SIKKIL GURUCHARAN AT AYODHYA MANDAPOM ON 24 APRIL 2011

[CRama]

Sikkil Gurucharan presented a concert charged with devotion, vidwat and ehuberance at Ayodhya Mandapam as a part of the on ogoing Rama Navami Festival. He was supported by MA Sundaresan on the violin, Tiruvarur Bhakthavalsalam on the Mridangam and EMSubramaniam on the Ghatam. The concert started a little after 7 P.M. Before commencement of the meeting the organisers introduced the artists and also offered pranams to Bhagwan Sree Sathya Sai Baba who left his mortals on the day morning. The song list:
1.Jalajaksha- varnam in Hamsadhwani
2.Sakethanagaranatha- Harikambodi ragam, Roopaka thalam, composition of Mysore Sadasiva Rao.
3.Neethu mahima pokada naa tharama- Hamsanandi ragam, Adhi thalam, composition of Muthiah Bhagavathar
4.Sree Ramam- Narayanagowla ragam, Adhi thalam, Dikshithar Kriti.
5.Ramanukku mannan mudi- Hindolam, Adhi thalam, composition of Arunachalakavi.
6.Nadachi Nadachi- Kharaharapriya ragam, Adhi thalam- Thyagaraja Kriti.
7.Theruvil vaarano- Khamas- Composition of Muthu thandavar
8.Anumanai anudinam- Ragamalika in Madhuvanthi.Bagesree, Siindubhairavi and Revathi.- Composition of Guru Surajananda.

Gurucharan commenced his recital with a neat rendition of the Hamsadhwani varnam which paved way for that grand composition - Sakethanagaranatha in Harikambodi ragam set to Roopaka thalam.This was a composition which has attracted me in Harikambodi outside the realm of Thyagaraja - a song in all its grandeur with lovely chittaswarams very aestetically presented by many yesteryear masters- but sadly missing in present day concert circuit. His open throated neraval at Raajithaamarapala Ramachandrabhoopala was very effective and followed with second kala swaras. Having a neraval at the second song itself adds to the weight of the concert. But only very few people attempt that. Hamsanandi alapana was very expansive and his amazing vocal range complented by his full throat singing made his singing most enjoyable one. The kriti of Muthiah Bhagavthar was rendered very aesthetically and second kala swaras rendered elaborately at the pallavi using nee of the pallavi for swaraksharams. Some kanakku was inbuilt in the swara patterns which enhanced the beauty of the entire exercise. After this song, the organisers took over the stage and honoured the sponsors. Though it was a disturbance in the middle of the concert, thank God, it was very brief.
Sree Ramam in Narayanagowla came as a filler. It was rendered in a sedate manner. The second filler was Ramanukku mannan mudi. It was started from the anupallavi- Paamarame unakkennadi peche. Now it was time for the main song. Kharaharapriya was aptly chosen for the elaboration. It was explored in its full detail and the raga essay lasted for 15 minutes. The alapana traversed all the three sthayis and invited many rounds of applause. Nadachi Nadachi in Adhi (2Kalai) was chosen as the main song. This song also is seldom heard in concerts after the era of DKP. The song was rendered wilh all the sangathis in tact which added to the gait of the beautiful composition of the master of Kharaharapriya- Saint Thyagaraja. Neraval was done at Ayodhya nagaramu kanare portion of the pallavi – in sync with the Ayodhya mandapam- the venue of the concert. The neraval was done n a highly spirited manner and swaras were rendered at Nadachi nadachi with very interesting poruthams. I expected swarams at Ayodhya nagarame. The second kala swarams were very brisk like torrential rains pouring down.
After the thani, I listened to two songs and then I left.
MA Sundaresan played the violin in the inimitable Parur style and it was a treat to the ears. His alapanas, swara returns were aesthetically superb and there was never a dull moment or an excess. The audience showed their appreciation most liberally. He appropriately began his alapana of Hamasanandi with Neethu mahima and Kharaharapriya with Samanamevaru.
Thiruvarur Bhakthavalsalam was his usual self. Although it appeared to me as loud it was well appreciated by the audience. The thani lasted for 35 minutes but never boring. The peculiar character of the audience in this particular venue is continuous walking in and going out. But surprisingly there was a very good audience for thani and nobody went out during thani. That clearly showed their enjoyment of Bhakthavalsalam's mridangam. EM Subramaniam is very seasoned ghatam player and played his role brilliantly.
This was an excellent concert. I specifically appreciate the selection of songs for a Ramavanavami concert.

[rbharath]

I happened to attend this concert till the hamsAnandi.

I couldnt make myself sit there, after the mood was spoilt by the interruption to honour people and hence chose to leave.

The varnam had come as a request from somebody in the audience and was rendered well. Both the harikAmbhOdhi short sketch and the hamsAnandi AlApanai were began with a wonderful phrase that was so much filled with rAga bhAvam and eventually developed well. The kriti renditions were good and the svarams were good also.

The violinst was wonderful and gave best fitting and better replies to the main artist. His versions were so great.

The percussion department was exceptionally handled.

[Sundara Rajan]

I don't quite get it . What do you mean by "the violinist started his kharaharapriya alapana with samanamevaru"? Did he indicate the raga to the audience by playing one line of the samanamevaru pallavi, as Chanduru used to do ?

[arasi]

Several songs in the list which I like very much. theruvil vArAnO, ennai SaTRE tirumbip pArAnO? is something I haven't heard in ages!

[srikant1987]

Is Chanduru MC mama?

Yes, I guess that's what MAS did. I have also seen him begin tODi with rAvE himagirikumAri and bhairavi with kAmAkShi the swarajati.

[Sundara Rajan]

Yes, I meant Sangeetha kalAnidhi M.Chandrasekaran. In our senior(old age) rasika circle we affectionately refer to him as Chanduru. Incidentally, Nadachi nadachi is one of my favorite kharaharapriya compositions ever since I first listened to DKP in the forties. Very few artists sing this composition these days. I do have a good commercial recording of this composition by young Balaji Shankar of DKP school. A brief rendering by Semmangudi is also available in Sangeethapriya.