A day-long music festival in which several musicians are performing, has been organised in Dharwad on Sunday in honour of music promoter and organiser Anant Harihar who has turned 75.
The programme (from 9.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m.) has been organised jointly by GB. Joshi Memorial Trust, Kshamata and Sri Anant Harihar Felicitation Committee at Srijana Auditorium in Dharwad. Dr. Puttaraj Gawai Foundation, Vidya P. Hanchinamani PU Science College, Dasa Trust, Kala Samvahana Trust, Manohara Granthmala, Anamika and Departmetn of Kannada and Culture have extended assistance for the event.
MLA Mahesh Tenginakai and former mayor Iresh Anchatageri will participate in the inaugural session, which will be followed by a vocal recital by Poornima Bhat Kulkarni and Pandit M. Venkateshkumar. After the lunch break, flautist Praveen Godkhindi will present a concert at 2 p.m. followed by vocal recital by Pt. Ganapati Bhat Hasanagi.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi, MLA Arvind Bellad and Kshamata convener Govind Joshi will be the chief guests at the felicitation function to be held at 5.30 p.m. The event will conclude with a vocal recital by Pt. Raghunandan Phanshikar.
The event will be webcast on https://www.facebook.com/vividlipi/live and https://www.youtube.com/vividlipi/live.
About Anant Harihar
According to vocalist and writer Rekha Hegde, it is difficult to summarise the contribution of Anant Harihar in a few words. “His contribution to the world of music and art in general is immense. His contribution to Hindustani classical music is reflected in the concert series he conceptualised, be it monthly concerts for Bharateeya Sangeet Vidyalaya, Sitar Ratna Rahimat Khan’s memorial concerts, Bhim Palas, Vasundhara, Parampa etc to name a few”, she has said.
His association with two stalwarts, Sitar Nawaz Ustad Bale Khan and Prof. Sadanand Kanavalli, initiated him into organising music events. He began hosting music programmes from his small room at Tara Nivas in Malamaddi, which subsequently took him to organising mega events. Raghawendra Ayee, Aadi and few others were his companions in this journey.
“His greatness as a bridge between artists and connoisseurs of music lies more with the fact that he never compromised with quality of the art. His sense of aesthetics mainly governed by the melody and classical presentation has always gained upper hand while inviting any artist. With an open ear for the new voices he never hesitates to stage a new comer as well. As a team leader his meticulous sense always finds suitable group players who deliver the work assigned to them within the time frame. And his repertoire consists not only Hindustani classical musicians, but theatre, dance, sports also. Artists who are not easily reachable do reach to him easily. But still you would find him in Dharwad sitting at that corner seat of Srujana with his friends enjoying the show on the stage, with that unassuming smile” Ms. Rekha Hegde said.
