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Shower of ragas
JAYA NARAYANAN PISHAROTY
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Navaratri festival at Karthyayini Temple, Pazhaya Nadakkavu, provided a musical banquet for rasikas in Thrissur.
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Spiritual offering: V.R. Dileep Kumar
Music and dance are also forms of worship. Nowhere is this felt more deeply than during the Navaratri festival. In Pazhaya Nadakkavu, Thrissur, Karthyayini Temple conducts a Navaratri music festival that is unique in many ways. The Agraharam in
Pazhaya Nadakkavu has witnessed sterling musical performances in the past by greats like Chembai, Mundayi Bhagavathar and Semmangudi. Today, it is probably the only festival in Thrissur that exclusively features Carnatic vocalists on all the nine days.
The festival was begun by T. Madhava Pisharody, T. A. R. Chandran and Arun Kumar Pallath in 1988. What is it that makes this festival so special? First, it is the ambience: the Navaratri Mandapam is very close to the sanctum sanctorum in this tiny temple. After the evening pooja, the lamps are lit on the outer wall and the performance begins.
The other outstanding feature is the audience. Their deep love and knowledge of Carnatic music is the common factor. The audience keeps perfect thalam, hardly moves except for an appreciative nod of the head and does not leave until the main raga of the evening has been sung.
This year’s festival began on October 12 with a concert by Balamani Eshwar of AIR, Madurai. True to tradition, her main raga on the first day of Navaratri was Sankarabharanam.
T.M. Krishna’s effervescent performance on the second day began with a varnam (‘Ninnukori’) in Mohanam. Ragam Thanam Pallavi in Kamboji was a delight. The highlight of his concert was ‘Janani Ninnu Vina’ in Reethigowla. This incredibly talented singer explored the full range of the raga.
Sreekrishna Mohan and Ramkumar Mohan
T.H. Subramaniam on the violin brilliantly accompanied the vocalist. Changanassery Hari Kumar on the mridangam and Udupi Sridhar on the ghatom presented a spirited thaniavartanam.
The Thrissur Brothers, Sreekrishna Mohan and Ramkumar Mohan, are promising singers on the Chennai musical circuit. With their perfect synchronisation and pleasing demeanour, these youngsters stole hearts. They presented Amrita Varshini and Madhyamavati.
Impressive rendition
On the fourth day, Sreevalsan J. Menon gave an impressive rendition of Anandabhairavi and Sankarabharanam. ‘Pahi Jaga Janani’ in Vachaspati was the main composition sung by Nedunkunnam Vasudevan on the fifth day.
Suma Pisharody’s ‘Janani Mamava’ in Bhairavi and Muraleedharan Unni’s ‘Swathi Krithi’ in Saveri were well received.
Sreevalsan J. Menon.
V.R. Dileep Kumar is a gifted vocalist who has been performing in this festival for the last 20 years. His concert on the penultimate day began with a Varnam in Sahana. The Swarajathi ‘Ambakamakshi’ in Bhairavi was soaked in spiritual fervour. Ragam Thanam Pallavi in Shanmukhapriya was splendid as Dileep presented the nuances of the higher notes of this raga with great precision and control.
On the ninth day, Trichy Ganeshan presented his exposition of Anandabhairavi and Athana with masterly touches. The major raga of this final day, Shubha Panthuvarali, flowed effortlessly.
Against the backdrop of evening thundershowers and dazzling displays of lightning, this Navaratri Mandapam provided nine musical evenings to the music lovers of Thrissur.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
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