It looked more a like a get-together of family and friends and it was, indeed, with everyone greeting everyone else. Almost all the family members of Dr. S. Ramanathan were present. The first part of the programme at Raga Sudha Hall featured a lec-dem by HMV Raghu, who presented the significant facets of the great musician, musicologist and teacher. Ramanathan, who had chosen music as his profession because of his passion, had seen many milestones in his illustrious career. Through video and audio clippings, Raghu showed the elan with which Dr. Ramanathan donned all those hats.
This was followed by the veena recital of Dr. Ramanathan’s multifaceted daughter Geetha Bennett. Vibrancy is Geetha’s hallmark and she stuck to the script on Sunday at Raga Sudha Hall.
A part of the centenary celebrations of her illustrious father and guru, Geetha, who has come from the U.S. for this purpose, chose kritis and ragas which were either his creations or favourites. Singing snatches along with the strings gave a speical touch.
The opening piece was a varnam, composed by the maestro in Chenchurutti. The unique beauty of the raga revealed itself in the mukthayi and chittaiswaras. And it was pleasant experience to listen to a raga that is usually consigned to the tail-end.
Lively Chittaiswaram
Dikshitar’s Kamalamba Navavaranam in Sri was followed by Megaranjani, a creation of Dr Ramanathan. His composition ‘Nin Malaradi’ came with a lively chittaiswaram, Geetha further dressed up the kriti with kalpanaswaras.
Behag in Geetha’s alapana unravelled many alluring phrases exclusive to the raga, thus creating an impressive prelude to Swati Tirunal’s composition ‘Smara janaka subha.’
Charukesi is a raga associated more with the heart than with the head. Contemplation and melancholy are inherent in its structure and on the veena, the prayogas became more poignant. Geetha projected Charukesi with all its beauty and solemnity. The tanam was embellished with a ragamalika, including Arabhi, Kapi and Japani. The last one, which resembled Sivaranjani was Dr. Ramanathan’s creation, informed Geetha. Tyagaraja’s ‘Adamodi galada’ was her choice; the intense swara section showed her ability to integrate melody with speed but not compromising on its majesty. Bala Sankar on the mridagam and A.S. Shankar on morsing strengthened Geetha Bennett’s presentations and also unleashed a power-packed thani.
Bennett’s concluding segment had a vintage thillana in raga Purvi by Thirukkokarnam Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar and a Kavadichindu by Bharatiar. On the whole, a worthy tribute to her legendary father, which will remain in the memory of the family and others for a long time to come.
Geetha Bennett talks about the special bond with her father
Those who know Geetha Bennett will endorse my view that conversing with her is always a pleasant experience. She is a good listener and whatever she says adds value to the conversation. Excerpts from a brief conversation .
Dr. Ramanathan’s special attachment to the veena:
In his lec-dem, HMV Raghu presented Dr. Ramanathnan’s demonstration of 22 srutis by singing them at a stretch picking the notes from a host of kritis and through swaras. Geetha said that her father attributed this ability to his exposure to veena music, which helped one to hear, understand and reproduce those notes with great precision. He felt that all vocalists should learn veena to make their music superior.
On her story writing skills:
When her father once went to Kochi for a concert, some rasikas came to him after the concert and asked, ‘Are you the father of story writer Geetha Bennett?’ and congratulated him since they were her fans. On his return, he said in a lighter vein — ‘I sang for hours; they didn’t say anything about it but complimented me for being Geetha’s father.’ While on a concert tour of China, he wanted to write a short story, but couldn’t write even a single sentence and complemented Geetha.
The best compliment from father:
Once Geetha played Saveri in a concert and to her mother, Ramanathan compared it to that of Sabesa Iyer, who was known for his Saveri raga expositions. On another occasion, to the question, ‘Are you teaching her veena?” he replied: “No. She learns on her own.” He was implying that he was proud of her.
A lesson that everyone should learn from him:
Says Geetha: “Appa never liked small talk. Politely, he would say, ‘Bring the sruti box. Let’s start the lessons,’ to show that he was not interested in gossip. He never approved of the word ‘bore.’ ‘Why, one could do so many things like learning a language, music, art or simply read. The word ‘bore’ should be removed from the dictionary’.”
