If one has to rate the concert at the Maris Music Mela based on the credentials of Jayanthi Kumaresh, it was probably just another concert which did not explore or exploit her full potential. Nevertheless, the concert offered an exhaustive RTP, indeed, a special feature of a veena recital.
Jayanthi’s deliberation on Gowri Manohari was something like a perfect model for developing a ragam and presenting an enchanting tanam. The pallavi, ‘Maalon Maruganae, Esan Kumarane,’ was like listening to a Tiruppugazh (in Jayanthi’s own words!). The trikalam was quickly followed by swarakalpana in ragamalika (Kedaram, Saraswati, Lalitha and Sriranjani) in swift succession, before returning to Gowri Manohari and reaching a crescendo.
Earlier, Jayanthi filled her programme with catchy numbers such as the Mandari varnam (Lalgudi Jayaraman), a sketch of Ritigowla and ‘Tatvamariya Tarama’ (Papanasam Sivan) with strings of swaras on ‘Mathisekaran Maganae’, a detailing of Varali for ‘Maamava Meenakshi’ (Dikshitar), ‘Sarasa Sama Dana’ in Kapi Narayani, ‘Nannu Kanna Talli’ in Kesari (both by Tyagaraja) and ‘Jaanki Ramana’ (Vanamamali Jeer) in Kapi.
Bangalore Arjun Kumar and Udipi Sridhar on the mridangam and the ghatam matched each other in exchanging sharp and powerful strokes while accompanying as well as in the tani much to the delight of the audience.
