It was almost half past six when I reached Sita Devi Garodia School, Tambaram, for O.S. Tyagarajan’s concert, held recently. Only the Tambaram Music Club organiser Bashyam and his wife were present. Sensing my discomfiture, he said, “In five minutes, the members will turn up.” Soon the hall was half full.
Within five minutes of his arrival, OST took the stage with his team. He launched into Arabhi (‘Sri Saraswathi,’ Rupakam) and sruti alignment was perfect.
His niraval for Tyagaraja’s ‘Sundarataradeham’ (Pantuvarali), followed by swaras at a brisk pace, held the attention of the audience. His Kalyani was arresting. An engrossing ‘Easa Pahimam,’ one of Lalgudi Pancharatnams, saw him once again unleash an array of kalpanswaras. In his reply, Vittal Ramamurthy (violin) showcased the raga brilliantly. Over the years, this disciple of Lalgudi has evolved an impressive style of his own.
Next came Hindolam (‘Sama Gana Lolanay,’ Adi, Sivan). Such is his moorings; never once did OST meander to give even a semblance of Hindustani touches. Prayogams of the nagaswarams were aplenty. Vittal did equal justice to OST’s interpretation.
Young Akshay Anantapadmanabhan Iyer (mridangam) has a bright future as he has a style that enhances the kritis. Throughout the concert, he maintained perfect tempo and laced his playing with various interesting nadais. ‘Saththalaynee’ (Naganandini,Adi, Tyagaraja) was the breather before the main one.
One reason why discourses on Srimad Ramayanam and Mahabharatham still attract attention is the aspect of Divinity. It is this quality in the kritis of the Trinity that is also the draw at concert platforms. So too with the ragas. When OST took up Khambodi, one could easily sense the kriti ‘O Rangasayee’ in the offing after the raga.
A mature approach ruled by spontaneity, helped OST to present the raga in all its grandeur. Once the kriti commenced, it was a meditative excursion round the Srirangam Temple and the niraval for ‘Bhuloka Vaikuntam,’ sans any butchering of Tyagaraja’s lines, was sheer ecstasy.
