THAMARAKADU GOVINDAN NAMBOODIRI IN M A (MINI) HALL 21/6/19

[CRama]

THEME “RARE KRITIS OF SWATI TIRUNAL”.

Accompanists
Chertala Sivakumar- Violin
Tanjavur Kumar- Mridangam.

List of songs.
• Varnam- Saveri- Ata talam
• Padmanaabha paalidebha- Malayamarutham (R,S)
• Narasimhamamava- Arabhi (R,S)
• Mamava Padmanabha- Varali (R,N,S)
• Vande sada Padmanabham- Navarasakannada
• Sree Kumaaranagaraalaye- Athana (R,S)
• Thani
• Pankajanaabhotsava- Mohanam
• Gopala bhaktim dehi- Bagesree
• Bhujagasaayino- Yadukulakambodi

Thamarakadu Govindan Namboodiri is a reclusive musician settled in his native village Thamarakkad near Kottayam. After his retirement as Principal in a music college in Kerala, he spends his time in Pooja in his native temple and sangeetharchana to the God for the rest of his time. He do not keep itenerary of concert schedules nor students lining up for music classes. A man of humble demeanour, he is least concerned about wealth or fame. Sporadically he gives concerts at his own convenience and we will be blessed if we get an opportunity to hear his concert. Last year his concert in Ragasudha hall was rated very high by those who attended it. In the month of January, I was blessed to hear his concert in Swati sangeetolsavam in Trivandrum. This is my second concert. Prince Rama Varma had come from Bangalore to attend this concert. Sruti sudham, Obeisance to the sahithyam, Reflecting the mind of the composer in the kritis, simple music- un complicated in terms of laya complexities or long korvais or breath taking brighas. Purity of swaras, vishranti, and overall sowkhyam are the hall marks of his music.

Before the start of the concert, Govindan Namboodiri briefly spoke about Swati Tirunal Maharaja in Malayalam and told that about 311 compositions have been recovered so far. As we know, many of the songs have been set to tune by HMB, Semmangudi and many other vidwans. No need to debate on that issue now. The concert started with a rare unheard varnam of the Maharaja in the ragam Saveri set to Ata talam. In fact, though the concert was billed as Rare Kritis of Swati Tirunal, this was only rare piece in the concert. The other songs are familiar ones.

Four ragams were detailed in the concert of varying lengths. The start of the ragam Arabhi was slightly different and showed a different colour of the ragam. Ragams Varali and Athana were explored to the hidden depths and their myriad hues presented rarely heard in concerts. Athana is never taken for the main suite. But Namboodiri did full justice to the prime position of the ragam. Such an elaborate exposition of Athana is rarest to come across. All the kritis were presented in the pristine form with the authentic sangatis in tact. Namboodiri takes special care in eschewing wrong splitting of phrases and at times connects the adjoining phrases to bring out the meaningful exposition of the kriti. For instance, he pallavi of the kriti Mamava Padmanabha in Varali- A Semmangudi favourite is like this. -
mAmava padmanAbha sadA sura sAdhya gaNa bahu
mAnya carita vibhO
I have heard many singers wrongly split after bahu and taking manya to the next line. whereas Govindan Namboodiri most appropriately sang as bahumanya charita vibho which gives the correct meaning. There were many such instances. Neraval was done in the lines Taapa samana deena kuchela in the Varali kriti. There was no neraval for Sree kumara nagaralaye. This song is a Musiri favourite and all his disciples regularly include this song in their concerts. There is a you tube upload of this sung exquisitely by Dr. S. Ramanathan. The long keezhkala swaram for the Sree Kumara nagaralaye was replete with depth, manodharmam and raga bhavam and the audience showed their appreciation liberally. Perhaps an unusual instance when the keezhkala swaram received applause from the discerning audience.

After the short thani avartanam, the Utsavaprabandham in Mohanam which explained the rituals in the Utsavam was rendered. In fact, I have never heard this piece in any regular concert. The bhajan Gopala bhaktim dehi is of recent popularity, very frequently rendered by Sanjay Subramaniam. The concert concluded with the customary Bhujagasayino Mangalam.

Chertala Sivakumar in the violin provided good accompaniment. His raga essays and returns were appropriate. Tanjavur Kumar provided the Mridangam accompaniment. The Mridangam could have been better.

An excellent concert for two hours that will be etched in our memory for long time.

[thanjavooran]

CRama
Many thanks for gthe detailed writeup. Good selection of songs. Bagesri piece
Is quite enjoyable. Can it be classified as thukkada.
With wishes,
Thanjavooran
23 06 2019

[CRama]

Gopala bhaktim dehi- It is generally sung in the tukkada section only.

[HarishankarK]

Except for Malayamarutham and mohanam all are quite often heard
Nice list though
Should have been a good concert

[rbharath]

miss pannitene

[CRama]

Bharath, good news for you. He is again singing in Ragasudha hall some time in July and then he has got a concert in Dec also (venue not known)

[Sivaramakrishnan]

The way Govindan Nambudiri kept taala was perhaps unique at places that the Mridangist Tanjore Kumar (and some diehards in the audience)found it rather special (markedly in 'Gopala bhaktim dehi' which was in Aadi). Often during 'Sreekumaranagaralaye', the singer went on a mode of putting a 'fast 4 Kalai' (in place of 2 Kalai). Its outcome particularly during keezhkalam kalpana swaras wasn't that OK.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

The outstanding feature of Sri Nambudiri's music is his unique approach to raga delineation and fine alignment of kriti sahitya. The alapana of Arabhi in the above concert was a cascading arrangement of the key raga phrases. The alapana of Atana was largely devoid of repetitive prayogas.
And there was no over-dependence on pakkavadyam.

[rbharath]

Bharath, good news for you. He is again singing in Ragasudha hall some time in July and then he has got a concert in Dec also (venue not known)

one is aware of his concerts at raga sudha already. thanks for letting me know, yet again.

if they fall on weekdays and if official commitments dont let me untie my strings from work at the right time, i might miss them too.

[bhasi]

Thank you for the detailed review@CRama. I didn't know that Athana is not generally chosen for the main piece of the concert. But, if you remember, in Trivandrum earlier this year he'd chosen Saama for the main piece, and how exquisite that was! Maybe this is his thing - choosing seldom-heard ragams and providing audience members a unique experience, one perhaps that may never come to be again in their lives!

[CRama]

Yes. He takes unusual ragams for main and shows his manodharmam in an authentic manner. In an earlier concert in Chennai, he sang en elaborate Ahiri- Kamalamba Navavarana kriti which was hailed by those who witnessed that. It was a bad miss for me.

[HarishankarK]

Yes. He takes unusual ragams for main and shows his manodharmam in an authentic manner. In an earlier concert in Chennai, he sang en elaborate Ahiri- Kamalamba Navavarana kriti which was hailed by those who witnessed that. It was a bad miss for me.

Wow!

[rajeshnat]

I am seeing that THe HIndu is not allowing free browsing , it brings up a subscription popup . Possibly the end of an era where we can post the url where we can end up reading for free.Review dated July 05th,2018.
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... 281546.ece

[sureshvv]

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