Abhishek Raghuram@Karthik Fine Arts (NGS Main Hall) On Dec 09th,2025
-----------------------------------------------------------
Vocal: Abhishek Raghuram
Violin : Kamalakiran vinjamuri
Mrudangam : Duracell Patri Satish Kumar
Ghatam : Chandrasekara Sharma
Tambura : ???
Vocal assist briefly : saw some one with microphone behind,not heard the output
Concert Type : Nirvana (evening 2) - Ticketed concert
Day : Tuesday
Duration - 2 hours and 25 mins
Sabha/Hall : Karthik Fine Arts /NGS Main Hall
01A.Slokham -vakrathunda mahAkAya
01B. varnam - vanaJAkshi ninne Kori - Pallavi Gopala Iyer
02. pAlaya mAdhava mAm anisham (R,S) - asAveri - ST
7 mins alapana and 2 mins violin return
5 mins swaras
03. paramAnanda naTanam kaNDa (R,N,S) - darbAr - Neelakanta sivan
04 mins alapana
neraval for 4 mins in jaya jaya viSam uNDa
swaras for 7 mins
04. nee daya rada(R,S) - vasantha bhairavi - T
07 mins alapana and 04 mins violin return
brief neraval and more swaras for 4 mins in kAdanE vadevaru
The joy of hearing super stars just reminds of a particular trace of time where i was not even born . May be Thanjavur Vaidhyanatha Iyer (Guru of PMI) played , GNB or SSI sang , Lalgudi or MSG played violin and in ghatam it was TH vinayakaram dad harihara Sharma who played.These are just to illustrate the age difference that can be mapped to yesterday concert of Patri-Abhishek-Kamalakiran-Chandrasekara Sharma. There is surely continued excellence across 80 plus years in Carnatic sabhas
In this concert ,The ideas kept pouring with Carnatic intensity, it started with vakrathunda mahakAya , i wrote in my notebook was that Kalyani or hamsadhwani , he segued to the famous and intense varnam vanajAkshi . When the second speed chiru nau was on the intensity became a tsunami of ideas coupled with percussion excellence and brilliant towing by Kamalakiran .
Very early years there is possibly a review in the submerged sangeetham.com , that day I think it was in bharat kalachar Abhishek sang Asaveri and vasantha bhairavi . Let me jump to vasantha bhairavi that was number 4 in this concert.If i am asked to pick just one ragam that you adore the most with abhishek, i will pick vasantha bhairavi . Brigas with pounding breathlessness was so grand. This krithi nee daya rada adds a lot of contemplation one can pace with lot of jaarus and Abhishek sang it beautifully.THe second swathi tirunal krithi in asaveri was superb , the person next to me prompting to me saying is he singing mukhari ,illa this is asaveri only is what i said . Lovely asaveri and this swati tirunal krithi gives a lot of firm rhythymmic markers for Duracell patri to also go in 5th overdrive mode
To get a detailed R N S in durbar is quite a chase for any one . A week back sruti sagar mesmerized me with darbar and this was Abhishek turn . I dont know about this neelakanta sivan krithi of darbar , to the best of my knowledge i have not even heard a snippet of the krithi . Neelakanta sivan gave a phenomenal krithi of navasiddhi petralum in Kharaharapriya , this paramAnanda naTanam kaNDa is just a little behind that master piece . THe neraval line was kind of taking up some thing like visam and explaining Lord shiva ,and there were just pounding ideas from all 4. Some time at the end of 1 hour Abhishek said for want of time , i will sing vasantha bhairavi and also RTP . I was thinking damn it ,is this strictly a 2 hour concert thank god he sang till 0925 pm for near 2 hours and 25 mins.
Abhishek Raghuram@Karthik Fine Arts (NGS Main Hall) On Dec 09th,2025
-
rajeshnat
- Posts: 10185
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04
Abhishek Raghuram@Karthik Fine Arts (NGS Main Hall) On Dec 09th,2025
Last edited by rajeshnat on 10 Dec 2025, 17:29, edited 1 time in total.
