Melody rained while the mridangam reigned during a captivating concert by Ranganatha Sharma in Thiruvananthapuram. Accompanying artistes T.V Gopalakrishnan (TVG) on the mridangam, Avaneeswaram S.R. Vinu on the violin and Thripunithura Radhakrishnan on the ghatam enhanced the melodic content of the recital with their brilliant accompaniment.
The concert opened with a mellifluous varnam ‘Senthil vaazh’, composed by T.R. Subramaniam in the idyllic Hamirkalyani raga. The depth in the singer's voice reinforced the raga's ‘soukhiyam’ during the soft inflections and apt chittaswarams.
A précis of Kharaharapriya raga was followed by the kriti ‘Ganapathiye karunanidhiye’ with characteristic swara patterns. ‘Parakela nannu’ in Kedaragowla had an attractive chittaswaram construction that was rendered with confidence.
An unblemished portrayal of Poorvikalyani raga by both the vocalist and the violinist was tagged to ‘Kashi Vishalakshi’ in Roopaka, which was adorned with a marvellous manodharama swara-section. The kriti ‘Sharade veena’ in the attractive Devagandhari raga provided a pleasing aural experience. A racy ‘Bhoogendra shaayinam’ in Kuntalavarali, a good choice, enlivened the ambience during the catchy charanam.
The vocalist’s opulent representation of Kamboji, which was the main raga, had all the right ingredients that evoked the stately feel of the raga.
Vinu showcased his musical finesse by capturing the essence of the raga in his portrayal. TVG’s tani was delightful as his masterly strokes plotted rhythmic shapes with verve and aesthetics. Radhakrishnan added vigour to the tani with dynamic beats.
Bhajans ‘Vaishnava janatho’ and ‘Hari guna’ created a tranquil atmosphere during the conclusion. The concert was organised under the auspices of the Mavelikara Velukutty Nair Foundation to commemorate the 86th birth anniversary of the late veteran mridangam maestro Mavellikara Velukutty Nair.
