At Shankar Mahadevan‘s SaSha Villa, Ganpati celebrations are as much about music and togetherness as they are about devotion. This year’s Bhajan Sandhya, that is one of the special evenings of the 11-day festival, once again brought the music fraternity together for an evening that began with a divine aarti and gradually turned into a spirited, night-long celebration of music, friendship and faith.The evening saw singers, musicians, performers and friends come together to seek Bappa’s blessings and celebrate through music. Among those present were Hariharan, Shaan, Mahalakshmi Iyer, Richa Sharma, Mame Khan, Pratibha Singh Baghel, Ojas Adhiya, Sivamani, Rakesh Chaurasia, Purbayan Chatterjee, Priyanka Barwe, Antara Nandy, Ankita Nandy and many others. Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar attended the celebrations with wife Anjali and daughter Sara, while actor Shabana Azmi and lyricist Javed Akhtar were also part of the gathering.A NIGHT WHERE EVERYONE BECAME A PERFORMERWhat makes the SaSha Villa Bhajan Sandhya special is the spontaneity of the evening. Rather than being a conventional concert, it becomes a musical coming together, with artistes taking the stage, joining one another and creating music in the moment.This year, several of the singers and musicians in attendance also performed, turning the evening into an ever-evolving musical jam. Shankar Mahadevan himself took the stage, while his sons Siddharth Mahadevan and Shivam Mahadevan performed, making it a special family celebration. Percussionist Sivamani, sitar player Purbayan Chatterjee, tabla player Ojas Adhiya added their musical energy to the night, while singers across genres brought their own styles to the gathering.Javed Akhtar added another dimension to the evening when he took the stage to recite poetry, bringing the world of words and music together in the intimate setting. One of the youngest singers to perform was Nivedita Padmanabhan who sang her song from Hanuman Ansh.
THE MAHADEVAN FAMILY’S MUSICAL TRADITIONFor Shankar and his family, the Bhajan Sandhya has become an annual tradition that brings together their extended musical family. Earlier editions of the celebration have similarly seen leading singers and musicians gather at SaSha Villa for a night of devotional music and spontaneous collaborations. Shankar says, “Our Bhajan Sandhya is a beautiful eveing of Ganpati celebration. It is a coming together of various artistes to perform here as seva for Bappa.“At the centre of it all was Shankar, who performed alongside the younger generation of the Mahadevan family. Siddharth and Shivam’s presence on stage added to the sense of the evening being a celebration not just of Ganpati, but also of the family’s shared love for music.And holding it all together was Sangeeta Mahadevan, who played the perfect hostess, welcoming guests and making the sprawling celebration feel like an intimate gathering of friends and family.
Hariharan
(L-R)Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Jahnvi Shrimankar, (Top:)Nayaab Udhas, Priyanka Barve, Pratibha Singh Baghel and Sneha Shankar
Sachin Tendulkar with Sara and Anjali
Shaan
Richa Sharma
Rakesh Chaurasia, Anu Malik, Shankar Mahadevan, Raghav Sachar, Amita Pathak, Siddharth Mahadevan
Meenal Jaiin, Prithvi Gandharv, Sumeet Tappoo and Neeti Mohan
Nivedita Padmanabhan performs her song Raam Bhajan Ki Or from Hanuman AnshA YOUNG VOICE MAKES AN IMPRESSIONAmong the youngest singers to perform that night was Nivedita Padmanabhan, (she’d sung her first film song when she was just around six years old, in Judgementall Hai Kya) who brought a devotional touch to the evening with her song Raam Bhajan Ki Or from the superhit ‘Hanuman Ansh’. Her performance was another reminder of the way Shanakr Mahadevan brings together artistes across generations and has established names sharing the same stage with younger voices.MUSIC, DEVOTION AND BAPPABy the time the night progressed into the early hours, the gathering had become less a formal event and more a celebration of music in its purest form. From devotional melodies and familiar songs to instrumental exchanges, poetry and spontaneous performances, the evening reflected the spirit that has come to define the Mahadevan family’s Ganpati celebrations. At SaSha Villa, the music may change every year, the artistes may vary, and new voices may join the celebration, but the essence remains the same — Bappa bringing musicians, performers, friends and family together under one roof for a night of music, devotion and joy.
