Playback singer S. Mahathi’s Carnatic vocal concert, organised by Sri Krishna Sweets, Coimbatore, was supreme. The hall was packed even before the actual concert began. Those who came expecting to listen to light songs and perhaps a few film songs, would have been disappointed as Mahathi’s concert was completely classical.
Mahathi has evolved a style of her own though her alapanas, swarakalpanas and her style of rendering show flashes of resemblance to the styles of her gurus – M. Balamurali Krishna, T.N. Seshagopalan and O.S. Thyagarajan.
The theme was ‘Krishna Ganam’ and Mahathi began with the varnam, ‘Entho Prematho Ne Pilachithe’ in Surutti by Thiruvottriyur Tyagaiyar. The sprightly ‘Swagatham Krishna’ in Mohanam was followed by Tyagaraja’s ‘Venugaana Loluni’ in Kedaragowla. ‘Sonnaal Ozhiya Manam Kelaadhe’ and ‘Eppadithaan Ennullam Pugundhennai’ were lovely with their charming lyrics. She had generously included Oothukkadu Venkatakavi’s songs, well-known for their lyrical beauty. As she presented ‘Nirupama Sundarakara’ in Pantuvarali, one could not help admiring the bard’s felicity with both Tamil and Sanskrit and his ability to make words come dancing at his service.
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Aural treat
The main composition was, ‘Sri Krishnam Bhaja Maanasa’ in Thodi by Dikshitar. She depicted Pantuvarali and Thodi with great depth and sincerity. The briga-filled sangatis and smoothly flowing swarakalpanas were an aural treat.
‘Krishnaa Nee Begane Baaro’ and ‘Theeraadha Vilaiyaattu Pillai’ described the beauty of Krishna and listed out his antics, while ‘Kandu Kandangirikkum,’ the stanzas from Poonthanam’s ‘Jnaanappaana,’ filled one with sudden seriousness and devotion. Veteran violinist V.V. Ravi’s mature support and lovely raga delineations lifted Mahathi’s hearty performance.
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Patri Satish Kumar on the mridangam and Udupi Sridhar on the ghatam took the audience by storm with their fast and interesting laya patterns. Their joyous repartees were rewarded with thunderous applause.