SANKARAN NAMBOODIRI IN RAGASUDHA HALL- 12/7/19

[CRama]

Accompanists.
Nagai Sriram- Violin
Madippakkam Suresh- Mridangam
Adambakkam Sankar- Ghatam.
List of songs.
• Abhishta varada- Hamsadhwani (S)
• Devadeva kalayami te- Mayamalavagowla- ST (S)
• Narayana- Sudhadhanyasi- PD (R,S)
• Nadasudharasam pilanu- Arabhi- T (S)
• Kamalaptakula- Brindavanasaranga- T (R,S)
• Bandureethi- Hamsanadam- T (S)
• Nadachi nadachi- Kharaharapriya- T (R,N,S)
• Tani
• Maname kanamum maravade- Bimplas- PS
• Varuvay varuvay Kanna- Kapi- Bharatiyar
• Jagatjanani- Ratipatipriya-MMD
• Thillana- Rakeshree
• Mangalam- Madhyamavathy

Sankaran Namboodiri, who became famous as the child prodigy enthralled rasikas all over the country and abroad in the 80s and 90s. Even now he is getting overseas tours every year. But his concert had become sparse in Chennai. Nadopasana arranged his concert in Ragasudha Hall which reinforced his versatality, sruti adherence, astounding manodharmam, stamina and vast repertoire. He started the concert with Abhishta Varada Sree Mahaganapathey in Hamsadhwani. Ganapathi kriti has become rare commodity in the concert list today. Jai Ho to Sankaran Namboodiri for starting the concert with obeisance to Ganapathy. The kriti wrongly attributed to Tyagaraja and popularised by Maharajapuram Santhanam has gone into oblivion since his demise. Neverthless Sankaran Namboodiri rendered the kriti in a spright manner and adorned with imaginative kalpana swarams. This kriti brought the verve and gusto at the start of the concert.

The next song Devadeva kalayami te was rendered true to the SSI version and was also decorated with swaras at the pallavi. In this concert, for all the songs, Sankaran Namboodiri followed a different pattern of rendering kalpana swarams. Eschewing the practice of starting with smaller avartanams of Kalpana swarams, he rendered very long avartanams of Kalpana swarams in sarva laghu style. Narayana in Sudha Dhanyasi was rendered true to the devotional element in the devaranama and the swaras in Krishna Krishna entho added colour to the song. All the kritis were rendered in the perfect kalapramanam sticking to the authentic patantharam. The choice of kritis enhanced the success of the concert.

After an elaborate alapana of Brindavanasaranga people will expect only Soundararajam. But Sankaran Namboodiri’s choice of Kamalaptakula was befitting the expansive raga alapana. After the lengthy alapana of Kharaharapariya exploring the breadth and depth of the ragam quite effortlessly for about 15 minutes, one feared the oft repeated Chakkani raja margamu. But Nadachi Nadachi came as fresh showers in the parched Chennai land. This song was the sole propriety of D.K.Pattammal/ D.K.Jayaraman and Vijaya Siva also render on sporadic occasions. Never heard from other musicians. So when Sankaran Namboodiri took it as the central piece and embellished with imaginative neraval on the lines Pudameesutha sahaayudai and following kalpana swarams, the audience received with loud cheer.

There were three raga alapanas in the concert which were rendered with admirable voice power, manodharmam and raga bhavam devoid of any ambiguity.

The post thani pieces brought in the due devotional fervour. Time tested pieces they were, and rendered with sublimity and reverence. The song Varuvay Varuvay Varuvay Kannaa is a rare Bharatiyar song which was rendered in Kapi. I have heard other versions too.

Nagai Sriram is always a support for any concert. The sweet tone, manodharmam, proportion coupled with the excellent thick and thin shades bring out raga bhavam quite eloquently and his swara returns are succinct. Madippakkam Suresh, disciple of Karaikudi Mani, embellished the concert with his sarva laghu, anticipation and understanding and the thani with Adambakkam Sankar was quite engaging.

After the concert, many people went upto Sankaran Namboodiri, congratulated and were remembering the concerts they heard him as a prodigy vidwan. There was a question on many peoples’ mind- He sings so well. Why he is not getting many offers in Chennai. He sang in Mudhra for two years (2016 and 2017) and he regularly sings for Navarathri in Maestro Ilayaraja's house. All the concerts were relishing. A good news. On Aug 23, he sings in Arkay- for Parampara.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

I couldn't attend the above concert but was expecting to catch up with the live webcast which was not there unfortunately. However CRama's review has helped to obtain a fairly good impression of the event.

Sankaran Nambudiri is a brilliant artist with a vast repertoire and would be a safe bet on the concert platform. He was introduced to Chennai audience by TVG and was a rage during his initial years. He performs widely and popular in the Kerala diaspora, naturally. He has released quite a few 'devotional albums' and has his hands also on Fusion music (Eg. the 'Nagumomu' in a recent production)

Well, let us not miss his Chennai concert on 23 Aug.

[arasi]

Yes, I did hear him a couple of times when he was a very impressive young singer. The little kid who was present, all agog that his dad was on the stage singing, turns out to be today's bright young singer Vishnu Namboodiri. Am I right?

[bhasi]

@arasi I'm not sure, but from what info I can find online on Vishnudev Namboothiri, I can't find anything that suggests that he and Sankaran Namboothiri are related... or have I misconstrued your words somehow?

[arasi]

Well, I had heard someone say that he is. I had asked: am I right? because it was hearsay. I am sure C.Rama or Rajesh can verify to put our minds to rest.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Sankaran Nambudiri and Vishnudev Nambudiri are NOT related.
But their Guru is the same: Chandramana Nambudiri.

[arasi]

Thank you, Ramakrishnan. I stand corrected. Whosoever told me this too, by the way!