Pranavam M.K. Sankaran Namboothiri's conventional style of singing and pleasant presentation enthralled music lovers of Tripunithura during his concert at Rugmini-Ramakrishna Kalyanamandapam.
He began the concert with an impressive rendering of ‘Sidhivinayakam seveham Varam,' a kriti of Muthiah Bhagavathar in Mohanakalyani.
Devout presentation
A devout presentation of ‘Nee paadame gathi,' a kriti by G.N.B. in Nalinakanthi, followed. It was adorned with a long swaraprasthara.
A masterly alaap of Panthuvaraali showcased Sankaran's acumen as a vocalist. Edappally Ajith came up with evocative accompaniment on the violin.
Sankaran sang a popular Tyagaraja kriti – ‘Vaadera daivamu manasaa' – with an elaborative niraval and swaraprasthara too. The three charanams in the composition intensified the raga bhava and thereby the sweetness of the kriti. Sankaran improvised on the last line, repeatedly chanting ‘Seethapathi' in different ways.
Even though the Kapi alaap was brief, it was mellifluously sung.
The main raga of the day was Kharaharapriya. Although listeners expected a ragam-tanam-pallavi, Sankaran took up Tygaraja's ‘Vidamu seyave.'
The elaboration of charanams and deft handling of sangathis were a pleasure to listen to. This was followed by a taniavartanam by Balakrishna Kammath on the mridangam and Kottayam Unnikrishnan on the ghatam.
Thukkadas included ‘Baaro murare baalaka soure sadaa vichaara santhosha dheera,' a composition of Vaadiraja Swami sung in Desh raag, and ‘Irakkam varaamal ponathenna kaaranam en swami' in Behag, composed by Gopalakrishna Bharathi.
He also sang some kritis such as ‘Jayajaya Durge' by Narayana Theertar in Suddhadhanyasi, ‘Hari thumharo,' a bhajan, and ‘Draupadi ki' in Dabarikanada.
A thillana in Maand raag preceded the concluding mangalam.
The programme was conducted in memory of K.C. Kalyanasundaram.