Aswini Deshpande

The sixth day of the Swathi Sangeetholsavam held at Kalikkotta palace of Tripunithura , under the auspices of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademy was marked by the warble with which Aswini Bide Deshpande started her Hindusthani vocal with Bhoop (Mohanam) of Kalyan That, which wholly merged with the eventide. She pruned the Aalaap and the subsequent Khayal (theen thal) in order to favour the audience with a slant towards the Carantic classical. Swiftly traversing the phases of Asthai, Anthara, Sanchari and Abhog in the composition,.this microbiologist sang a couple of ‘taranas’ or thillana. The raga Megh from the Kafi That (Kharaharapriya), which is akin to Madhyamavathi of the South, found its expression through a composition, set to jhap tal and ek tal. It being the occasion of Holi, she sang a thumri (similar to padam) in Kapi. Aswini from Jaipur (trained by her mother Mani.K.Bhinde, Pundit Narayana Rao Datar and Pandit Ratnakar Pai in ‘Atrauli’ Khayal gayaki tradition) rendered a Kabir bhajan in the composite raga of Jogia Kanada. The large crowd was drenched in a wave of emotion when she rendered the Dakshinatya Basant (a seasonal raga), which the audience lapped up eagerly. The concluding piece was a mixture of Dadra-Khaherva rhythmic frame woven in Bhairavi or Sindhubhairavi.

By Courtesy The Hindu March 23-2001