The eight-day Sivaratri celebrations at Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur, showcased classical performances by both professional and up-and-coming artistes.
A vocal concert by Ranjini-Gayatri, the only concert in the whole festival, was scintillating. ‘Paramananda natana’, Swati’s composition in Kedaram, Adi, was noteworthy for the exquisite niraval at ‘Paramananda’, which they took turns to present. The swaras appeared as a dialogue between the two. Nagagandhari is a raga rarely heard these days and the sisters took up ‘Sarasijanabha sodaree’, Dikshitar’s composition in Roopakam. The prolonged ‘sodaree’ in the repeated pallavi was embellished with improvisations by Gayatri.
A vocal concert by Ranjini-Gayatri was the only music recital in a fête held in connection with Sivarathri celebrations at Sree Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur
Ranjini’s resonant voice came to the fore as she switched over to an alapana of Panthuvarali in the Tyagaraja composition ‘Siva Siva Siva yanarada’ in Roopakam. Niraval at ‘Aagamamoola’ was elaborate and prolonged. While Gayatri often scaled the thara sthayi, Ranjini preferred to be in the Madhya sthayi.
Muthiah Bhagavathar’s ‘Saravanabhava’, a Devi sthothram in fast tempo, was a contrast to the previous one. The raga of the kriti was the rare Pasupathipriya, a Harikamboji janya.
There was hardly a phrase that was not improvised in the essaying of Mohanam by Gayatri. And so was its rendition, the composition being ‘Kapalee’ of Papanasam Sivan in Adi. Right from the sangatis up to the niraval, they chose to sing in unison. Commendable was violin support by Vittal Rangan whose fidelity in reproducing the nuances of the raga won applause from the audience. Percussion support by Sai Giridhar on the mridangam and Udupi S Srikanth on the ganjira was laudable.
The sister-musicians ushered in a mood of devotion as a sloka excerpted from Sivapuranam was prefixed to ‘Eppo varumaro’, Gopalakrishna Bharatiyar’s composition in Jonpuri. Composers of many Abhangs, they also rendered a Marathi piece in Maruva Behag.
Kuchipudi and its theatrical elements of the past received a vivid presentation in a two-hour-and–a-half recital by Vasantha Kiran and his disciples - Aswini Nambiar, Rachana Narayanankutty and Sonu Satheeshkumar.
A traditional invocation was followed by Kuchipudi Salam that encapsulated technical features of the dance form. A tribute to pioneers of Kuchipudi, including Narayanatheertha and even Abul Hassan Tanisha, the king who gifted the village of Kuchipudi to practitioners of the dance form, and ‘Bhama praveshika’ in ‘Bhamakalapam’ by Rachana were the highlights. Kanaka Dasa’s ‘Baro Krishnayya’ was essentially an abhinaya-oriented piece depicting pranks of Lord Krishna as a child.
Tharangam by the trio was noted for rhythmic intricacies that were executed with absolute precision. Aswini won the hearts of the audience through her portrayal of Sati in ‘Dakshayagam’ in the dramatic style with dialogues. It turned highly theatrical with the advent of Siva and the beheading of Daksha by Veerabhadra. However, delineation of Navarasas by Siva enacted by Vasanth could have been avoided to focus on the bhava of roudra alone. Kathanakuthoohalam thillana was a tribute to its composer, the late Balamuralikrishna. The recital concluded with a special number depicting the origin of Kerala and the greatness of Vadakkunnathan.
The only Kathakali in the festival Sita Swayamvaram attracted a huge crowd. The play authored by Kottarakkara Thampuran highlights Parasurama in all his fury. On the way back to Ayodhya, after the Swayamvaram, the royal entourage is waylaid by Parasurama, who is incensed over Rama’s breaking of Siva’s bow to marry Sita.
Kalamandalam Balasubramanian (Parasurama) appeared at his best in the encounter with Rama. Aggressive and arrogant, he tries to humiliate Rama while delineating the verses beginning from ‘Aareda nadannidunnu, Ramanaada mooddha’. Packed with manodharma, he narrates his exploits in the past including killing of 21 Kshatriya clans and even beheading of his mother as demanded by his father. Finally, he realises the person he was ridiculing was none other than Lord Vishnu’s incarnation. The play was staged by Thrissur Kathakali Club.
Swathy Narayanan’s Kuchipudi recital in a fete held in connection with Sivarathri celebrations at Sree Vadakkunnathan temple, Thrissur
A solo Kuchipudi recital was performed by Swathy Narayanan. Opening with four slokas excerpted from Patanjali’s Chidambara Sthavam, the invocation to Siva in Amruthavarshani was graceful for the nritta sequences. The Siva Tharangam, the only one on Siva by Narayanatheertha, brought forth her terpsichorean ingenuity as also chiselled poses.
Purandaradasa’s ‘Kandene Govinda’ was a portrayal of Vishnu. Composed in Chandrakauns, Swathy elaborated it with sancharis involving Draupathy Vastraharana, Krishna as seen by Arjuna in the battlefield, Vishnu in Narasimha avathara and Krishna who appeared to the composer while scripting the poem. ‘Sankara sreegiri nathaprabhu’ in Hamsanandi was tagged to the thillana to conclude the recital.
