Programme Highlights

All Chinmaya Swaranjali Meet - Mumbai Region

30th October 2011 at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai

Review of an Eventful Swaranjali “Concert”

Chinmaya Swaranjali constantly strives to innovate and improvise on what it offers its members, enhancing their musical learning and experience and delving deeper into the spiritual values that the Mission upholds. In the same vein was the interactive Meet held on 30th October, 2011 at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Mumbai; interepreted by this writer as befitting a Carnatic Classical “Kutcheri” format with the help of specifically coined thematic Ragas.

In keeping with tradition, was an “Obstacle-obliterating Invocation” in Raga “Abhyasadhwani”, an exposition by the revered Swami Advayananda Ji. The definition of and emphasis on the significance of Abhyasa (practice), unfurled alongside its three requirements—Deerghakala (long duration), Nairantarya (uninterrupted consistency) and Satkar (respectful approach). This holy artiste provided awakening anecdotes and blessed the seekers. Following this was an expression from the voice-training and advancement-founding “Varnam Department”, in the Raga “Bhajan-Bhairavi”; in the form of two Bhajans tastefully imparted with evaluation by Smt. Pramodini Rao.

Next came the “Keerthana-Alapana section”, articulated in Raga “Potential-Priya”, wherein the participants from Mahim, Powai, Lokhandwala, Thane, Vashi & Ghansoli formed two broad groups and struck a balance between innovatively adorning and retaining the original structure of a previously taught Bhajan and keenly analyzing the corresponding pluses and minuses. Moving on to the cream of the programme pudding, it would be an understatement to say that the “Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi twin-sessions” were thoroughly enjoyable and educative, for arguably, the “Create-Meet-Kalyani” Raga on which these were developed, showcased percentage scope for explorative discussion. The two groups for the day put their composing/visualizing skills to test, as, within their teams, they collaboratively racked their brains to emerge with two one-minute audio-visual Television promotions for a Swaranjali performance in front of The Taj Mahal. Concurrently, at a separate venue, co-ordinators and faculty pondered over important issues and chalked out strategic solutions.

Next came the “Bhajan component” of the performance, which happened to be delivered in the Raga, “Report-Saranga”. This was most reflective and made its presence felt as the co-ordinator-artistes presented an annual overview of their respective centres and their customized vision of future-progress. As for the penultimate piece, a lively and ornamental “Tillana” made an appearance, rendered around the notes of the Raga “Perform-Abharanam”. Indeed, this session entailed neatly conceptualized and presented performances by the Vashi, Mumbai and Ghansoli Swaranjali faculty, namely Smt. Pratima Rao, Sri Sachikanta Rath, and Ms. Poornima. The curtains gracefully fell with the “Mangalam” of the performance, which was effectively essayed as a “Guidelines-Malika”, by Sri. Himanshu Nanda. This finale of fundamental Swaranjali principles crisply highlighted the salient aspects under the same. The accompaniments for the programme, namely the inauguration, ice-breaking session, food and the Pledge were aptly incorporated as well.

All in all, the performance had a rich age-and-experience mix amongst enthusiastic artistes and the audience. The Ragas selected were rare, radiant and relevant. The young artistes Ms. Jayalakshmi, Ms. Tejaswini, Ms. Meenal and Sri Aditya ensured justice to the strength of the compositions.

In conclusion,

The 30th October, 2011 All-Swaranjali Meet; was a truly novel, enriching and memorable treat;
38 cross-centre members at the gathering; bonded over core concepts from practice to listening,
Skills like team-work, self-criticism and creativity; were conveyed and absorbed with dexterity~
Much deserved is a pat-on-the-back for the masterminds; who played spiritual tunes of all kinds!