Music lovers and fans of the compositions of the legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle’s exceptionally talented brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar were in for a treat on Saturday, 8 October, on the eve of Kojagiri Purnima or Sharad Purnima.
Shanayan Arts, the brainchild of Auckland’s well-known singing couple Hemant and Shweta Shirsat is presenting ‘Nakshatranche Dene’ (which in Marathi means ‘a gift from the stars’) at the Green Bay High School Performing Arts Centre at 7pm). Supported by Mohan Nadkarni Foundation and the Centre for Indian Performing Arts (CIPA), more than 300 music lovers attended.
Hridaynath Mangeshkar, now in his eighties, is the youngest sibling of the legendary Mangeshkar family – the only brother of the four sisters – and considered a rare genius among music composers. Both Lata and Asha in their media interviews have said that his were the most challenging compositions to sing.
The evening featured some of the finest and most popular of Hridaynath’s compositions chosen from a wide swathe of genres and decades. From film songs, folk (the iconic Mumbai fisherfolk song ‘Mi Dolkar’) right through to devotionals (abhangs) and numbers with patriotic fervour (Shiv Kalyan Raja), Nakshatranche Dene included a wide range.
The original songs were sung by Lata, Asha, Hemant Kumar, Suresh Wadkar and many other great singers. One of Auckland’s most loved singers, Vidya Teke, also joined Hemant and Shweta in Nakshatranche Dene.
For the first time in a concert of Marathi songs, a string quartet was been included, to do due justice to the tonal richness that Hridaynath’s compositions are infused with. Led by ace violinist (and guitarist) Don Dilantha, the quartet of violins was supplemented by guitar (Swanand Chitnis), flute (Ekta Gangakhedkar) and a complement of rhythmic instruments, traditional and modern, wielded by Araad and Navneel Prasad besides keys by veterans Hemant Thakar and Cloyd D’Mello.
The event took place on the eve of Kojagiri Purnima, also known as Sharad Purnima, an auspicious day that falls on the full moon day of Ashvin month of the Hindu Lunar Calendar. This day is considered the most important day to worship Goddess Lakshmi. Traditionally, people stay awake late on the night, awaiting the arrival of the Goddess of wealth, singing songs.
Supported by the Migrant Heritage Charitable Trust (Might-I), CIPA (Centre for Indian Performing Arts) and the Mohan Nadkarni Foundation, Nakshatranche Dene brought a great opportunity to listen to some of the greatest and unforgettable creations of Hridaynath Mangeshkar. Manjiri Phatak and Dev Nadkarni were comperes and Dev Nadkarni created the visual backdrop for the three-hour concert. The event was managed by CFI Events.