Sec'bad- DrCh.RanganathaSharma

[sivakami]

Sadguru Sri. Thyagaraja Uthsava Samithi
AnandBagh, Hyderabad 500047
24th Feb 2014

Dr Cherthalai K.N. Ranganatha Sharma
Komanduri V. Krishna – violin
Vankayala V. Ramana Murthy – mridangam
P .V. RamanaMurthy – ghatam


Song list:
1. chitra ratnamaya seshatalpa mandhu (mitri bhagyame…)– kharaharapriya (raga sketch for 2 min)
2. mara vairi ramaNi - nAsikA bhUshaNi ( S@ mara vairi)
3.tulasi bilva mallika – kedaragowla ( R-6min, vio:3min)
4. vinata sutha vahana sri ramana – jayanthasena (S@vinatha)
5. chera ravademira – reethigowla
6. saarame gaani – pantuvarali (R: 4min, vio.3min; N& S@samagana loludaina rajathagiri damudaina..)
7. nada loludai – kalyana vasantham
8. emi neramu nannu brova – sankarabharanam
( R;12min, vio -6min, N&S@deena bandhuvani, devadevudani..)
9. tani – 19min
10. entha mudho, entha sogaso..( started with the anupallavi ‘entha varalaina’)
11. ea raamuni nammithino, nenea poola pooja jesithino – vakulabharanam
12. mangalam

After having read the posts about Dr. ChRS, and watching him perform recently on the Nadaneerajanam programme of the SVBC channel, we were very keen to attend his concert. He kick started with a grand opening of a sketch of kharaharapriya, making us wonder what could be the opening piece. I was delighted when he started off with my favorite ‘chitra ratnamaya’ indicating there is a lot more to feast in the next 2-3 hours. Next came another interesting item, which we get to listen rarely, increasing our joy. Then, one after the other, Dr ChRS treated us to a very delightful evening with his clear diction, singing the slow moving, soothing ‘tulasi-bilva’or ‘vinata’. Whatever was peaceful and serene turned turbulent suddenly, in the form of the mikes braying, cooing and trying to add its part in the kutcheri along with the vidwans. Once he started off the reethigowla kriti, there had to be several interruptions to set-n-reset the mikes( which were well behaved till the previous 4 days, with the Malladis and TMK singing happily). We even felt that it was so disturbing and disconcerting to the artistes on stage that they may decide to wind-up quickly. He stopped halfway and told the technicians, “ok, I’ll wait; pl. set everything right and then we will go on..” Somehow, after summoning the technical chief and fidgeting for 10 min. or so, the strong gale storms and all were brought to control.

After this, the artistes started to relax to normalcy and a more cheerful state, continuing “chera ravademira”, which was followed by a beautiful short-n-sweet alapanai of panthuvarali, the meaningful kriti and yet another melodious ‘nadaloludai’ ;all songs rendered with devotion. During the detailed Shankarabharanam alapanai, as usual we were trying to guess, which song would be his choice for the ‘main’ whether it would be ‘Swara raga sudha’or manasu swadhinamai, eduta nilachithe or what? Then I suddenly realised that the mikes were extremely co-operative and behaving very well. Upon turning towards the technician’s table, I saw that they all had vanished and since there was no fiddling, it resulted in calm and peace. Analogous to the chaotic situation that prevails when a traffic policeman is trying to regulate the traffic, which otherwise was orderly in his absence, here also the second half of the kucheri was hassle-free. He took us by pleasant surprise, when he started off “ emi neramu nannu brova”. The unhurried, detailed rendition of the main was another special feature that I personally enjoyed. The vakulabharanam kriti, I felt, should have also been rendered in more detail, for us to enjoy more. But it was time-up for the curtains and we had to leave Half heartedly. KV Krishna on violin offered excellent support throughout, with his exact returns. The 2 Ramanamurthys on mridangam and ghatam respectively responded aptly and also during the ‘tani’. A wonderful selection of songs reflected ChRS garu’s meticulous planning for us the Hyd rasikas (normally the so-called “very” popular artistes many-a-times, repeat the same songs, even when they come to perform more than once within the same month, making us feel that we, the Hyd rasikas will not mind. Special Thanks to Dr. Ranganatha Sharma garu for this!!

[rshankar]

Sivakami - thank you for that lovely report...your report on the mikes and the comparison to a gale had me wondering for just a bit if you were channeling Mrs. Bale (Arasi and Nick, among others, will be sure to get the refernce!)