The introductory inspirational coverage of Madurai Seshagopalan delving deep into the divinity pervading Sri Tyagaraja’s kirtanas, appropriate to the theme of Sadguru Rasanubhava, helped rasikas greatly to get a feel of the grandeur of the devotional sentiments. He drew generously from our spiritual core – Valmiki, Kamban, Azhwars, Bhagavad Gita – to illuminate the real value of the saint’s musical legacy. All his compositions are a triumph of life – Rama bhakti and sangita merging with eternity.
In his concert at Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Seshagopalan chose the Mukhari piece ‘Sangeeta Sastra Gnanamu’ and the most emotionally compelling ‘Mokshamu Galada’ (Saramati).
In the Sankarabharanam kriti, ‘Swara Raga Sudha,’ a sublime certitude of sangita leading to moksha was in fact a piece of wholesome guidance to musicians – ‘Mooladharaja Nada Merugude’ (Nada springing from mooladara ensure salvation). Saint Tyagaraja was so emphatic about the blessings of sangita that he gives a clarion call to one and all in the Ritigowla song ‘Ragaratna Maalikache’ (come and worship Hari through a garland of songs) an echo of the sentiment ‘Yatra Mat Bhakta Gayanti Thathra Thistami Narada’ (where Bhagawathas sing with devotion, I stand before them, Narada).
It was not as if his life’s journey was a bed of roses. He had moments of deep anguish when his pleadings to Sri Rama failed to get a response. Seshagopalan clinched this depression by singing the Abheri piece ‘Nagumomu Ganaleni’ and got emotionally worked up when rendering the peak of Tyagaraja’s despondency expressed in the line ‘Jagamela Paramaatma Evarito Moralidudhu’ (Oh, Rama! To whom can I unburden my heart, except to you).
There can be no end to admiration of Saint Tyagaraja’s songs, but how far the introspection of rasikas and musicians alike is stirred deserves to be addressed. Sadguru Rasanubhava programme and scintillating exposition like Seshagopalan’s can go a long way to link concert appreciation with the saint’s spiritual splendour.
As Seshagopalan himself acknowledged at the end, the quality of the day’s concert was superior to hackneyed recitals. He was supported by V.V. Ravi (violin) Manoj Siva (mridangam) and E.M. Subramaniam (ghatam).
