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The Mystic Force of Devi’ a Carnatic vocal recital by Ranjani and
Gayatri
This evening
Ranjani and Gayatri, will explore the many facets and manifestations
of Devi through five compositions on Durga or Parvathi, Lakshmi and
Saraswati. While each of these goddesses are accomplished and the
repositories of beauty, valour, knowledge and wealth, the most
intrinsic and essential quality is that of the Mata, or mother, who
radiates infinite love for Her children.
"These compositions by
Puliyur Duraiswami Iyer, Thyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar and other
eminent composers are sung in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi and
extols the virtues of Goddess Parvati (valour), Saraswati (Learning
and fine arts), Lakshmi (Wealth) and Devi also personified as Tulasi,
or Tulasamma".
Ranjani and Gayatri, are world renowned versatile musicians whose
twenty five years of professional experience includes studio
recordings, television, radio, concerts, festivals and lecture
demonstrations. They started their musical journey as violinists and
are equally accomplished in both Vocal and Violin. Perfection of sruti, powerful voice control and uncompromising adherence to
tradition and classicism are some of the qualities that describe
their music. Above all this, it is the sisters' capacity to deeply
experience and enjoy what they sing, that takes their music to a
different plane. Their two voices blend and contrast to strike a
fine balance between vibrancy and contemplation, intellect and
emotion, tradition and innovation. It is this unique combination in
their music that appeals to the connoisseur and the lay listener
alike. Audiences savour their in-depth Ragam-tanam-Pallavi-s and
soul-stirring viruthams, which are special features of their
repertoire.
They have performed widely all over India in major festivals and
also in the US, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the Middle
East and UK. They have given many thematic concerts and have an
extensive repertoire of compositions in many languages including
Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Marathi. They are
the recipients of several prestigious awards and titles.
saturday
5th march at 8.00 pm
‘Saraka’
– Sacrifice
Traditional Griot, Kora and traditional songs and dancing of West
Africa by Dafra Accoustics of Burkina Faso
 This
evenings performance explores some aspects of sacrifice as well as
paying tribute to ‘Mami Wati’ the water goddess of many cultures of ancient Africa.
Mami Wata is still venerated in West, Central, Southern
Africa, and in the African diaspora in the Caribbean and parts
of North and South America.
Mami Wata possesses an inhuman beauty, unnaturally long hair, and a
lighter-than-normal complexion. The appearance of her hair ranges
from straight, curly to kinky, and either black or blonde. She is
often described as a mermaid-like figure, with a woman's upper body
(often nude) and the hindquarters of a fish. A large snake (symbol
of divinity) frequently accompanies her, wrapping itself around her
and laying its head between her breasts. She is a popular subject in
the art, fiction, poetry, music, and film of the Caribbean and West
and Central Africa. She also figures prominently in the folk art of
Africa.
The word Saraka is a derivative of the Arabic ‘Sadakat’ and
variations of this word exist in at least 50 languages stretching
from West Africa to Sudan. Sacrifices are common in all cultures.
Human sacrifices have given way to other animal sacrifices or
vegetables (water melons) and the use of wine and bread in
Christianity. This evenings performance explores some aspects of
sacrifice as well as paying tribute to ‘Mami Wati’ the water goddess
of many cultures of ancient Africa. Mami Wata is still venerated in
West, Central, Southern Africa, and in the African diaspora in the
Caribbean and parts of North and South America.
Mami Wata possesses an inhuman beauty, unnaturally long hair, and a
lighter-than-normal complexion. The appearance of her hair ranges
from straight, curly to kinky, and either black or blonde. She is
often described as a mermaid-like figure, with a woman's upper body
(often nude) and the hindquarters of a fish or serpent. A large
snake (symbol of divination and divinity) frequently accompanies
her, wrapping itself around her and laying its head between her
breasts. She is a popular subject in the art, fiction, poetry,
music, and film of the Caribbean and West and Central Africa. She
also figures prominently in the folk art of Africa.
The function of some of the instruments played today are explained
below:
A Djembe ( Jembay) is a skin covered, goblet shaped, hand drum
traditionally carved in one single piece from hollowed out hardwood
trees. The tradition of Djembe sacred drumming is common to many
West African countries including Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast
and Burkina Faso. Historically, drumming has accompanied various
modes of communication, including singing, dancing, story telling
and also to send and receive spiritual messages, in healing
ceremonies, rites of passage, ancestral worship, warrior rituals, as
well as social dances.
A wide range of tones can be produced by the djembe as a result of
the goblet shape, the density of the wood, the internal carvings,
the metal rings and ropes and the rawhide skin. The base notes are
normally played on another drum the ‘dun dun’.
The djembe is said to contain three spirits: the spirit of the tree,
the spirit of the animal of which the drum head is made, and the
spirit of the instrument maker. It is legend that the djembe and/or
the tree from which it is created was a gift from a Djinn or
malevolent demigod. It is central to the musical heritage of the
Malinke and Sousou tribes of Guinea in West Africa. Its legacy has
been preserved throughout the centuries in the praises, lamentations
and narrations of a special breed of musicians called "Griot."
Travelling thecountryside accompanying themselves on the sacred "cora,"
a harp like stringed instrument, they give voice to the cultural
wisdoms and historical truths of the descendants of Sundiata, the
great warrior of the Mali Empire.
A Griot ( Jeli in Many African languages) is a West African poet,
praise singer and wandering musician considered a repository of oral
tradition. Each family of griots accompanied a family of
warrior-kings (jatigi).Most villages also had their own griot, who
told tales of births, deaths, marriages, battles, hunts, affairs,
and hundreds of other folktales. In Mande society the ‘Jeli’ was a
historian, advisor, arbitrator, praise singer and storyteller.
Essentially, these musicians were walking history books, preserving
their ancient stories and traditions through song. Their inherited
spiritual, social, political and musical traditions were passed down
through generations.
Dafra Accoustics is a multicultural group performing and teaching a
variety of West African styles of Kora, drumming and traditional
songs and story telling. They feature for the first time a new young
voice from Mali who walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film
Festival and is lead voice for the Sahel opera, Djeneba Koné from
Bamako, Mali, is an outstanding traditional griot singer,
storyteller, and dancer.
Dafra Drum will be bringing the high energy of this Griot ancestral
tradition, which is part of West African every day life, to the
sacred Arts Festival in Delhi.
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