s concert was her father H.K. Venkatram accompanying her on violin. The other accompaniments were Tumkur B. Ravishankar on mridanga and G.S. Ramanujam on ghata. Bhargavi had opted to sing familiar compositions like ‘Jaya jaya Janakikantha’ by Purandaradasa in the raga Nata, ‘Ranga puravihara’ in Brindavanasaranga by Muthuswami Dikshitar, ‘Jyanamosagarada’ in Poorvikalyani by Tyagaraja and so on. The appealing factor in her music is the manodharma Sangeetha that totally matches the composition. This was evident in Poorvikalyani and the Raga-Tana-Pallavi. The compositions too were perfectly presented. A neraval in the Keerthana ‘Jyana mosagarada’ at ‘Paramathmudu jeevathmudu’ was dipped in classicism. A Bhajan by Tulasidas ‘Jaya Jayashree Jaya Raghuvamsha poojana’ carried bhakthi bhava and created a soothing effect.

The highlight of the day was a dvi raga Pallavi. ‘Koti nalinakanthiyutham bhajamyaham dasha bindumalinya karuna’ was set to Khanda jathi Triputa taala in the ragas Nalinakanthi and bindumalini. Her splendid exposition of vocal talent came alive in Nalinakanthi and Bindumalini alapane. Very smooth and soft raga vinyasa not only by her, but also by H.K. Venkatram as well. It was heartening to see the father enjoying his daughter’s performance. She would easily switch from one raga to another in a very energetic way. In the Kalpana swaras Bhargavi and Venkatram chose Vasantha, Kunthalavarali, Reethigowla, Kanada and Kapi. It was indeed a melodious medley. Tumkur Ravishankar and Ramanujam are two senior percussionists of Mysuru who, with their vast stage experience can thrill the audience. They gave an excellent laya support for the concert. Purandaradasa’s ‘Rama rama rama seetharama enniro’ (Thilang) deserves a mention in the tail piece. Bhargavi undoubtedly has a bright future.

Sri Rama Pattabhisheka: A Divine Harikatha

The 16th of April marked the concluding day of Ramanavami Sangeethotsava at Bidaram Krishnappa’s Seetharama Mandira. It was graced by a soulful Harikatha by none other than the celebrated exponent Vidushi Vishaka Hari.

Vishaka Hari’s Harikatha is far from mere entertainment; it is a spiritual and cultural offering. Inspired by her spiritual guru and father-in-law, Sri Krishna Premi Swamigal, she has taken up katha kalakshepa with the goal of imparting Indian values and dharma to the next generation. As a disciple of the legendary violinist Vid. Lalgudi Jayaraman, Vishaka Hari brings to her discourse a strong foundation in classical music, seamlessly blending narration and song.

Her unique style — often weaving English and Tamil into her storytelling — makes her accessible to diverse audiences. Her discourses are enriched with keerthanas in different languages, which she uses effectively to connect the narrative, often singing with deep bhava to bring scenes vividly to life.

Despite the familiarity of the story of Lord Rama and the Ramayana, listeners remained attentive throughout, drawn in by her engaging anecdotes. For instance, she revealed that the famous verse “Kausalya Supraja Rama” was composed by Vishwamitra — a delightful nugget of knowledge. She also mentioned that Lord Rama is believed to have slept in Srirangam after the Pattabhisheka — a poetic moment made all the more serene with a keerthana in Neelambari.

She is perhaps the only Harikatha exponent who incorporates kalpana swaras into the discourse, adding a layer of creativity and classical integrity to her performance. Vishaka Hari was accompanied by her disciple Chinmayi on violin, Vid. Vijay Natesh on mridanga and Shamith Gowda on ghata. The day’s discourse was based primarily on the works of Kulashekhara Alwar. To deliver Harikatha in English is rare, but Vishaka Hari does so with warmth and ease, breaking linguistic barriers while preserving the tradition’s sanctity. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to music and spiritual discourse and has raised funds for causes like cancer care, children with Down syndrome, heart patients and orphans.

Kudos to this remarkable artiste. May her noble efforts and enriching contributions continue to inspire many more.

—Dr. Rama V. Bennur