FREMONT, CA: Vishaka Hari’s Harikatha rendition on Vamana Avatar, the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu was a moving experience that the 700 plus audience would soulfully remember for a long time to come. South India Fine Arts (SIFA) President Meera Chari and her team had planned, worked hard and organized this excellent event, and as summed up appropriately in the vote of thanks, “It was the most appropriate person rendering the most appropriate theme of Vamana Avtaram, where the growth of Vamana to Trivikarama is compared to the beautiful form of the sun, at the most appropriate venue.”
SIFA organized the 3 hour long program which rendered a perfect balance between theology and classical music, while interweaving the underlying Bhakti Marga. The audience was spellbound and offered great encouragement to the young artist, who exuded erudition over multiple domains.
Vishaka Hari, clad in the traditional nine-yard sari, her braided hair bedecked with jasmine flowers, is only 34, but she is an exceptional Harikatha exponent; an ancient art form of storytelling that has always been a male bastion; an art form that is today dwindling. Vishaka Hari learnt Carnatic music under the legendary Carnatic violinist, Padma Vibhushan Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman, while her spiritual guru and father-in-law is Sri Sri Krishna Premi Swamigal (Sri Sri Anna). She learnt the art of Harikatha by her husband, Sri Hariji, himself an experienced Harikatha exponent. She has been performing in various sabhas during the Chennai Music Season since 2006.
The Bhagavata Purana describes that Vishnu descended as the Vamana avatar to restore the authority of Indra over the heavens, as it had been taken over by Mahabali, a benevolent Asura King. Bali was the grandson of Hiranyakshipu, the son of Prahlada.
Vishaka Hari sings beautifully, the pronunciation is perfect and her stories are intricately woven into the songs. But what makes it divine is her involvement in the story. Tears stream down her cheeks as she describes a story of Bali Chaktravarthy, the bhakti is evident on her bright face.
The violinist Vidwan Ananthakrishnan wowed the audience with a fantastic thanam in most of the renditions. His mellifluous accompaniment that provided superb completions to the vocalist’s ideas was greatly applauded. So did the mridangist, Vidwan Arjun Ganesh, whose accompaniment depicted every emotion Vishaka Hari was bringing out in each song, and also his thani-avarthanam was truly a fine exposition of his maturity and prowess.
SIFA embarks on its 35th year, in 2014, a significant milestone year. In conjunction with this, a huge two-day festival with artists from India is planned at the Sunnyvale temple auditorium on April 12 and April 13.
Vidya Sethuraman
India Post News Service
