Sudha-Manjiri - Australia India Institute - University of Melbourne

SPIRIT of INDIA CULTURAL TOURS 2013
The Nataraj Cultural Centre offers two cultural tours in
the year, in September and December, as part of its cultural
activities. These tours are intended to introduce the visitor to
the ancient but thriving cultural life of India; they explore the
elusive spirit that informs her art and architecture.
If you were looking for an exciting and wide-ranging 16-day
holiday in India, you can’t do better than take a SPIRIT of INDIA
cultural tour. This unique tour is designed and led by the
Centre’s president, Mohindar Dhillon, a former Civil Service
Administrator in the Punjab, a Reader in English at the University
of Delhi, and a teacher at the Northern Melbourne Institute of
TAFE. He is assisted by Furqan Ali, a graduate in Indian History
and Architectural Photography, with extensive experience.
We visit quite a few major centres of historical interest
– forts, palaces, temples, and other sites. We use elegant and
comfortable superior hotels, with India International Centre in
New Delhi - the cultural hub of Delhi - as the base: nine domestic
flights, twin-share accommodation, breakfast and dinner,
all transfers and sightseeing with entry fees, and services of a
knowledgeable tour leader. Tour price: $5,510. You buy your
own international ticket: Flight Centre Eltham - 9439 7707- is
our accredited travel agent. Group size: 8 to12. Arrangements
in India are by Mercury Himalayan Explorations, New Delhi.
For tour brochure & bookings, visit www.nataraj.org.au
September 21 & December 28, 2013 departures. Book NOW!
Verity & Rob Brookman, former artistic director Adelaide Festival
at Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi, precursor of The Taj Mahal.
SPIRIT of INDIA
A CELEBRATION OF INDIAN MUSIC & DANCE:
This professionally presented annual program covers
Australia and New Zealand, with 6 to 8 concerts at a cost
of around $150,000. It has been presented since 1980 by
the Nataraj Cutural Centre Inc, in association with major
arts festivals and organisations like the Adelaide festival,
the Womadelaide festival; the Melbourne Arts Centre,
Melbourne Recital Centre and the Sydney Opera House. It
presents Carnatic and Hindustani, vocal and instrumental,
music and various classical dances. It has been supported by
the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the Playking Foundation,
set up by the philanthropist Carrillo Gantner, the
Australia-India Council, and by the Margaret Dhillon Estate.
NATARAJ CULTURAL CENTRE
Inspired by the India International Centre in New Delhi,
the non-profit Nataraj Centre was set up in 1980. The Centre’s
major activities are the SPIRIT of INDIA concerts, the
SPIRIT of INDIA cultural tours, and seminars on Australian
- Indian themes. Membership is open to anyone 18 or older.
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PATRONS : Anthony Steel AM, Sonal Mansingh
Carrillo Gantner AO, Michael Abbott AO QC
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
PRESIDENT: Mohindar Dhillon
VICE PRESIDENT: Reis Flora
SECRETARY: John Love
TREASURER: Dunstan Towning
CONCERT CO-ORDINATOR: Mr Geoff Garrard
43rd SPIRIT of INDIA 2013 (May)
Watch out for the eminent, vivacious and beautiful Kathak
dancer, Sharvari Jamenis, touring
Australia with her 4 musicians in May
2013. Kathak classical dance has the
vigour of Flamenco plus the lyrical
beauty of Indian classical dances.
Canberra I Music Festival 12 May
Melbourne Recital Centre 14 May
Sydney Opera House 16 May
WOMADELAIDE MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE &
NATARAJ CULTURAL CENTRE PRESENT
41st SPIRIT of INDIA
AN ExCITINg CARNATIC & HINDUSTANI DOUBLE-BILL
wITH TwO OF INDIA’S BEST-LOVED CLASSICAL SINgERS
Sudha Ragunathan
&
Manjiri Kelkar
“SPIRIT of INDIA artists are the equals
of the very best in the world.”
Sydney Morning Herald
MARCH 2013 • AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
NATARAJ CULTURAL CENTRE MELBOURNE

Sudha Ragunathan
Sudha Ragunathan is the most eminent singer today in the
Carnatic (south Indian) tradition. She is the most highly regarded
disciple of the legendary singer M L Vasanta Kumari. She has
a Masters degree in Economics from the Madras University.
Sudha has a powerful and captivating voice, a chaste singing
style and charming stage presence. She is adored by her
audiences in India and overseas. She has received about 200
awards from various organisations, including the prestigious
Padma Shri from the President of India.
She has represented India at several international festivals.
She has experimented with films, fusion, and world music,
without compromising the purity of her traditional singing.
“The charm of Sudha’s voice ...comes straight from the
heart.” The New Indian Express
Carnatic music has remained devotional, with a stricter
rhythmic system. Its heart is the Kritis – short bursts of vigorous
singing – in which Sudha excels. Sudha will be accompanied
on the Mridangam (percussion) by Neyveli Skanda Subramanian
and on the Violin by B V Raghavendra Rao.
raghavendra rao
n subramanian
CONCERT SCHEDULE
MELBOURNE Tuesday 12 March 7.30pm
Elisabeth Murdoch Hall,
Melbourne Recital Centre
Bkg: www.melbournerecital.com.au
Tix: adult $50; concession $40
Phone: 9699 3333
SYDNEY Thursday 14 March 7.00pm
City Recital Hall Angel Place
Bkg: www.cityrecitalhall.com
Phone: 02 8256 2222;
Tix: adult $50; concession $40;
student $25.
additional fees may apply
OTHER VENUES
WOMADELAIDE - 8, 9, 10 March
NZ WOMAD - 16, 17 March
R
This double-bill will show the best of the two great traditions
of Indian music. The vocal form of Indian music, derived from
the ancient Vedic chant, is regarded as supreme: the instruments
merely try to approximate to it.The heart of this music
is the way the text is sung: it is a kind of meditation in sound.
Hence it is eminently accessible to non-Indian audiences.
ADDRESS
54 Rodger Road, Panton Hill,Victoria 3759
E-mail: mohindar@ozemail.com.au
Website: www.nataraj.org.au
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Generously supported by the Playking Foundation, the Indian
Council for Cultural Relations and the Margaret Dhillon Estate.
SPIRIT of INDIA 2013 is presented in association with the
Australia-India Institute, University of Melbourne.
Manjiri Kelkar
With a rare melodious voice and a fine sense of intonation,
Manjiri has recently shot into fame as India’s finest classical
young singer. She is the winner of the coveted Sangeet Natak
Academy Bismillah Khan Award.
Within the last few years, Manjiri has been invited, more
than once - to the envy of older masters - to all the 5 major
Indian music festivals, which rank with our international arts
festivals. She has an MA degree both in English and Music.
Manjari moves with graceful ease from the purely classical
to the semi-classical forms like Thumri and Tappa. Manjiri
combines depth of understanding with meticulous attention to
the spirit of the raag she sings. Her style reminds her audiences
of two great stalwarts of the past–Begum Akhtar in the semiclassical
and Kesarbai Kerkar in the classical mode.
Manjiri is accompanied by Vishwanath Shirodkar on the
tabla and by Seema Shirodkar on the harmonium.
MAILING LIST PATRONS ARE URGED TO SEND US THEIR FULL NAME & EMAIL ADDRESS FOR REGULAR INFORMATION ON CONCERT & TOUR PROGRAMS.
vishwanath shirodkar
seema shirodkar