Vocal : Gayathri Venkataraghavan
Violin : Charumathi Raghuraman
Mridangam : Arjun Kumar
Ghatam : Giridhar Udupa
1. Sadinchene - Arabhi - Thyagaraja
2. Thanigai Valar Sharavana Bhava Nin Thal Sharanam - Thodi - Papanasam Sivan
3. Jalandhara Supitasthe - Valaji - Muthaiah Bhagavathar
4. Kamalambam Samrakshathumam - Ananda Bhairavi - Muthuswami Dikshitar
5. Nannu Palimpa - Mohanam - Thyagaraja
6. Thani Avarthanam
6. RTP - Keeravani - Adi Arunachala Sadashiva Ishwara
7. Arabhi Manam Vaitha - Ragamalika - Tharangabadi Panchanada Iyer
8. Viruttam followed by Naneka Badavanu - Behag - Purandaradasa
9. Rupa tujhe Deva dakhvi keshava Mukunda Madhava Narayana - Abhang
10. Bhavayami Gopalabalam - Yamunakalyani - Annamacharya
11. Kaatrinile Varum Geetham
12. Thillana - Rageshree - Lalgudi Jayaraman
13. Marali Marali jaya Mangalam - Ragamalika - Annamacharya (Traditional popularised by MS)
Swara Raga Sudha is an annual event organised by Pradosham/Ragamalika of Abu Dhabi. It is a musical festival organised over a period of two days. The second day's morning concert of this year's program was a vocal rendition by Gayathri Venkataraghavan. She was accompanied by Charumathi Raghuraman on the violin, Arjun Kumar on the Mridangam and Giridhar Udupa on the Ghatam. The concert start was slightly delayed due to sound checks by the artists. However, this was made up by extending the concert in the afternoon and the concert lasted almost 3.5 hours.
Gayathri started off the concert with a Pancharatna Krithi of Thyagaraja. Sadinchene in Arabhi ragam was taken up and rendered soulfully. It set off the mood for the concert. The next krithi was in Thodi ragam. I was surprised that Thodi which is normally taken up as a main ragam was taken up initially itself. The krithi taken up was Thanigai Valar Sharavana Bhava of Papanasam Sivan a krithi on Lord Subrahmanya. Next came up Valaji ragam and Muthaiah Bhagavathar's Jalandhara Supitasthe was rendered. I find Valaji as a ragam with a lot of sharp contours and it was deftly handled by Gayathri. I have seen some students going off key in this raga as it is quite a challenge.
Being a Shukravaram (Friday) which is special for worship of Ambal, Gayathri took up the Kamalamba Navavarna krithi of Muthuswami Dikshitar in Ananda Bhairavi - Kamalambam Samrakshathumam and rendered it neatly. This set off a contemplative mood.Dikshitar's Kamalamba Navavarna krithis are a like a concise explanation of Sri Vidya traditions and explain the mantra, tantra and advaitic philosophy. These krithis are quite powerful for the musical worship of Ambal.
Gayathri next took up Mohana ragam. Initially, I was a bit confused about the ragam and thought maybe she is taking up kambhoji, but as the raga developed, it was clear that it was Mohanam. The returns and the raga alapana on the violin were quite pleasant. An elaborate ragam was rendered. I was expecting that she may take up some tamil krithi, but Gayathri decided to take up the familiar krithi of Nannu Palimpa. She explained the background of this krithi also about Walajapet Venkatarama Bhagavathar bringing a painting of Lord Rama on his head as a gift on Thyagaraja's daughter wedding. Thyagaraja on seeing this painting immediately broke out into this krithi. The meaning of this krithi is Did you walk all the way to protect me O Rama. This shows that Thyagaraja welcomed Sri Rama with this krithi. The krithi was explored in detail and was followed with an energetic duo of Arjun Kumar and Giridhar Udupa. The whole krithi with alapana, krithi and thani avarthanam lasted more than one hour.
Immediately after the main item in Mohanam, Gayathri took up Keeravani ragam. Again I was a bit confused in the beginning of this ragam. The raga was dealt in detail with a nice response by Charumathi on violin. Gayathri then rendered a brisk short Thanam. Pallavi was taken in Adi Thalam and went like - Adi Arunachala Sadashiva Ishwara.
RTP was followed by a short Ragamalika krithi Arabhi Manam Vaitha of Panchanada Iyer. This krithi is a piece with the names of different ragas appearing the lyrics and with chitta swarams for the various ragas. A Viruttam followed by Naneke Badavanu in Behag of Purandaradasa was followed by a Marathi Abhang - Rupa tujhe deva and had the refrain of Keshava Mukunda Madhava Narayana. It was very pleasant and I understand that this is based on Pilu ragam.
The last few songs taken up were all krithis popularised by Smt MS Subbulakshmi like Bhavayami Gopalabalam of Annamacharya, Kaatrinile Varum Geetham and concluded with a special ragamalika Mangalam of Annamacharya - Marali Marali Jaya Mangalam.
The entire concert lasted more than 3.5 hours and was a treat for the audience. It was a very traditional concert in the style of MS Subbulakshmi as mentioned in the speech of the organiser and went off well. The violin accompiment by Charumathi Ramachandran was excellent and the duo of Arjun Kumar and Giridhar Udupa provided enthusiastic support to the concert. Again a good team effor by all the artists.
If only the Edit facility stays on a little longer!