CHICAGO: Vidyaranya Kannada Kuta (VKK) celebrated Ganesha Habba (festival) with grandeur at the Sama Rathi Auditorium, HTGC Temple, Lemont on September 26 with over 550 members, guests and devotees dressed in traditional attire attending the event.
The Ganesha-Vishesha program commenced with Ganesha Puja offered by VKK President Sri Rama Rao accompanied by Smt Chitra Rao. The program was emceed by Anupama Mangalvedhe and Ramesh Rangasham.
An invocation was beautifully rendered by Shreya Rajesh. The National Anthem came next led by Akanksha Shekar followed closely by the State Anthem sung proudly by a group coordinated by Vijaya Bhat.
Dressed in their festive finest, munchkins aged 5 right upto 15 year old trained singers brought back memories of Ganeshotsavas in Karnataka with their spirited singing of the ever popular Gajamukhane Ganapathiye. The group was trained by the dedicated Vishwanath Shivaswamy.
A feast for the eyes and ears were a group of four donned in the grandest of Karnataka silks right up to the classic malligehoovu (jasmine flowers) in their hair rendering Ganesha Pancharatna coordinated by Shridevi Shivayogimath.
Ganaradhya was a high energy number with 7 young children mixing various dance styles to bring out a heartwarming celebration of everyone’s beloved Lord Ganesha. Baaramma was a production of intense artistic detail in praise of the beloved of all, a young Lord Krishna. The girls brought out the playfulness of the scene with their experienced dance steps, not to mention their perfect and precise presentation choreographed by one of the performers Aparna Prashanth.
The highlight of the evening was a Youth Orchestra, a mind blowing performance by children playing instruments ranging from Flutes to Veena, Sitars to Tablas, Guitars to Violins and singers. Well-known musician Saraswathi Ranganathan patiently put together a fusion orchestra starting with a Shanti Mantra to mark World Peace Day, a musical piece ‘Sangamam’ composed by Mandolin U Srinivas, concluding with Suma Sundara composed by Sa. Shi. Marulayya describing the beauty of nature.
The pinnacle of the evening was Bhava Sudhe by noted singer Pranathi Raghavendra Rao, the founder of Pranathi Fundation, Bengaluru whose motto is “Mane Managalalli Kannadada Deepa”. He has based his music on the eminent personality C. Aswath, who also happens to be his Guru, whom the world lost a few months ago. Hosted by Chitra Rao and brilliantly by home grown talent, Raghavendra Rao it was simply outstanding, leaving the audience asking for more.
Also in store was Stand-up Comedy by well-known comedian Mysore Anand from Mysore who regaled all with stories of Bangalore policemen, cricket commentaries Michael Jackson style peppered with the dramas of daily life. Vadhya Sudhe coordinated by Paneesh Rao boasting local talent on the Sitar, Tabla, Harmonium and Guitar played Vatapi Ganapathi, Vaishnava Janatho and Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram, an absolute treat for everyone.
The night ended with a delectable feast of traditional festival specials organized and served by the VKK food committee. Members are already marking their calendars to make sure they don’t miss the next VKK function, the Festival of Lights, Deepavali.
Lakshmi Kumar
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