Colourful Holi Music festival by Ekatvam | A Celebration of Women in music

Kalpa Media House | Special Article |

A warm congratulations for Ekatvam for bringing out a most colourful Holi Music Festival to celebrate the spirit of oneness and harmony and a Celebration of women in music.

Ekatvam is the first initiative of Entrust Foundation which has been established by Sri. Rajmohan Krishnan Ekatvam works on the motto of serving the elderly, harmonising music by connecting with ideas and people, to share privileges with those who do not have them.
Interestingly Ekatvam organises Holi Music Festival every year during March to bring out the colours of music or the 12 notes of music. Concerts are held in both Hindustani and Carnatic music Annual awards are given in the names of senior musicians and composers, T.N.Krishnan, Sri. Mysore Vasudevacharya and Gangubai Hangal. The Holi music festival aims to provide platform for young and emerging musicians as well as Senior .musicians.

2025 has been special, holi music festival was a celebration of women in music which was organised during March 2025. Several well-known female musicians in both Carnatic and Hindustani genres presented scintillating concerts. Two awards were given.
Vid. R.A.Ramamani, singer, composer, one of the Indo-Jazz pioneers of Asia, first woman Avadhana pallavi specialist, an A top artist of All India Radio, received the Sangeetha Shastra Ratna Mysore K.Vasudevachar Award of Excellence for Carnatic music. Vid.Jayashree Ramesh Patnekar , an A grade artist of All India Radio, trained in Gwalior, Jaipur and Kirana gharana, received Dr. Gangubai Hangal award of Excellence in Hindustani.

The festival which was hosted at two venues, Bangalore Gayana Samaj and Sri Pathi Sabhangana, Bangalore, featured Padmashree , SNA Awardee, Sangeetha Kalanidhi, Vid. A.Kanyakumari on Violin solo, eminent vocalists Vid. Sriranjani Santhanagopalan, Vids.Kanchana sisters, Vid, Shreya Kolathaya in Carnatic Vocal music with renowned women artists on Violin, mridangam , ghatam, morsing and other accompaniments. This included eminent Ghatam artist of Ghata-tarangam fame, Vid. Sukanya Ramgopal, Violin virtuoso Vid. Charulatha Ramanujam, Vid. Shreya Devanath, Vid.C.V.Shruthi, first woman- morsing artist of India, Vid. Bhagyalakshmi M..Krishna, noted Vocalist and mridangam player Vid.Jayamangala Krishnamani, well-known mridangists Vid. Ranjini Venkatesh, Vid. Deepika Srinivasan, Vid. Ashwini Srinivasan, Vid.G.Lakshmi, ghatam artist Vid. Sumana Chandrashekar, young Tavil artist Vid.Amrithavarshini.

The Hindustani music presentations featured eminent artists A.Sangeetha Katti, Vid. Lavani Talwalkar on Tabla, Vid.Neeta on Harmonium, flute duet by Debopriya and Suchishmita, Mukta Raste on Tabla, Mahima Upadhyay on Pakhwaj, Vid Amrita Shenoy on Vocal with Vid.Shubhada Gaekwad on Harmonium and Vijeta Hegde on Tabla, Sitar-Violin Instrumental duet by Vid. Sreeja Rajendran and Vid.Kalpana Kishore with Tabla by Vid.Ratnashree Iyer.

Dr.K.C.Ramamurthy (IPS) was the Chief guest and Smt.Arundathi nag was the Guest of Honour during the awards celebration.

The mesmerising concerts were well attended at both the venues. Altogether , it was a commendable work by Ekatvam!