Lalita Sharma's resonant voice filled the YGP Auditorium as she kept the audience captive for nearly two hours. Lalita's full throated articulation with seamless alignment to sruti and her navigation in the upper regions showed her dedicated training in Hindustani music under Pandit Jasraj. That the vilambit kaal lends a calming effect on the senses if a vocalist delivers with perfection, was proved at this concert.
Lalita chose Suddh Kalyan as her main raag; but she preferred to showcase not just the raag, but presented it through a bandish in vilambit set in ek taal, later connecting to a composition in durit and leading to the finale.
Suddh Kalyan (Mohana Kalyani in Carnatic parlance) unfolded on the line ‘Bol Na Na Pappihari', a forlorn lament of a damsel in distress waiting for her lord's arrival. The undercurrent of despair was projected by Lalita in the vilambit section.
The passages she touched in the upper regions were awesome. The vocalist cruised through the raag skilfully, blending it with swaras and phrases in her freewheeling style.
Interesting motifs
The next piece ‘Gunja Vihaari' in Suddh Varali carried a unique tenor and here Lalita and Satish Kolli on the harmonium exchanged interesting motifs. But, it was Peelu where Lalita excelled with profuse combinations ingeniously exploring the raag's extraordinary and colourful range. The bhajan ‘Vraje Vasantam Navaneeta Choram' was a remarkable one. More specifically, her elaboration on ‘Sree Radhikaya' was really moving.
‘Kayaki Pandari Atmaha Vittala' in raag Basant Mukhari, was a zealous and dynamic abhang that Lalita included in her repertoire; it once again offered ample scope for her to showcase her mellifluous vocal prowess. Lalita signed off her commendable vocal recital with another bhajan in raag Bhairavi.
Viswanath Nakod's tabla blended well with the musical expressions of the main players. A more careful control and balancing of the audio system would have definitely taken the audience to a different level.
