Mysuru: Folk-rock singer Raghu Dixit and his band enthralled a large gathering at the Mysore Palace premises on Monday evening as part of the cultural programmes organised for the 416th Mysuru Dasara celebrations. The energetic concert, featuring popular Kannada songs and folk-rock numbers, captivated music lovers against the backdrop of the illuminated palace.
Dixit’s performance was among the highlights of the evening, with audiences enjoying his distinctive blend of folk music and contemporary rock. His rendition of the spiritual song ‘Kande, Kande, Parasivana’ drew particular attention, while several other popular numbers kept the gathering engaged.
Raghu Dixit captivates audience with popular songs
The singer performed a selection of songs, including ‘Kallu-Mullina Haadi’ and ‘Oo Alemari, Na Alemari’ from the album Shakkar. His renditions of Shishunala Shariff’s ‘Kodagana Koli Nungitta’ and ‘Gudu Gudiya Sedi Nodo’, along with ‘Belagina Modala Belakinalli’, were also appreciated by the audience.
Dixit was accompanied by Naresh on bass guitar, Akshay Ganesh on violin, Joe Jacob on drums, Goutham Hebbar on flute and Sanjay Kumar on guitar. The musicians complemented his vocals with a mix of rhythmic arrangements and instrumental performances.
The concert added to the festive atmosphere at the palace, which hosts cultural performances by artistes from different musical and artistic traditions during Dasara.
Aayana Dance Company wins applause
Bengaluru-based Aayana Dance Company also received applause for its performance during the cultural programme.
The evening began with a Bharatanatyam presentation by Smruthi Ramesh and her team. Imtiyaz Sultan and his team performed Kannada ghazals, while H.C. Holasalaiah and his team from Bengaluru presented Sugama Sangeetha.
Nagaraj V. Bairy, president of the Karnataka Sugama Sangeetha Parishat’s Mysuru district unit, and his team also presented a Sugama Sangeetha concert.
Several singers, including A.D. Srinivas, Indrani Anantharam, Nitin Rajaram Shastri, Rashmi Chikkamagalur, Rajesh Padiyar and Divya Sachhi, performed songs that appealed to the gathering.
The singers were accompanied by Ganesh Bhat and Nagalingachar on keyboards, Atmaram and Indushekar on tabla, Ravikiran on dhol, Puneet on flute and Vinay Rangadol on rhythm pad.
The programme concluded with a saxophone concert by Vidwan Mysore Harish Pandav and his team, bringing the evening’s musical performances to a close.
Gavisiddeshwara Swamiji attends concert
Abhinava Sri Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji of Gavimutt in Koppal attended the Raghu Dixit concert. He had formally inaugurated the 416th Mysuru Dasara festivities atop Chamundi Hill on October 11.
The cultural programmes at the Mysore Palace remain an important part of the annual Dasara celebrations, bringing together classical music, folk traditions, dance and contemporary performances.
Raghu Dixit’s concert added a popular folk-rock dimension to this year’s festivities, while the performances by dance groups and Sugama Sangeetha artistes showcased the diversity of Karnataka’s cultural traditions.