Chennai-based young vocalist Kashyap Mahesh presented an impressive vocal concert at Kalabharati Visakhapatnam. Blessed with a resonant voice and passion for singing, his was a full-throated rendition all through. With a good grip over the concert format, he built up the tempo in a gradual and phased manner paving the way for its elaborate culmination. He seems to have a predilection for swara sorties which he has done with aplomb reflecting his ease with complex patterns of chosen notes.
He warmed up the session with Kanada raga varnam Neranammithi of Ramnadhapuram Srinivasa Iyengar and went on to pick up raga Begada with the krithi Vallabha Nayakasya of Muttuswamy Deekshitar. Concise aalapana and a sonorous swarakalpana pitched it at a higher notch. After this it was a soft presentation of Endaro Mahanubhavulu, a pancharatna krithi of Thyagaraja. Then Padavi Neesadbhkathi again a Thyagaraja krithi in raga Salagabhairavi came out well along with a competent effort in swarakalpana. Thereafter he took up raga Pantuvarali for Shambho Mahadeva of Thyagaraja. He rendered the aalapana in thristhayi exploring its diverse nuances in detail. Flowing neraval at the line ‘ parama dayakara mrigadhara vara gangadhara ’ and dexterous swarakalpana lent heft to its appeal in his rendition. Bhogindrasayinam of Swathi Thirunal in raga Kuntalavarali and Vade Venkatadri of Annamayya in raga Vasantha maintained the tempo well.
Then he chose raga Bilarahi for delineation in detail as the main piece of the session. The krithi for this was Dorakuna ituvanti seva of Thyagaraja. It was all through an excellent raga essay in detail. It was a pleasant build up of raga in a structured manner and his skill in good swarakalpana came to fore once again in optimum measure. His kalpanaswaras at the line Ramabrahmma tanayudou Thyagaraju betrayed a streak of MBK’s style. He has the stamina and the energy to soar in higher trajectories and sustain it to a chosen degree. While it is good to ascend high, a soft landing is equally important for a good presentation.
Post tani round, Shambho Swyambho of Swamy Dayananda Saraswthi carried its devotional quotient well, while Ranjani mridupankajalochani niranjani of Tanjavoor Shankara Iyer in Ranjani ragamalika consisting of Ranjani, Sriranjani, Megharanjani, Janaranjani and Sivaranjani found favour with the audience. Muddugare Yesoda of Annnamayya in raga Kuranji and Cheli nenetula sahinthu , a Javali of Tanjore Chinnayya in raga Farazu are other notables and he capped it with a Tillana of MBK in raga Brindavani.
Peravali Nandakumar on violin, Dhanwada Dharmarao on mridangam and Saraswathula Hanumantharao on ghatam lent competent support. Visakha Music and Dance Academy hosted it as part of its its monthly schedule.
