Chennai-based vocalists R. Vijayalakshmi and R. Chitra — popularly known as the Mambalam Sisters — and their team of accompanying artistes, during their performance in New Delhi this past weekend, may have been abruptly though temporarily unseated from the stage for the felicitation ceremony and a photo shoot by the organisers after barely completing the second song of their recital, but there was nothing abrupt or less rhythmical throughout their performance. The duo and their team did not for a moment give reason for complaint to the audience who gathered for a delightful evening of Carnatic music under the aegis of the Delhi Tamil Sangam.
In a recital of about two hours held at the temple premises of Devi Kamakshi Mandir, the Mambalam Sisters took up predominantly Tamil compositions, lacing them with their creative talent. The sisters began their concert with Muthuswami Dikshitar’s “Mahaganapatim” in raga Nata with an introduction of kalpana swaras towards the end, which not only gave a bright start but also indicated the siblings’ talent at the outset.
While singing Papanasam Sivan’s “Srivalli” in raga Natabhairavi and Dikshitar’s “Kanjadalayatakshi” in Kamalamanohari, the sisters brought out the emotive contents of the lyrics to the fore.
Tyagaraja’s fast-paced “Bantureeti” in raga Hamsanadam added liveliness to the recital. That was the only composition of Tyagaraja that the sisters took up in their recital. At a time when the Capital is celebrating the legendary saint-composer and when the sisters themselves had participated in one such aradhana festival that same morning at a venue in Mayur Vihar, it was a little disappointing that they didn’t select a weighty composition of Tyagaraja for a detailed rendition.
The duo took up Periyasami Tooran’s “Muruga Muruga” in raga Saveri and Oothukkadu Venkata Subbaiyer’s “Thaye Yashoda” in Todi for detailed rendition. While Chitra sang the alapana of Saveri raga in an unhurried and detailed manner bringing out the features of the raga, Vijayalakshmi too presented a fine alapana of raga Todi in the same manner. The neraval of the phrase “Kalil Chilambu konja kai valai kulunga muthu malaigal asaya” and the subsequent kalpana swaras while presenting the latter song flowed with rich creativity. In the commensurately longer second part of the recital, the sisters’ sang more than half a dozen pieces.
Delhi-based VSK Chakrapani on the violin and Kumbakonam N. Padmanabhan on the mridangam provided excellent support to the siblings. While Chakrapani’s take on ragas Saveri and Todi was delightful, Padmanabhan’s tani avartanam in Adi tala was enjoyable. On the whole, an enjoyable evening of Carnatic music.
