Abhishek Raghuram@ Astika Samajam

[bharathi]

I was witness to yet another brilliant concert of the young star of this music season, the young energetic Abhishek Raghuram, at Astika SamAjam in Tiruvanmayur on 8.1.2011

Despite the bad acoustics, noisy environment of the hall and not so pleasant décor of the venue, I came away thinking that “ I am glad I am born on this earth at a time when Carnatic Music is at its best”.

What shall I talk about?.. Abhishek's beautiful voice? the blissful sruthi shuddam? the sheer mastery of rhythm on display by all artists at concert? or the supreme flow of manodharma? or the genius in perfect form?


Abhishek started the concert with the evergreen beauty of the Ata thala varnam in Bhairavi, then followed a piece in sowrashtram. A beautiful rendering of durbar followed by the grand Mundu vEnuka iru: by Tyagaraja. This song was rendered a sedate manner which was made lovelier by the rich voice of Abhishek. Then came the raga natakapriya, which I heard for the first time. “S R1 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S” next to hanuma todi in the 72 melakarthas; a beautiful song was rendered in this ragam “marajanani-N.C.Raghavacharyulu”. Then followed a piece in Kalyani, “ammaravamma” with an excellent neraval at “sowmitri”. The grand finale was the RTP in charukesi with the raga rendered in a splendid elaborate manner.. The pallavi was hurried and so was the kalpana swaram, the latter was surprisingly rendered after a spirited thani avarthanam.. The whole hall was energized well past 9; and I was compelled leave when one of the organizers was giving his customary commendation.
An excellent concert.. a very good set of accompanying artists Shrikant on Violin; Anantha R Krishnan on Mridangam and a very good artist on Kanjira, whose name I cannot recall.
Three cheers to the younger generation of singers for taking CM to greater heights
Hip-Hip Hurray!

[mahavishnu]

Thanks for your review, Bharathi. I heard great things about this concert from a few others in attendance, and can now attest that to myself thanks to small recording devices and the internet.

The Kanjira artiste was Sree Sundar Kumar.

The composer of the beautiful Natakapriya kriti "Mararanjani" is N.C.Krishnamacharyulu, a prolific composer from Vijayawada, A.P. (Discussion on him can be found here: http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 60&start=0). I just learned over the last season that Pantula Rama (and her husband MSN Murthy) also trained with NCK.

[bharathi]

Thanks Mahavishnu for the link.. it was very informative.. yes I realised it was Krishnamacharyulu, not Raghavacharyulu.. The charanam was really very nice.."YAti pattern": as I learnt from the link.. like it appears in tygArAjayOgavaibhavam
Also another correction was that the second piece was in Kalavathi not sowrastram, the sahityam begins with "Okabari" written by Tyagaraja, I checked in T. K. GovindaRao's book.
The neraval in Kalyani was at "tAmarasadaLanetri tyAgarAjuni mitri". The Charukesi was really beautiful.. The words of the pallavi went like this
"sadAnI pAdame gati krupA kari karuNitho janani" in jhampa talam

[rshankar]

The words of the pallavi went like this"sadAnI pAdame gati krupA kari karuNitho janani" in jhampa talam

I assume the svarAkshara pattern was exploited...

[vgovindan]

"tAmarasadaLanetri tyAgarAjuni mitri"

It should be "tAmarasadaLanetru tyAgarAjuni mitru".

http://thyagaraja-vaibhavam.blogspot.co ... -raga.html

[bharathi]

I assume the svarAkshara pattern was exploited...

Yes, rshankar, it was..

"tAmarasadaLanetru tyAgarAjuni mitru".
Thanks, vgovindan
I checked in books and you are right, but I distinctly remember "tri" instead of "tru" being sung
Also "Mundu venaka" sounded like "Mundu venuka"

[srikant1987]

Also "Mundu venaka" sounded like "Mundu venuka"

Well, modern Telugu definitely uses venaka for "behind", but somehow thyagaraja-vaibhavam says venuka. I know that Vidushi R Vedavalli sings it as venaka and Sri T M Krishna sings it as venuka ... others I haven't heard (yeah, I've heard the to-me defining rendition of this song by Vidwan Trivandrum R Venkataraman, but on the veena).

[vgovindan]

bharati,
'venuka' is the correct form. But 'venaka' also is in currency and accepted in the Telugu Dictionary. Telugus of Tamil Nadu use 'venaka'.

[mahavishnu]

I distinctly remember "tri" instead of "tru" being sung

Bharathi, you are right. He did sing "tri". I have seen others do this too, including SSI.

[vgovindan]

When faith (in guru and parampara) is not renewed by self-search and assimilation, the system degenerates. But what we find is only 'IyaDiccAn-kApi'. hm.....

[srikant1987]

'venuka' is the correct form. But 'venaka' also is in currency and accepted in the Telugu Dictionary. Telugus of Tamil Nadu use 'venaka'.

Thank you, Govindan sir. I have heard 'venaka' in Hyderabad too.

Indeed, thanks to thyagaraja-vaibhavam, self-search has become so easy!