Pittsburgh_Patrika_July_2015

The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol. 20, No. 4, July, 2015
Pittsburgh’s Indian Music Groups Raises
$17,000 for Helping Veterans
By Kollengode S Venkataraman
Sahana 1 is a 100% Pittsburgh-based music group with versatile traditional
percussionists, guitarists, keyboardists, and also talented vocalists.
A few of them are teenagers and one or two in their 40s, and others, in
all ages in between, both men and women. Most of the adults are from
India, with the teenagers born and raised here.
With full-time jobs in other fields, these people practice music
in their free time for four to five months for their annual 2- to
3-hour long programs, usually in spring. The most interesting part of
Sahana’s program is that even with 100% of the artistes being “local,” their
program is NOT free, as is the case with most programs in this town. They
raise thousands of dollars selling tickets and seeking donations, and give
away their net collections to a charity of their choice. This year, they had
a talented teenager from India, Sai Vignesh Ramakrishnan, a Top-10 vocal
finalist in the Super Singer Indian TV talent show, adding more luster.
This year’s 6th fundraiser, held on May 31, Sunday at the Franklin
Regional Middle School auditorium, exceeded their target of collecting
$15,000 that Sahana gave to the Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House
(FOPFH), an organization. FOPFH helps war veterans’ families with their
boarding and lodging needs when they are in Pittsburgh
for medical treatment. Mr. John Corder, a board
member of the organization (see picture) addressed the
gathering giving the stats on war veterans, their needs,
and how FOPFH helps the veterans. Over the years,
Sahana has donated over $60,000 to charities.
The highlights of this year’s 2-1/2-hour program:
1 Sahana (pronounced sa-haa-naa), a common raga both in the Karnatic and
Hindustani traditions, is the janya raga from the parent 22nd Melakarta raga
Karaharapriya (Karnatic); and the progeny of the 10th Thaat Kafi (Hindustani).
The Sahana music group has members coming from all over India.
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