‘Bolava Vitthal’, an evening of abhangs sung in praise of Vitthal of Pandharpur, was organized by Pancham Nishad to mark the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi at Bengaluru’s Chowdaiah Memorial Hall recently. The event unveiled the boundless reservoir of devotional poetry created by revered saints and mystics such as Gyaneshwar, Tukaram, Eknath, Namdev, and Chokha Mela.
The 14th edition of this esteemed festival featured two acclaimed Hindustani vocalists — Devaki Pandit and Jayateerth Mevundi. The festival commenced on a lyrical note with the evocative ‘Madhura Bhakti’ through the well-known ‘gajar’ — ‘Jai Jai Ramakrishna Hari’ set in the evening raag Yaman. The opening performance was enriched by the creative improvisations of both vocalists, accompanied by an energetic chorus of young musicians including Lalith Mevundi, Srivatsa, Satwik, Aradhana, Madhulika, and Samhita. Instrumentalists Nikhil Phatak on the tabla, Sukhad Munde on the pakhawaj, Shadj Godkhindi on the bansuri, Vyasmurthy Katti on the samvadini, and Suryakant Munde on the manjira further heightened the mesmerizing ambiance.
In her solo performance, Devaki Pandit paid heartfelt tributes to her gurus, Pt Jitendra Abhisheki and Kishori Amonkar, by performing abhangs they had popularized. She began with the abhang ‘Ya pandariche sukh pahat dola’ by Sant Eknath in raag Yaman, capturing the devout’s awe upon beholding Vitthal in Pandharpur. As her voice soared through the higher octaves of Yaman, set to the 14-beat Deepchandi taal, the rhythmists Nikhil Phatak and Sukhad Munde displayed their spirited skills.
Pandit’s expertise in raagdari sangeet shone through her rendition of ‘Amha nakale jnana’, a composition by the 14th-century Mahar saint Chokha Mela. Her seamless blend of raags Desh, Tilak Kamod, Brundavani Sarang, and Miyan ki Malhar created a rich, intricate musical tapestry. Notable were the innovative flourishes by Shadj Godkhindi on the bansuri, adding further depth to the performance.
A surprising highlight of Devaki Pandit’s repertoire was her rendition of a Purandarasa composition ‘Murutiyane nilliso madhava’, famously performed by Pt Bhimsen Joshi. The expressive resonance of Vyasmurthy Katti’s samvadini in raag Kaafi complemented her passionate interpretation. The emotional depth reached its zenith with another Chokha Mela abhang ‘Abir gulal udhalita rang natha ghari naache majjha sakha Panduranga’, where the saint recounts his vision of Vitthala dancing. Devaki’s exploration of the abhang’s bhakti and joy through raags Deshkar and Bhoop was a profoundly sublime experience for the audience.
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Further into the evening, Devaki Pandit performed rarely heard abhangs. One such piece was the heartfelt invocation ‘Mazhavari daya kara taati ugada Jnaneshwara’ by Muktabai, the younger sister of Sant Jnaneshwar. Her rendition, interwoven with raags Lalit Pancham and Marwa, exuded a transcendental quality. Her performance of ‘Sant bhar pandarit’ in raag Chandrakauns, enriched with a sawal-jawab exchange with Shadj, had a haunting allure. Pandit concluded her segment with the beloved ‘Bolava Vitthala, Pahawa Vitthala, Karava Vitthala Jeeva Bhava’ set to raag Marwa thaat ka vibhas, leaving the audience in rapturous applause.
Jayateerth Mevundi initiated his performance with Sant Namdev’s abhang ‘Pandaricha vaasa chandrabhage snan’ in raag Abhogi Kanada, evoking a grandeur akin to Pt Bhimsen Joshi’s legendary renditions. Aditya Oak’s accompaniment on the samvadini amplified the lyrical beauty of the abhang. Responding to the audience’s requests, Jayateerth also performed the Kannada composition ‘Vittala pidi enna kaiyya, Vittala Pandhariraya’.
Jayateerth’s evocative expression of raags Bhimpalasi and Dhani enthralled listeners, his intricate gamaks adding a layer of complexity. The abhang ‘Hari vittala aparampara, akar, makaar, kariti ha vichar’ featured glimpses of raag Pahadi in a vibrant performance. This was followed by the popular tongue-twister ‘Tatitkodi nibhakaya jagannatha vittalayya vittalayya’, delivered with impeccable skill, adorned with tints of Shuddh Kalyan.
The evening’s climax was the outstanding rendition of Purandaradasa’s ‘Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma’. Jayateerth’s deep alaap in raag Shree transitioned into the expansive Marwa Thaat Ka Vibhas raag. His performance of this celebrated composition on Lakshmi, the consort of Vitthal, was resplendent. It was magnificently supported by a vocal chorus and an exceptional tani avartan by Nikhil and Sukhad, culminating with the audience joining in to sing ‘Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma’.
‘Bolava Vitthal’ was indeed a musical odyssey, with every note resonating with devotion and artistic brilliance, leaving all present with a lasting memory of divine bliss.
