With the sole aim of promoting and preserving Swathi kritis, All India Radio has been conducting a series of concerts throughout Kerala for the past few years. In connection with the festival, Malladi Sreeramprasad and Ravikumar, the duo from Vijayawada, sang at Irinjalakuda recently.
Steeped in tradition and enriched with resonant voices, the duo presented a neat concert that complemented each other. Their excellent homework and enduring practice sessions were evident throughout the concert.
The initial Kaamajanaka in raga Goula, taken from the clan of Ghanaraaga Ashtakam, with its reverberating chittaswaras gave the necessary impetus for the concert. They adorned it with scintillating manodharma swaras. Devagandari was taken up for a sweet alaapana to which the kriti Raama Raama pahi was tagged on to. A brisk Jaya jaya Padmanabhamurare in Sarasangi was followed by a serene delineation of Kedaragoula by Sreeramprasad. The nuances and distinctive features of the raga was etched out by rendering its unique phrases.
Neat rendition
Jalajanabha Maamava was rendered in the appropriate tempo, fully justifying the timbre of the raga and they created appealing swara passages too. Ravikumar elaborated Hamsanandi by portraying its meditative appeal. His sojourn in the higher octaves enriched the bhava of the raga and the duo sang the kriti Paahijagajjanani mellifluously with soul-stirring swaraprastharas.
Kharaharapriya was the major raga for the evening and it was delineated by encompassing all its salient points. Sathatham thaavaka was the kriti rendered with the phrase Mamahridhivasanisam taken up for niraval. Manodharma swaras rendered by them bore the stamp of the Nedunuri bani. The final phase comprised Kamalanayana in Vaagadheeswari and a Hindi bhajan Seesaganga bhasma ang in Dhanasree.
CS Anuroop gave excellent support on the violin. His handling of Hamsanandi and Kharaharapriya were superb.
Mridangam accompaniment by TR Rajamani, son and disciple of the legendary Palakkad Mani Iyer, enhanced the standard of the concert. Payyannoor Govindaprasad skilfully accompanied on the morsing and they played a memorable taniavarthanam for the Kharaharapriya piece.
The concert was organised with the support of Nadopasana, Irinjalakuda.
