Spiritual discourses through word and song
Spiritual discourses through word and song describes Chitra Sudarshan
Melbourne audiences experienced a week of sublime religious discourse or pravachan, between July 6 – 10 from talented couple Sri Hariji and Smt Vishaka Hari. Sri Hariji – or Sri Hari Anna as he is affectionately known – is the eldest son of the renowned pravachan pandit, Paranur Sri Krishna Premi. Hari Anna presented a 3 -day pravachan on the Dasama Skandam of the Bhagawad Purana. He has a deep understanding of the Vedas, Itihahasas and Puranas, is an acknowledged Samskrit scholar, and is perhaps one of a handful of highly respected and erudite scholars of our time. The Vedic Society of Victoria, which had organised this 4-day spiritual festival, had aptly chosen this most delightful section of the Bhagawatam for the event, for there is not a soul in India that does not wonder in amazement at the Leelas of Lord Krishna. On day one, Hari Anna kept the audience spellbound with his talk on the avatara of Lord Krishna; on the second day he regaled those gathered in the hall with the divine pranks of His childhood Leelas; on the third and fourth days, those gathered at the St Scholastica Hall were treated to Lord Krishna’s Brindavana Leela.
On July 10, Smt Vishaka Hari gave a three and a half hour Katha Kalakshepam on the Sundara Khanda of the Ramayana. Although this is her first visit to Australia, her fame had preceded her, and everyone in the 600-strong audience (there was standing room only) waited for her in eager anticipation. She is the disciple of two great maestros of the classical performing arts: Sri Krishna Premi and Padma Vibhushan Lalgudi Sri G Jayaraman. With a beautiful voice and a command of classical music, she has elevated the art of Hari Katha by infusing religious discourse with the music of great carnatic composers.
The moment Smt Vishaka ascended the stage, she lit up the room with her presence, and the audience listened in rapt attention for the entire duration of the Harikatha. She is one of a rare breed of people who have the ability to sing beautifully in the classical style and deliver a pravachan without missing a shruti; her Sundara Kandam was soul stirring from the beginning to the end. Her descriptions of Hanuman; Rama’s faith in His bhakti; Sita’s desperate situation in Lanka; Ravana’s arrogance, were truly inspirational and moved the audience to tears. Most of the kritis were Thyagaraja’s compositions, and each one was rendered soaked in bhakti; and coupled with her story-telling power and ability to explain deeper philosophical and theological significances of events and episodes, she is a truly great Hari Katha exponent par excellence. Smt Vishaka was accompanied by Sri Anantha Krishnan on the violin and Melbourne’s own Sridhar Chari on the mrudangam.
