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In Nirody, the listeners beheld a confluence of refined scholarship, versatile artistry and consummate competence. A serene melodic aroma, at once transported the audience to a state of subliminal ecstasy.

The septuagenarian has an emphatically grand resonant voice. The gamut spans over the required three octaves with considerable ease. Of the vocal registers, the urahsthana invokes majesty, the kantasthana expresses sentiments and the shirasthana evokes emotions.

For this concert, the learned artiste selected such ragas, which corresponded closely with those of Carnatic music. This facilitated a hearty appreciation by both the fraternities.

Consider the khyal “Abto Sunle Papiha” (Sadarang- Bheempalasi, similar to Abheri) to measure the extent of his imaginative interpretation of the ragas on hand, lyrics in progress and the quintessence of musical form — the ultimate goal.

The overall narrative approach reflected Agra Gharana to which he belonged. Yet, his vast exposure and experience imparted to his renditions fine passing shades (not a mixture) of other styles too.

To begin with, an authoritative introductory air (auchar) preceded a broader framework of the raga (chalan), methodically spreading over the range between madhya gandhara and mandra gandhara in a measured progression.

The importance given to each note, the depth of meends or the andolans and the amplitude of the akaras, together with the virility of his voice, collectively pointed at Dhrupad style of singing — a precursor to Agra Gharana.

Later, while he was enriching the badhat with taans (now, nom-tom alaap) of varied forms, he was in his full imaginative bloom, and the vistar went on unhindered to the immense joy of the audience.

The cheez that followed gave another pleasant feel: a picture which was hitherto carrying raag-oriented abstract mood (relatively), transformed smoothly into a bandhish-oriented concrete experience. A clear diction with appropriate phonetic stresses contributed to a meaningful comprehension of the lyrics.

Any embellishment he spontaneously brought forth – bol alaps, bol upajs, sargams, sargam taans and the like, aggrandised the over-all mood, simultaneously taking the audience to greater heights. The heavy taans and meends resembled the patterns of jod played in plucking string instruments.

Thus in this state of trance the listeners received compositions of wisdom and noble thoughts. Profoundly involved, the wise artiste sang — ‘Can there be any sage discourse on truth sans the wise’ in “Oh Gunijan!” (Gunidas - Marva). Further, in another of the same profundity, “Sunre Man Murakh” (Malkauns), the truth rings thus - ‘Oh Ignorant! Realize, the last journey is tread alone’.

Other inclusions were “Jnanavemba Deepa Hacchi” (Bageshri) “Ullavaru Shivalayava Maduvaru”, “Tharana” (Sohini) and so on. The dedicated accompanists rendered their genuine and affectionate support in catering to all the needs of the serious listeners.

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