Acc.Akkarai Subbalakshmi-Violin
Sreesunderkumar-Mridangam
B.S.Purushothaman-Ganjira
Kunnakudi BMK presented two intricate pallavis in the third slot on the second day.
1.Panchamukhi pallavi in Ragam Varali
Sahithyam- Garudagamana raa raa Kamala manohara
2.Tisra jhampa- Sankeerna nadai pallavi in Ragam Kalyani.
Sahithyam- Taaraka brahma swaroopini taamarasavilochani
Kunnakudi BMK is winning over listeners everywhere after his voice has been regained. This was also no different. The pallavis he has selected are very intricate and call for sufficient home work and confidence to present them on stage. Panchamukhi pallavi is unique in the sense that all beats are of 5 aksharams and counts and veechu (waving of hand) are of two aksharams. In the place of 5 aksharams, he put as khanda chapu (as in any nadai pallavi). You can imagine how difficult it is to negotiate such a pallavi.
The raga was Varali which was rendered with all its characteristic pidis- so special to SSI school. Tanam was rendered in all the five Ghana ragams- Varali, Sree and Gowla by BMK and Nata and Arabhi by Akkarai. Second kala swaras were rendered and Keezh kalam, pratilomam and chatusra tisram also done with razor precision. The ragam, tanam and swara returns of Akkarai were top notch. The percussion team gave adequate support to BMK. The entire team presented the pallavi in a very scholarly manner without losing on aesthetics.
The second pallavi in Kalyani was in Sankeerna nadai. At the start it was announced that, this is the Centenary year of Alathur Sivasubramania Iyer. Alathur Brothers have presented a famous Sankeerna nadai pallavi in Academy which is hailed as the bench mark for Sankeerna nadai pallavi even today. Inspired by that, KBMK has presented this Sankeerna nadai pallavi. Raga Kalyani was presented very elaborately for 25 minutes and tanam took 15 minutes. Sruti bhedam to Hindolam was icing on the cake. The pallavi, neraval, elaborate swarams mel kalam, anulomam, pratilomam all done with expertise. Akkarai proved to be perfect foil for the vibrancy and expertise of BMK. The percussion team played their role commendably. He concluded the programme with Mannu pugazh- ragamalika.
Today was the birthday of Kunnakudi BMK. So at the end of the programme, Pallavi Durbar celebrated the birthday with cake cutting which was a fitting gesture of the organisers and rasikas gathered there for the musical treat provided by KBMK.