A treat from the veterans
B. RAMADEVI
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Rajalakshmi Fine Arts' September festival is a bonanza for music lovers.
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PHOTOS: K. ANANTHAN.
JUGALBANDI: N. Ramani (flute) and N. Rajam (violin).
An unparalleled violinist in Hindustani style, N. Rajam entertained the audience along with flute maestro N. Ramani at Nani Kalai Arangam, Coimbatore, under the aegis of Rajalakshmi Fine Arts, during its September Season festival.
A sister of famous violinist T.N.Krishnan and a direct disciple of Pt. Omkharnath Tagore, Rajam is well known for her innovative style of violin playing, known as `Gayaki Ang'.
Sankari Krishnan.
The Carnatic and Hindustani jugalbandi was a double treat, the best music coming out of each veteran in his or her own characteristic style. Ramani began with `Vathapi Ganapthim Bhajeham' in Hamsadhwani and Rajam followed it up with a khayal in the same raga. The RTP in Kalyani, known as `Yaman' in Hindustani was elaborate. While Rajam played on her violin with effortless ease, the music emanated as fragrance would from a flower. The tani avarthanam session was exhilarating with Satish Kumar on the mridangam and Mukund Raj Dev on the tabla. The slow and fast, soft and loud layas that burst forth from these instruments merged beautifully without losing their distinctive identities.
Unusual kritis
Young and talented Sikkil Gurucharan sang a few unusual kritis on Muruga on the theme `Shadanane' (Shadaanana-the one with six faces). After making a sprightly beginning with `Saami Nee Manamirangi,' a varnam in Begada by Papanasam Sivan, Gurucharan went through the concert with pleasing raga delineations, admirable neravals and exciting swaraprastaras, concluding with a few delightful kritis on Lord Muruga.
The central piece was the much expected `Subrahmanyaaya Namasthe' in Khambodi by Dikshitar that added dignity to his concert. B.U. Ganesh Prasad on the violin, Poongulam Subramaniam on the mridangam, Guruprasad on the ghatam and A.S. Krishnan on the morsing formed the talented team of accompanists and added colour to Gurucharan's performance.
Penchant for purity
The highly respected Rama Ravi's concert proved her penchant for purity in presentation. Her first five songs were in the order of the ragas found in the Pancharatna kritis of Tyagaraja. She began with `Sarasijanabha', a varnam in Nattai (Palakkad Parameswara Bhagavatar) and proceeded with `Gana Nathaya Namasthe' in Gowla (Dikshitar). The Sri raga kriti `Vanajaasana Vinutha' was presented in great elaboration with the swaraprastaras in all the five ragas. She sang `Talli Ninnu Neranamminaanu' in Kalyani (Syama Sastri) in unhurried pace bringing out the underlying bhava of the devotion-filled kriti.
Padams and javalis are her specialities and she sang a padam, `Payyada' and two javalis, `Elarada Eni' and `Vani Kondhu' towards the end. It was a special experience with a small group of interested rasikas, and the excellent support of Embar Kannan on the violin, J. Vaidhyanathan on the mridangam and Udupi Sridhar on the ghatam. She was given vocal support by her daughter Nandita Ravi.
Lyrically rich
T.M.Krishna's concert on the theme `Ohm Namo Narayana' was replete with lyrically rich kritis by various composers in different languages. `Sriman Narayana' in Bowli (Annamacharya) made a slow, soft and emphatic beginning for a rich flow of well-known and well-loved compositions. The main piece, `Sri Rajagopala Bala' (Dikshitar) in Saveri gave Krishna a chance to bring out his artistry.
During the neraval for the line, `Narayana Tharaka Divya Nama' the wonderful possibilities of the raga were exhibited with a judicious mixture of melody, clarity and emotion. Then he presented his exquisite RTP in Bhairavi and treated the audience with an Ashtapati, an abhang in Marathi and the kriti `Narayana Hari' by Annamacharya. He was supported by Sriram Parasuram on the violin, Arun Prakash on the mridangam and Udupi Sridhar on the ghatam.
Clear diction
Sankari Krishnan gave a pleasing performance on the irresistible theme, `Thithikkum Tamizhisai.' Her clarity of diction was a great advantage as her songs were in a language the audience could understand. As a true disciple of Lalgudi Jayaraman, she did full justice to the raga bhava and sahitya bhava.
The rich lyrical beauty of Lalgudi Jayaraman's varnam, `Dever Munivar Thozhum Padhan' in Shanmukhapriya made an immediate impact.
She presented an assorted collection of the very old and the very new. Her alapana of Dhanyasi (`Balakrishnan Padha Malar') and Bhairavi (`Yaaro Ivar Yaro') were highly enjoyable. She did not try to dazzle during her RTP in Kalyani set to khanda jhampa tala but made her neraval and swaraprastaras lively.
H.N.Bhaskar's violin was splendid and A.S. Ranganathan on the mridangam, Tiruchi Murali on the ghatam and B.S.Purushothaman on the kanjira did a commendable job.
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