Dikshitar on strings

Veena artiste Padmavathi presented a scholarly rendition of Dikshitar’s compositions.

To mark the 181st Vardhanthi of Muthuswami Dikshitar conducted by Swarajhari Sangeeta Sabha of Vijayawada at Sringeri Peetha Paripalita Sivaramakrishna Kshetram, a veena concert by Kadiyala Padmavathi of Hyderabad was arranged. Padmavathi received her higher training from Sripada Pinakapani and has made a special study of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s compositions.

Padmavathi played all Dikshitar compositions on the occasion. She started the concert with Pavanajatmaja in Nata following it with Himagiri kumari in the 42nd melakarta raga Raghupriya, Diwakara Tanujam in Yadukula Kambhoji and Arunachalanadham in Saranga, Hiranmayeem in Lalita, Sri Kamalamba in Sahana and Sri Saraswathi in Arabhi before taking up Balagopala in Bhairavi as the main item. Padmavathi played a scholarly raga version with her neat plucking presenting the raga bhave in all its splendor. Appealing neraval and sparkling kalpana swaras complimented the item.

Towards the close of the concert Padmavathi played

Mamava Pattabhirama in Manirangu and

Muchikunda varada in Sankarabharanam.

Kalluri Srinivas and M. Haribabu accompanied the vainik admirably on mridangam and ghatam respectively. The brief comment before each composition by vidwan Modumudi Sudhakar, secretary of Swarajhari was enlightening.