Musicians from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the women in particular, in the recent past, have a niche audience thronging to their performances in Chennai. The way they have been churning out pallavis in complicated talams, putting to maximum use the advantage of Telugu being their mother tongue, interpreting kritis in the right perspective and firm faith in tradition have all attracted rasikas. Vizianagaram D. Vardhini belongs to the club that has names such as Manda Sudharani, Pantula Rama and Kottapalli Vandana to name a few. Kudos to Sarvani Sangeetha Sabha Trust for bringing to light such artists. The concert held past Friday evening at The Music Academy Mini Hall was dedicated to the memory of Industrialist P. Obul Reddy who was a great supporter of Carnatic music and its cause.
Vardhini warmed up with a varnam in Mohana Kalyani .Her kalpanaswaras culminating in the line Kunjarabhanjana (Chakravaham-Adi-Dikshitar) in the song ‘Gajananayutham’ were interesting. Preceding Ritigowla alapana was a soulful rendition of Dikshitar’s ‘Nagagaandhaari’ (Nagagaandhaari-Adi). Her unhurried approach helped her fathom the florid phrases of Ritigowla.
Syama Sastry’s ‘Ninnu Vina,’ a kriti that almost has gone into oblivion was the one she chose to wow the audience. The charanam lines ‘Na Madilo Amba Neeway Gatiyani Nammiti’ were soaked in bhava. The next was a peppy Annamayya’s ‘Thiro Thiro Javarala Thi Thi Thi Thi’ in Gambhira Nattai. ‘Ramachandradikadu’ in Dwijavanthi was yet another Annamayya beauty.
How can a concert be complete without a kriti of the Saint poet. A haunting rendition of ‘Manamuledha’ (Hamir Kalyani-Adi) signified a different patantharam not familiar this side of the South. Nevertheless it was well within the parameters. Palyamkottai Guru Raghavendra (mridangam) and N. Guruprasad (ghatam) played softly weaving patterns that embellished the kritis in general. Lathangi (Aparadha-Adi-Patnam Subramania Iyer), the evening’s main, was delineated with her manodharma coming to the fore. Vardhini traversed all the three octaves with great ease. Young Raghul came up with a mature and concise reply. An RTP was in the asking and it came in the form of Kapi. The vocalist conceived the ragam and tanam brilliantly with telling phrases. The surprise element was the structuring of the pallavi that left the audience stunned. It was in Sankirna jathi Triputa talam with Sankirna gathi in the three sashabdhakriya and chatusra gathi for the rest of the kriyas, the pallavi line being ‘Sri Lalithambika Peethavarnathi Garvitha Sharvaani Sadaa Maampahi’ with an anaagatha eduppu after three beats. That all the three young accompanists quickly grasped the Pallavi and interpreted it with aplomb only did Chennai proud. Vidwan T.R. Subramanian (known for his pallavis) who sat through the concert had special words of appreciation for the RTP. With her intellectual music Vizianagaram D. Vardhini proved that evening that she is a worthy disciple of Vidvan P.V.S. Seshaiah Sastry of Vizianagaram.
