Intriguing resemblance

Master-vocalist Maharajapuram Santhanam would have been vigorously active today on the concert platform if he hadn’t met with a fatal car accident 20 years ago. It is, however, a consolation for his innumerable admirers that his sons Ramachandran and Srinivasan have become eminently worthy twin successors who have a way of reminding us forcefully of their father (in whose formidable image both of them are so intriguingly cast, in terms of appearance as well as accomplishment).

Maharajapuram Ramachandran’s recent recital at Hamsadhwani brought back powerful memories of the old times -- all the more because he was acccompanied by veteran violinist Nagai Muralidharan and mridangam maestro Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam, who had formed a vibrant and highly compatible team with Santhanam. E.M. Subramaniam played his sonorous ghatam sensitively to suit the occasion, adding a delicate touch to the music.

The highlights of the memorable concert were a monumental rendering of the Tyagaraja kriti, ‘Kaligiyunte’ in the raga Keeravani, and a very compact Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi in Hamirkalyani. The percussionists followed up the kriti with a rather lengthy and dynamic tani avartanam, and the RTP with a delightfully one-minute mini-tani.