To mark Navaratri festivities, the management of Skandagiri Hanuman Temple, Secunderabad, organised Carnatic concerts by some noted vocalists, significant one being Bala Rayudu.
She performed in the company of O. Rajasekhar on violin and Ramakrishna on mridangam, both highly talented artistes of the city. As to Bala, she got trained by noted gurus like Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana, Lalitha of Hyderabad Sisters and R.S. Ramakanth of Bengaluru. In the limited time that she had, Bala presented nearly ten numbers of higher intensity. Bala is blessed with pleasant voice that impresses listeners. Her rendition in general was with leisurely grace. Most of the compositions she rendered including that of Syama Sastry were in Madhyama kala. Her manodharma was rich enough to tackle with the numbers she chose.
She opened the concert with the varnam Ninnu Kori in Vasantha, rendering with a pleasant voice and an ability to scan through the swaras. She presented this in two speeds. Bala appeared well set to present the mandatory devotional number in praise of Vinayaka – Vinayaka Ninu Vina Brochutaku of Veena Kuppaiyer in Hamsadhwani with excellent violin responses from Rajasekhar, keeping up to the thematic devotional element. The swarakalpana part was indeed the best with fine responses from violinist.
Bala then chose to present Syama Sastry composition Kamakshi Amba a swarajati in Bhairavi. This swara and sahitya number moved in medium pace and the sahitya expression was with clarity for audience to enjoy its gist. She then chose to present Mysore Vasudevachar’s Devadi Deva in Sunada Vinodini. It was simple kirtana presentation and yet its sihitya appeal was notable in her expression. The melody too was as much pleasant as its name.
It was time for Bala to reveal her skill in raga delineation and for that she chose Hindolam for the kriti Mamavathu Sri Saraswathi of Vasudevachar. She evolved the melody carefully into a fine structure projecting its beauty through chosen phrases.The kirtana rendition was neat with concentration of the sahitya part and accentuating its beauty through sancharis. The swarakalpana too was quiet engaging.
The notable aspect was the way violinist Rajasekhar presented the raga in his turn with perfection, enhancing the number’s total appeal. Bala then again chose Sambho Mahadeva in Pantuvarali as her main number of the concert. This was the sixth kirtana of Kovur Pancharatnas Thyagaraja wrote.
The delineation of the raga was much superior to the earlier one for she structured it methodically and rendered it melodiously.
The kirtana was indeed one of master pieces of Thyagaraja and Bala aptly rendered with sahitya appeal. Here too it was Rajasekhar who presented his version of the same raga in his style and won applause. There was tani aavartanam too by mridangam artiste Ramakrishna, who too excelled in his role.
Bala in her later part of the concert chose to present Dayananda Saraswathi’s devotional number Bho Sambho Siva Sambho in Revathi and ended the concert with a tillana in Farazu.
