Biennale Music: Singers Offer Musical Relief for Patients at General Hospital

KOCHI:
It appeared a queer mix when a retired scientist of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) shared the podium with a serving employee of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), a radio announcer and a banking staffer.
But it was a noble cause that brought them together – providing solace to the patients at the Government General hospital here through soulful therapeutic music at the all-Wednesday ‘Arts and Medicine’ programme organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) here today.
There was a tinge of sadness and there were several moist eyes as the professionals from the scientific community dedicated their songs to the memory of legendary actress Sridevi, whose mortal remains were consigned to the flames in Mumbai on Wednesday.
C. Ramachandran, a former ISRO scientist from Kadavanthra; Dr P Jayasankar, Principal Scientist, CMFRI, Kochi and former Director, CIFA Bhubaneswar; S. Lakshmanan, former Purchase and Stores Officer, ISRO; Renu Prakash, an announcer at All India Radio (AIR) hailing from Ernakulam; and Rajasree N Prabhu, a staffer of Oriental Bank of Commerce, Ernakulam were the singers, who decided to wield microphones for the motley crowd comprising patients, bystanders and medical staffers.
The weekly music therapy, a joint initiative of the KBF and the Mehboob Memorial Orchestra and sponsored by CAFS (Casino Air Caterers and Flight Services), entered its 209th episode this week. Ramachandran, who is associated with the Sasthra Sahitya Parishad and is the Executive Editor of the journal, Sasthragathi, set the tone for the programme by singing ‘Swarnagopura Narthaki Shilpam’.
Lakshmanan, who has participated in Ganamelas and sung classical songs for AIR and Doordarshan, is an ardent fan of Mohammad Rafi and Mukesh. He sang two Hindi songs, “Teri Aankhon ke siva’ and “Kahi Door Jab Din’ and a Malayalam number, ‘Chandrakantham Kondu Naalukettu’.
Renu, a singer and a radio/drama artist, has sung in music albums and is also part of ‘Swarakootu”, a casual association of singers and artists once started by Akashavani. She crooned the Tamil song ‘Kuzhaloothum Kannanukku’ composed by Ilayaraja and originally sung by K S Chitra, ‘Neela Jalashayathil’ and a few more.
Dr. Jayasankar chose songs of the famous duo of Vayalar- Devarajan Master. His renditions included songs like ‘Ramsanile Chandrikayo’ (originally sung by P Jayachandran from the 1975 movie Alibabayum 41 Kallanmaarum), ‘Parijatha Thirumizhi Thurannu’ (sung by K J Yesudas from the 1968 movie Thokkukal Kadha Parayunnu), ‘Ponnil Kulicha Raathri’ (from the 1971 movie, Sindooracheppu), evoking an enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Rajasree recreated ‘Poonthenaruvi’ and ‘Thumbi Vaa’ in the carefully selected mélange of melodious songs.