Ashadhi Ekadasi holds immense significance for devotees of Pandurang, the Lord of Pandharpur at Solapur in Maharashtra. It marks the culmination of the annual yatra (Vari) to the venerated sthala.
Following a centuries-old tradition, millions of Vithobha devotees (varkaris) are united by faith in the arduous pilgrimage on foot, during which they sing the abhangs composed by saint poets such as Gyaneshwar, Tukaram, Eknath, Chokamela and Namdev. On reaching Pandharpur, a dip in the Chandrabhaga river followed by the darshan of Vithobha and his consort Rakhumai, completes the spiritual journey.
The annual edition of the ‘Bolava Vitthal’ abhang fest organised by Pancham Nishadh that has become an integral part of the city’s music scape featured three artistes — Rahul Deshpande, Jayateerth Mevundi and Aparna Kelkar.
On a stage resplendent with yellow marigold festoons (stage Guna Decorators) and against a unique backdrop designed by ace calligrapher Achyut Palav, the artistes launched into the invocatory sloka ‘Alankapuri Punya Bhoomi Pavithra.’ Voices blending as one in the gajar ‘Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari’ (Kalyan) they gave full rein to free-wheeling passages in an unhurried exploration of melody.
Aparna Kelkar began her solo abhang vani with the raag Yaman-based ‘Roopa Pahata Lochani’ tuned by vidushi Manik Bhide. The pace of ‘Amha Na Kale’ (Tilang) afforded ample scope for madhya lay improvisations. Tuned by Varsha Ambekar ‘Vitthal Ho Majhi Maay’ (Tukaram, drut ek taal) was a rain of grace, while the Vitthal refrain in raags Bhatiyar-Todi based ‘Bolava Vitthal’ (Tukaram) was gently elevating. Aparna concluded with a verse from the Gyaneshwari granth, tuned by vidushi Kishori Amonkar, which sustained the meditative mood present throughout.
In Rahul Deshpande’s solo, the alap wove together emotive rests on sustained notes with a sprinkling of flourishes and luminous gandhar-dhaivat vadi-samvadi caches as a prefix to the Abhogi-based ‘Pandharicha Vasa Chandrabhage Snaana.’
Set to a sonorous yet catchy mishra (7) gait, ‘Lakshmi Vallabha’ (Mishra Mohini) carried the lulling sway of a river song that rippled with the silvery reflections of a haunting dhaivat. A brief percussive interlude on the pakhawaj lent added effervescence to ‘Pandharpuricha’ (Arabhi) that was fair playing ground for Rahul’s lightning drut passages and myriad variations at ‘Mukunda Che Bol.’
The ever popular ‘Kanada Raja Pandaricha’ (Mishra Malkauns) found instant favour with listeners. Delicate touches flavoured the introductory alap which dwelt on the madhyam suite and a nuanced approach to the shadja. Virtuosity surfaced in the abhang rendition with rapid taans at ‘Ha Naamyaachi’ and kaleidoscopic rhythms and cross rhythms at the Vitthala refrain.
With power and bhava being equal players in Jayateerth’s recital, ‘Karuni So Ranga’ thrummed with the devotee’s plea for compassion. A burst of positivity powered ‘Akara Ukara’ tuned by the artiste in Mishra Pahadi, which came with an enchanting prelude and an emphasis on elaborating the line ‘Pari Vitthal.’
Evocative passages on the harmonium established the mood of ‘Rajasa Sukumar’ (Mishra Shivaranjani, tuned by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi) with the artiste finding self-immersion in the poignancy lacing the soul of the raag. ‘Vittalaya’ (Mohanakalyani) and ‘Deh Javo’ (Bhairavi) completed the dynamic line-up.
Co-artistes Mandar Puranik (tabla), Sukhad Munde (pakhawaj), Aditya Oke (harmonium), Suryakant Surve (side rhythms) and S. Akash (flute) excelled, subtly highlighting and complementing. Sound engineer Sanjay Rane pulled off a coup of sorts by ensuring that the mikes and amplification systems remained on their best behaviour.