Date: February 28, 2020
Venue: Rajnivas, Puducherry
On the evening of February 28, 2020 SAFIC organised Prema Nirjharini, its annual musical offering. This year, the programme was co-organised with the Rajnivas as a collaborative initiative to celebrate the 143 birth anniversary of the Mother on 21 February and The Golden Day on 29 February.
The program started a welcome address by Rajnivas resource person followed by an introduction to the program by Deepa Vaitheeswaran, a resource person at SAFIC.
As knowm ‘Prema Nirjharani is a ‘Musical Offering’ that is organized by SAFIC every year on 28th of February (sometimes on 1st March). Over the last seven years AuroBharati: India – From Past Dawns to Future Noons (SAFIC) has been collaborating with the Temple of Fine Arts in Coimbatore, to organize this classical musical programmes to commemorate the Mother’s birthday. This has been conducted in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram school, Pondicherry University and Sri Aurobindo Society in the previous years. This year it was conducted at the Raj Nivas, Pondicherry.
The Temple of Fine Arts is a cultural and service oriented non-profit organisation with centres in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia & Sri Lanka. TFA is founded by His Holiness Swami Shanthananda Saraswathi and it aspires to be an institution that will help nurture a love for the fine arts.
The performers of this years program were:
Anusha Gayatri Janaarthanan who is trained in Hindustani Vocal from a very young age at TFA. She has done her graduation in Barathanatyam at TFA and she currently runs a kinder garden school.
Arjita who studied at the Sri Aurobindo International Center of Education, Sri Aurobndo Ashram, Pondicherry, is passionate about singing and is a part of the music department of the Ashram.
Asha Radhakrishnan who learnt Carnatic music at TFA is a teacher in Balavihar Section of TFA and she runs a small trading concern of her own.
On the sitar there were S. M. Anand who is a full time musician, teaches Sitar at Temple of Fine Arts. Anand received his training in Sitar from Maestro Ustad Usman Khan in Pune. Besides being part of Temple of Fine Arts International productions, he also gives concerts.
Vedasruthi Anand who is a senior Sitar Student of S.M. Anand has graduated in Barathanatyam from TFA. She is also a Graduate in Journalism. She is a teacher in Balavihar section of TFA.
AugustinePaul who learnt Hindustani classical Tabla under Guru Shri Kedar Kharatand Guru “TALMANI” Sri Vikas Purandare, and Ustad Nisar Ahmed is a teacher of Classical Hindustani Tabla at Temple of Fine Arts and has performed in many programs of TFA.
Devashree & Krupashree: Devashree is a BA second year student at Bharatidashan College, Puducherry and Krupashree is in her 12th grade at Cluny Higher Secondary school. Both of them are learning music from their childhood and have been singing devotional songs in many temple festivals in Pondicherry. They also have sung in Doordarshan Pondicherry.
This years program was based on the theme ‘ANTARYATRA’ – the Inner Journey. This began with a beautiful hymn in Sanskrit invoking the Mother rendered by Arjita. This was followed by Thyagaraja Kirti by Devashree and Krupashree. Asha Radhakrishnan and Anusha accompanied by Tabla and Sitar rendered devotional songs. And finally the Sitar recital by Anand and Vedashruti was very heart touching. Then there was a brief speech by honorable LG Dr. Kiran Bedi ji. She also handed over the small tokens of gratitude to all the artists on behalf of SAFIC.This was followed by vote of thanks by Asha Gupta ji from Rajnivas. All those who attended the program also received a plant from the Rajnivas as a token of love.