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Aesthetically relishing
ONE OF the most ancient Indian instruments, veena has had a divine aura attached to it. Its deep resonant tone is most suitably used in bhakti oriented Carnatic music. Its inflexibility and inadequacies set apart, veena and vainikas have occupied a reverent place in Carnatic music.
Jayalakshmi Sekhar, a disciple of Sripada Pinakapani, follows the gayaki style of the Dhanammal School. Felicity in fingering technique that comes effortlessly in her veena playing sets it a class apart. Her concert held under the auspices of Sree Poornathrayeesa Sangeeta Sabha was indeed a relishing experience.
The concert, which started with Begada varnam in Adi talam, went on to the famous Papanasam Ganesa sthuthi in Reethigowla `Tatvamariya tharama,' which sees the Mooladhara Ganapati as the protector of earthly beings, rather than as the remover of obstacles as he is often praised.
The Swati Tirunal composition `Deva deva kalayamithe... ' in Mayamalavagowla followed. Jayalakshmi unfolded the essence of the raga in the very first phrase defying any ambiguity. The brief raga alapana brought out the weighty appeal of the raga. The swaras were performed to two speeds.
Dhanammal gave her concerts with no percussion accompaniment. Most vainikas somehow have abstained from using the violin for their concerts. Hence, filling the gaps between two manodharma swaras and two eduppus become challenging. Even though `Ksheerasagara shayana... ' in Devagandhari was played with feel. Most of the pieces, including this one, were rendered in a racy pace. The delineation of Hindolam began with a sweeping phrase in the upper octave. After which the artiste climbed down and proceeded systematically. This added to a dramatic effect and the raga flamed in all its myriad colours. `Manasuloni... ' the Tyagaraja krithi was chosen to popular appeal. `Amma ravamma... ,' a brisk khanda chappu krithi in Kalyani was played and contrastingly came the Anandabhairavi krithi `Marivere... ' The long swara essays, with pauses on 'ga' were rendered with flourish.
Uniform modulations, was a characteristic feature of the artiste's playing and this showed magnificently in the alapana of Mohanam, rarely chosen nowadays for the main rendition.
The taanam started in a contemplative mood flowered in all vibrancy as it went ahead. The neraval was particularly noteworthy with the phrase running through a number of ideas at the two ends of the sthayi.
Kottayam Santhosh Kumar on the mridangam and Kottayam Unnikrishnan on the ghatam had immense to offer in the thani, with numerous rhythmic permutations to dazzle.
`Karunai deivame... ' in Sindhubhairavi and the Lalgudi thillana in Desh marked the finale.
A discerning audience, including musicologists and veena professors were marvelled by the magnificent dexterity in veena playing and commented that the artiste surely promised to go a long way.
HAREESH BAL
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