Visually challenged sisters cast a spell

Mysore/Mysuru: The musical tradition that once enjoyed royal patronage, continues to endear the connoisseurs in Dasara Cultural Programmes, with Mysore Palace serving as a perfect backdrop reliving the bygone era.

Visually challenged vocalist sister duo Vidushi Dr. B.N. Manjula and Vidushi B.N. Nagarathna of Nanjangud along with their disciple Ananya, were the cynosure of all eyes as they began the concert with ‘Kamalambike…’ a composition of last Maharaja of Mysore Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, who himself was a scholar of repute, to the huge applause of the gathering here last evening, followed by ‘Sri Chamundeshwari…’, ‘Saint  Vadiraja’s ‘Thaluvikegintha Tapavu Illa…’ and Saint Purandara Dasa’s ‘Palise Enna Sri Mahalakshmi…’, in the accompaniment of percussionists  Kumar on mridanga, Chikkannachar also a visually challenged on violin and Jagadish on ghata.

Saxophone fusion by Vidwan Mysore Harish Pandav and troupe, violin recital by Lalgudi GJR Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi and Karnatak Classical Music by Vidwan T.M. Krishna of Chennai were the other highlights of the evening.

‘Sri Rajarajeshwari,’ a dance feature by ‘Karnataka Kalashree’ Vidya Ravishankar and troupe, especially the sequences of ‘Sapthmathruka Devi’ and ‘Mahishasura Mardini’ underlined the significance  of Dasara.