Heart-warming music by Vaikom Vijayalakshmi at General Hospital

Renowned singer Vaikom Vijayalakshmi (seated) performing at Government General Hospital, Ernakulam as part of Kochi Biennale Foundation's ‘Art and Medicine’  on Wednesday. Also seen on stage (right) is singer Jimmy Kalabhavan.

Visually challenged playback singer Vaikom Vijayalakshmi stole many hearts with her heart-warming melodies at the 150th musical extravaganza of the weekly, ‘Arts and Medicine’ show organised by Kochi Biennale Foundation, at the General Hospital, Ernakulam on Wednesday- 28 Dec 2016.

This week, singers Kalabhavan Jimmy and Junior Mehboob also shared the stage with their renditions of numerous hit numbers adding flavor to the show. Jimmy who has over 15 years of experience at Kalabhavan, began the event with the devotional number –‘Yahoodiyayile’  before moving onto an array of 20 songs neatly stacked with melody and tempo.

Vijayalakshmi crooned the song – ‘Lokam Muzhuvan Sukam Pakaraan’, moving into the duet ‘Kaate Kaate’ and ‘Sharadaambaram’. While seated, she played the instrument, ‘ Kasu’ and mellifluously rendered the song , ‘Minungum Minnaminuge’ from the new Mohanlal starrer, ‘Oppam.’ The musical feast culminated with  the number ‘Kaikkottum Kanditilla’.  A few popular yesteryear Hindi numbers  added to musical aura.

Vijayalakshmi, an expert at  playing the rare musical instrument, Gayathriveena, gained appreciation with her first song as a playback singer.

Hailing from Vaikom, she has many awards to her credit. Vijayalakshmi bagged the State Film Award for the best singer through Kamal’s Nadan after winning a special mention from the State Film Awards jury for her rendition of the song Katte Katte from the film Celluloid.

Most recently she won the Filmfare Awards (South) for the Best Female Singer.

“I could not see the expressions on the faces of the people in the crowd, but I could definitely feel the positive vibes that  came in the form of applause”,  she said.

 ‘Arts and Medicine’ is an initiative organised every Wednesday by the Kochi Biennale Foundation in association with Mehboob Memorial Orchestra and Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre Limited. Apart from the show organised at the General Hospital Ernakulam, the Biennale hosts a musical show on every last Monday of a month at Cochin Medical College, Kalamassery.