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Music Season
KARTIK FINE ARTS
Begada in Maharajapuram style
V. BALASUBRAMANIAN
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A well-settled Ramachandran went into the core of the raga.
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Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam
Maharajapuram Ramachandran
A Muthiah Bhagavatar varnam (‘Sri Raja Mathangi,’ Suddha Dhanyasi-Adi) varnam marked the commencement of Maharajapuram S. Ramachandran’s concert with a short spell of kalapanaswaram in the end. Swamy Dayananda Saraswathi’s ‘Bhaje Vigna Rajam Vinayagam’ (Hamsadhwani-Adi ) was the next, the kalpanaswaras for which were on expected lines. It was raining swaras again for Syama Sastri’s ‘Pahimam Raja Rajeswari’ (Nattai-Rupakam). M.A.Krishnaswamy on the violin responded well.
The first alapana for the evening was Begada. Well-settled by now, Ramachandran went into its nucleus to make it a veritable fare laced with brigas, typical of his father’s style. Krishnaswamy fielded them adroitly. ‘Bhuvaneswari Padam Ninaindu’ (Papanasam Sivan-Rupakam) was enjoyable.
In the following kriti, ‘Vinayakunivalanu Brovave’ (Madhyamavathi-Adi), sung by Tyagaraja when he visited the Kamakshi Amman Temple at Kanchipuram, Ramachandran took up the niraval of the anupallavi, ‘Anadha Rakshakhi Sri Kamakshi’ followed by an extensive swaraprastharam. The exchanges between Ramachandran and Krishnaswamy made it absorbing.
Nagagandhari (Nagagandhari-Dikshatar-Adi) was an emotional rendering. The pradhi madhyama raga Varali was well executed. ‘Kamakshi Bangaru Nannu Brovave’ (Syama Sastri-Misra Chapu) was sung at a pace befitting the kriti and laced with swaraprastaram.
A Tamil viruttam in Hamir Kalyani, Suryakantham, Madhuvanti and Brindavani was followed by Veeramani’s ‘Indha Velaiyum’ in Brindavani. The concert wound up with the ever popular ‘Bho Sambho.’ Manoj Siva (mridangam) was the lone ranger without any upapakkavadyam. Yet he did a splendid job throughout without sounding monotonous.
Adherence to tradition is his philosophy. No gimmicks. No fireworks. Presenting concerts in time tested fashion, irrespective of distractions, O.S.Thiagarajan has carved a niche for himself in the classical music circuit. Tyagaraja’s beauty ‘Enduku Nirdaya Evarunnara’ (Harikhambodi-Adi) was executed diligently with all the five ‘one-line’ charanams followed by a swaraprastharam which was a pure extract of the raga. Karaikkudi R. Mani (mridangam) in the company of V. Suresh (ghatam) embellished the song with interesting laya patterns.
‘Ninne Nera Namminanura’ (Pantuvarali-Rupakam-Tyagaraja) was at a brisk pace with niraval at Veda Sastra Purana. The thritheeya kala kalpanaswaras were appropriate. Hindolam that preceded ‘Sama Gana Lolane’ (Adi) was a sumptuous fare at a leisurely pace. The chittaswaram composed by TMT for this piece, a beauty. A breezy ‘Kamalaptakula’ (Brindavanasaranga-Tyagaraja-Adi) preceded the evening’s special. OST’s exhibition of the grandeur of Sankarabharanam showed his marga. The sancharas in the thara stayi built around the gandharam were spell binding. T.K.V.Ramanujacharyalu (violin) who followed OST like his shadow, gave a spirited display. ‘Eduta Nilachithe’ (Tyagaraja-Adi) had him sing kalpanaswaras of a high order. Dexterous Karaikkudi R. Mani designed interesting patterns in Mel Kala Chathusram during the thani. A vigorous pursuit indeed. Suresh was a good foil. ‘Rangan Srirangan’ (Khambodi- Mishram- Surajananda) was a surprise yet enjoyable. Beginning with the anupallavi of ‘Nadupai Palikeru Narulu’ (Madyamavathi-Tyagaraja-Kandam) OST concluded his concert. The fourth charanam ‘Ajanubahuyuga Sri Janakipathi’ was emotional in content and presentation.
It was even more touching to see Karaikkudi Mani move away with support from his disciples after the concert. He was writhing in pain due to a fracture suffered some time ago in the leg that is yet to heal. That he never showed any signs of discomfort during the concert went to prove his grit and dedication.
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