6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Honouring percussion traditions, National Rhythm Festival kicks off in Thrissur
Thrissur: National Rhythm Festival, organized by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, got off to a colourful start on Friday with the presentation of 'Idakka Vismayam', a percussion ensemble by six leading artists in the field led by Peringottu Subramanyan.
The ensemble began with gentle rhythmic murmurs that gradually blossomed into thunderous crescendos. They played crowd-favourite melodies as well as devotional and a few western tunes too.
It was followed by the presentation of Melappadam, by Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan and his ensemble, providing an unforgettable and soul-stirring experience. The musical journey began with the tenderness of the vaypattu, slowly awakening through the bold strikes of the chenda, and finally deepening in grandeur with the resonance of the maddalam.
The third session on the opening day was the rare presentation of 'Double Thayambaka' on the mizhavu by renowned artists led by Kalamandalam Rajeev and Kalamandalam Vineesh.
Akademi chairman Mattannur Sankarankutty formally inaugurated the festival by playing the thappu. The three-day festival is conceived as a tribute to the legendary tabla player
Ustad Zakir Hussain
, whose mastery over the percussion instrument has captivated the world for decades. A key highlight of the festival is the celebration of women percussionists. The festival, claimed to be first of its kind in the 67-year history of Akademi, will play host to a special session titled Penkaalangal (feminine tempos)
Rhythmic traditions from across India, including the desert rhythms of the khartal, traditional folk percussion, lecture demonstrations, diverse performances, and short film screenings, are also forming part of the festival.
