Elaborate essay of ragas

Swetha Prasad's vocal concert

Swetha Prasad impressed with a clear grasp over diction, sahitya and tala.

I Swetha Prasad is blessed with mellifluous voice, excellent diction and sense for sahitya and tala. Having earned grading in All India Radio for both classical and light classical, she gained popularity and audience. The show she gave for Sujanaranjani, last week held at Saptaparni was a delight.

Swetha set the mode and mood right by unusually taking a rare but pleasing number of Muthaiah Bhagavatar –

Jayanarayana in Abhogi to open her concert. It is an oblation to Lord Vishnu.

The rendition was expressive and carried swarakalpana in the end to a considerable measure. The repertoire as such appeared to be a little strange. She later went for

Saraswati Namostute in Saraswati of GNB in Roopaka talam, she rendered with divine appeal. Manasa Yetulortune in Malayamarutham of Thyagaraja, a familiar number and nereval done at a point had a good impact.

A well sung Mayamma in Ahiri of Syama Sastry served as a curtain raiser for first raga elaboration – Mohana by Swetha, presenting it with a methodical approach. The kirtana she chose in this was Mati Maatiki in Misrachapu talam. This was followed by a javali Neematalemayenura in Poorvikalyani an emotive ancient number. She, then chose to render three verses from Dasarathi Satakam in ragas Vasantha, Hamsanadam and Khamas respectively and then extended and used ‘khamas’ for the composition of Annamayya Avadharu Raghupati presented in it, in Khandachapu talam. She is adept at rendering Annamacharya’s kirtanas.

Her rendition of the Kharaharapriya number was the highlight of the concert.Swetha gave an elaborate picture of the raga packing it with some charm as she ascended from phrase to phrase covering the octaves and then descending to Anumandra. Tani avartanam by Renuka Prasad on mridangam and Chandrakant on ghatam was a treat. Violinist Kolanka Saikumar followed the vocalist like shadow and gave complementary touches in raga and swara presentation a where creativity came into play. Swetha concluded her recital with Lalgudi tillana in Behag set in tisra eka talam.