T he second edition of the Kadambari Carnatic Music Festival, featured by the PSG Institutions, Coimbatore, began with the music recital of Saketharaman.
Well-aligned to sruti Saketharaman’s kutcheri on the opening day, revealed his exquisite manodharma. He began with a beautifully-structured Lalgudi Pada Varnam ‘Devar Munivar Thozhum Paadam’ and followed it up with a Dikshitar composition, ‘Santhanagopalakrishnam Upasmahe’ in Khamas with swaras. His raga portrayals of Hindolam for ‘Ramanukku Mannan’ with swaras and of Khambodi for ‘Rangam Sree Rangam’ with chowka kala phrases with an exuberant niraval devoid of frills had an appealing effect. The choice of kritis helped him to make the recital refined. Akkarai Subbalakshmi showcased her grasp of the ragas and it was a volley between her and the vocalist throughout. Narayanan (mridangam) and Murali (ghatam) lent a rhythmic and lilting thani.
As part of the fest, a special event was organised to felicitate the distinguished alumnus of the PSG College of Technology with the Yuva Kala Puraskar title. The event included a music session in which the students of PSG College of Arts and Science, rendered the Tyagaraja Pancharatna kritis, and compositions popularised by the late M.S. Subbulakshmi.
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The second day’s event featured a light music performance with the students playing the keyboard, drums and piano. They rendered a few hit film songs. The day also featured the vocal session by Ajeesh and Aneesh. Their recital was marked by lengthy swara segment and alluring alapanas of Purvikalyani for the kriti, ‘Paradeivam Unaiandri’ by Aneesh and Kalyani for ‘Etavunara,’ by Ajeesh. Though the raga portraits were rich with myriad flavours, it was marred by swara slippages in the upper reaches. Brinda Raghunath (violin), Raghunath (mridangam) and Babu (ghatam) were the accompanists. Instrumental music focussing on films by the students of PSG Institutions and a jugalbandi (Hindustani and Carnatic music) presented by the Shivanjali Temple of Fine Arts were heart-warming.
Ranjani and Gayathri’s vocal concert on the concluding day underscored the beauty of their music in the melodic interpretation of the ragas and the songs chosen by them. The duo started the recital with ‘Sakalagraha’ in Atana with swaras. Ranjani’s Todi alapana for ‘Rajuvedala’ with niraval and swaras and Gayathri’s Khambodi raga vinyasam stood out in the incredible arrays of speedy passages in the tara sthayi.
The exuberant fervour in the galloping phrases focussed on the lilting grace of the ragas. The curtain came down with an Abhang. Charumathi’s violin play matched the siblings’ virtuosity. Manoj Siva (mridangam) and Chandrasekhara Sarma (ghatam) deftly handled their beats in painting a picture of laya including a pulsating thani.
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