Justifying her promotion to the evening slot, youngster Vidya Kalyanaraman treated the erudite audience at the Music Academy with a tricky rhythmic cycle Pallavi in which the poorvangam and the uthrangam were set in three different nadais. There were also three ragas — Simhendramadhyamam, Kapi and Mohanam. Vidya sang the pallavi ‘Rama Raghava Raghu kula thilaka’ traversing the three ragas quite effortlessly. However, the complex mathematical rhythmic exercise went quite engagingly as the young vocalist delivered the same with supreme confidence.
A detailed and majestic Thodi alapana set a wonderful preface to Tyagaraja’s ‘Dachukovelena.’ Here too, Vidya expertly wove the swarakalpana as the kriti is set in Misra Jampa tala. Several rounds of swaras moved quite smoothly and in interesting combinations. Violinist R. Raghul’s contributions here and in the pallavi were commendable.
A poignant essay of Ritigowla was followed by Tyagaraja’s composition ‘Raga ratna’ adding substantial niraval on ‘Bhagavatothamulu koodi’ and swarakalpana dishing out the most beautiful combinations possible in the raga.
Dikshitar’s ‘Pavanathmaja’ in Nattai also came with a suite of smart and well-knit swara segment.
Judicious karvais
One could identify the vocalist’s clear vision about the concept and principle in presenting the raga with definitive phrases and developing them with care and clarity with judicious karvais and brigas, open-mouthed articulation with lucid enunciation in all her presentations.
Among the other interesting features were the opening ‘Priya’ ragamalika varnam (ragas ending with priya such as Kharaharapriya, Shanmukhapriya and Rasikapriya) by Suguna Purushothaman, a soporific ‘Amba Nilambari’ by Ponniah Pillai, a brisk ‘Kannathandri’ in Devamanohari (Tyagaraja), a Kavadichindu in slow gait and ‘Marukulaviya’ (Purvikalyani) Thiruppugazh. Vidya owes it to the percussion artistes Nellai A Balaji and Madippakkam A Murali on the mridangam and the ghatam for carrying out the pallavi with precision. Both also provided a sparkling thani avartanam after the Thodi raga kriti.
