It was an impeccable delivery of multi number of ragas educating the audience about the grammar and bestowal of Kalpitha and Karpana Carnatic music in simpler terms presented by Dr. Radha Baskar with her disciples, Dheekshidha Venkataraman and Bhavya Hari, under the auspices of Rasika Ranjana Sabha, Tiruchi.
They were accompanied by Melakaveri Thiagarajan on the violin and Mudhra Baskar on the mridangam. The progamme was a part of the F.G. Natesa Iyer Memorial programme, held at the auditorium of Mahathma Gandhi Centenary Vidhyalaya, Thennur, Tiruchi.
Different yet pleasant
The concert was different but pleasant when more than 50 or 60 kritis of various composers were presented, most of them with alapanas and pallavis under the theme ‘Raga Anubhavam.’ Commencing the recital that spanned for well over two hours with a vakra raga, Begada (‘Sundari mannatharilo’ of Tyagaraja and ‘Vallabha Nayakasya’ of Dikshitar), the team scaled the heights of the raga, to dwell deep into a phrase-oriented Sankarabharanam and Kalyani.
With a fast varnam of Syama Sastri’s, ‘Neeve gatiyani,’ followed by ‘Pankaja Lochana’ of Swati Tirunal and ‘Unnayallal’ of Papanasam Sivan, the trio impressively brought out the myriad shades and extensive scope of these great ragas. Kothavasal Venkatarama Iyer's ‘Sarasude’ in raga Saveri, rich in raga bhava, Periyasamy Thooran's ‘Muruga Muruga Endral’ and Syama Sastri's ‘Sankari Sanguru’ with subtle and brief anusuras and carefully caressing sangatis spear-headed the concert and made everybody surrender at the altar of Carnatic music. Kharaharapriya with its janya ragas numbering more than 20 was freezed for prosperity.
The ‘Chakkaniraja’ and ‘Pakkala Nilabadi’ of Tyagaraja, Sivan's ‘Dayavillaya’ and ‘Senthillandavan’ in Kharaharapriya, its janya ragas Abhogi in Bharati's ‘Ini Oru Ganam,’ rare Jayamanohari in Tyagaraja’s ‘Nee Bhakti Bhagya Sugamo’ with racing brigas and crisp alapanas were clear and impressively presented.
With a racy Kundalavarali and a lilting Rasikapriya (Kotteeswarar’s ‘Arul Seyya Vendum’) Radha Baskar concluded her concert with a Sindhubhairavi kriti in Hindustani style, with Thanjavur Sankara Iyer’s ‘Manadhirku Vandhadhu,’ Madurai Srinivasan’s ‘Karunai Deivame’ and Purandaradasar’s ‘Venkatachala Nilayam.’
Melakaveri Thiagarajan played a perfect match in violin throughout with consistent support.
