Melodious Thyagaraja aradhana

Pleasing vocals marked Thyagaraja aradhana at Thyagaraya Gana Sabha.

Vocalists Mohana Krishna

On the morning of the first day of Thyagaraja aradhana held by Thyagaraya Ganasabha, Chikkadapalli ‘Pancharatna kirtana goshti ganam’ was conducted by noted vocalist and professor in Telugu university S.K.Venkatachari. In the evening there was a vocal concert of Mohana Krishna, disciple of Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna. He was accompanied by Anil Kumar on violin and Ch. Ramakrishna on mridangam. Besides, Mohana Krishna also had his vocalist disciple Vyshnavi by his side.

Mohana Krishna opened his concert with Saptagiriraja Sutha Tanaya in Bangala, Adi talam. He then followed it with Brochevarevare in Sriranjani, Adi talam. It was quite an appealing rendition that reflected the spirit of Thyagaraja kriti. Raminchuvarevarura in Suposhini was another impressive number that followed before he went for the detailed raga essay of Abhogi for one of the popular numbers of Thyagaraja Nagumomu . He presented swarakalpana spiritedly as this was the main composition of the concert. It was followed by young mridangam player Ramakrishna’s appealing laya vinyasam.

Sarasa Netra of Thyagaraja he sang later was an experimental composition that Thyagaraja penned and scored with a bit of Western touch. Mohanakrishna sang it with that spirit aptly. He concluded the show with tillana, Balamurali penned on Thyagarjaswamy that ran as

Vara Vaggeyakara kula Vandaneeya Gananeeya Murali Ganapriya Mahaneeya Thyagaraja , a brilliant setting of sahitya in praise of Thyagaraja.

Mohana Krishna ended his show with Utsava Sampradaya kirtana

Nagumomu Galavani in Madhyamavati. Anil’s violin support was apt. Young Vyshnavi too has her role in keeping up to the spirit of her gurus style of presentation.

P.V. Subba Rao

On the second day P.V. Subba Rao, another noted vocalist, took stage with Muralidhar on violin and Gunaranjan on mridangam supporting him. His first number was also

Girirajasutha in Bangala, Adi talam. Then he went for popular number of Thyagaraja

Terateeyagaraada addressing Lord Venkateswara. This was tuned in Gowlipanthu. This needed a bit of emotional appeal that Subba Rao excelled in his rendition. He then went for

Yentha Vedukondu O Raghava tuned in Saraswathimanohari raga.

Theliyaleru Rama in Dhenuka was presented later with brief swarakalpana.

The main item of the concert was Apparamabhakthi Yentho Goppara in Pantuvarali, Rupaka talam. The raga essay he built initially laid emotional path for the sahitya content of the kirtana. He presented neraval and swarakalpana giving equal importance.

S.K. Venkatachari

S.K.Venkatachari’s had by his side another talented disciple Dr. Chandraekhar as vocal accompanist for a while. Muralidhar on violin and Dharmala Ramamurthy on mridangam lent impressive support.

Venkatachari opened his concert with Thelisi Ramachinthanato in Purnachandrika. Adi talam and followed it with Alakalallaladagagani in Madhyamavathi in Rupaka talam. He presented swarakalpana too; It was an impressive and masterpiece of Thyagaraja that Venkatachari too sang with the same spirit of the composition. This was followed by main number Sundari Nee Divya Rupamu in Kalyani. He gave finishing touch with impressive swarakalpana.