On the third and final day of Ragapriya concert series by Chamber Music Club, Amritha Murali with percussionists R K Sriramkumar on violin, Palladam Ravi on the mridangam, Alathur Raja Ganesh on the ganjira, once again proved that a live music concert is a pleasurable social event that is among the most visceral and memorable forms of musical engagement.
Starting her concert with Gopalakrishna Bharathiyaar’s Shivaloka Nathanai in Raga Mayamalavagowla, which brought the Nandanar story of inviting everybody to come and visit Tirupunkur Shiva Temple, it was followed by Thyagaraja, ‘Sitapatina manasuna’, in raga khamas, which set the tone for the concert.
She then rendered a long alapana for Shyamaa Sastry’s “Meenalochana brova” in Dhanyasi. Next piece was the violinist’s own composition on Goddess Meenakshi in Yamunakalyani Ragam, which was well received by the audience.
The main raga of the evening “Bhairavi” for saint Tyagarajar’s “Upacharamulanu”, in which the strong team of accompanists and the melodious singing of Amritha Murali contributed heavily towards the success of the recital. The rendering generated a peaceful, serious and stimulated the sentiment of sadness of the Saint.
She concluded her concert with a song in praise of the Tamil Language by Bharathiar “ Vazhga nirantharam Vazhiya Tamizh mozhi”. The rendition of a few stanzas of the "kongalarndha malar" from "Periya Thirumozhi " by Thirumangai Azhvar moved the audience to a different devotional level.
The raga alapana for the songs which showcased her in-built talent and the compositions by the violinist R K Shriramkumar, showed his versatility. The space given by vocalist for the Tani by Palladam Ravi and Alathur Rajaganesh was well used by them and won applause from the rasikas.
Padmanabhan.S.
