Manodharma, dignified style captures listeners

Sowmya sang to the accompaniment of B U Ganeshprasad (violin), H S Sudhindra (mridanga) and K V Gopalakrishna (khanjira). A disciple of S Ramanathan, Sowmya has imbibed his style of singing thoroughly. The ragalapana, rendering of the Kruthi, neraval contains thick shades of Ramanathan . A brilliant manodharma unveils in a very dignified style that captures the listeners instantaneously. Sowmya exhibited her total control on everything she presented right from planning the concert to the manodharma. The alapa and swaras were adequate, at no time making it a lengthy jugalbandi.

 The concert took off with a varna ‘Eranapai’ in thodi raga, set to Adi tala. Salutations to Lord Ganapathi was in ‘Panchamatanga mukha Ganapathi’ (Malahari-Rupaka-Muthuswamy Dixitar)with a frill of lively kalpana swaras. A short alapa of Reethigowla  starting from nishada gradually included all the nuances of this Vakra raga. It lead to a nugget from the mines of Tyagaraja, ‘Ragarathnamalikache’. A neraval at “Bhagavatottamulu gudi Paade kirthanamulata” enhanced its meaning. “maayamma yani ne” (Aahiri-Adi-Shyama Shastri) brought out the bhakti bhava in every phrase.

The vilamba kala or the slow pace added to it. But it was sad that her voice was not co operating in taara shadja itself. But she ignored it and presented Harikambodhi registering its lakshana in the opening phrase itself. “Chani todi teve” another Tyagaraja composition that is rarely heard carried Ramanathan’s flavour. A swara kalpana at “Dyuti nirjita shatha shambharaarini” was adequate. Tyagaraja’s another composition in fast pace was “Shreepathe nee” in nagaswaravali that had swaras in very swift flow.

Kalyani was the main raga of the day. She pleased the rasikas with appropriate birkas, Daatu prayogas and shadja panchama varjya sangathis. The taana was very dignified despite her strained voice.

“Rajarajeshwari Tripurasundari Deenadayapari” a pallavi set to Khanda Jhampe was handled brilliantly in three speeds with a ragamalika of Behag, Kanada and Madhyamavathi , that was reciprocated by Hindustani kapi and Shubhapantuvarali by Ganesh Prasad. Ganesh’s Violin and Sudheendra’s controlled beats and Gopalakrishna’s Khanjira added colour to the concert.

Crowd puller

Abhishek Raghuram is a crowd puller with an incredible talent. Music is in his genes that is awake and alert in him every moment.

The mellifluous birkas are his strong forte added to the outpour of manodharma. Every composition, alapa, neraval and kalpana swaras are power packed and strongly inclined towards speed. The incessant succession of swaras are amazing. It is in his kalpana sangeetha that his creativity comes alive. AkkaraiSubbalakshmi (Violin), Mannargudi Eshwaran(Mridanga) and Guruprasanna(Khanjira)contributed immensely  for the success of the concert.

He pleased his fans with many popular kruthis like “Kaavaavaa kanda”(Varali-Adi-Papanasam Shivan),”Garudagamana”(Nagaswaravali-Rupaka-Patnam Subramanya Ayyar),”Sujana jeevana Rama”(Khamach-Rupaka-Tyagaraja), Manavyalakinchara”(Nalinakanthi-Adi-Tyagaraja) and others. The birka studded ragalapana, the roaring swaras , and magnificent neraval marked his singing.

The main raga of the day was todi which had the distinguished impression of a veteran. His creativity was at its best with a plethora of sangathis that intensified the musical experience. He revealed tremendous breath control in all the three octaves. Tyagaraja’s composition “Kaddanuvariki kaddu” in Adi tala was elaborately presented making the listener forget that it was in  vilambakala . Akkarai Subbalakshmi was equally good and the percussionists too were at their best.