Usha Shankar : Guruvandanam @ Ragasudha

[Sivaramakrishnan]

GURUVANDANAM
Commemorating Guru T R Balamani
Ragasudha, Mylapore, Chennai
30.10.2017

USHA SHANKAR– Vocal
Deepa Nambudiri-Vocal support
Anayampatti Venkatasubramanian - Violin
Thillaistaanam Suryanarayanan - Mridangam

Time: 4.30-6.00 p.m.
E sruti- pitch 5 (G)

1. Natakurinji- Varnam - Swami naan unthan adimai - Papanasam Sivan
2. Naata- Siddhivinayakam-Aadi-Parthasarathi Iyengar
3. Gourimanohari- Guruleka- Khanda chapu- Tyagaraja
4. Chhaayatarangini- Saraswati Chhaayatarangini- Aadi- Dikshitar
5. Purvikalyani- Ninnuvina- Misra Chapu- Shyama sastri
6. Bhairavi-Balagopala-Aadi-Dikshitar
7. Naadanamakriya-Paravasamayenura-Aadi-Walajapet Venkatarama Bhagavatar
8. Vasantha-Tillana-Aadi-Ammachatram Kannusaami

The programme was jointly organised by Smt Ranjani Chander daughter and disciple of Guru T R Balamani and Parampara-led by Vedantha Ramanujam to mark the third anniversary of the demise of the legendary Guru -an icon of Carnatic music of Bombay where she lived most of her times and had trained innumerable number of students- many of them leading professionals today.

The concert by Usha Shankar, one of the senior-most sishyas of T R Balamani was thus a fitting tribute to the memory of the Guru.
The singer did full justice to her duty through a well planned concert of select compositions.
Vocal support was provided by Deepa Nambudiri.

The Varnam in Natakurinji gave the right start. This padavarnam, so popular in Bharatanatyam circuits, is rarely taken up in concerts. Of course it is not an easy one - probably indicative of the range of varnams of different hues taught by the Guru.The kriti in Naata too is not a commonly heard one and a few round of swaraprastaaras made it enjoyable. Tyagaraja's Guruleka which followed was evocative of the mood of the occasion. The kriti in Chhayaatarangini was rendered quite authentically. Again, this kriti of Dikshitar is rarely heard in concert platforms and was a sample of the weighty uruppadis handled by the Guru.

Usha Shankar handled the aalaapana of Purvikalyani which had all the essential prayogas as well as niceties of the raga. Sancharas the upper octave were ably delineated by Deepa Nambudiri. Violin return by Venkatasubramanian was quite appropriate. The kriti in Misra (viloma) chapu was rendered brightly with neraval and swaraprastara at Charana passage Paramalo with precise eduppu at the Irandaavathu Adi as it is commonly described.

The main item (the time tested Balagopala in Bhairavi) was presented well with elaborate alapana, neraval and compact swaras at Neelaneeradasareera. Tani by Thillaistaanam Suryanarayanan provided an insight into a traditional suite with clear strokes, korvais and mohra.

Paravasamaayenura - a stellar composition of Walajapet Venkataramana Bhagavathar prime disciple of Saint Tyagaraja gave a good contrast in Naadanamakriya. The concluding Tillana in vasantha was still a rare one and rendered with verve.

Overall, the recital was an excellent tribute to a Guru by a devout disciple.

Morever Usha Shankar and Deepa Nambudiri had the rare previlege of being listened to by Sangita Kalanidhi R Vedavalli who appreciated them for letting the flag of the Balamani school fly high, thanks to the promotional efforts by Ranjani Chander, daughter of Smt Balamani. She also appreciated Sri Vedantham Ramanujam of Parampara Trust who has taken up the mission of organising concerts in tribute of masters of Carnatic music.

Smt R Vedavalli released a booklet on the life and music of Guru T R Balamani. This also contains a list of her disciples - quite a novel idea. Another concert by Savita Sriram followed the book-release event.

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A Brief note on T R Balamani
Balamani was born in 1936 in Thatthamangalam in Palghat. After initial training under Tripunithura Narayana Bhagavathar, she joined Central College of Carnatic music, Madras and came under the tutelage of Sangita kalanidhi Musiri Subramania Iyer. She received a Govt scholarship and continued training under T K Govinda Rao and K S Venkataraman. She also learnt under stalwarts of the times like Tirupampuram Swaminatha Pillai and Chittoor Subramania Pillai, T Brinda, Devakottai Narayana Iyengar and M K Kalyanakrishna Bhagavathar.

Though endowed with a mellifluous voice, Balamani concentrated on teaching music in Bombay and was a faculty of the Bharatiya Music and Arts Society for a decade till 1975. Apart from several awards from institutions in Mumbai, several awards including Aacharya Ratnakara of Cleveland Music Academy (2013)were conferred upon her. Numerous students who learnt under are leading professionals of today. Shankar Mahadevan and Bombay Jaishree are among them. The Guru was known for teaching rare varnams, host of kritis, trikala neravls, Pallavis etc.
Ranjani Chander her daughter and disciple, also a musician and teacher lives in Chennai.
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[Sivaramakrishnan]

The Concert as well as the book-release function were duly web cast live by Parivadini and available in the archives.

[CRama]

I felt glad that I attended this concert. Usha Shankar from Coimbatore is a senior disciple of T.R. Balamani who also had learned under T.K.Govinda Rao and has got an amazing repertoire. Her open throated singing and manodharmam received liberal appreciation from none other than Vedavalli Mami. It was a scholarly presentation. The song in Nata and Nadanamakariya were very nice and much new to me. The neraval at Paramalobhudani and Neela neerada sareera showed her brimming manodharmam. Her disciple supported her appreciably while singing in the upper registers of the alapana.

T.R.Balamani- Heard about her from many musicians. Since she got settled in Bombay, I have never heard her music. Will appreciate if her daughter or disciples could upload any of her renderings.