Renowned
Harikatha
exponent
Vishakha Hari
is coming up with a three-day festival, ‘Vijayashri Margazhi Vaibhavam’, which has a set of curated concerts and Harikathas by her sishyas, who are performing for the first time to live audiences, along with a performance by her. What’s interesting is that the topics that she’s chosen are ones that are relatable to today’s times.
“I believe every topic of ancient literature always relates to contemporary times. That is the far-sightedness of our great rishis and mahaans. We have a Harikatha on Karaikkal Ammaiyaar emphasising perseverance and the worship of the eternal, ‘Venkatesha Aavirbhavam’ exploring Annamaiyya’s keerthanams that talk about dharma and bhakti. ‘Namah Shivaya’ explores renunciation, self-detachment, and surrendering to the ultimate. ‘Endaro Mahanubhavulu’ is in three parts, covering as many as 20 different stories of our nation’s precious rathnas and composer saints.”
She adds, “Today, we go through a lot of stress and anxiety. We go after what is unwanted instead of what is needed. We end up having too many expectations and unimaginable targets. On social media, we constantly compare ourselves to others. These recitals will have stories of these great mahaans that will help us lead a fulfilling life.”
This festival, which will take place in Narada Gana Sabha this weekend, and is open for audiences, and that’s what makes it all the more exciting, she says.
“There is nothing that could beat a live performance and that makes for a big difference today. Live concerts have a certain energy and vibration. No virtual platform can match its intensity,” says Vishakha, who adds that she did have some challenges in pulling off a live event during this time. “I am sure reluctance from the audiences is a challenge that we might face owing to the new variant situation. Art is a free-flowing experience. Rasikas and artistes are reciprocating — through the wavelength, claps, and praises that make it an ‘aaha’ moment. Virtual is great for times like these, but there is a maayai to it,” says Vishakha.
Harikatha is not just about storytelling. You also bring the visual experience to the rasikas. So, how different is it from vocal training, especially while tutoring sishyas? She says, “Harikatha is not just an art, but a way of life. So, value-based lessons need to be given to training students as wholesome personalities, and not just performers of an artform. For vocal training, you tune their ragam, neraval and swaram. But here, you are building role models for the society. For instance, if we're reciting a Harishchandra story in harikatha, we should be living an honest life for starters. In order for you to tell the story beautifully, values and principles should come from within. For youngsters, we teach and they imbibe a way of life. We’re literally setting a path for them. That brings out the real mood of the concert. So, it is not just about making a name, it is also about taking the message in an honest way.”
These concerts have a lot of takeaway for rasikas, she adds. “Rasikas and children, as well as people of all ages, can learn many things about our great
composers, our deep Indian philosophy systems, their works, of course enjoying the
music
of the greats as well. Harikathas are always not just two-in-one but many-in-one,” signs off Vishakha.
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