Suri Babu and Sriram Prasad were a picture of dignity while presenting their musical impulses on the opening day of the Gokulashtami-Navarathri music festival organised by Sree Ayyappan Puja Sangham at Ram Nagar, Coimbatore.
Their vocal range and ability to negotiate the sthayis from the base to the crescendo was a moment to cherish for the rasikas. After an impressive opening of ‘Jalajakshi’ Varnam in two speeds, the raga portraits of Devagandhari by Suri Babu for the kriti, ‘Sri Kamakshi’ and Anandabhairavi by Sreeram Prasad for the kriti, ‘Thyagarajayoga vaibhavam’ mapped with time-honoured pidis showed their best kutcheri paddhati. The duo ensured that the raga lakshana was in tune with the swara korvais. Ajith’s (violin) raga versions and swara sallies exuded charm. Ravishankar (mridangam) and Srijith (ghatam) showcased their laya expertise.
Ramakrishnan Murthy at theGokulashtami festival held at Sree Ayyappan Puja Sangham, coimbatore
Never was there a dull moment in the music session of Ramakrishnan Murthy , who explored new vistas of creativity in his musical agenda. ‘Sadinchane’ (Arabhi) paved the way for an unhurried version of ‘Ninnuvinamadhigalada.’ Thodi raga sketch for ‘Gaddanuvariki’ structured with different octaves was enjoyable. The RTP in Bilahari, the pallavi being ‘Paramananda mukunda,’ was an infusion of strong pidis lending solidity to the raga. Sreeramkumar (violin) gave able support in raga alapanas and swara bouts with the vocalist. It was an energetic and vibrant play by Bharadwaj (mridangam) and Purushothaman (ghatam).
Gayathri Venkataraghavan portrayed with ease the inherent beauty of Subhapantuvarali for the kriti ‘Sree Sathyanarayanam bhaje’ and Sankarabharanam for ‘Swararagasudha’ to bring out the spirit of the sahityas. The RTP in Hindolam ‘Deva Devam’ in khanda triputa traversed through the octaves with plain karvais in the shadjam and bhava-rich pidis. ‘Sriman Narayana’ in Bowli was soulful. Srikanth (violin) alapanas and swara sallies were aesthetic. Sivaraman (mridangam) and Sri Ganesh (ganjira) embellished the compositions and swaras with a touch of exuberance.
Pantula Rama ’s was a wholesome fare devoid of frills. Her opening ‘Gum Ganapathe’ and Ahiri alapana for the kriti, ‘Mayamma’ were solemn presentations. Her raga vinyasam of Navarasakannada for the kriti, ‘Ninnuvina namadendu’ was a busy fretwork and full of movement. Her RTP in Surutti carried the stamp of tradition with eloquent karvais and akaras and finally rounding off without any hyperboles. The pallavi ‘Paramamrutha ganamudhe vathaathmajudu sangita’ followed a systematic approach sans superfluities. MSN Murthy’s (violin) alapanas and swara sallies were a combination of sensitivity and style. Ravi (mridangam) and Srikanth (ganjira) served their roles with complete competency.
Deeply rooted in classical vocabulary Santanagopalan ’s session was quite attractive. Conveying the depth of Carnatic music through passionate articulation formed the core of his concert. Flagging off with ‘Evaribodha’ in Abhogi, the following ‘Kanchadalayadakshi’ in Kamalamanohari was winsome. ‘Entharo mahanubhavulu’ of Tyagaraja had an emotional appeal. His Kharaharapriya alapana with meaningful crooning and staccato phrases built up its edifice for the kriti, ‘Dayavillaya dayalo.’ A drupad tillana in Tillang closed his agenda. Raghul’s (violin) dulcet notes were classic and refined. Nanjil Arul (mridangam) and Krishnakumar (ghatam) gave able support and the thani had sollus of infinite variety drawn with discretion.
The flute recital of Vijayagopal was an amalgam of competence and mellifluous playing. Packed with ragas, every number was rendered with impeccable finish. His Navaragamalika Varnam was followed by ‘Gajavadana karuna sadana’ with swaras. The alapanas of Saveri (‘Sankarisamkuru’) and Ritigowla (‘Janani ninnuvina’) were marked by innovative streaks. The focus of the RTP in Dharmavathi, the pallavi being ‘Devi neeye arul purivaye’ was on melodic essence savouring long karvais. Venkatesh (mridangam) and Krishnasamy (ghatam) revelled in the racy tenor of the recital. Vasant’s (violin) rendition was melodic.
On the final day Mahesh Vinayakaram accompanied by Raghavendra Rao (violin), Ramakrishnan (mridangam) and Guruprasad (ghatam) offered a sumptuous treat. His agenda included ‘Saraseeruhasanapriye’(Nattai), ‘Gopalaka pahimam,’ and ‘Angarakamasrayamyaham.’ The violinist gave deft touches to the raga vinyasams and alapanas. Mridangam and ghatam added to the vibrant quotient.
The sessions featured by Manoranjitham had young artistes who displayed their perseverance and commitment to music.
The young brigade displaying their mettle at Gokulashtami festival held at Ayyappa Puja Sangham, Coimbatore
Shravya Lakshmi and Master Hari Adarsh displayed their skill in choice numbers well-aligned to sruthi. Aparna Gopalakrishnan (disciple of Suguna Varadachari) structured her Sankarabharanam exploration with commendable assurance reflective of her tutelage.
Aiswarya Mohan (disciple of Ranjani-Gayathri) proved her mettle in the mapping of the raga and deeper understanding of the musical values.
It was a feast of nada and laya in the well-synchronised recital of Ajeesh-Aneesh in their raga vinyasams of Ritigowla and Khambodi. Their musical sensibilities tuned to the same wavelength and an eloquent vocabulary representing untiring sadhakam marked their recital.
