Upasana a literary and cultural organisation engaged in promoting classical arts celebrated its anniversary at Thyagaraya Ganasabha. Following tradition, they chose to felicitate a well known Carnatic vocalist Panthula Rama of Visakhapatnam and her violinist husband, M.S.N. Murthy.
Rama gave Carnatic vocal concert in the company of her husband M.S.N. Murthy on violin and Kotipalli Ramesh of Tirupathi on mridangam. She displayed an assertive voice and command on musical grammar. Rama had just an hour at her disposal for the concert yet she made it a satisfying experience, more because of her perfect choice of a few popular numbers she presented on the occasion. She opened with Bowli number as an invocation to Siva and went for beautiful Amrutavarshini for Sudhamayi with brief but adept swara passages offering satisfying musical moments. The raga essay too was impressive.
Her skilful rendition of Sankarabharanam on this occasion was a proof of the way she travels through melody in smoothly. The alapana was calm and soft, painted with erudite prayogas projecting the raga's magnificent appeal and its multifaceted dimensions.
Violinist Murthy matched the standard Rama set in her delineation of the raga in all its phases. Rama's way of the presentation of the kriti Swararagasudha , positioning of the nereval and its clinical expansion and equally brilliant swaras displayed her commendable levels of performing skills.
The tani avartanam by Kotipalli Ramesh on mridangam was indicative of his soothing laya perception. Guruleka Etuvanti of Thygaraja in Gowrimanohari, the next number was applauded for its serenity and import. Navaneetha Chora Devaki Vasudevanandana a light number towards the end was sweet to the receptive ears. She concluded her show with a tillana of Balamurali in Brindavani.
Violinist Murthy's support was uniformly good with embellishments.
