Bhubaneswar: On a crisp winter evening, the lush green precincts of the magnificent Rajarani Temple came alive in a riot of colour and sound. Tastefully illuminated with vibrant lights and intricate appliqué décor, the temple resonated with enchanting, soul-stirring music, drawing a large and appreciative audience on the second day of the Rajarani Music Festival.
The festival was organised by the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department, Government of Odisha, in association with the Odisha Sangit Natak Akademi.
The evening got off on a high note with a captivating Carnatic vocal recital by Chennai-based vocalist Sumithra Vasudev. She enamoured the audience with her masterful exploration of various ragas, talas and pallavis, unfolding the many shades and subtleties of Carnatic music.
Beginning with Raga Kanada set to Misra Chapu tala, her performance gradually soared into intricate high-octave passages that held the listeners spellbound. Her rendition bore the stamp of a seasoned maestro, leaving the connoisseurs thoroughly engrossed.
She was ably supported by K. Arun Prakash on the mridangam, L. Ramakrishnan on the violin and Chandra Sekhar on the ghatam. The temple ambience, steeped in melody, made her concert an unforgettable experience for music lovers.
In the second segment, the connoisseurs were treated to a sublime Santoor recital by renowned maestro Pandit Abhay Rustum Sopori and his ensemble from New Delhi.
Reviving age-old Sufiana compositions, he wove a rich tapestry of sound by blending traditional melodies with rhythmic finesse. With effortless grace, his magical fingers danced across the strings of the santoor, producing music that was both soothing and deeply evocative. He was accompanied by Rishi Shankar Upadhyay on pakhawaj, Ujith Uday Kumar on tabla and Varun Rajasekharan on ghatam.
The performance was warmly received and earned generous applause from the audience.
The evening witnessed the presence of distinguished dignitaries like Dr. Bijay Ketan Upadhyay Secretary, Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department; Professor Aparna Sopori; Guru Dhaneswar Swain, Eminent Mardala Player; Dr. Chandrasekhar Hota, Secretary, Odisha Sangita Natak Akademi. The programme anchored by Dr. Sadhana Srivastav and Dr. Sangita Gosain.
