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ROSES ALL THE WAY:Playback singer K.J. Yesudas being taken in a palanquin at the Alva’s Virasat 2011 where he was felicitated at Shobavana at Moodbidri on Tuesday.

MOODBIDRI: All roads lead to Moodbidri, 30 km from here, for art lovers from different corners of the State as it began to showcase the diverse culture of the country in style on Tuesday.

The presence and speech of legendary singer K.J. Yesudas, who was carried to the venue of the 19th edition of Alva’s Virasat on a palanquin accompanied to the loud beating of drums and bugles, set the ball rolling.

The inauguration of the event by film director Nagathihalli Chandrasekhar was followed by a richly colourful dance performance by a 50-member troupe of Nirupama-Rajendra from Bangalore.

After receiving the Virasat Award for 2011, Mr. Yesudas touched a chord as he pointed out that he was still a “vidyarthi” (student) and not a “vidwan” (master) and how one should not go after fame and name but pursue the chosen career with avid interest and commitment.

He recalled how his father never allowed him to get on to the stage (to perform) till he was 18 and how he would practise hard till he mastered the challenging improvisations. Taking a dig at the craze for fame through reality shows, the singer, who has won the national award for best playback singer seven times, said he had not, at 70, understood even a bit of music. For all the right reasons, he had not developed ego as a child. “I was not a child prodigy, you see, he said.

Mr. Yesudas, who rendered the composition Hariharatmajam …Sharanam Ayyappa… extolled people to recognise the talent in their children and nourish them as his father had done in his case. Every child had talent, he said.

Earlier, Mr. Chandrasekhar said the Alva’s Virasat had created the right model for the youth to understand the rich traditions of the country and congratulated the founder of the Alva’s Foundation Mohan Alva for sustaining the zeal to organise it for 19th time non-stop.

President of Nitte Education Trust N. Vinay Hegde presided.

Lankan troupe

This year’s cultural fest will feature Sri Lankan music and dance by 30 artistes on Saturday, and well-known masters of dance and music from throughout India on other days. Hundreds of students of the Alva’s group of institutions too will present a variety of cultural programmes this year.

On Wednesday, Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sarod-playing children Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan will present what is termed as “thigalbandi” (from 6 p.m.) It will be followed by ‘Varnali’ Odissi dance by Rudraksha Foundation, Bhubaneshwar (from 8.10 p.m.).