Smt Sudha Ragunathan - Vocal
Smt Charumathi Raghuraman - Violin
Shri Skanda Subramanium - Mridangam
Shri R Raman - Morsing
1. Vathapi Ganapathim - Hamsadhwani - Adi - Dikshithar (S)
2. Emani Pogadudhura - Veera Vasantham - Adi - Thyagarja
3. Janani Ninnuvina - Reethigowla - Misra Chapu - Subburaya Sastri (R,S)
4. Arul Saiyya Vendum Aiyya - Rasikapriya- Adi - Koteeswara Iyer
5. Eduta Nila Chithe - Shankarabharanam - Adi - Thyagaraja (R,N,S)
6. Hamsanandi RTP - Chatusra Jhampa
7. Ugaboga followed by Yemenelli - Sivaranjani - Adi - Purandaradasa
8. Chinnanchiru - Ragamalika - Tisram - Bharathiyar
9. Thillana - Brindavani - Adi - Dr BMK
10. Mangalam
It has a been a long time since Smt Sudha Ragunathan performed for Mudhra. What I like about this organization is that they don’t club two concerts on a single evening and that gives the artist the freedom to sing a three hour concert.
Smt Sudha started the day with a slokam followed by the popular Dikshithar krithi in Hamsadhwani. She rendered it in good gait and the swarams were sung well at the Charnam for the line ‘Hamsadhwani Bhushitha Herambam’. The permutation combination for the swarams showed she was in good form and rasikas could expect a good concert. What I like about her kalpana swarams is that she slowly builds it up like a pramid and then takes to the climax where you can feel the Aah moment in the end.
Hamsadhwani was followed by Thyagaraja’s veera vasantham piece, a krithi popularised by Shri GNB. The next piece Reethigowla was taken as the sub main for the day. Every phrase oozed with bhavam and her pitch perfect rendition brought out the nuances of the ragam so well . There was some kind of verve in her rendition that elevated the ragam to a completely different level. Charu ably supported her and showcased the beauty of the ragam when it was her turn. She is just too good and no wonder is one of the busiest accompanist in the concert circle.
She sang the krithi with azhutham and finesse, the audience was surely moved. She is a master of kanaku swaras and that was evident when she put swarams at the line ‘Suvasini Tamasamu Seyakane Brovamunu’. What really sets her apart is the bhavam laden swara singing and at the same time showcasing her strong laya skills.
Arul seiyya venum aiyya in rasikapriya set the tone for the main. Shankarabharanam is such a joyous ragam. I can hear it anytime of the day and my mood would be elevated. Coming to today’s rendition, she rendered the ragam majestically. She sang it in her inimitable way and charu embellished it exposing the beauty of the ragam. Thyagaraja’s Eduta Nilachithe was rendered to perfection bringing out the beautiful meaning of the song. Neraval was done at Nuduti Vratha Gani. Her mel kalam neraval and the combination of swarams that followed, built up the tempo with a firm pulse. Her voice just traversed through the octaves executing the key phrases with precision. Charumathi shadowed her and played her part well, not being intrusive at any point. However at the same, showcased the main artist’s flow elevating the concert experience.
Ah what do I say about the RTP. This Hamsanandi will hover in my mind for a long time. The step by step build up of the ragam in her voice seized every note with impressive command. Ornamentation of the ragam was elaborate and every phrase was riveting. Due to paucity of time, she asked Charumathi to start thanam. The multi layered tanam with the full throw of her voice enthralled the listeners.
With such an evocative backdrop she took up the line Mal Maruga Guha Saravana Bhava Vadivel Muruga Kumara in Chatusra Jhampa for elaboration. After couple of rounds of neraval she did trikalam. Again, during the swarams, there were various permutations combinations in different nadais. The ragamalika was interesting where she seamlessly moved from Chandrakauns to Vasantha and then abhogi.
Next was the gripping dasar song in Sivaranjani. The evening ended with Brindavani thillana.
With over three decades of concert experience, her concert planning needs a special mention and truly she proved her vidwat and class during the concert.