Endowed with a voice that displays both range and depth, vocalist Sangeetha Swaminathan got into her stride in a Todi alapana. The emphasis on passages pivoting on the madhyama lent freshness to the panchama suite, by contrast. Ever-changing hues shimmered through swara bheda sancharas. In the Tyagaraja kriti ‘Chesinadella’, anupallavi sangatis built pace. While the kizhkala niraval came across as a cursory exercise, the melkala niraval cruised smoothly on the strength of supple voice and imagery. Panchama-varja endings added variety, while kanakkus lent spice to the kalapanaswaras in kizh and mel kalas.
‘Yedaiyya Gati’ (Chalanattai, Koteeswara Iyer) is a heart-warming kriti offering possibilities galore for tapping into its poignancy. It is when sangathis are crafted in empathy with the spirit of the composition, that raga bhava is best reflected. The sangathis for the sahitya at ‘Umapathy’ (anupallavi) and ‘Kaattaadhu’ (charanam) were at odds with the mood of the composition.
Set in raga Lathangi, the elaborate RTP exposition had many high points. Voice soared and dipped in graceful glides through octaves. In the alapana, shadja-varja sancharas added aesthetic accents, particularly at the nishada sojourn. A vivacious tanam braided gleaming strands of permutation-combinations. Sangeetha met the challenge of the pallavi ‘Sripathe Yadukulapathe’ , effortlessly negotiating the rhythmic structure which combined tisra, chatusra and misra gatis with elan. Equally poised was the anuloma-viloma which wove through alternating strings of ragamalika swaras. A pallavi that called for considerable ground work, it showcased the artist’s precision skills impressively.
Classic pidis and an unhurried exploration helped violinist B. Vittala Rangan to paint a lucid Todi raga portrait. Sensitive to Sangeetha’s imagery, the artist proved his mettle by scripting a Lathangi exposition free of clichés and by his spot-on responses in the RTP.
Akshay Anantapadmanabhan (mridangam) and Madipakkam A. Gopalakrishnan (kanjira) displayed keen anticipation and rustled up an animated exchange during the tani avartanam.
The style in which an artist expresses himself/herself is an intensely personal choice. However, when there is a divergence between the style chosen and an artist’s natural instincts, an anomaly emerges. Here, it manifested as an undertone of restlessness, a lack of serenity. While in-dwelling karvais in alapana would offer a solution in part, the answer may lie at a deeper level. Currently in a space where she will have to tip the scales in favour of an in-depth, bhava-oriented approach if she wishes to rise above superficial gloss, Sangeetha should go for it, following her instincts. By exploring and playing to her unique strengths, the artist can assuredly maximise her potential.
Reviews by Lalithaa Krishnan
