The annual Navarathri Music Festival at the Erinjeri Karthyayini Temple, Thrissur always promises rasikas 10 days of first-rate concerts by eminent musicians.
Pranavam Shankaran Nambudiri
The vocalist’s well-attended recital provided a delightful evening for rasikas. Beginning with ‘Sidhivinayakam Seve Hum’ (Muthiah Bhagavathar, Mohanakalyani, Adi), he went on to the beautiful composition ‘Shivakaminim Bhavaye Sada’ (Thulasivanam, Mukhari, Adi). Manodharma swaras followed easily, which were taken up and echoed by Idappally Ajith Kumar on the violin. ‘Meenakshi Memudam,’ Dikshitar’s popular composition (Poorvikalyani), was detailed, with intricate swara patterns, especially in the thara sthayi. Niraval was sung at ‘Madura puri nilaye.’ Shankaran Nambudiri also sang Tyagaraja’s philosophical composition ‘Dwaithamu Sukhama Adwaithamu Sukhama’ (Reethigowla, Adi) in his recital. Shuddhasaveri was selected for elaboration. The vocalist as well as the violinist excelled in the ragalapanam. The well-known ‘Dharini Telusukonti’, a Tyagaraja composition, was embellished with rich manodharma. Taniavarthanam by K. Jayakrishnan (mridangam) and Udupi Srikanth (ghatam) was of a high quality.
Kottakkal Ranjith Varier
The timbre of his voice and mastery over the notes suggest a bright future for him in his chosen field. He began his recital with the navaraga varnam. ‘Subramanyena rakshithoham’ (Shudhadhanyasi, Dikshitar, Adi) and ‘Ganapathiye’ (Karaharapriya, Papanasam Sivan, Adi). ‘Barayya’ (Vasantham, Purandaradasa, Misra Chapu) and the rare ‘Matrubhutayya’ kriti (Anandabhairavi) added beauty to the concert. Every composition was elaborately adorned with alapana, swaras and niraval. ‘Ammaravamma’ (Kalyani) was another delight. Ranjith chose Thodi for his main presentation.
Beginning with a deep-throated alapana, he carefully wove an intricate tapestry, pausing at each sthayi to showcase the characteristics of the raga. Tyagaraja’s keerthana in Adi tala, ‘Koluvamaragatha’, with niraval at ‘Srikaruniki’ was testimony to the musical talent and creativity of the artiste. The synergy between the violinist Attukal Balasubramaniam and the vocalist was dynamic. Chandrashekharan Nair (mridangam) and Mangad Pramod (ghatam) played a spirited taniavarthanam.
V.R. Dileepkumar
V.R. Dileepkumar is, arguably, one of the finest singers in Kerala today. His erudition and dedication to his craft have enabled him to carve a niche for himself in the musical firmament. He began his recital with Thodi varnam and sang ‘Sankari Sankuru’ (Saveri, Shyama Sastri, Adi tisra) and ‘Tyagaraja Namaste’ (Begada, Dikshitar, Roopakam). ‘Sarade’ (Devagandhari) was an appropriate choice for the season.
Dileep presented a Tyagaraja kriti, ‘Eramuni’ (in the Melakartha raga Vakulabharnam, set to Misra Chapu tala). He delineated this rare raga in great detail. In the composition, the saint-composer depicts a less known face of Lord Rama – as an annihilator. This was followed by a paean to Goddess Karthyayini (Jayamanohari) – ‘Kaliyugam thannil kann kanda deivamayi’, composed by T.A.R. Chandran. The characteristic feature of a Dileepkumar concert is the learning experience it provides to the audience. He has a deep understanding of the ragas and he presents each one in a meticulous manner.
This was true about his rendition of the main raga of the recital, Shubhapantuvarali. In his characteristic way, he detailed the raga in two segments of alapana. The plaintive notes of this Melakartha raga flowed easily creating an ethereal ambience. After the highly structured ragalapanam, Dileepkumar went on to a tanam and pallavi, ‘Kamakshi Kanjadalayadakshi Karunakadakshi’.
T.H. Subramaniam on the violin excelled; the musical repartee between the artistes was an extraordinary treat for the rasikas. The percussionists presented a sophisticated and controlled taniavarthanam. Ghatam veteran Udupi Sreedhar and his young co-artiste, Saigiridhar (mridangam) presented a measured Tani. Sai’s light fingering of the mridangam marks him as a worthy disciple of the renowned Pathri Satheesh.
