As part of the MBA Foundation Day celebrations at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, the evening at Sai Kulwant Hall came alive with a soulful devotional music offering by the acclaimed ensemble ‘Mystik Vibes’.
Opening with the mellifluous mandolin, the musicians invoked Lord Ganesha with ‘Vatapi Ganapatim’ and Sai bhajan – ‘Ganesha Sharanam’, followed by Thyagaraja’s timeless ‘Manavyala Kinchara’ and ‘Kalyana Krishna’. A vibrant fusion of ‘Bhasma Bhushitanga Sai’ and ‘Rama Hare Sita Rama’ added further devotional fervour. The ensemble then presented the soulful ‘Kurai Ondrum Illai’, followed by an uplifting bhajan medley of ‘Prema Mudita’ and ‘Govinda Krishna Jai’. The evening concluded on a sublime note with the timeless ‘Brahmamokate’.
Featuring accomplished musicians S Janardhan on violin, Basanth Chandrashekhar on mandolin, Siddharth Sridhar on vocals, Aryan Varier on keyboard, Krishna Bharadwaj on piano, Karthik Mani on drums, and Muthu Kumar on tabla and world percussion, the performers brought together rich musical experience and youthful talent.
Janardhan, an A-Grade All India Radio artist, is a disciple of Vidushi Anuthama Murali and Ms Kanyakumari, a renowned violinist and Padma Shri awardee. Mandolin artiste Basanth Chandrashekhar hails from a Nadaswaram tradition and has performed at several prestigious venues and events. Vocalist Siddharth Sridhar, trained in Carnatic music and bhajans, continues his musical journey under Ms Radhika Anand. The young Aryan Varier displayed his versatility on the keyboard, while 11-year-old Krishna Bharadwaj, trained in both piano and tabla, added a special touch of youthful brilliance. Acclaimed drummer Karthik Mani, son of Vidwan T A S Mani and Ms Rama Mani, brought his mastery across diverse musical genres.
Completing the ensemble was Muthu Kumar, a former student of Bhagawan’s institution, whose journey in tabla began with Bhagawan’s blessings. Having learnt from legends Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain, Muthu has performed across the world and trained hundreds of students.
