Scholarly rendition

Sashi Kumar (centre) during his concert. Photo: Special Arrangement

Sangeetha Ksheerasagarm invited scholar and performer Sashikumar to sing at a concert arranged in memory of Uppalapati Ankayya. Sashikumar is currently an associate professor of department of performing arts, Benares University. Despite a little discomfort in voice affected by cold, his performance turned out to be a fabulous one. He had full scale orchestral support with Kambhampati Lakshmi Narasimha Murthy on violin, P. Satyavaraprasad on mridangam, K.V. Satyanarayanamurthy on ghatam and R. Srikanth on morsing all seasoned performers, actively contributing their skills in enhancing the vocalist’s output.

Sashikumar opened with Tatvamariya Tarama in Reetigowla Adi talam of Papanasam Sivan, giving a taste of his skill keeping up to bhava of the kirtana and followed it with Swaminatha Paripalayaasumam in Nata of Dikshitar and rarely heard number. This was followed by Paradevi Amba in Sutai in Roopaka talam of Veena Kuppiyer.

Naradamuni Vedalina in Kamavardhani in Tisra Adi of Thyagaraja was enriched with extensive swarakalpana taking the pallavi line

Naradamuni . The way he presented these kalpanaswaras revealed for the first time his skill in building the swaras with ragabhava.

Mamava Sadajanani in Kaanada, Roopaka talam of Swati Tirunal and Papanasam Sivan’s

Paratpara Parameswara in Vachaspati and

Dharma Samvardhani in Madhyamavati of Dikshitar were quickies before he chose Sankarabharanam as his main melody of the concert for

Sarojadalanetri in Adi talam of Syama Sastry. The raga, as he progressed from one octave to another, was built creating its majestic appeal packed with interesting nuances here and there.

Violinist Lakshmi Narasimhamurthy, an experienced hand, aptly complemented vocalist’s output with his own contribution in raga and then with responses of high quality. The Tani avartnam by all the percussionists made laudable appeal.

Sashikumar closed his concert with Venkatachala Nilayam in Sindhu Bhairavi of Purandara Dasa and a tillana in Kuntalavarali.