The monthly schedule of Visakha Music Academy featured a veena recital by noted veena and vocal artiste (and retired staffer of Akashvani, Visakhapatnam), Mallapragada Jogulamba, at Kalabharathi last Sunday. She was accompanied by her disciple N. Krishnaveni on another veena, M. Satyanarayana Sarma on the violin, M. Sridhar on mridangam and G. Venkatesh on morsing.
Starting with the Hamsadhwani varnam, Jogulamba showcased her ambidexterity and masterly technique, exploiting the whole range of subtleties of the instrument to the hilt in three octaves in the slow, medium and fast tempos. She covered all aspects of exposition of the Carnatic tradition, and appeared to be a fine flourish of a soulful meditation on the saptha swaras.
She continued playing pranamamyaham (Gowla), Maakelara Vicharamu (Ravichandrika), Raghuvamsa (Kadanakuthuhalam), Bagayanayya (Chadnrajyothi) and Nannuvidachi (Reethigowla), all adorned with brief but beautiful alapanas and elaborate swaram in the two tempos. Then, she elaborated Hiranmayeem of Dikshitar (Lalitha), exhibiting scholarly wisdom executing manodharma (ragam, neravu and swaram). She evocatively rendered the lyrical part with exquisite gayaka dharma. Next, after absorbingly playing Neevadanegana (Saranga) in fast tempo, she expatiated Ramaneeyada (Kharaharapriya) expansively with ragam, thanam in Ragamalika comprised of Mohana, Hindolam and Revathi. The krithi concluded with scholarly swaram in the two tempos.
While Krishaveni lent invigorating support, Sarma on violin enhanced the splendour. Similar were the roles played on mridangam by Sridhar and Venkatesh on morsing. The thani they executed was a scholarly exercise. Rendering of Srimannarayana of Annamayya (Bowli) and Pharas javali constituted the enticing tailpiece.
