This Margazhi season will be special for music connoisseurs in Chennai. The much-awaited season this time presents mridangam maestro guru Karaikudi Mani’s yet another innovative varnam where he’s interspersed a unique theme with the tala, for which Bharatanatyam exponent Rajeswari Sainath will present her recital in the tradition of Margam.
A varnam is normally a core presentation of any Bharatanatyam recital, specially for those presenting solo recital in Margam repertoire. And a varnam is generally performed in either Adi or Rupaka talam. But Guru Karaikudi Mani composed this varnam using a rare Tisra Triputa talam, which has three kalai, ie., 7 x 3 beats, to complete a cycle of 21 beats.
Explaining the intricacies of this varnam further, Guru Karaikudi Mani says, “Within this tala pattern, I have conceived the concept with the theme of Shiva and Vishnu. Normally Shiva is seen as the destroyer and Vishnu as the protector. But I have done lot of research and selected incidents where Shiva could be the protector and Vishnu, the destroyer. Once the theme and the tala patterns are set, the lyricist and the composer bring in a beautiful synergy of lyrics — the jati and talam. From there on the dancer will take over to choreograph.”
The lyrics for this varnam are written by Kavi Kannan and music is set by Rajkumar Bharathi.
Whenever an innovation is unravelled by Karaikudi Mani, the highly mathematical patterns and the intellectual content he weaves within the theme never cease to amaze the rasikas. How does he push himself to do it? “Every time I compose, I’d like to be different…I want to challenge myself. Every time I perform in Chennai I know the audience expect me to do something new, and I don’t want to disappoint them,” he says adding, “Challenging oneself and learning new things help in improving one’s knowledge — be it for an artiste or the audience.”
Considering herself fortunate and blessed for being groomed by Karaikudi Mani for the last 20 years in the nuances of laya, Rajeswari Sainath says, “It makes a world of difference when a legend composes. Mani Sir is perfection personified and it is a challenge to choreograph and perform his compositions. Abhinaya and nritta are like two eyes, hence a good intellectual theme with strong nritta can keep the tempo of the concert.” This longstanding training, Rajeswari admits, has helped her to not only present traditional repertoire, but also extended to her choreography for English thematic ballets which she’ll be presenting for Krishna Gana Sabha this season.
While elaborating on the synergy of varnam and dance, Rajeswari says since the cycle of talam is intricate, she choreographed the dance in a smooth flow meant like sarva-laghu, so that the audience can enjoy the beauty of laya as well.
Rajeswari hopes to perform this special composition in her hometown Hyderabad as well very soon.
(The performance is scheduled to be held on December 16, 7pm, at Narada Gana Sabha, Alwarpet, Chennai)
