Aesthetic Kharapriya
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The raga unfolded with all its charm. G. SWAMINATHAN
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Photo: S.S. Kumar
Ideal voice: P. Prarthana Rao.
Rarely does a concert begin with a Pancharatna kriti. Prarthana Rao started her recital for Thyagaraja Seva Samithi in Obul Reddy Hall, Vanimahal, with the Gowla Pancharatnam ‘Dudugu gala,’ where Tyagaraja repents for the innumerable misd
eeds he had done. The audio system that played truant caused a break as the artists stopped for the system to gain some balance.
But the intrusion did not prevent Prarthana, endowed with a voice ideal for Carnatic music — neither too high pitched nor too low — from presenting a good fare.
Scheduled on Bagula Panchami day, the programme was in fact all-Tyagaraja. A quick round of swaras in Kannda for ‘Ide bhagyamu’ preceded the fully energetic ‘Sobillu sapthaswara’ (Jaganmohini.) In fact,
Prarthana essayed three ragas that evening — Begada (‘Nee pada pankaja’), Pantuvarali (‘Raghuvara nannu’) and Kharaharapriya (‘Rama nee samana mevaru’). Perhaps Prarthana saved her creativity and energy for the main Kharaharapriya. Begada and Pantuvarali, therefore were a little terse and sketchy.
Kharaharapriya was aesthetically structured with grammatical accuracy. Prarthana’s choice of long and short phrases coalesced well with the musical charm of the raga.
Rendered with care
The composition was also rendered with care and her selectively poised niraval and kalpanaswaras at ‘Paluku paluku’ highlighted the raga’s beauty. Rao’s swara sections were parsimonious; however, here she was quite indulgent and centred her various permutations landing on ‘panchamam.’
The fast paced ‘Sarasa sama dana’ (Kapinarayani) and ‘Vara ragalaya’ (Chenjukhambodi) sandwiched the slow and sober ‘Entaninne’ in Mukhari. Prarthana Rao’s musical equipment needs to be honed with special attention in the area of internalised articulation. Still, one could feel the emotions surging through ‘Entaninne’ and ‘Rama nee samana’.
Usha Rajagopalan on the violin escorted the young singer with extra care in the raga expositions and her swaraprastharas with Thanajavur Kumar’s rhythmic contribution blended well with the overall picture.
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