Sangeeta Katti Kulkarni
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Ekatvam Holi Music Fest 2025, will feature an all-women line-up, showcasing artistes such as H Amritha Shenoy, Debopriya Chatterjee, Suchismita, Kalpana Kishore, Shreya Kolathaya, Sreeja Rajendran, Sri Ranjani Santhanagopalan, Sangeeta Katti Kulkarni and Kanchana sisters.
This is Ekatvam’s fifth edition of Holi Music festival. Founded by Rajmohan Krishnan, Ekatvam aims at nurturing musical talent, both emerging artists and masters, blending tradition and innovation across diverse genres.
The festival will be held over two weekends — March 22 and 23, and March 29 and 30. Bengaluru-based Hindustani vocalist, Sangeeta Katti, will perform on March 30. Thanking Ekatvam for hosting the event, Sangeeta hopes one day the festival will become a global event.
The singer, started her training under the legendary Sangeet Samrat Naushad Sahab (famed composer of Indian cinema) and gave her debut concert at the age of five. She went on to learn music from Sheshagiri Dandaput and Chandrashekhar Puranikmath (from Dharwad), Padma Bhushan Basavaraj Rajguru, Gana Saraswati Padma Vibhushana Kishori Amonkar.
Sangeeta celebrates 50 years in music this year and says she owes her career to her gurus, parents, fans and the music industry. “Singing at Ekatvam, which also celebrates Holi is apt as we have seven colours of a rainbow and seven notes of the music, making it a beautiful coming together of the sapta-swaras and the satrang. All the ragas, are beautiful blends of these seen notes, specifically in Hindustani music, which has Thaats.”
The music, Sangeeta says, depicts different moods, which are associated with colours. “If we close our eyes, we see colours. If you close your eyes and listen to a raag, it creates positivity and will surely touch and evoke a certain emotion as every raag has a rasa in it.”
Whether it is Carnatic or Hindustani, music follows the seven-note theory, says Sangeeta. “Musicians are always astonished at the dimensions and depths of what the seven notes can bring forth. We cry, laugh or are wonderstruck by music, making these very notes powerful. That is the perspective of a musician.”
Sangeeta, released her first album, DasaManjari, at the age of 13 and later forayed into the genres of light classical, bhajans, folk and film music. She has also worked with maestros such as Dr M Balamurali Krishna, Dr Rajkumar, Dr S P Balasubramanian, Dr P B Srinivas and Dr K J Yesudas. Besides this she has worked with music directors including Upendra Kumar, M Ranga Rao, Vijaya Bhaskar, M M Keeravani, C Ashwath and Hamsalekha.
Music, Sangeeta believes, has to be soulful and loaded with emotions, otherwise it becomes just a technical performance. “Practical singing goes way beyond notes and learning. I have had a long journey of learning from some of the greatest gurus. It makes me feel honoured and have a social responsibility to render not only what my gurus have taught me but also to uphold the classical traditions, which in itself is a vast world.”
Sangeeta, believes she was destined to be a musician. “It is an innate part of who I am.” She is the winner of Suvarna Karnataka Rajyotsava Award (2006), Pt Rajguru Rashtreeya Puraskar (2011) and Basavashree, Vachanashree and Saarthak Naari Award (2016).
Ekatvam will be held at The Bangalore Gayana Samaja (March 22 and 23) and at Pathi Sabhangana (March 29 and 30). The 4pm concerts is open to all, while the 6.30pm concerts are ticketed (BookMyShow). For details visit Insta: ekatvam_music
Published – March 20, 2025 10:23 am IST