Ananthakrishnan –violin
Erode Nagaraj – mrudangam
Shrikanth Kaundinya – vocal support.
The concert commenced with vAthapi (hamsadhvani – Adhi - dhIkshithar), the one which exists in the common songs list. But, aNNA presented it with minimum but graceful sangathis . He lit the torch in the keezh kAla and madhyama kAla swaram and sarvalagu patterns lined up, gearing up the listeners to be looking forward to what is going to happen next.
A brisk AlApanA in bahudhari and brOva bArama of thyagaraja with niraval at kalashAmbudhilO… came next. The long sustain in mA and reaching to pA in a smooth and silky way and mingle with the mandhra sthAyi panchamam that resonates from the sruthi box was a treat to the ears. The madhyama kAla swaras he sung, reminded a mix of MMI – SSI combo with untiring gush of swaras. They were not continuous… It had vishranthi and melodic content. But, whenever the stream restored from vishranthi one was able to feel the continuity.
A chit from the floating crowd of temple asked shrI NSG to sing “shrI chakara rAja simhAsanEswari” and he provided a classic version of the same, unlike the oft-repeated one in wedding concerts!
BhAvA laden sangathis with telling accuracy and natural flow in bringing out the swarUpA of swarasthAnAs with all their niceties and thereby presenting the picture of raga in an elegant manner is what one could be able to feel and enjoy in the sanctum sanatorium of mother goddess, when he sang Bhairavi swara jathi of syama sasthri, which been the highlight of the concert.
The bass notes that he rendered were reverberating in the sannadhi. He moved to kalyANi from there.
Clarity, thrust in sangathis and lucid manOdharmam prevailed throughout and he sang unnaiyallAL of sivan in Adhi as main. He sang swaras in thisram gathi too with catchy calculations. Ananthakrishnan’s following and kalpanai that he showed during his turns were nice. I played lot of gumki oriented phrases in the thani Avarthanam and a little kaNda gathi.
A virutham(mAthA maragatha syAma) in Anandhabhairavi bAgEshrI and suratti and traditional mangaLam brought a temporary end to the concert.
The next day, I also visited thirumIyachUr lalithAmbikai temple, where lalitha sahasranamam is said to have originated since the goddess here is lalithambikai. The temple is situated near pEraLam in the mayilAduthurai - thiruvArUr bus route. One has to get down in pEraLam and walk 1 km to reach this temple.
See link for details of koothanoor temple…
http://www.dinamalar.com/koil_english/5 ... _other.asp