Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Lyrical homage: Thrissur V. Ramachandran,

Tyagaraja exhorts all to pay homage to the Goddesses dwelling in the ‘saptha-swaras’ through ‘Sobhillu Sapthaswara’ in raga Jaganmohini. A young man from Thrissur did that when he relinquished his stethoscope half-way through his medical studies to join the fold of G.N. Balasubrahmaniam. That is Thrissur V. Ramachandran.

Sukanya Jayaram

It is seldom that a disciple of a particular guru happens to possess the same metallic ring and pliable throat to produce the same attractive types of bhrigas.

Ramachandran’s concert, held in connection with the recent festival of the Siva temple in Ernakulam, had many popular ragas and kritis to suit the listeners assembled there. He began with an Ata thala varnam in Kambhoji, ‘Sarasijanaabha,’ before rendering ‘Vataapi.’

‘Swaminataha Pripalayaashumam’ in Natta was briskly rendered. Panthuvarali was embellished by a few swift passages and the Chittaswara phase in ‘Sambho Mahadeva’ (Kovoor pancharathnam by Tyagaraja) served in cementing the concert. ‘Entharo Mahanubhavulu’ was followed by a rarely sung Dikshitar composition ‘Chandrasekharam’ in Margahindolam.

After ‘Paripalayamam’ in Reethigowla, the vocalist regaled the audience with a delineation of Kalyani. Thaanam was followed by a Pallavi in ragamalika pattern, comprising Sahana, Behaag and Revathi.

The striking feature of the Parur style in violin, initiated by Sundaram Iyer, is that it is underlined by a thin stream of Hindustani touches that do not undermine the Carantic texture. M.A. Sundreshan, who follows the Parur style, played the violin in his individualistic style but was tuned to the vocalist.

The flair with which Pathri Satishkumar played the mridangam was reminiscent of the young days of Karaikudi Mani. Both of them have something unusual but interesting in their art of ‘Kanakku.’ E.M. Subrahmaniam, who was making an appearance in Kochi after a long interval, made his presence felt on the ghatam.

It is not an easy task for a woman vocalist to follow up a concert by a towering musician like Thrissur Ramachandran. That too immediately after the crescendo built up by Peruvanam Kuttan Marar and his team, during Nadapuura-kalasham, nearby.

Sukanya Jayaram, daughter and disciple of D.K.Jayaraman, supported by Saradamony, the senior-most disciple of DKJ, sang on the fifth day. The duo began with ‘Sharanaa Gathim’ in Gowla, composed by Gopalakrishna Bharathi.

Sarada then came up with a sketch of Abhogi and followed it up with a Papanasam Sivam composition ‘Sree Mahaganapathe,’ set to Khandachappu.

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan.

Then Sukanya rendered a Dikshitar composition in Hemavathy, ‘Haimavathim hariyuvatheem,’ set to Roopaka tala.

‘Mahadeva Siva Sambho,’ a kriti by Thanjavur Sankara Iyer, was in consonance with the ambience prevailing in the temple. Full credit should be given to Thodupuzha Manoj on the violin. Kumarakam Anish on the mridangam and Thripunithura Gopalakrishnan on the ghanjira efficiently managed the rhythm.

Wherever Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan draws his bow across the violin strings, he is a big ‘draw’ with the listeners there. The northern quadrangle of the Siva temple has not witnessed such a mammoth crowd in recent times.

Kunnakudi began with ‘Vathapi.’ Then came Panthuvarali, with ‘Saarasaksha.’ He then played Tyagaraja’s ‘Siva Siva Siva Yanaraadaa,’ to emphasise the subtle shades in Kaamavardhini that differentiates it from Panthuvarali. Vaachaspathi was crisp with ‘Paraatpara,’ composed by Papanasam Sivan. Hindolam and ‘Saamajavaragamana’ heralded the arrival of Mohanam.

The ensuing ‘Sivanaamam’ was decked by a swaramalika of Maandu, Shanmukhapriya and Sivaranjini along with snatches from film songs, including Suprabhataham. The ‘sawal-jawab’ session with the percussionists was rewarded by enthusiastic applause.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail