About my Guru

Smt.Pavana Achar, an accomplished veena artist began the persuit of music as a school going girl. Getting full support and encouragement from her father, Dr.Pallathadka Keshava Bhat; a scientist of international repute; Smt.pavana became a disciple of late smt.Lakshmi iyengar of Manipal.
In addition to pursuing music, she learnt the art of painting under artist Sri Purushothama Karanth of Mangalore. For the past twenty years she has been running a school of music and art known as “Kalaspandana” in Manipal. She has given many public performances in and outside Karnataka. She has given program in Rastrapathi Bhavan when Dr.A.P.J Abdul kalam was our president. A post graduate in medical biochemistry, she has continued with her original passion for music and fine arts. She is married to Sri Balachandra achar, who himelf is an accomplished Mridanga artist.
She also runs a group called Vipanchi balaga since 10 yrs. Vipanchi balaga is a gathering of five veena artists performing simultaneously on the stage. The reverberating sounds produced from “Panchaveena” give a special effect to the surrounding environment and soothes the mind and body of the listener. This group has exposed the discerning public to the devine melodies of veena on diverse occasions like utsavas in temples, festival times like Ganesha chaturthi, Navarathri etc…, Sangeeta sabhas and religious ceremonies like Upanayana, marriage, seemantha etc… all over Karnataka.
The group has the noble objective of carrying on the most valuable asset of the Indian musical tradition. Owing to the inconvenience of transporting the veena across long distances, it has become a rare instrument played on stages. Vipanchi balaga has been trying to promote and propagate the divine melodies of the veena.