Jun 18 2025 to Jun 18 2025 7 p.m.

EVENT HAS ENDED

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

Abhang is a genre of classical music from Maharashtra, primarily sung in praise of Sri Vitthala of Pandharpur. The term Abhang means no ending or no interruption. Over 10,000 Abhangs were composed by various Sants of Maharashtra, including Sant Dnyaneshwar, Sant Eknath, Sant Tukaram, Sant Namdev, and Sant Janabhai. Emerging from the Bhakti Sampradaya in the 12th century, Abhangs have become integral to Concerts and Bhajans. Varkaris (devotees of Sri Vitthala) sing Abhangs while walking towards Pandharpur. Sri. Purandaradasa adopted the name ‘Purandara Vitthala’ as his ankitanama, as ‘Vitthala’ was his Ishta Murti, while the name ‘Purandara’ was bestowed upon him by his guru, Sri Vyasa Raya.

Uma Kumar, Carnatic Singer from Switzerland, and the ensemble will perform 12 Abhangs composed by 10 composers, set in 12 different Hindustani ragas and presented in both on-beat and off-beat rhythms. She will render these Abhangs in the Carnatic style, accompanied by Violin and Mridangam, while complementing the sound with Tabla and Manjira to fully express these divine compositions’ deep emotions.

Abhang Mela aims to create a musical symphony, blending the bhava from singing, the nada from the Violin, the laya from the Tabla and Mridangam, and the high-pitched rhythms from the Manjira, alongside the melodious sound of the Tanpura. Music lovers are invited to enjoy this unique musical experience.

Uma Kumar

Speakers

Uma Kumar
Singer
Vid. Uma Kumar is an accomplished Carnatic singer, carrying forward her grandfather’s legacy, the legendary Saathur Sri. AG. Subramaniam Iyer. With a master’s degree in Carnatic music from Madras University, she combines her deep-rooted heritage with academic excellence. Guided by her mother, Vid. Lakshmi Sundaram, for her foundational training, is now honing her craft further under the mentorship of Vid. Raji Gopalakrishnan and recently at the prestigious Mahesh Kale School of Music. She has captivated audiences across the globe, performing several thematic concerts in Canada, Switzerland, India, South Africa, France, the USA, and the UK. Her dedication extends to performing Abhang concerts for several years. She received the title ‘Sai Gaana Saraswathi’. Now, she has launched UTSAV 36+, a curated musical initiative to celebrate Bharat’s rich tapestry of 36+ traditional festivals. She is releasing a music video in her YouTube channel for each festival of Bharat throughout 2025.

Pradesh Acharya
Violin
Vid. Pradesh Acharya specializes in Violin and Vocal. He is also a music teacher, music director, and music composer. He received training under Vid. Dr. Vidyabhushana and Sri. Havery Prahlad Acharya (Vocal), as well as Vid. Lalgudi Rajalakshmi (Violin). He has accompanied top musicians on the violin, including Dr. Vidyabhushana, Dr. K.J. Yesudas, Vid. Unnikrishnan, Malladi Brothers, and Vid. Aruna Sairam. He has released audio projects that include ‘Srinivasa Kalyana’ as part of the TTD Dasasahitya project, ‘Charanava Torai’ ‘Vyasaraja Katha Chandrika’ ‘Gopi Vilasa’ ‘Stotra Sangraha’ for the Sode Vadiraja Mutt. He has received titles, such as Kalanandana Prashasthi from Adamaru Mutt Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt, Naada Ratna from Sri Venkatesha Sangeetha Sabha, Bengaluru, and Kala Yogi from Kalayogi Pratisthana.

Jagadeesh Kurthkoti
Tabla
Vid. Jagadeesh Kurthkoti is a versatile musician, renowned Tabla artist, and distinguished composer. His passion for music began with his training in Tabla under Sri. Praveen D. Rao. He further honed his skills under Pandit Udayraj Karpoor and studied Carnatic music rhythm with Vid. Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma. Although he graduated as an engineer from BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru, his deep dedication to music made him choose Tabla as his profession. He has been honored with titles such as the Swara Kala Gourav Puraskaar from Saraswati Sangeeta Vidyalaya, Bengaluru. He has accompanied numerous musicians and has performed solo in India and abroad. He brings together the aesthetic understanding of music, mastery of tala, and strong command of laya, which are rendered through the language of Tabla.

Venkatesh Purohit
Manjira
Venkatesh Purohit is a specialist in percussion, particularly known for playing Manjira. He has played alongside many famous artists, including Vid. Manjusha Patil, Vid. Sangeeta Katti, Pandit Vinayak Torvi, Pandit Venkateshkumar, Pandit Jayateertha Mevundi, Dr. Vidyabhushan, and over fifty other well-known musicians. He has performed at thousands of events. He received the Sri Gurusarvabhouma Raghavendra Kalaratna award from the Gururaghavendra Sanskritika Academy and Guru Raghavendra Sugama Sangita Vidyalaya, Bengaluru. Some of his notable performances include the Nadanirajana program organized by TTD, as well as events at Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt in Mantralayam, Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Ashram, Mysuru, and Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama in Bengaluru.

Yashwant Hampiholi
Mridangam
Vid. Yashwant Hampiholi comes from a family of musicians. He is the son of renowned Bharatanatyam performer Dr. Smt. Kishoree and Sri. Kishor Hampiholi. He performed his first solo, Mridangam, at the prestigious Bal Mahotsav when he was 20. Yashwant began his study of the Mridangam under the guidance of Sri. Renuka Prasad in Hyderabad and later received training from Sri. Karaikudi Shriram, Chennai. For the past nine years, he has been receiving advanced training from the Sangeet Natak Academy awardee, Vid. Dr. Patri Satish Kumar. Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in Rhythmology from Madras University. He has accompanied many renowned Carnatic and Hindustani singers and has performed in multiple countries worldwide. He aspires to take the aesthetics of Mridangam rendering to the next level.