KOCHI:
Early mornings and late evenings are conventionally the ideal praying hours, but none of the listeners felt it odd when a devotional song wafted in the open air around noon. ‘Kuri varachalum kurishu varachalum’ came as a soothing experience with both its literary meaning and musical quality before the crowd at the Government General hospital, Ernakulam today.
More ditties emanated from the microphones, as senior cop Sali Basheer and co-artistes were seen driven by irresistible passion for singing and inclination to charity at the weekly ‘Arts and Medicine’ programme.
Organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation in association with Mehboob Memorial Orchestra, the 255th episode of the all-Wednesday show was anchored by Basheer, who is Assistant Sub-Inspector with Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (Central Range) in Ernakulam. A native of Pandalam in Pathanamthitta district, he was assisted by philanthropist-engineer Mony T K, law student Sahala Shamsu and her father Shamsudheen Sahib, a social worker.
The foursome delivered a total of 15 songs that included three duets. The Basheer-Mony combo rendered Malayalam songs ‘Pathiravayilla Pournami’ and ‘Ilam Manjin Kulirumayoru’ besides the Hindi hit number ‘Kora Kagaz’. Sahala sang Pattil ee Pattil (Malayalam), ‘Malare Mounama’ (Tamil) and ‘Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar’ (Hindi), while Shamsu sang ‘Ninte Mizhiyil Neelolpalam’, much to resounding applause.
Basheer is an active participant in programmes and events related to palliative care. “It gives me immense satisfaction to be of help to others. If my music helps others derive happiness and feel relief, I must definitely perform for them,” said the government servant. “I consider it as a blessing to see people smile forgetting their pain at least for a short period.”
Mony, who is also into charity in a big way, has performed earlier at ‘Art and Medicine’. Today’s episode ran parallel to the 108-day Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which is India’s only such contemporary art festival that has its fourth edition running since December 12 last year.
