JOIN USYoga Advaith Veturi sang in the “Arohana” series of the Ananya on the basis of the waves he has made in Chennai and Bengaluru as a worthy student of Neyveli Santanagopalan, a senior musician.
He has already won prizes from the prestigious sabhas like Music Academy and Bangalore Gayana Samaja. A resident of Malaysia Yoga Advaith vindicated this reputation through his choice and presentation of ragas and compositions.Opening with a familiar varna “Intachala”, he jumped into “Pancha Matanga” and “Telisi Rama” in slightly “Drutha kaala”. After a brief alapana of Pantuvarali he selected “Sundaratara Deham” – a beautiful keertana.
He sang the composition neatly with nerval (Ragadi Samharam Raghavamudram) and Swaraprasthara. He appeared to find his moorings, particularly in the elaboration of “Karthikeya Gangeya” with ‘nerval’ and swara. His voice and pronunciations are good and will be able to invest his music with the required weight and authority with some more higher training and stage experience.
The concluding devotionals – Kamala Nayana Vasudeva” and “Chandrachuda Shiva Sankara” – were also pleasing. Two seasoned instrumentalists – Dr Vittalarangan and
B S Prashanth – suited their play suitably to make it a successful concert.
Melodious movements
Priya Raman, gave a Bharathanatya recital last week, under the banner of Ananya and Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academi. She is a disciple of Shubha Dhananjaya of Natyantharanga and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Hyderabad and is going to join University of Texas shortly for her PhD.
It was not just another Bharathanatya, but an exclusive dance recital of a great Kannada poet. Dr P T Narasimhachar, “Pu Thi Na” as he is well known, is a stalwart known for his lyrics and operas. In fact, he himself has tuned some of his lyrics and his lyrics are very much musical. Also, Dr V Doreswamy Iyengar has composed music for many of them.
Priya had chosen only five lyrics of Pu Thin Na’s and it was a brief recital. Far away from the mythological themes and stories and away from the routine compositions, it was fresh air and an earthy smell taking over.
After the invocatory piece (Ganesha Pancharatna in Ragamalike, - Ek Thala and Tisra Gati) she chose “Echrecharu Maara” (raga Bhouli) in which fully blossomed flowers, rangoli, birds and animals filling human life – are narrated and the poet’s elaboration comes out moving and meandering.
The next item “Aashishangala Taleve” was from “Sri Rama Pattabhisheka,” in which Rama addresses the citizens after the coronation. The Nritta portions depicted some sequences of the Ramayana. In the “Kolalanudu Govinda” (from the “Gokula Nirgamana”) – conversation between ‘Kubje’ and Krishna is quiet interesting.
In the concluding “Toogiri Raghuramana” (Raga Kaapi) poet compares Sita and Rama to Lakshmi Narayana.
Priya’s effort is commendable and has mastered a diction, which is at once subtle and evocative, and a good stage presence and melodious movements gave a good account of her grounding and talent.
Shatha Prasad’s vocal and Renuka Prasad’s Natuvanga (recorded) – were complimentary to the dance.