Gayathri Venkataraghavan for Parthasarathy Sabha

[sureshvv]

You know how you can drive down a road every day of your life for many years and then one day you happen to ride a bicycle through the same road and everything seems utterly different? Yesterday's Kharahapriya was such an eye-opening experience. Having got my fill of tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee "pidi-oriented" (thanks, bilahari) raga essays where the singer jumps quickly from one pidi to the next as if negotiating an obstacle course and when it is all over the audience applauds merrily that the artiste made it through unscathed, this alapana was more intent on showing off the wide panorama between the pidis. And it seemed to stretch endlessly, the landscape unwinding from the horizon undulating with its own rhythm and the usual pidis all showing up but as small landmarks decorating the brilliant landscape. Not sure if the artiste intended this as a bold experiment or it was just an unplanned spur-of-the-moment thing, but it was a most welcome digression that I will occupy my memory for many weeks ahead.

Will post song list and more observations later...

[HarishankarK]

Will post song list and more observations later...

Please do.... she is one of my favourites ... i pray she will not change her style and present loud and aggresive expositions as is becoming with other 'modern' artistes - bhakthi quotient is very high in her music - and it is never 'thallaila adikkira maadiri -hard'

[mahavishnu]

nicely written, Suresh. Look forward to the details!

[sureshvv]

OK. Song list first. More of my banter later...

1. Slokam
2. Mathe (varnam), khamas, adi, HKMB
3. Azhi mazhai kanna, varali, adi, Andal, neraval
4. Virutham in Mohanam
5. Kadambari priyayai, Mohanam, Adi, Dikshitar, swaras
6. Bhogeendra sayinam, Kuntalavarali, KC, ST
7. Kharaharapriya, Rama nee samana, Rup, Thyaga, ns @ kula vibusha mrudu subhasha
8. RTP, Shanmugapriya, khanda triputa,
9. ragamalika swaras in mohanakalyani, bahudari
10. Virutham
11. Enna thavam seidhanai
12. nachat nachat, yamuna kalyani
13. bharathiyar song by request
14. mangalam, nee nama rupamu

[sureshvv]

1. Parthasarathy Sabha has become my least favorite location. If you happen to be caught inside for Sanjay (or Visakha Hari, not that I would wish that on anybody) flashes of the kumbakonam fire and the srirangam building collapse overwhelm your consciousness. The sound system is usually at the mercy of who seems to be an ex tea-shop proprietor with the firm conviction that the only redeeming quality of music is its volume. So as the screen retreated, I was already somewhat wary.

2. A voice like silk soaked in honey is what distinguishes GV's presentation. As she opened with a slokam, a shade of hoarseness announced the fact that this was the last week of an unusually cold December and that she has already had a hectic schedule for the season. Strike One!

3. The slokam (in hamsadwani?) gave way to Mathe, the daru varnam with a most melodious opening. It was a counterpoint like transition, not at all seamless - actually quite jarring and marred the beauty of raga momentarily. It was like khamas was hurriedly yanked out of a carefully wrapped package adorned with a beautiful bow. Strike Two!

4. So at this point my heart was down in my worn out slippers and I involuntarily reached for the reckoner to see what else was on for the evening.