‘Swararchana’ seeks to make classical music a lived experience

Bengaluru: An evening of Hindustani classical music unfolded at the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts to a packed audience. This is also special because this is indeed the inaugural edition of ‘Swararchana’, a new annual cultural initiative by Deccan Herald and Prajavani. This brand new initiative aspires to bring music lovers closer to the country’s musical traditions.The auditorium remained visibly engrossed as flautist Prakash Hegde and santoor artiste Suma Hegde opened the programme with ‘Raga Yaman’, setting a quiet, attentive mood before Indian classical musician, singer and actor Rahul Deshpande took the stage.Deshpande, one of the most prominent contemporary voices in Hindustani music, presented ragas Koushi and Paraj, followed it up with shorter devotional compositions before and concluding the concert with a Nirguni bhajan. His performance brought together technical precision and an expressive vocal style, drawing the audience into the nuances of the compositions.‘Lau Suna Suna’ went viral after Nepal floods. But you may have missed its real meaningSpeaking about the idea behind ‘Swararchana’, Sowbhagyalakshmi K T,  Director at The Printers Mysore Pvt Ltd (TPML), said the initiative was conceived in response to the increasingly noisy and fast-paced nature of everyday life.“We live in a world of constant noise and endless notifications. What we wanted to bring alive this evening is the power of music, and particularly classical music, to create a sense of mindfulness, to transform and move you from within,” she said.Sowbhagyalakshmi said the future editions would explore collaborations between traditional and contemporary artistes, including folk, independent, popular and experimental music. “We want our audiences to experience storytelling, folk performances, and immersive experiences inspired by our shared cultural history,” she said.The aim, she added, was to examine how Karnataka’s cultural heritage continues to shape the present.

Source: Deccan Herald