The concert of Malladi Brothers Sriram Prasad and Ravi Kumar at the Tyagaraja Aaradhana for Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, was journey into the realms of emotion. The performance aimed to rekindle and reconstruct in the minds of rasikas the truth that music has to be transparent to bhakti.
In the interpretation of the songs, the brothers focussed on the sensitivity aspect.The aradhana environment seemed to induce the need to harmonise the spirituality of the compositions with their own expressiveness.
The quality of the recital rested on the brothers’ expository method to give more importance to the innate artistic process than to external dressing-up with contrived vocal modulation. Concepts, values, attitudes and ideologies fundamental to Tyagaraja formed their ethos.
Soaring inspiration, a sense of balance and compelling technique were well blended in the raga alapanas of Balahamsa and Panturavarali and the respective kirtanas “Ika-Kaavalasina-Demi” and “Narada-Muni-Vedalina” (Prahalada Bhakti Vijayam). They carried aesthetic features creating an impression of ease and peace. As the ragas progressed, more of their beauteous facets unfolded.
The great success of the performance was due to the lucidity with which the Malladi Brothers presented the sahitya. The saint’s kirtanas inspire, instruct and arouse devotion.
The Mayamalavagowla kirtana ‘Vidulaku Mrokkeda’ gave a glorious start to the performance, creating an environment conducive to sukham. The list of sangita nadayogis mentioned in the song moved in a pleasant manner. The articulation of the sahitya was the most attractive feature.
The Kapi kirtana ‘Anyayamu Seyakura’ is one of the most poignant pieces in which Tyagaraja confesses the troubles created by his brother – ‘Nadimi Praaya Muna Naa Poorvaja Baada Theerpa Leda’ – an indication of the saint’s inner mind at work, which Malladi Brothers brought to the fore with clarity. The Janaranjani song ‘Naadaadina Maata’ was almost on a similar vein; here Tyagaraja reminds Rama of the promises He had made.
In conclusion, the selection of the songs and the way there were presented lived up to the Aradhana day expectation.
S. Varadarajan (violin), Patri Satish Kumar (mridangam) and Tiruchi Krishnaswamy (ghatam) were close associates to enthuse the vocalists. The raga sancharas at the hands of Varadarajan were enticing; while the mridangam support was graceful. The ghatam artist gave aesthetic flourishes to support Patri’s versatility.
