GAYATHRI GIRISH-SWATI TIRUNAL THEMATIC CONCERT

[CRama]

The above concert was organized by Narada Gana Sabha and was held in the Main Hall of the Sabha on 16 April 2014 at 6.30 PM. She was accompanied by Raghavendra Rao on the violin, B,Sivaraman on the Mridangam and Guruprasad on the Ghatam. The list of songs,

• Daanisaamajendra- Thodi- Varnam –Adi
• Paripaahi Ganaadhipa-Saveri- Adi
• Saamodam paripaalaya-Ramapriya-Adi
• Narasimha mamava-Arabhi-Khandachapu
• Seve Sreekaantham-Mohanakalyani-Adi
• Paalayamam Sree Pankajanaabha-Nayaki-Roopakam
• Rajeevakshabaro-Sankarabharanam
• Sathatham Thaavaka-Kharaharapriya-Adi
• Saanandam Kamalamanohari-Ragamalika-Adi
• Aaj aaye Syaam mohan-Bhajan-Syam Kalyan
• Alarsara parithaapam-Suruti-Misra chapu.

The opening number, the mighty varnam was a pointer to the heavy fare that was to follow. This varnam, I have heard only from the recordings of Musiri and now sung by his prime disciples- both the Suguna Mamis. Even in Kerala, this varnam is rarely heard. This varnam is an ocean of swaraksharas, which the Maharaja had a penchant for as can be seen in some other kritis as well. The opening Daanisa is swaraksharam and there are innumerable such prayogas throughout. This is a pada varnam with sahithyam for the chittaswaram and all the ettugada swarams. Musiri school, for reasons unknown do not sing the sahithyam. But Gayathri did sang the sahithyam as well in a very leisurely kalapramanam enabling us to get soaked in each phrase. The whole varnam took a solid 15 minutes. GG presented the varnam excellently.

The next song Paripahi Ganadhipa is also not so common in concerts Even in Navarathri Mandapam, this song is sung by Mullamoottu Bhagavathars only before the main concert. The first alapana for the day was Ramapriya - for the song Saamodam Paripalaya- a song on Sivan. The Maharaja has composed around15 songs n Siva. This is also a rarely heard song. My first experience of this song was from Vidwan RKSrikantan in 80s- in a concert of ST Kritis. ( I do have this concert). The alapana brought out the swaroopam of the ragam without any ambiguity. There was no overlap with Malayamarutham. Liberal dose of swaras sung n the Charanam line-Padmanabha sahodari mamava was icing on the cake. After Narasimhamamava with chittaswaram sung at the end of Anupallavi and Charanam, ragam Mohanakalyani was chosen for an elaborate treatment. GG informed that the Padmanabha dasa Maharaja has composed around 85 songs on Padmanabha, his ishta deivam and this one is one of them. Swaras were sung at Bhanusasanga.

Nayaki song Palayamam, made famous by her Guru TNS was presented next with emphasis on the jeeva swaras of this ragam. The song Rajeevakshabaro in Kannada was presented to show the Maharaja’s adeptness in handling different languages. The Main ragam Kharaharapriya was sung elaborately for 10 minutes followed by Sathatham Thavaka. ST has mentioned nine forms of bhakthi to attain God- Navavidha bhakthi. They are archanam, daasyam, vandanam, smaranam, sravanam,keerthanam, sakhyam, paadasevanam, aatmanivedanam, etc. This song is about paada sevanam of Lord Padmanabha. Elaborate neraval at Mamahridivasaanisam and swaraprastharas in two kalams added luster to the song.

After the thani, a small ragamalika- Saanandam Kamalamanohari in the ragams- Kamalamanohari, Hamsadhwani, Revagupti, and Tharangini and chittaswarams for all the ragams added sparkle to the song. The Maharaja has composed 37 Hindi bhajans. One such bhajan- Aaj Aaye in the ragam Shyam Kalyan tuned by Sri KR.Kedaranathan was presented well. This song is a favourite of MBK as well. The concert came to a close with Alarasara parithapam in Suruti. GG pronounciation of Malayalam also deserves appreciation.

At the start of the concert GG gave a short introduction to the life of the Maharaja and his compositions. Before each song, she gave a reference to the special feature of the composition which facilitated better enjoyment of the composition. The violin returns of Raghavendra Rao was catchy especially in Mohanakalyani raga alapana. The percussion team helped in embellishing the concert to a great extent.

[priyaram78]

Thanks for the detailed review.

[rshankar]

Thank you for that review and making us experience it vicariously.
Sounds like a typical concert of Smt. Gayathri Girish's with a lot of research, and many new songs (for me)...hope it was recorded!

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks CRama for the review.

And did you say Danisamajendra in Todi? That brings to me something valuable etched in my memory!

