 Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 10: About a hundred students of Sacred Heart Public School, Purkhoo Camp had a musical bonanza at Jyotirpunj Ashram, Chalani village where they visited for Summer Camp. Braving heat waves, the Ashram nestled in a thick cover of fruit and other trees provided a natural setting for a summer camp and musical goldmine.
The Ashram has been established and run by the nationally acclaimed Hindustani vocalist, septuagenarian Nadayogi Vijay Kumar Sambyal, popularly known as 'Rangeeley Thakur'. The Jyotirpunj Ashram is a sylvan retreat located around 30 kilometres at Chalani village under Aitham panchayat in Nagrota mandal of Jammu district.
This Sunday the secluded ashram was abuzz with young students and their teachers. As a part of the Summer Camp, the school, in association with Tarakeshwara Foundation of Visakhapatnam, had scheduled a Hindustani vocal recital by Ridima Bajpai in the ashram. She was accompanied by Pt. Divyansh Shastri on the harmonium and Vid. Rajveer Singh on the tabla.
Eighteen-year-old Ridima enthralled the young students with her remarkable rendition of raag
Brindabani Sarang. While she chose to skip bada khayal in vilambit laya due time constraint, she started with her alaap in madhya laya followed by chhota khayal in drut laya. With her mellifluous voice, she orchestrated a silky weave of swaras, making the audience spellbound. She concluded her concert with a beautiful bhajan from Avadhoot Gita, that served as an icing on the cake.
The concert was also attended, among others, by the two daughters of late Padma Sachdev, a legendary Dogri poetess and Padmashree awardee.
The veteran Vijay Kumar Sambyal, former director AIR, Jammu, visits the school every Saturday, along with his main disciple, Ridima, to teach Hindustani music to a select batch of students. |
