Shobana, Munnawar enthral city

CHENNAI: The show had a traditional beginning, with Anjali (prayer), but before it came to an end actress-danseuse Shobana had transformed from a mere mortal into various avatars. With fluid motions, Shobana proceeded to enthrall the audience gathered at the Chinmaya Heritage Centre in Chetpet for the Times Chennai Festival with an extraordinary performance.While the traditional Anjali was performed by Shobana and two of her disciples from her dance school Kalarpana, the Murugan Kauthuvam and Dashavataram were solo compositions.
The audience were waiting to applaud even as Shobana swayed her way through the Murugan Kauthuvam performance, set in Shanmugapriya ragam, Rupaka talam. There was applause each time she posed as the various avatars of Vishnu as portrayed in the Dashavataram Gita Jaya Govinda. The show was presented by Estancia, Chennai's first integrated township, in association with co-host Sheraton Park Hotel and Towers and radio partner Radio Mirchi.
At another show at the centre, qawwali singer Munnawar Masoom took pains to explain the meaning of the poetry behind a devotee's yearning for god. However, language was no barrier for the Chennai audience on Thursday. Enthusing his group often, the cheery musician went about drawing the audience closer, with renditions of lyrics by Hazrath Amir Kuzro and Sufi Kalam.
A rasika had a suggestion: "Do not mistake the Chennai audience. We enjoyed the music, but we would love it all the more if you could only provide a translation for the lyrics,' said Padma Swaminathan.