Two unusual things to start with. The program started a tad late and the intro was slightly longer both uncharacteristic of the event.
Nuggets from Intro:
Nisha: She is not an accidental artiste; she has a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering and following her mother’s footsteps quit her corporate job and took up music as a career; her gurus include TRS and PSN. Has the distinction of bagging awards instituted in the names of MSS, MLV and DKP. A child unborn as of now may one day bag the coveted Nisha Rajagopal Award.
Trivandrum N Sampath: He can be called Trivandrathinde sampathu, meaning the asset of Trivandrum.
Palakkad Mahesh Kumar: Does not have claims to great lineage such as PMI or UKS. His disciples will however feel proud that Mahesh Kumar was their guru.
Adichanalloor Anil Kumar: A competent vocalist in addition to being a great ghatam player.
Tirunakkara Rateesh: Once BMK remarked “He does not play the morsing; he “sings more”.
Concert:
Started with Todi padavarnam Dhani Samajendra. I had heard it three days back sung by Amrutha Venkatesh and team. While I held that Amrutha and team sang it well, I should say that Nisha’s rendering was better. The voice range, smooth excursions between octaves and the strong akara syllables might have contributed to the effect.
This was followed by Deve Sreekantam Varadam. The short alapana clearly conveyed that the ragam is not Mohanam wearing a Kalyani mask or Kalyani wearing a Mohanam mask. It was demonstrated that Mohanakalyani has its own individual title deed. The alapana generously used phrases from Bhuavaneswarya of HMB. This is a good technique of using phrases from popular kritis in the alapanas, I have heard M Chandrasekaran doing it often on the violin in a very explicit way.
The strands of Ritigowla brought nostalgic memories in me because I was inducted into Carnatic music six decades ago with this ragam when my cousin (with whom I was staying) was learning Brindavana Nilaye of OVK. Paripalayamam Sree Padmanabha Murare followed with a short spell of swaras.
The first main raga was Shanmukhapriya in which Mamava Karunaya was rendered neatly with only classic cover drives and no flamboyant sixes.
Traditionally between two main items we hear a fast paced “filler”. I have not understood why it has to be fast paced and why is it referred contemptuously as a filler. Some artistes avoid this in-between item altogether. Nisha started the chowkamest song of the evening by singing Aanada valleem in Neelambari in extra slow tempo. I felt happy that she is going against tradition. My benchmark for this song is a . rendering by Sreevalson J Menon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2rbSyVGqSg
Today’s rendition by Nisha can sit right up there by the side, if not above it.
My joy of going against tradition was short lived, as Nisha fell victim to tradition with an ultra-fast Parama purusha Jagadeeswara in Vasanta before settling down for a sedate Khamboji and the majestic composition Raasa Vilasa. Had to leave at this stage because of logistics constraints, with Trivandrum ranking at the bottom as far as public transport is concerned.
While the program schedule of the utsavam features Ghatam on 8 out of 10 days and Morsing on 4 out of 10 days, Kanjira is featured only once. I love the base sounds emanating from the kanjira more than those from the toppi side of the mridangam. Trivandrum / Kerala should produce more kanjira professionals.