-
rajeshnat
- Posts: 10185
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04
Re: Abhishek Raghuram@Karthik Fine Arts (NGS Main Hall) On Dec 09th,2025
05. RTP in Saranga for 37 mins
13 mins alapana by ABhishek
5 mins taanam by only Kamalakiran
Pallavi and swara ragamaliga had saranga , kannada and shanmughapriya
Pallavi and swara ragamaliga for 15 mins
Pallavi was taken from Arunachala ramanataka krithi ,that depicts ramayana
Pallavi line is --->> enakku irupadam ninaikka varamaruLvAi , shrI rAmacandrA
Talam was Adhi thalam 1 kalai . kind of correlation with kanda chapu rhythm layered with Mishra chapu sung by Abhishek or vice versa
RTP was definitely too creative , more would be enjoyed by those who learn mrudangam for sure . Ragam Saranga detailing was grand the alapana was great and usually saranga has heavier gestalt than his sister Kalyani that was also indeed there . For many in the audience did kalyani show more expressively , there is a chance is what many would have thought . I guess all is due to bit of not getting conditioned to a detailed saranga. Taanam was needlessly outsourced to violinist Vinjamuri in total.
Patri was given the microphone post Taanam . Patri Satish explained that it is Aadi- 1 kalai but has both kanda and Mishra chapu. He did some kind of micro lecdem for few mins by counting with numbers where there is this kind of fusion . Abhishek said this inspiration came from Late Ustad Zakir Hussain and he said the idea came from there . I thought so many have done including himself and that referral of Zakir Hussain was just not resonating to me that well.
Abhishek said the pallavi line was taken from Arunachala kavirayar krithi . The Pallavi line that arunachala kavirayar line tuned was in Kalyani but i am assuming ABhishek only sang that in saranga for the Pallavi neraval line . The Pallavi line had a definite sojourn to shanmughapriya and may be also kannada??? (if there is some one who attended they can point out). The Pallavi neraval line was intense and was breathless feel of excellence for many in the audience
05B. tani for 22 mins
Tani was quite long but Patri and chandrasekara Sharma indeed showed their class. Patri jokingly gave an intro at the end of his explanation that the Pallavi was like rollercoaster ride without seatbelt , this tani of Patri was significant fireworks that went with the roller coaster Pallavi .
06. bhagyAda Lakshmi bharamma - madhyamavati or bhajan type - PD
07. sivanAr manam kulira (R) - sindhubhairavi - AGN Thirruppugazh
3 mins alapana only
08A. bhujaga sAyinO - yadhukulaKamBOdhi - ST
08B. Mangalam kosalendraya
THe first thukkada bhagyada Lakshmi appeared like a jugalbandi . Lot of ideas bit appeared like some intense bhajan but that is where patri refuses to dilute and convert it as bhajanai . The pick of sivanAr manam kulira was not mouthful Thirruppugazh thamizh words ending with perumAle .Abhishek initially sang the alapana like a ghazal in the start with this ominipresent sindhubhairavi the sivanAr manam kulira had a very distinct abhishek stamp . I loved the last yadhukula kambodhi as this ragam refuses to take usually any brigas it was intensely Carnatic and gave a good calmer finish for this brilliant concert.
The violinist Kamalakiran is a phenom for sure . He has a beautiful press and there is striking azhuttam coupled with melody. In taanam he dazzled with such speed,precision coupled with melody for sure he is a star to be counted in the galaxy of great violin vidwans/vidushis.
Duracell battery alias Patri is simply fantastic, almost in every song just when say vocalist sing the pallavi line few times, there itself he gives so much of patterns -i feel at times he is like this Guru Karaikudi mani of 1960 to 1980s where his output was unmatched for the sheer drive for the song.Mrudangam defines the success of how Carnatic concert can be intensely classical, Duracell Patri is indeed a legend of our generation.
The young to be soon a great star chandrasekara sharma gave a great fight for patri and he did admirably. In tani he kept up with the great kAlapramanam of Patri and there was no sag. All 4 were intensely enjoying the camaraderie and in turn the concert was great from the start to finish.
