We have always felt that Indian Newslink was doing enough to promote India’s fine arts including music and dance. This lapse is not so much due to apathy or preoccupation with Bollywood (which of course is not representative of our culture and heritage) as it is with paucity of information and lack of updates.
In rectifying this inadequacy, we ask organisers of shows, principals of schools of music and dance to apprise us of the upcoming events and achievements of the younger generation. For, we believe that New Zealand is treasure house of budding talent, which must be identified, nursed and promoted.
There was ample evidence for that belief at a concert organised by the New Zealand Carnatic Society (NZCMS) at Dorothy Winstone Centre of Auckland Girls Grammar School last month. Students attached to a number of local music schools, varying in age (some of them were just five years old) and experience took to the stage with confidence and growing proficiency.
Vidwan Diwakar, who produced and directed the programme for NZCMS, had chosen songs from Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films.
Following a moving invocatory number Gananayakaya (in ‘Ragamalika) by Ravi Muthumanickam, students 
of Dr Ashok Malur played Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hai (‘Shnakarabharanam’ from ‘Shor’), Thulasi Prabhakaran’s rendition of Ezhu Swarangalukkul Etthanai Paadal (‘Ragamalika,’ ‘Apporva Raagangal’) and Roma Nory’s Ninnukori Varnam (‘Mohana,’ ‘Agni Nakshatram’) drew calls for encore.
Academy Award (Oscar) winner A R Rahman would have been delighted to hear the spirited rendition of his song Aawara Bhavare (‘Hari Kamboji,’ ‘Sapney’) by Akshita Lakshman and Ghanan Ghanan (‘Kapi,’ ‘Lagaan’) by Arhan Mysore and Krishant Anil.
Sajna, Sajna, O Sajna (‘Hari Kamboji,’ ‘Ek Phool Do Maali’) by Divya Jammalamadaka, Ninnindale (‘Kalyani,’ ‘Milana’) by Varsha Pai, Kannamuchi Yennada (‘Natakuranji,’ ‘Kandukondein’) and Katrin Mozhi (‘Shankarabharanam,’ ‘Mozhi’) by Ramya were replete with melody and superb rendition.
However, the first part of the evening indubitably belonged to Vidwan Diwakar, whose magnificent rendition of Aradhisuve Madanari (in ‘Karaharapriya’) reminded me of the original sung by the late thespian Dr Raj Kumar in ‘Babruvahana.’ It is such songs and singers that keep my interest in film music.
Vishnu Priya Mallela’s Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon (‘Shivaranjani,’ ‘Mehbooba’) and Ajeeb Dastaan Hain Yeh (‘Shankarabharanam,’ ‘Dil Apna Aur Preet Paraayi’), a violin demonstration by the students of Dr Malur were delectable.
Paucity of space precluded from a more descriptive review with a full listing of a host of other singers and the songs that eulogised Carnatic Music. But their creativity and growing competence cannot be diminished.
Photo : 1. Vidwan Diwakar: ‘Aradhisuve Madanari’ 2. Thulasi Prabhakaran: ‘Ezhu Swarangalukkul’