1963 or 1964? Am not sure. As a small boy, I accompanied my father to Navaratri Mandapam, Trivandrum one evening. You know you have to be at the venue latest by 6.15 pm. even to enter the premises and find a place on the verandah (and certainly before 6 if you have to gain entry into the main mandapam where the concert would be happening!). We were late that day and the only facility available was to have darshan of Goddess Sarawati from an outside window from where we could also make out figures of the artists performing at the mandapam in the dim kutthuvilakku light! But you have to move away to make way for other devotees crowding in front of the window -the only consolation being availability of a loud speaker outside the venue near the steps leading to the main entrance of Padmanabhaswamy temple. Well, my father helped me peep through the window and said it was Musiri singing Danisamjendra with TK Govinda Rao. I don't remember who were on the Pakkavadyams but sure were two giants of those times! I remember my father enjoying every syllable of the song. I could but gather it was a rare uruppadi. Perhaps it was Musiri's last concert at the mandapam.

During the almost 25 years of my continuous attendance for the Navaratri series at the Mandapam since then, Danisamajendra seemed to be elusive!

Thus my heart goes to anyone who render Danisamajendra!

RKS has sung Samodam paripalaya, Seve Srikntam, Rajivaksha baro and Palaya maam on many occasions. Congrats to GG for introducing Saanandam kamalamanohari. And this has raised much expectation from her and we shall await weighty ragamalikas like Pannagendrasayana and Kamalajaasya apart from slokas from Bhaktimanjari or Syaanandoorapura varnanaa prabandham and verses from Kuchelopakhyaanam etc.

[CRama]

Thanks for all your responses.

Today only I noticed that the concert date was the birthday of Maharaja Swati Tirunal. GG has paid a fitting tribute to the Royal Composer with utmost sincerity and devotion which is the hall mark of GG as we have seen on many occasions earlier. Her impeccable diction whether Malayalam or Sanksrit deserves a special mention. She pronounced Padmanabha very accurately on the innumerable occasions demanded during the various songs and also her Malayalam was also perfect. I think this is the first time she is singing a Malayalam song. Kudos to GG.

It is sad that this concert was not recorded. Parivadini also was not there to webcast. I requested GG to sing the varnam n one of her radio concerts so that many listeners will gt an opportunity to hear the varnam. She promised that she will render n her season concerts also.

I am happy that ,my review took Sivaramakrishnan back to Navarathri Mandapam fifty years back.

[Meenalochani]

I have found a version of the varnam Danisamajendra in Todi rendered by Parassala Ponnammal. In her version she has also sung sahithyam for chittaswarams and ettugada swarams. The whole rendition lasted about 12 minutes and it was beautiful to hear.

[sweetsong]

Here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQa0kfgYzNo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7kjsf3FAc4

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks sweetsong for the link.
We owe a lot to Smt. Parassala Ponnammal for reviving the monumental composition!
She could be the first musician to have rendered Daanisaamajendra at the Mandapam after the times of Musiri.

[mahavishnu]

Very interesting thread of discussions after what sounds like a terrific concert.
Thanks CRama and Sivaramakrishnan!

I had not heard the Dhani samajendra varnam till I got an album of Ponnammal a few years ago, on the recommendation of members of this forum. Glad to see it revived.I imagine that this varnam must be a part of the Musiri repertoire, so I wonder why it is not sung more often by descendants of this school.

[CRama]

Mahavishnu, The sishya parampara of Musiri do sing this varnam often. I have heard the varnam from both the Suguna Mamis. There is one commercial recording of both the Suguna Mamis called SUGUNA DWAYAM. They have sung this varnam in that album also. That album also contains other Musiri favourites such as Nammi vachina, Nadadina, Nee padamule gati etc. Very good buy.

[rshankar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQa0kfgYzNo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7kjsf3FAc4

Thank you - that was absolutely fantastic! I wonder if this varNam was the inspirtaion for Sri Sivan's great 'kArtikEya gAngEya gauri tanayA'

[Meenalochani]

Can someone kindly help me with the lyrics for Daani Saamajendra varnam? Thank you.

[vasanthakokilam]

Ravi, good thinking there. I also felt the similarity especially in some of those atypical thodi phrases.

[mahavishnu]

Mahavishnu, The sishya parampara of Musiri do sing this varnam often. I have heard the varnam from both the Suguna Mamis. There is one commercial recording of both the Suguna Mamis called SUGUNA DWAYAM. They have sung this varnam in that album also. That album also contains other Musiri favourites such as Nammi vachina, Nadadina, Nee padamule gati etc. Very good buy.

Thanks for the recommendation, CRama. I will check this out.

[Meenalochani]

I have found the lyrics for Daani Saamajeendra in "www.swathitirunal.in" website in Malayalam script. Can someone be kind enough to take the time to translate into English? Thank you very much.