Soumya Sridhar displayed imaginative skills and fine vocal culture in her recital she gave for Vijayanagar Fine Arts last week, at Lakshmi Ganapathi temple. She was accompanied by Pawan Singh on violin and Veenadhari on mridangam.
Soumya opened with Sakti Ganapatim Bhajeham of Muthiah Bhagavatar in Nata, projecting Bhakti element with devotional appeal. Later she presented Thyagaraja’s popular number Makelara Vicharamu in Ravichandrika that she rendered with sahitya clarity. She then took up Hindolam to give the feel of her ability for expansion and evolved it well decorating it with interesting movements. Kriti rendition was indeed a display of her strengthened repertoire coming out with Papanasam Sivan’s Maa Ramanan in Roopaka talam.
Soumya chose Amritavarshini as her first expansive raga for Tripurasundari Naapai of Lalitha Das. Her raga delineation was marked by disciplined approach with occasional nuances. Kriti rendition was neat and gained strength in her neraval presentation. The swarakalpana was appealing. She followed it with Purandaradas composition Paalisamma Muddu Sharade in Sriranjani preceded by a set of two slokas rendered in Mayamalavagowla followed by Sriranjani, as raga chain and rendering the kriti in the latter raga Sriranjani.
It was time for Soumya to take up main melody of the concert Keeravani for Kaligiyuntegada . Essaying of the raga was a methodical build from ‘mandra’ to ‘tara’ and backwards weaving phrases of melody. The way she structured the essay was in itself a pointer to her ability to easily scale up and down with ease. She rendered the kriti with clarity, beautifying it with sancharis. The neraval added to sahitya made an impact. The role played by violinist was synergetic adding to its over all appeal. Taniavartanam at this stage by the mridangam player was interesting. Kamalaptakula in Brindavani of Thyagaraja was a simple rendition. Vande Venkatadri , a kirtana of Annamacharya tuned by Dr. Pinakapani in raga Vasantha and Lalgudi tillana in Desh concluded Soumya’s recital.
