Yamini 2018

SPIC MACAY chapter of IIIT Bangalore held its overnight cultural event ‘Yamini’ 2018 on 31st October 2018 to celebrate five major classical art forms. The night boasted back to back performances from dusk to dawn. The performances were a fascinating blend of Indian music and dance.

The event commenced with the beguiling performance of Hindustani Violin by Dr. N. Rajam, a Padma Bhushan awardee and acknowledged as the foremost Hindustani violinist present today.

It was then followed by Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh performing Saraswathi Veena, founder of Indian National Orchestra. She is also recognized as an avid researcher and a doctorate of the myriad styles and playing techniques of the veena.

Saketharaman along with us group of artists gave us something to ponder upon as he sang delightfully with his vibrant voice in accordance with the nuances of Carnatic vocals.

Margi Madhu followed up with a mesmerizing performance of Koodiyattam, the dance drama of Kerela with sheer passion and jubilance. It became a sight to watch as the entire room filled up till it’s saturation. People from various parts of the city travelled just to get a glimpse Margi Madhu ji’s performance. 
The enthralling event concluded with the rise of the sun and a performance by Sri Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande performing Hindustani vocals. She is known for her gracious vocals and is recognized as the one of the greatest classical singers of our generation.

“I’ve been attending Yamini for quite a few years now. I think this a great event and it helps preserve the cultural art forms of our nation. IIIT Bangalore has done a great job at organizing this.” said one of the attendees.

About SPIC MACAY
SPIC MACAY is a non-political nationwide voluntary movement that organises programmes of classical music and dance, folk arts, crafts, yog, classic cinema screenings, heritage walks, etc. inside school and college campuses throughout the world to make students more aware about Indian and world heritage. This initiative makes education more holistic and meaningful as it highlights all that is abstract, subtle, inspiring and mystical in the world teaching one to look within oneself. SPIC MACAY runs on the energy of volunteers who come from all walks of life - students, teachers, housewives, professional and retired people, young and old. Nishkam Seva - the spirit of volunteerism – of giving selflessly without expectation, a value that is intrinsic to our culture and important to nurture in today's world is a key aspect of the movement.

About IIIT Bangalore
IIIT Bangalore is a premier institute focused on Post-Graduate IT education and research, located in the heart of Electronic City, Bengaluru. It contains state of the art infrastructure, world-class faculty, vibrant alumni community, cutting edge research facilities and close industry collaboration. The institute’s specially designed courses make the students cognitive of the current technologies and practices, thereby equipping them with the tools and knowledge to solve contemporary real problems.

About Artists:
Dr. N. Rajam is an Indian violinist who’s best known for performing classical music on a Hindustani Violin. Under the guidance of her father, Rajam developed the Gayaki Ang which is the ability to reiterate the precise nuances of the human voice on an instrument. She’s a Padma Bhushan awardee and acknowledged as the foremost Hindustani violinist present today.

Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh is a Veena artist hailing from Tamil Nadu, India. Jayanthi comes from a lineage of musicians who have been practicing Carnatic music for six generations. She is the founder of Indian National Orchestra, where a group of artists from Carnatic and Hindustani genres representing the rich cultural heritage of India come together to showcase Indian classical music. She is an avid researcher and a doctorate of the myriad styles and playing techniques of the veena. Two days back on October 12th 2018 she was awarded with the prestigious Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal adding more laurels to her already celebrated musical career.

Disciple of Lalgudi Jayaraman, Saketharaman is a performing musician of Carnatic music in India. Saketha has been awarded as the best vocalist by Chennai Music Academy for three consecutive years. Apart from this, he is the bearer of many titles/awards like Yuva Kala Ratna, M.S.Subhalakshmi Award, Yuva Puraskar, Isai Peroli, Vani Kala Nipuna, Shanmukha Sangeetha Shiromani and many more.

Margi Madhu, son of celebrated guru Moozhikkulam Kochukuttan Chakyar and his paternal uncle, Ammannoor Madhava Chakyar, whose first love is Koodiyattam, a mix of dance, music, mime, and theatre. He has performed in many national and international venues, including the prestigious Kennedy Center at Washington DC, USA in June 1977. Margi Madhu has also performed for the International Jury of UNESCO. 

Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande is one of the elite Hindustani Classical Vocalist. Deshpande, a disciple of vocalist Kishori Amonkar of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, has proved to be a formidable exponent of classical music by dint of sheer talent and innovative idea