Dr. Rajashree Ramakrishna gave an informative lec-dem on ‘Contributions of Ramaswami Sivan and Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan.’ She began with a brief outline on the life of the brothers. They were born in Thittai in Thanjavur District into a Vedic family of Mazhanattu Brahacharanam, as the sons of Panchanatha Iyer and belonged to the lineage of Anai Ayya, a legend of the music community.
The father not only encouraged the musical proclivity of the brothers but also took them to various places such as Melattur, Manambuchavadi, Thiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur ad Madurai. Even at the young age, Ramaswami composed a pallavi in Narayanagowla. The brothers were so talented and creative that they introduced a number of enchanting sangatis to the various popular compositions of their times, Rajashree said.
She presented eight illustrious compositions of the siblings. The first item was the popular Khambodi varnam ‘Pankajakshi Pai’ with many swarakshara points. The second number was a slice of the unique Melaragamalika ‘Pranadharthihara’, third and fourth chakras starting with Gayakapriya and ending with Varunapriya. The linking swaras are been composed by Ramaswami and Vaidyanatha Sivan.
‘Pahimam Sri’ in Janaranjani, ‘Sharada Deviaye’ in Abhogi with multiple charanams, ‘Ekkalathilum’ in Natakurunji, ‘Neeyae Mana Magizhthu’ in Kalyani, ‘Kadaikkan Vaithennai’ in Begada, and another weighty number ‘Muthukumaraiyanae’ in Sankarabharanam, were the inclusions.
The most enticing item was the last thillana in Simhanandana Tala with 108 aksharas with sahityam followed by mnemonics. This inimitable composition ‘Gowri Nayaka’ was initially said to have been set in Kalyani but later changed into Kanada on special request.
All the compositions of the Sivans are exemplary in some way and they are not just prosaic. As a musicologist and musician, Rajashree must be aware of the specialties of the kritis and these could have been brought to the notice of rasikas. After all, the objective of a lec-dem is to introduce the listener to the innate beauty and profundity of the compositions. The raga lilt, lyrical beauty and the aesthetic appeal are almost vivid. Even then, it would have been catchier had Rajashree highlighted the special and distinctive quality of each composition she had chosen and rendered instead of just following methodic presentation.
She was assisted by her students Subhashri, Devika and Aparna, as also Nithyashri on the veena and Guru Raghavendra on the mridangam.
