Powerful vocals

Ranjani Sivakumar’s vocal concert was a professional performance at its best.

MELODIOUS PERFORMANCE Ranjani Sivakumar at the concert.

Sarada Cultural Trust organised a Carnatic vocal concert by Ranjani Sivakumar at their venue, the auditorium of Sri Mahalakshmi Sannidhi, situated in West Marredpally.

Ranjani opened her concert with Vanajakshiro Kalyani varnam and presented it in three speeds. She then went for Kambhoji for Lambodaramavalambe of Mysore Vasudevachar with impressive ragalapana and treating it as an important number for she was rendering it at the end of Vinayaka Chaviti. The raga was delineated with melodious moves, building apt phrases.

The kirtana rendition was quite evocative with a neraval at

Surabhusura Samsevita treating it as a tribute to Vinayaka. On request she rendered Lalitha and chose

Hiranmayeem Lakshmim , a choice number of audience, in praise of the presiding deity of the venue, Goddess Lakshmi.

She presented this number with tambura in hand she picked up from her student giving shruthi support from behind. These days you rarely find a traditional tambura in the concerts. Her rendition of this number too was with great devotional appeal.

After Ranjani presented Gopalaka Pahimam in Revagupti and Anupama Gunambudhi in Athana of Thyagaraja accelerating the speed of the concert, she chose Srikanthimathim of Dikshitar in Hemavati as her sub-main number with raga and swarakalpana both standing as proof for her grip on the technical skills.

The raga and swara presentation mirrored her rich manodharma. The kirtana rendition too carried appeal of both melody and sahitya bhava.

Ranjani then chose Vararagalaya in Chenchukambhoji before she set for her main number Nanu Palimpa of Thyagaraja in Mohana. This number taking nearly an hour for its conclusion itself spoke of her grit and determination not only to display her rich creative skills in building raga and then in kalpanaswaras but also to give weight to this most important number of Thyagaraja. Young and talented violinist Mallela Tejaswi too matched her every move creating same impact. It was professional performance at its best. The neraval she presented at the line Surapatineela Maninibha Tanuvuto was delightful. The tani avartanam that followed too matched the mood of the concert.

In the later part of the concert Ranjani came out with Hey Govinda Hey Goplala , a Suradas Bhajan; Ramadasu kirtana Pahimam Sriramayante Palukavaitivi in Yadukula Kambhoji; Balamurali tillana and Kavadi Chindu, a folk treat of Tamil Nadu. Burra Sriram on mridangam too lent excellent support.