What could have been better
--------------------------
2 points , 1st i may be wrong and the 2nd is surely non negotiable for me
1. When darbar is on in alapana or during krithi rendition , Abhishek takes an approach like a typical nagaswara vidwan . At times he is just standing at the cross roads of darbar and nayaki and few sangathis did i hear atana . I wish he drives a little conscious discipline to disambiguate. He must think he is a vocal vidwan and not a nagaswara vidwan
2. I must have listened to may be 50 to 100 concerts of Abhishek . Why is taanam avoided by Abhishek Raghuram . HE goes with this excess egalitarianism . If he wants to do that let him give a whole krithi to violinist , he consistently passing Taanam is not appealing , rather frustrating to me. I am assuming say when he sings taanam in madhyamakaalam with mrudangam this would be like SSI-UKS/Trichy Sankaran performing a navarathri Trivandrum Pallavi in Keeravani/bhairavi . Abhishek perennially disappoints in not singing tanam, i hope he corrects it.
All said this is the first Abhishek starter of season 2025 . I dont have facebook acct , i just saw him enlisting dates only with one of my family member. I know he would read this review , i would like him to also put the accompaniment roster .Hopefully in this season i want to hear Abhishek say with Anantha Krishnan (steve and mark Waugh combo) and may be if i am lucky along with Trichy Sankaran.
Overall excellent to outstanding concert for 2 hours and 25 mins
13 mins alapana by ABhishek
5 mins taanam by only Kamalakiran
Pallavi and swara ragamaliga had saranga , kannada and shanmughapriya
Pallavi and swara ragamaliga for 15 mins
Pallavi was taken from Arunachala ramanataka krithi ,that depicts ramayana
Pallavi line is --->> enakku irupadam ninaikka varamaruLvAi , shrI rAmacandrA
Talam was Adhi thalam 1 kalai . kind of correlation with kanda chapu rhythm layered with Mishra chapu sung by Abhishek or vice versa
RTP was definitely too creative , more would be enjoyed by those who learn mrudangam for sure . Ragam Saranga detailing was grand the alapana was great and usually saranga has heavier gestalt than his sister Kalyani that was also indeed there . For many in the audience did kalyani show more expressively , there is a chance is what many would have thought . I guess all is due to bit of not getting conditioned to a detailed saranga. Taanam was needlessly outsourced to violinist Vinjamuri in total.
Patri was given the microphone post Taanam . Patri Satish explained that it is Aadi- 1 kalai but has both kanda and Mishra chapu. He did some kind of micro lecdem for few mins by counting with numbers where there is this kind of fusion . Abhishek said this inspiration came from Late Ustad Zakir Hussain and he said the idea came from there . I thought so many have done including himself and that referral of Zakir Hussain was just not resonating to me that well.
Abhishek said the pallavi line was taken from Arunachala kavirayar krithi . The Pallavi line that arunachala kavirayar line tuned was in Kalyani but i am assuming ABhishek only sang that in saranga for the Pallavi neraval line . The Pallavi line had a definite sojourn to shanmughapriya and may be also kannada??? (if there is some one who attended they can point out). The Pallavi neraval line was intense and was breathless feel of excellence for many in the audience
05B. tani for 22 mins
Tani was quite long but Patri and chandrasekara Sharma indeed showed their class. Patri jokingly gave an intro at the end of his explanation that the Pallavi was like rollercoaster ride without seatbelt , this tani of Patri was significant fireworks that went with the roller coaster Pallavi .
06. bhagyAda Lakshmi bharamma - madhyamavati or bhajan type - PD
07. sivanAr manam kulira (R) - sindhubhairavi - AGN Thirruppugazh
3 mins alapana only
08A. bhujaga sAyinO - yadhukulaKamBOdhi - ST
08B. Mangalam kosalendraya
THe first thukkada bhagyada Lakshmi appeared like a jugalbandi . Lot of ideas bit appeared like some intense bhajan but that is where patri refuses to dilute and convert it as bhajanai . The pick of sivanAr manam kulira was not mouthful Thirruppugazh thamizh words ending with perumAle .Abhishek initially sang the alapana like a ghazal in the start with this ominipresent sindhubhairavi the sivanAr manam kulira had a very distinct abhishek stamp . I loved the last yadhukula kambodhi as this ragam refuses to take usually any brigas it was intensely Carnatic and gave a good calmer finish for this brilliant concert.
The violinist Kamalakiran is a phenom for sure . He has a beautiful press and there is striking azhuttam coupled with melody. In taanam he dazzled with such speed,precision coupled with melody for sure he is a star to be counted in the galaxy of great violin vidwans/vidushis.
