The romance of padam-javali
PRADEEP CHAKRAVARTHY
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While the singing was moving, the abhinaya disappointed.
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TOUCH OF BHAVA: Nirmala Ramachandran. Photo: R. Shivaji Rao.
Nirmala Ramachandran's presentation at the Nungambakkam Cultural Academy was devoted to padams and javalis. She promised to show the appropriate abhinaya as she sang in addition to setting the context for each song. A Bharatanatyam exponent and music graduate who learnt from Jayammal, Nirmala promised much for a padam-javali fanatic like me.
Accompanied by Raghuprasad on the mridangam, Eswar Ramakrishnan on the violin and Nalini Ramprasad who provided vocal support, Nirmala began with a Tyagaraja composition on Ganesha in Saurashtram and then a Tiruppugazh. In keeping with her dance tradition, she sang Gopalakrishna Bharathi's "Adavallan," dedicated to the Lord of Chidambaram in Devagandhari. The first padam in Tamil composed by Subbarama Iyer, ``Ethai Kandu Ichai Kondai," was beautifully sung and the meaning well explained. This was followed by one more in Tamil "Thiruvottiyur Thyagarajan" in Atana by Ghanam Krishnaier. While the explanation was quite evocative, it was the abhinaya that disappointed one. After one more Tamil Padam, she went on to a javali. Now, javalis are set to a racy pace and are known to handle less heavy themes. An old favourite — ``Nee Maatale Mayanura" — was the choice.
We know little of Muddu Natesa but his padam in Mukhari is always a showstopper and also one of the few padams in which the poet doesn't speak as the Nayika. The charanam where the poet reiterates his disappointment of a love affair gone sour is a moving one. While Nirmala did justice to the song, the abhinaya was minimal and therefore disappointing.
Kshetrayya cannot be ignored while dealing with padam and thus we heard the more risqué "Indendu Vachitivira" (Suruti) where the nayika berates the nayaka for knocking on the wrong door in moonlight.
Dharmapuri Subbarayar's javali, "Adinee Pai" brought the concert to a close, not before Nirmala sang her favourite "Varugalamo." It is difficult not to be moved by the theme and the impact lingered long after Nirmala finished.
With padams and javalis almost disappearing from the concert platform, Nirmala's efforts must be lauded. Her voice is able to bring out the spirit of yearning but her abhinaya this time round was not as powerful as in the past. Perhaps, the preamble to the songs could have been curtailed to accommodate one more javali.
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