Aruna Sairam at BVB; fringe notes

Reported by V. Vasantha. Photo by R Saravanan

Vocalist Aruna Sairam was to perform at the 6.45 pm slot at BVB on Nov.24. This was her first for the 'season'.

People started occupying the seats 4.30 pm onwards  At 5, pandit Janardan Mitta started his sitar concert.   The hall was almost full by then and the gates were closed.

At 6, there was a steady outflow of people to the washrooms.  The gatekeeper stopped them from going out saying the seat and re-entry were not guaranteed. But some took the risk. But this was indeed a tricky situation.

By 6.50 people settled down for Aruna, but the curtain got stuck and the artistes on the stage could be seen only partly. The mridangam and ghatam artistes started a gentle  thani to amuse the rasikas  while Aruna hummed a Kalyani note which she later handled as the main raga.  Once the curtain was fixed, the concert ran to a packed audience.

These free concerts can pose issues, especially when seniors contribute to the audience strength.

December Season in November! Why not?

December 1 used to be the launch date of the famed December Season. Informally and to coincide with the inauguration of the festival of Kartik Fine Arts, a Mylapore-based sabha.

Not any more. December Season now rolls from November and for obvious reasons!

We are headed on November 21 evening to the Sri Kapali Temple zone, Mylapore. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan is to launch its fest. I am hungry as I leave office in Alwarpet and give the go-by for the corner Juice Shop ( a huge hangout in this part of town) for tiffin at Karpagambal Mess. I have to give that up too - there isn't much time.

BVB always gets a full house on opening evening. Makes for a warm inauguration.

Vocalist Ashok Ramani is at my side in Row 4. As the awards are given to Aruna Sairam and Ganesh-Kumaresh, violinists he rewinds to the time, over a decade ago when he was given a cash prize of Rs.10,000 with the Isai Peroli title by Kartik Fine Arts.

Today, the rewards are better.

This evening's top awards, donated by Preetha and Vijaykumar Reddy in remembrance of Obul Reddy and Gnanambal included one lakh rupees in cash.

Preetha Reddy, guest at the event said it very nicely. That she and her husband were embarrassed when their names were mentioned as donors. She said they were just a channel and that honouring artistes was a part of giving.