Varalakshmi Anandakumar

[satyabalu]

Ambalam Arts &Culture Pvt Ltd 18'Yamuna Street,Kalakshetra Colony,Besant Nager,Chennai-90.04443016555.
This is a small compact auditorium to accommodate enough people for a Chamber Music..with a modest stage
I am told they conduct events once in 2 3 months .Nice ambience that enables artists' interaction with the rasikas.
I missed the first programme of Bhagyalakshmi Suresh.
I missed commencing part of Varalakshmi 's concert.
She was supported on the Violin by Usha Rajagopalan &in mridangam by Melakaveri Sri. Balaji.
I entered when she was singing Jaya Jaya.Swamin ....Nattai .Narayana Theerthar..Tarangam
It was followed by chaste rendering of Sama Sastri kriti Nannu brovu Lalitha -Mis.chapu.
After a detailed Raga elaboration of Karaharapriya she took up Chenthil Andavan Of Papanasam Sivan-how clearly both Varalakshmi &Usha had indicated that it was only Sivan composition that is going to follow .I may term this as main as She had RNS in this .Puranthardasar Devarnama was to follow set in Rasikapriya. Again after Mohanam raga delineation she went on for the Main "Nannupalimpa " of Thiagaraja followed by Tani by Melakaveri Balaji.Her handling of swaras in Mohanam was a demonstration of versatility of this Raga of Pentatonic scale Ga Sa Ri Sa Da Sa ,Ga da Sa da Ri da .....
She came up with Parukkulle nalla nadu-Valaji &shanthi Nilavavendum -Tilang of Sethu Madhava Rao?( DKP /DKJ stamp.) before signing off .
Artists were in full gusto undeterred by depleting audience . I enjoyed warmth of organisers . I welcome such Sabha programmes as they are within the manageable distance for Adyar &other neighbourhood residents like me.I may suggest such events are communicated through neighbourhood newspspapers Adyar Times and the like.

[varsha]

It was a brilliant concert . The best Kharaharapriya alapana I have heard live , in years .
This artist is someone to watch out .
She has an MLVsque ability to make the phrases work to her will . A rich imaginative will . It is commendable that her DKJ lineage shows up only in the phrasings and not as mannerisms or mimickry .
She looks like somebody who has moved on , after DKJ left us .
The way she sand PD's Hindilla Mundilla showed her uncanny ability to get the effect of rasikapriya . Each time , the word Mundilla would be made to look like , as though she was staring at an abyss. What a choice of a raga - whoever tuned it , May God Bless him .
Accompanists were outstanding , too

[satyabalu]

Varsha!PD Devarnama is in Rasikapriya.

[varsha]

sorry for typing out the wrong raga in haste , on way to work )
thanks