Despite her firm belief in deep rooted classicism Amrutha Venkatesh is yet to find favour with organisers except a handful. This should not deter her and she should continue with giant strides in the same path. It was a bright start that morning with Karur Devudu Iyer’s Sri Raga varnam and GNB’s ‘Nee Padhamay’ (Nalinakanti).
Boopalam raga alapana was a classic beauty sans any meandering. The vocalist’s confidence was evident in the sketch.Young Rajiv displayed his skill with a delightful reply. ‘Sadachaleswaram’ (Adi-Dikshitar) was like the breeze near a waterfall. Her involved rendition of the Tiruppavai verse, ‘Ambarame’ (Kalyani) not only reminded one of the Tamil month Margazhi, which is just a few days away , but also the hot steaming pongal given as prasadam in temples early morning.
Encapsulating the exuberance she delineated a Kharaharapriya that would remain for long in memory. Rajiv did not lag behind. That she has been influenced by the Saint’s kritis was very much evident in her essay ‘Chakkani Raja’ (Tyagaraja-Adi) was a natural corollary. The niraval and swaras that followed were not mere exercises over the scale but meaningful effort.
It was a field day for Delhi Sairam (mridangam), disciple of Tiruvarur Bhakthavathsalam, and S. Hariharasubramaniam (ghatam), disciple of E.M. Subramaniam, for they both excelled during the kritis phase with their inspired playing, which continued during the thani too. The rendering of Kulasekara Azhwar’s paasuram ‘Chediyaya Valvinaigal’ in Hamsanandi and the kriti, ‘Srinivasa Tiruvenkadamudayan’ transported the rasikas to the abode of the Lord of Seven Hills. M.D. Ramanathan’s beauty of a tillana in Kapi was the concluding piece.
