Kalasagaram’s 48th Annual Cultural Festival of Music, Dance and was launched last week and the fest was dedicated to the memory of two Bharat Ratna awardees M.S. Subbulakshmi and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Former President of India. On the occasion Bombay Jayashree Ramnath was conferred with the title of ‘Sangeetha Kalasagara’ and another landmark event was her inaugural vocal concert. General Secretary of the sabha V. Rajagopal conducted the proceedings. Former judge, Justice T. N. C. Rangarajan was the chief guest.
Jayashree was accompanied by Embar Kannan on violin, V.V. Ramanamurthy on mridangam, and G. Guruprasanna on kanjira.
Jayashree opened with popular number Vatapi Ganapathim Bhaje of Dikshitar in Hamsadhwani. She then sang Thyagaraja Orajoopu in Kannadagowla. Both these numbers tuned her to attain perfection. She then sang Joothamurare Sudatulara in Arabhi, one of Sriranga Pancharatna kritis of Thyagaraja. She delineated the raga in great detail and kirtana rendition was devotion filled expression in detail. There was neraval too elevating a section of sahitya. This was followed by swarakalpana displaying command and grip on her rendition.
‘Ka VA Va’, composition of Papanasam Sivan in Varali set tone to another chunk of well selected numbers. This was well rendered by Jayashree laying path for main composition Bhajarere Chitta in Kalyani of Dikshitar. She opened this number with extensive ragalapana building its tempo steadily laying stress on some impressive phrases exhibiting her high quality vocal verve, projecting raga’s lovely image. Kirtana rendition was expressive and its appeal was accentuated further by rendering the neraval taking a particular line. The swarakalpana that followed kept up the tempo.
Jayashree added to her musical menu another important number Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi in Kapi and doing pallavi in ragamalika. The pallavi line she created was Parama Purusha Sri Rama .The later part of the concert had some devotional numbers like like Ramadasu kirtana O Raghuveera in Desh, Bhavayami Gopala Balam in Misra Yaman, tillana of Lalgudi in Madhuvanti. All the three accompanists gave matching support to Jayashree’s vocalism.
Enchanting duet
Vishnubhotla Sisters — Saraswathi and Krishnaveni performed on the second day of Kalasagaram’s annual festival, at Keyes High School, Secunderabad. Ramaraju Dinakar on violin, B.V.S. Prasad on mridangam and Nemani Somayajulu on ghatam lent support.
Saraswathi and Krishnaveni are blessed with melodious voices and a rich musical heritage passed on to them by their guru Krishnamacharyulu, considered as one of the icons of Carnatic vocalists. Their concert with substance turned out to be a pleasant experience.
The sisters launched their concert traditionally with Saveri varnam Sarasuda, which they sang in two speeds, maintaining synchrony between their voices and lyrical phraseology.
This was followed by Parameswara, Jagadeeswara in Nata of Dikshitar. The expression of sahitya made it an absorbing presentation. Raara Maintidaka in Asaaveri of Thyagaraja addressing Srirama was more dramatised expression with inherent moving theme. The first raga that came for delineation was Nagaswaravali for the kriti Garuda Gamana of Patnam Subramanya Iyer, both sharing the panning out the melody extensively. The rendition carried the inherent melody of the kirtana. The swarakalpana part was well handled. Devi Brova Samayamide in Chintamani of Syama Sastry was rendered by them with an appeal of a devotee.
Mara Janani in Nataka Priya, which the sisters sang later is the composition of their guru Krishnamacharyulu, sounded refreshing. Raghuvara Nannu in Panthuvarali was their sub-main number with raga presentation in detail and the kirtana rendition was vivid more because of perfect sahitya expression. The neraval they presented and the swarakalpana that followed, neraval presentation in the kirtana and swarakalpana as their sub-main number, Making their expression of manodharma, the rendering of alapana, neravu and swaram eruditely, they not only complemented each other but also kept the audience engaged throughout the concert.
Later they sang Marugelara in Jayanthisri of Thyagaraja followed by another composition of Thyagaraja Adigi Sukhamulu in Madhyamavati as their main number. The kriti rendition was a concerted effort in bringing in sahitya clarity of utmost quality despite the fact that there was possibility of diminishing impact in a duet.
In the later part the sisters came out with Annamacharya kirtana Srimannarayana in Bowli, Rajaji’s Kurai Ondrum Illai in ragamalika.
