Latest news with #KasturiSrinivasanHall
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
S. Swarathmika chose only Pratimadhyamam ragas for her concert themed on Gopalakrishna Bharathi
It came as no surprise that S. Swarathmika's concert, dedicated to the compositions of Gopalakrishna Bharathi and presented under the aegis of The Music Academy at the Kasturi Srinivasan Hall, was a fitting reflection of the steady strides she has been making in her budding career. What did come as a surprise, however, was her choice of pratimadhyamam ragas only — Purvikalyani and Varali — for exploration, bypassing the more abundant suddhamadhyamam variety. Given Swarathmika's lineage — she is the granddaughter of the late Leelavathy Gopalakrishnan — one might have expected her to strike a balance by drawing from her sizeable repertoire within the composer's corpus. That said, the vocalist carved out a compelling performance, invoking the grace of the cosmic dancer, Nataraja. She was well-supported by Chaganti Ramya Kiranmayi on the violin and Kundurthi Aravind on the mridangam. Gopalakrishna Bharathi, a 19th-century composer singularly devoted to the dancing deity of Chidambaram, elevates Nataraja not just as a religious icon but as a cosmic principle — a metaphysical embodiment of the universe — connecting divinity, motion, matter and time. His portrayal of the Lord's dance is not merely mythic or artistic; it is a profound philosophical metaphor for the rhythm of the universe, as discernible in several of his compositions. A brisk start Swarathmika struck a note of surrender to the Lord through 'Saranagatham enru' in Gowlai, setting a brisk opening. She enhanced its appeal with a swara sequence that was as lively as it was nuanced. 'Chidambaram enroru tharam sonnaal' in Begada, which suggests the shortcut to the divine sanctuary, was sung with devotional fervour. The Purvikalyani alapana unfurled loopy phrases, flashy forays, swirling sancharas, and long notes, particularly in the upper registers, and brought out the raga's evocative mood in ample measure. Ramya Kiranmayi's bow work produced an interpretation that closely mirrored the vocalist's ideas. After a delectable rendition of the song 'Natamadum nathan', set to Khanda Chapu, Swarathmika led the well-crafted swara exchanges in which the concluding avarthanam stood out. 'Thaa thaa thaa nee' in Karaharapriya, a seldom-heard song with a delicate pallavi, was an interesting choice. Swarathmika negotiated it with calm assurance. Swarathmika featured Varali as the main raga and her delineation progressed, gathering flair and momentum, textured with polished gamakas. Ramya Kiranmayi once again displayed a keen melodic sensibility in her response. The composition 'Adiya paadhame gatiyenru' followed. There is an unmistakable felicity in her kriti rendition, and this challenging song was no exception. The niraval at the anupallavi opening 'Naadu pugazhndhidum' was a graceful exposition, and the kalpanaswaras sparkled with vitality. Mridangist Aravind, brought in a lively rhythmic presence, and his Adi talam tani carried interesting patterns and vibrant strokes. 'Adum chidambaramo', a popular number in Behag, was sung next, and 'Kanakasabhai thirunatanam' in Surutti brought the curtain down on a refined recital.
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Conveying the poignancy in Bhadrachala Ramadasu's songs
Shruthi S. Bhat made a statement with both intent and content right at the outset of her concert, which was devoted exclusively to the compositions of Bhadrachala Ramadasu. It is rare to come across a kriti in Bhairavi as the opening number of a concert, and rarer still when it includes a niraval segment. Accompanied by G. Kailasapathy on the violin and G.N. Bhuvan on the mridangam, Shruthi presented this endowment concert under the auspices of The Music Academy at the Kasturi Srinivasan Hall. Shruthi's voice was in fine fettle from the very first note, as she opened with the shloka 'Srirama sitagaga' from the saint-poet's 'Dasarathi Sathakam' in Bhairavi. The full range of the raga's facets emerged even in the short rendition, which was a prelude to the composition 'Rama dayajudave'. The refinement lingered through the rendition of the song, particularly in the niraval and kalpanaswaras at 'Rajeeva dala lochana', creating immersive bhakti. Rendered with zest 'Bhadrasaila rajamandira' in a lilting Kuntalavarali was sung zestfully, offering a lighter and contrasting shade. Chakravakam was the first raga Shruthi explored. While the delineation stayed true to the raga's mood and structure, it occasionally veered into repetitive passages that could have been more tightly sculpted for greater coherence. Kailasapathy's version on the violin complemented that of the vocalist. Here, Shruthi narrated a moving anecdote from the life of the 17th-century composer, which related to the kriti 'Abbabba debbalaku' in Misra Chapu. Ramadasu, a staunch devotee of Rama, had been imprisoned by the Mughal ruler Tana Shah on charges of misappropriating funds to construct the Bhadrachala Rama temple. In this composition, he pleads with the Lord: 'I promise upon your feet, please do listen. I have not laundered a single penny to anybody'. After listening to his prayers, Rama and Lakshmana appeared as messengers, paid the money, and secured Ramadasu's release from prison. The song was rendered with the poignancy the context warrants, and the swarakalpana at 'Prema tho' displayed synchrony from the ensemble. 'Hari hari nama' in Kanada carried forward the devotional fervour leading into the main suite in Kamboji and the best-known composition by Ramadasu in the raga — the evergreen 'Emayya Rama' in Khanda Chapu. Shruthi began by hitting the high notes shortly before ebbing into the lower octave, and then gradually shaped the melody, revealing its splendour through gamaka-laden phrases. Kailasapathy's presentation was equally rich with melodic depth. The rendition of the kriti was replete with Kamboji's grace before Shruthi rounded off with niraval and swara exchanges at 'Paramatmudu ani ninnu' in the charanam. Bhuvan's rhythmic support was steadfast throughout, and his tani was marked by verve and tonal precision. A shloka, 'Sriramachandra karunakara', in Yamunakalyani was followed by the song 'Naraharideva', and the concert concluded with a mangalam in Madhyamavati.
