Kalasagaram- 46th Annual festival of Music, Dance and Drama
29th Nov 2013
Sri. Sandeep Narayanan
Sri. Komanduri V. Krishna – violin
Sri. VV Ramana Murthy – mridangam
Sri. k Shyamkumar – Kanjira
Song list:
1. Sarasija nabha – khamboji varnam- ata thalam
2. Sri Varalakshmi Namstubhyam - Sriragam
3. Nenendu Vedakudura – Harikambhoji - Thyagaraja
4. O Jagadamba in Anandabhairavi - Syama Sastry
5. Palaya Sada in Nalina Kanthi - Swathi Tirunal
6. Prakkala Nilabadi – Kharaharapriya – Thyagaraja (R 15min, vio: 7 min; N&S@manasuna thalachi)
Tani
7. RTPK: Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi & a thukkada kriti in Behag
Pallavi line: “Devibrova Samayamide Ati Vegame Vachi” - Adi talam.
After the swaras, he continued with the song“ Irakkam varaamal ponadhenna karaNam”.
8. Tillana
Mangalam
Sandeep was warming up when I entered the venue, and began the concert with the ata-tala varnam, Sarasija nabha in Kambhoji and sang in two speeds. Then the two Devi kritis #2 , perhaps that day being a Friday, were rendered interspersed with the Harikambhoji kriti, were delightful. Almost every kriti had the specials learnt from the MASTER, literally being repeated exactly, ending with a long applause from the audience. Swati Tirunaal kriti was a rare piece (atleast for me!) very well delivered with the excellent kalpana swaras. When some of us were expecting the usually sung ‘manavyalakincha’, this kriti ‘palaya sada’ was a pleasant surprise.
The organizers had announced that there will be a felicitation around 8 PM to the Hyd Bros, in honour of their Sangeeth Natak academy award. So, when Sandeep started the Nalinakanthi raga alapana, the Brothers who had just come in, listened to this piece, fully. After that, during their felicitation Sri. Raghavachary garu, began his speech, by first appreciating Sandeep’s swaras round for a vagra-ragam such as Nalinakanthi, which he said is not very easy. Next the MAIN kharaharapriya was unhurried, Grand elaborate and well received by the audience. Since it was pretty late by then, when he started the raga alapana for Behag, the usual dilemma started off troubling the rasikas. Some 30-odd rasikas decided to stay back, and got lucky to listen to the ‘beshana-briga-laden-behag. Throughout the kutcheri, the violinist KVKrishna was equally effective. The pakka vadhyams offered pucca-support to the vocalist.
Several rasikas were discussing the next day that it would have been much more enjoyable, if the levels of ado(a)pting the Guru’s bani did not appear as if it was mere imitation, more than adapting to the teaching. We have several stalwarts following their guru’s foot steps in the bani and all, they donot imitate the guru’s ai, ui, oi and so on… Some were saying, “indha china vayasula, ivlo vistharama paadaradhu nanna irundhaalum, appadiye imitate panni padaradhai koraichindaal innum nanna irukkum; imitation konjam thookkalaaga irundhudhu.. It was as if we were eating Tirunelveli halwa from a local sweet shop”…Also, rasikas would have loved to listen to some other kriti in some other ragam rather than ‘Irakkam varaamal ‘(also in behag) as the Pallavi was already sung in Behag. Getting to attend to nice kucheris in Hyd is not a frequent affair, so people who brave the cold conditions, traffic-jam and other issues would expect a variety in these paid events. Overall, this good concert marked the conclusion of the concert series of that cultural festival. In this annual series, we witnessed two youngsters performing on the 1st and the last day of the concert series, which was very refreshing to listen and enjoy.
Will have to wait till the next month, for the Thyagaraja Aradhana concerts to start-off.. Eager-o-eager.. :p:-w