Brhammotsavam celebrations @ Nanganallur - Concert on 14 Mar

[HR]

A wonderful setting for a concert - a stage set in the frontyard of a huge temple overlooking an array of lamps swaying beautifully to the light evening breeze, the serene atmosphere that is so much a part of old temples, and a packed hall with audience listening in rapt attention . This concert took place in the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Navaneethakrishnan temple in Nanganallur , as a part of the Brhammotsavam celebrations. History has it that this ancient temple was built in the 8th century during the Pallava rule. The temple disappeared due to the ravages of time, and was excavated and rebuilt in the 1970s.
Song list for the inaugural concert of the Bhramotsavam music series -

Dr. Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam - Vocal, Anayampatti Sri. Venkatasubramaniam - Violin , Delhi Sri. Sairam - Mridangam

· Pavanatmaja Agaccha - Naattai - Khanda Chapu - M.Dikshitar - S
· Kodanda Rama – Kokilaravam – Adi - M.Dikshitar
· Athi Nirupama – Pantuvarali – Adi Tisram – Oothukadu Venkatasubbaiyer - R , S
· Marugelara - Jayantasri - Adi - Thyagaraja
· Balakrishna Padamalar - Dhanyasi - Rupakam - Papanasam Sivan - R , N , S
· Nanda Gopala – Yamuna Kalyani - Adi - M.Dikshitar
· Narasimha - Bilahari - Misrachapu - R , S , T
· Muralidhara Gopala - Mand - Adi - Periyasami Thooran
· Pasuram - Srinivasa Thiruvenkatam - Hamsanandi - Adi - Papanasam Sivan
· Enna Thavam - Kapi - Adi - Papanasam Sivan
· Kabir Bhajan
· A verse from Sri Sthuti - Mangalam

It was a wonderful concert, and yet another one that demonstrated Smt. Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam's vast repertoire. The concert started with a kriti on Anjaneya by Dikshitar - not one that is often heard. Next came another rare kriti in a rare ragam – Kokilaravam . Both these songs were on deities in that temple - Anjaneya and Kodanda Rama . Kalpana Swarams in Pantuvarali were rendered in third speed tisram , in addition to the normal speed, and Sri Sairam supported beautifully for change of nadais , by playing different variations. It was a beautiful Dhanyasi preceding Balakrishna Pada Malar, and Nerval - Swarams in the Charanam phrase - 'Gokulam Brindavanam Yamuna ... '. Nanda Gopala in Yamunakalyani was a treat!! The main song for the evening was on the chief deity of the temple - Narasimha Nannu Brovave in Bilahari . A majestic raga rendition, sprightly kalpana swara passages and an energetic Thani Avartanam made the entire presentation special. Special mention to the beautiful rendition of Kulasekarazhwar’s pasuram - 'Chediyaya Valvinaigal...' in Shanmukhapriya , Bagesri , Mohanam . The pasuram was linked beautifully to Hamsanandi using the words “ Alarmelmangai Manaalane ... “ following it with Srinivasa Thiru Venkatamudaiyaan . The concert concluded with a very apt mangalam - a verse from Sri Sthuthi rendered in SriRagam (The temple has a sannidhi for Sri. Vendanta Desikar)

[hamirkalyani123]

Thanks, HR for the review. The hallmark of her greatness is that she chooses the appropriate items for the occasion