GAYATHRI GIRISH AT SRINGERI SARADA TEMPLE-T.NAGAR

[CRama]

As a part of the ongoing Ramanavami Celeberations, the concert of Gayathri Girish was held in the temple premises on 3 April 2017 at 6.30 P.M. B.Ananthakrishnan on the Violin and Poongulam Subramanian on the Mridangam provided commendable support. List of songs.

• Varnam-Kedaragowla-Adi-Tiruvottriyoor Thyagayyar. (S)
• Sugunamule-Chakravakam-T
• Kanukontinee-Bilahari-T (R,S)
• Eppadi manam tunintato-Huseni-AK
• Ninne Nammitinayya-Simhendramadhyamam-MV (R,S)
• Sarasadalanayane-Saramati-HMB
• Manavyala kincha-Nalinakanti_T (S)
• Ramakathasudharasa-Madhyamavaty-T (R,N,S)
• Tani
• Ramapahi-Kapi-T
• Mangalam

It is a temple in the busy Venkatnarayana Road, T.Nagar and the concert is held right in front of the sanctum where people congregate for darshan of Adi Sankara, Sringeri Acharyas, Saradambal, Ganapthi etc.and there will be frequent disturbances. But the divinity of the venue with the holy sanctum in the front brings out the best concert experience. The devotees enter through a side entrance and the artistes are not disturbed by the entry or exit of the devotees. There was provision for sitting for people like me in the sideways.

Gayathri Girish commenced the concert with the spright rendition of the Kedaragowla varnam and suffixed it with liberal doses of kalpana swarams which infused the required gusto at the first song itself. This was followed by the Chakravakam song Sugunamule, but I would have appreciated the swarams for this song. BIlahari was the first ragam taken up for elaboration. The ragam was elaborated along the characteristic pidis which extended for seven minutes and the song Kanukontinee was presented with telling fidelity and finesse. I was very elated at the presentation of this song. This song was recorded by TNS in his first EP record and it was an instant hit. I have not heard this song from him in many live concerts. But BMK sang this in his inimitable manner in a few concerts. This song I have not heard from anybody else. So I was happy at her selection of this song. She decorated the song with elaborate mel kala swarams at the pallavi.

Eppadi manam tunintato, the composition of AK followed in a leisurely tempo very effectively reflecting the pathos expressed by Seetha when Rama tells her about his going for vanavasam. Gayathri Girish did full justice to the bhavam as conveyed by the composer in the entire song more specifically in the lines Varundhi varundhi devareer sonna vaarthayaal kollaamal kolla. This also revealed another aspect. Huseni generally reflects a joyful mood. But this ragam is used in this song to express a very sombre mood very effectively and Gayathri Girish did very effectively brought out the anguish expressed by Seetha through this song.

Ragam Simmendramadhyamam was presented elaborately for the song Ninne Nammitinayya. The song was presented true to its padantharam and liberal two kala swaras were presented at the lines Neeraja nethra sans neraval. Sarasadalanayane in a meditative Saramathi came next as a prayer to the presiding deity Saradambal. Manavayla kincha followed with cracker swaras at the lines Kani manava which strived to pep up the tempo of the concert.

Madhyamavathy was the chosen main ragam of the concert and Ramakatha fitted the Ramanavami celebrations admirably. The raga was elaborated for eight minutes with the characteristic phrases in a judicious mix of plain notes, karvais, well rounded gamakams and catchy brighas. Elaborate neraval at Bhama mani janaki and the cascade of swaras were most enjoyable and the discerning rasikas reciprocated with liberal rounds of applause. The concert was signed off with Ramapahi- the Divyanama keerthanam of Tyagaraja.

B.Ananthakrishnan on the violin provided excellent support, His swara returns had interesting combinations revealing his manodharmam and his raga alapanas were very soulful and brimming with raga bhavam. Poongulam Subramaniam embellished the concert with his anticipation, follow up with the right nadam, volume and masterly strokes. The tani for five minutes was well appreciated by the audience. An excellent concert for two hours.

[thanjavooran]

Good song list. Excellent review. No RTP. Welcoming trend.
Thanjavooran
04 04 2017

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Good review, CRama.
Yes, I still remember the waves created by 'TNS's rendering of Kanukontini' when the recording was released during the seventies, IIRC. It redefined Bilahari if I can say so! It's surprisng to note that few render this song in concerts.

The mention of 'Rama paahi' brings to my memory the evocative rendering by (late) K R Kedaranathan and it was frequently broadcast in the 'Udayageetam' programme of AIR, Trivandrum in the sixties/seventies.

[melam72]

No RTP. Welcoming trend.

Why? How?

[CRama]

Because it was a temple concert and the duration was only two hours, there was no RTP. The song list perfectly suited for a Ramanavami concert.

[melam72]

Because it was a temple concert

Even then, the concert could have gone on with an RTP, but not in Thodi or Bhairavi or Kalyani, but in a 'lighter' ragam like, say, Suddha Dhanyasi or Gambheera Nattai or Suddha Saveri. It would also acquire an air of janaranjakatvam, because the Bovine would be more likely to appreciate a lighter ragam like this.

But, if they tried something like Madhuvanthi, for instance...

[Sivaramakrishnan]

melam72,
It is advisable to spare temple concerts from RTP as we come across sort of a 'floating audience' there. Inclusion of more kritis / viruthams is expected in such venues.

[melam72]

melam72, we come across sort of a 'floating audience' there

My bad; unfortunately, I have only been to TM Krishna's concert in Kapaleeswrar Kovil a couple years back; my experience with temple concerts is very limited.

Even then, are the musicians, even in a temple, performing to a gallery? Why can't they undergo a complete nadopasaka, and focus on providing divine, technically superior music for Saradambal?

[Sivaramakrishnan]

melam72,

'Technically superior music' cannot be 'inclusive music' if you go by the doctrine of TMK himself!

In a temple concert, the artist must be successful in enabling the devotee to 'experience the divinity'-if I can say so. This will not happen if the offering becomes too technical.

Well, sticking to my 'newfound concept' of floating audience, if the singer includes more kritis, the visiting rasika (not the 'sitting rasika') will be able to listen at least one uruppadi in full during the course of his darshan and pradakshinam!

[melam72]

Well, sticking to my 'newfound concept' of floating audience, if the singer includes more kritis, the visiting rasika (not the 'sitting rasika') will be able to listen at least one uruppadi in full during the course of his darshan and pradakshinam!

Then why include manodharmam in the first place? Why not just fit in more and more krithis?

[Sivaramakrishnan]

melam, the mischievous.