Duracell battery alias Patri is simply fantastic, almost in every song just when say vocalist sing the pallavi line few times, there itself he gives so much of patterns -i feel at times he is like this Guru Karaikudi mani of 1960 to 1980s where his output was unmatched for the sheer drive for the song.Mrudangam defines the success of how Carnatic concert can be intensely classical, Duracell Patri is indeed a legend of our generation.
The young to be soon a great star chandrasekara sharma gave a great fight for patri and he did admirably. In tani he kept up with the great kAlapramanam of Patri and there was no sag. All 4 were intensely enjoying the camaraderie and in turn the concert was great from the start to finish.
What could have been better
--------------------------
2 points , 1st i may be wrong and the 2nd is surely non negotiable for me
1. When darbar is on in alapana or during krithi rendition , Abhishek takes an approach like a typical nagaswara vidwan . At times he is just standing at the cross roads of darbar and nayaki and few sangathis did i hear atana . I wish he drives a little conscious discipline to disambiguate. He must think he is a vocal vidwan and not a nagaswara vidwan
2. I must have listened to may be 50 to 100 concerts of Abhishek . Why is taanam avoided by Abhishek Raghuram . HE goes with this excess egalitarianism . If he wants to do that let him give a whole krithi to violinist , he consistently passing Taanam is not appealing , rather frustrating to me. I am assuming say when he sings taanam in madhyamakaalam with mrudangam this would be like SSI-UKS/Trichy Sankaran performing a navarathri Trivandrum Pallavi in Keeravani/bhairavi . Abhishek perennially disappoints in not singing tanam, i hope he corrects it.
All said this is the first Abhishek starter of season 2025 . I dont have facebook acct , i just saw him enlisting dates only with one of my family member. I know he would read this review , i would like him to also put the accompaniment roster .Hopefully in this season i want to hear Abhishek say with Anantha Krishnan (steve and mark Waugh combo) and may be if i am lucky along with Trichy Sankaran.
Overall excellent to outstanding concert for 2 hours and 25 mins
Last edited by rajeshnat on 10 Dec 2025, 16:53, edited 1 time in total.
-
rajeshnat
- Posts: 10185
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04
Re: Abhishek Raghuram@Karthik Fine Arts (NGS Main Hall) On Dec 09th,2025
========For Whatsapp or FaceBook Forward =============================
Abhishek Raghuram@Karthik Fine Arts (NGS Main Hall) On Dec 09th,2025
-----------------------------------------------------------
Vocal: Abhishek Raghuram
Violin : Kamalakiran vinjamuri
Mrudangam : Duracell Patri Satish Kumar
Ghatam : Chandrasekara Sharma
Tambura : ???
Vocal assist briefly : saw some one with microphone behind,not heard the output
Concert Type : Nirvana - Ticketed concert
Day : Tuesday
Duration - 2 hours and 25 mins
Sabha/Hall : Karthik Fine Arts /NGS Main Hall
GLICSPAWES 2025 "Goto LIve Concert Show PAtronage Without Excuses Series" concert #17 of xy(hopefully 30 is goal) is done.
www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=385227#p385227
Abhishek Raghuram@Karthik Fine Arts (NGS Main Hall) On Dec 09th,2025
-----------------------------------------------------------
Vocal: Abhishek Raghuram
Violin : Kamalakiran vinjamuri
Mrudangam : Duracell Patri Satish Kumar
Ghatam : Chandrasekara Sharma
Tambura : ???
Vocal assist briefly : saw some one with microphone behind,not heard the output
Concert Type : Nirvana - Ticketed concert
Day : Tuesday
Duration - 2 hours and 25 mins
Sabha/Hall : Karthik Fine Arts /NGS Main Hall
GLICSPAWES 2025 "Goto LIve Concert Show PAtronage Without Excuses Series" concert #17 of xy(hopefully 30 is goal) is done.
www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=385227#p385227
-
RaghuPS
- Posts: 14
- Joined: 27 Aug 2020, 19:21
Re: Abhishek Raghuram@Karthik Fine Arts (NGS Main Hall) On Dec 09th,2025
Rajeshnat, the lone warrior here.
I enjoy your reviews, have a great season !
I enjoy your reviews, have a great season !