Abhishek Raghuram at Pradosham Ragamalika Abu Dhabi - 9th November 2018

[nsridhar22]

Abhishek Raghuram at Pradosham Ragamalika Abu Dhabi

Pradosham, Abu Dhabi and its cultular wing Ragamalika celebrated their annual Seetha Kalyana Mahotsavam on 8th and 9th November 2018 at Abu Dhabi. Seetha Kalyana Mahotsavam as per Bhajan tradition was conducted by Sri Mayavaram Muthukrishna Bhagavathar and party. On the evening of 9th November 2018, a wedding reception concert was held which was performed by Abhishek Raghuram. The original concert was to have been performed by Shertalai Ranganatha Sharma, but due to some health issues, he could not travel and Abhishek Raghuram graciously agreed to perform at the last minute. Abhishe Raghuram has already performed earlier for Pradosham Ragamalika banner two times earlier and this was his third concert under this banner. Am presenting a few brief notes on this concert.

Vocal - Abhishek Raghuram
Violin - Mysore V Srikanth
Mridangam - Patri Satish Kumar
Ghatam - Chandrashekara Sharma

Krithis rendered were:

1. Nera Nammithi - Kaanada Varnam
2. Ninne Bhajana - Nattai - Thyagaraja
3. Yochana Kamala Lochana - Darbar - Thyagaraja
4. Durmargachara - Ranjani - Thyagaraja
5. Heccharikaga Ra Ra - Yadukula Kambhoji - Thyagaraja
6. Paalinthavo Paalincha - Kanthamani - Thyagaraja
7. Ragam in ragamalika followed by Bhavayami Raghuramam - Ragamalika - Swathi Thirunal
8. Karpagame - Madhyamavathi - Papanasam Sivan
9. Mangalam


Abhishek opened the concert with the Kaanada Varnam which was followed by the Nattai krithi Ninne Bhajana of Thyagaraja. It was the first time for me to listen to this krithi. It was with the popular Darbar krthi Yochana Kamala Lochana that Abhishek started revealing his musical prowess with neraval and elaborate swaras. Then he took up Ranjani as the main piece for an elaborate raga alapana. This was followed by a detailed rendition of neraval and swaras. Mysore Srikanth was excellent in following the main artiste and shined during his part of the rendition of ragam and various swarams on violin. This was followed by an excellent Thani Avarthanam by the expert percussion team of Patri Satish Kumar and Chanrasekhara Sharma. Since both of these artists are on the top of thier field, you can easily understand how well the Thani Avarthanam was. What impressed me was that they were performing as a team and not as competitors to gain attention.

After the main piece, Abhishek rendered Heccharikaga Ra Ra in a slow pace which was quite captivating. Then Abhishek took up another raga for detailed elaboration. I was not able to identify the ragam and only when he started rendering the krithi, with the help of Google, I could find out that the Raga was Kanthamani, the 61st Melakarta raga. This krithi again was a new one for me.

Then Abhishek took up an elaborate raga alapana of ragamalika of Saveri, Nattaikurinji, Dhanyasi, Mohanam, Mukhari, Poorvi Kalyani and Madhyamavathi. From the ragas that he rendered, it was clear that he was going to take up the grand ragamalika krithi of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal - Bhavayami Raghuramam. After the raga alapana, Abhishek sang the swarams of all the ragas in the beginning before going into the krithi Bhavayami. Full justice was done to this krithi with the rendering of all the charanams.


Abhishek concluded his concert with Karpagame of Papanasam Sivan in Madhyamavathi and Mangalam.

[Sachi_R]

Thanks for the review!

As Ragamalikas go, Bhavayami has to be THE #1 RAGAMALIKA.

Then Abhishek took up an elaborate raga alapana of ragamalika of Saveri, Nattaikurinji, Dhanyasi, Mohanam, Mukhari, Poorvi Kalyani and Madhyamavathi. From the ragas that he rendered, it was clear that he was going to take up the grand ragamalika krithi of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal - Bhavayami Raghuramam. After the raga alapana, Abhishek sang the swarams of all the ragas in the beginning before going into the krithi Bhavayami. Full justice was done to this krithi with the rendering of all the charanams.

Interesting. I am sure Abhi would put his own spin on this classic. Any recording available?

[rajeshnat]

7. Ragam in ragamalika followed by Bhavayami Raghuramam - Ragamalika - Swathi Thirunal
.....
Then Abhishek took up an elaborate raga alapana of ragamalika of Saveri, Nattaikurinji, Dhanyasi, Mohanam, Mukhari, Poorvi Kalyani and Madhyamavathi. From the ragas that he rendered, it was clear that he was going to take up the grand ragamalika krithi of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal - Bhavayami Raghuramam. After the raga alapana, Abhishek sang the swarams of all the ragas in the beginning before going into the krithi Bhavayami. Full justice was done to this krithi with the rendering of all the charanams.

nsridhar22,
Did abhishek sing cittaswaras that was tuned by SSI as swaras after raga alapana and then did he go to sahitya part of bhavayami in ragamaliga. It is bit strange to do an alapana and swaras- but I would love to hear it atleast once.

[nsridhar22]

[nsridhar22]

nsridhar22,
Did abhishek sing cittaswaras that was tuned by SSI as swaras after raga alapana and then did he go to sahitya part of bhavayami in ragamaliga. It is bit strange to do an alapana and swaras- but I would love to hear it atleast once.

I am not that knowledgeable about whether it was the chittaswaras of SSI or swaras of the raga. I will be getting a recording next week and post the relevant clip.

[Sachi_R]

[arasi]

nsridhar,
Yes, looking forward to the clip of the Shek's music from your part of the world. Thanks for joining the force of reviewers at Rasikas.org who bring us reviews from many parts of the world.
The 'wedding reception concert' at first intrigued me...

[nsridhar22]

The 'wedding reception concert' at first intrigued me...

This is the way it is mentioned in the invitation.

[rajeshnat]

nsridhar22,
Did abhishek sing cittaswaras that was tuned by SSI as swaras after raga alapana and then did he go to sahitya part of bhavayami in ragamaliga. It is bit strange to do an alapana and swaras- but I would love to hear it atleast once.

I am not that knowledgeable about whether it was the chittaswaras of SSI or swaras of the raga. I will be getting a recording next week and post the relevant clip.

nsridhar22
I was only meaning to hear abhishek live. please do not put relevant clips .abhishek has,already taken all songs out of sangeethapriya. without his explicit permission avoid uploading and put this site in dharmasangadam. if there is any upload in youtube so share the link in abhishek raghuraman - in vidwan and vidushi thread

[arasi]

sankaTa haraNa, rAjESa...
Yes, he's right.