Bhakti Vaani, a jugalbandi of two classical streams, has been curated by Carnatic exponent Chitra Srikrishna and Hindustani vocalist Rama Sundar Ranganathan. “This is concert will bring alive the fervent devotion and lyrical depth of Bhakti poetry from across India,” says Chitra.
The rendering will include compositions from poet-saints such as Andal, Akka Mahadevi, Kabir, Meera, Tulsidas, Bulleh Shah and Purandara Dasa.
According to Rama, the performance has been structured around ragas native to each genre. “Among the interesting highlights will be pairings such as Carnatic ragas Nattai and Kalyani with Jog and Yaman, respectively, the latter two being from the Hindustani branch of classic music. Other ragas will reveal shared structures across traditions,” she says.
“Audiences can also expect contrasting ragas; and a magical meeting of Purandara Dasa’s ‘Rama’ and Meera’s ‘Ram’, a rarity, given Meera’s strong identification with Lord Krishna. This recital is not restricted to vocalists alone, other musicians will provide the melody by blending genres and creating boundless forms of music,” adds Chitra.
Rama and Chitra will be accompanied by Sumith Naik on the tabla, Bharath Hegde on the harmonium, violinist Aditi Krishnaprakash and mridangist Adamya Ramanand.
Both artistes will present the spiritual intensity of the works they have chosen, while retaining their regional flavor. Keeping in mind that listeners might require context to a few of the pieces, Chitra says the concert will feature brief introductions between songs to guide them.
Rama Sundar Ranganathan
As an educator, Chitra explores how music shapes culture through her lectures and courses at universities in Ahmedabad, Boston and Washington. As adjunct professor of music at Ahmedabad University, she has taught interdisciplinary courses such as Musical Traditions of India; How Music Shapes Cities: Varanasi to NYC and more.
Chitra says, “My focus is on making Indian music accessible to a wider audience through workshops and thematic productions by exploring music as a living dialogue. Works such as Abhaya (women poets), Mukti (freedom), Pravaas (migration), Udaan (birds in poetry), and others that weave song, story, and imagery into immersive, multilingual experiences have been well received by audiences at global platforms.”
Rama is a Ganda Bandh Shagird of Pandit Tejpal Singh, the oldest living disciple of Padma Bhushan Ustad Amir Khan. She has been performing for over two decades and was conferred with the Kala Ratan Samman Award in 2023 by the district administration of Gurgaon for her part in expanding an awareness of Hindustani music. Her contributions also find mention in Alka Pande’s book,108 Portraits of Culture and Heritage.
Bhakti Vaani will be held at Indiranagar Sangeet Sabha, Purandhara Bhavana on December 20 at 5.30pm. Entry free for ISS members. Call 080-41722215 for ticket bookings.
Published – December 11, 2025 05:21 pm IST
