Flavour of veena Dhanammal
GARIMELLA SUBRAMANIAM.
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recital Spontaneity and grace marked the veena recital of Padma Varadan.
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ECHOES OF A LEGEND: Padma Varadhan. — PHOTO: V. GANESAN.
Few have it in them to hold forth in two different capacities in a matter of minutes. The distinguished vainika, Padma Varadan, recounted inspiring anecdotes that led to the appearance of her father's pioneering work, `Kritimanimala,' decades ago. The context was the launch of its English adaptation, an immense endeavour Padma has single-handedly accomplished.
Soon thereafter, she displayed the grace of a musical devotee and spontaneity of an artiste to present a brief veena recital, if only to give listeners a flavour of the legendary Veena Dhanammal style. Padma, who has been performing on All India Radio since she was nine, played with great finesse. Thiruvottriyur Tyagayya's varnam in Surati, Mahavaidyanadha Iyer's Srisankara Guruvaram and later a Tamil padam written by Ganam Krishna Iyer ... these had been meticulously tutored by father Ranga Ramanuja Iyengar. The famous Friday recitals at Dhanammal's residence are a favourite subject among veteran vidwans and vidushis. Padma featured Syamasastri's Palinchu Kamakshi, as if to underscore this aspect. Likewise, a recital without a Tyagaraja kriti is simply unthinkable for a devout disciple of the Dhanammal School. And Marakatamani Varna in Varali was introduced with a mellow alapana, even as some in the audience were anxious to leave.
Then followed the traditional Dasa Ragamalika, featuring the ragas of Tyagaraja's famous Pancharatna series of kritis, besides five others. Departing from the beaten track, Padma improvised on Hamirkalyani, Bowli and Surati among others. T. K. Ramakrishnan on the mridangam and Murali on the ghatam played with an intuitive sense of laya right from the word go.
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