On the tenth of February, we, the rasikas of Hyderabad, had a real musical TREAT from Gayathri Girish. Personally I love her music a lot and i got to listen to her after three years. All the waiting was completely compensated with a grand concert with more than three alapanas, detail neraval and a beautiful Ragam Thanam Pallavi( It's not really often that we get to here so much of alapanas and manodharmam in Hyderabad!) But the Carnatic music scene of Hyderabad has been improving! I have observed that the number of seats filled has comparatively increased from the past years. That is a real positive sign for, once upon a time, the best of concerts had so less number of listeners that not even half of the concert halls would be full.
Getting to the details of the concert. J Vaidyanathan accompanied her on the mridangam and Akkarai Subhalakshmi on the violin. I forgot the name of the Kanjira artiste. The song list goes like this:
1. Sri raaga varnam
2. Vallabha nayakasya-Begada-Dikshitar[S]
3. Badalika dheera-Reethigowla-Thyagaraja[R,S]
4. Ekamranatheswarena-Chaturangini-Dikshitar[R]
5. Sarasa saamadhana-Kapi narayani-Thyagaraja
6. Thanayuni Brova-Bhairavi-Thyagaraja[R,N,S,T]
7. Thunai purindharul-Varamu-Papanasam Sivan
8. Ragam thanam pallavi: Poorvikalyani
"Dhaasharathey maam palaya Dayanidhe Inakulathilaka"
Ragamalika swarams: Naata, Kanada, Mohanam, Keeravani, Hamsanandhi, Hindolam, Kalyani, Valaji, Shanmukhapriya, Shankarabharanam, Vasantha, Mohanakalyani,Begada,Surati.
9. Irakkam Varamal-Behag-Gopalakrishna Bharathi
10. Jagajjanani-Rathipathipriya-Dandapani Desikar
11. Virutham: Surati, Neelambari, Vasantha, Sama, Kaapi
12. Kanna Vaa-Ragamalika-Ambujam Krishna
13. Arar Asaippadar-Nadanamakriya-Muthuthandavar
14.. Mangalam-Sowrastram-Thyagaraja
I entered the venue when the sri raga varnam was about to end. Then came up the Begada composition. It being a famous composition, everyone in the concert hall were nodding their heads in appreciation. The swarakalpana was short and decent. A perfect start for a perfect concert, I felt. When the Reethigowla started, I felt very happy, for it has been long since I heard this beautiful raagam in live. The shades of the Raga were very well depicted in the alapana. It was thoroughly enjoyable. And it being a concert of Gayathri Girish, I definitely new that there would be not just regular krithis. She always plans her concerts so well, there is a perfect balance of common and not so common ragas/krithis. That makes her concerts not just enjoyable but also educational. There is always something not heard before, kudos to her planning. And "Badalika dheera" came up after the beautiful alapana by both Gayathri and Subhalakshmi. The song was rendered so well that the very emotions of the song were conveyed so well. The pronunciation of every word was so clear! A nice round of swarams came up at the pallavi. The bhaavam of the sahithyam really moved me. Thyagaraja asks Rama to rest for he has trekked jungles with Seeta, killed the golden deer, slayed Raavana and gave the responsibility of Lanka to Vibhishana. So much of emotion in the composition, and complete justice was done by Gayathri.
The moment Chaturangini began, I was so excited. I could not place the raaga immediately. But Gayathri announced it. A rare vivadi raga! Now thats something one does not get to listen everyday. The alapana went for long (thanks to the duration of the concert, there was no need to rush any where) After a detail alapana, the rare Dikshitar krithi was presented. It was amazing rendition. The fast filler, "Sarasa saamadhana" was sung next.
A majestic Bhairavi came up next. The main piece was began with detail essaying of the Raga and the shades of the raga were brought out very well. A beautiful justice to a beautiful raaga. Subhalakshmi's alapana of the raga was extra ordinary. One of the best violinists I have heard off time. The beautiful "Thanayuni Brova". A very detail neraval at "Vatsamu venta dhenuvu" followed by extra ordinary swarakalpana. It was highly ornate and she alternated between tisram and chaturasram for a long while. It was very enjoyable. A beautiful thaniavarthanam followed.
Filler Thunai Purindharul was brisk and beautiful. The Ragam Thaanam Pallavi in Poorvikalyani went for around forty minutes. It was beautifully done, with all the classicism in it. The pallavi was in Khanda Triputa. The chemistry between the artistes was amazing when this was one. A magical melody was just emanating from all of them. It was so enjoyable that i guess, not one person in the audience who attended the concert would disagree with me. The swarakalpana in more than 14 ragas came next.
The mridangam was also extra ordinary! A team like this is such a treat to the listeners.The thukkadas included a beautiful ragamalika virutham "Pachai ma malai" followed by "Kanna Vaa" in the ragas of the virutham followed next. All the thukkada pieces were beautiful and rich
In simple words, this was one of the best concerts I heard in recent times. There was no compromise with anything, everything was majestic, classical and beautiful, just the way everyone would enjoy it, catering bliss to all kinds of rasikas! I really thank Sharada Cultural Trust for organizing a concert like this. It was enthralling enticing entertaining experience
