Vibrating Vachaspathi

Venue: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 30th November 2013, 645 pm

My listening to the season began with Smt Ranjani Gayatri concert. With too many things to do on hand and an intended temple visit, I walked down to East Mada Street. A nicely renovated hall. The Bhavan institution just made it too good for both the artists and rasikas.. It was a jam packed hall and entering late, I can't expect any vacant seat. Albeit, I kneeled down and was listening right from the second song. RG began with a Dhandapani Desikar's composition and moved on to vibrant Vasantha with "Ramachandram Bhavayami". 

The choice of songs were very unique and different. I have been attending their concerts for quite sometime now. I have never seen any song repeated at all. After the brisk Vasantha came Dhanyasi. An elaborate dhanyasi raga alapanai rendered by Smt Ranjani took the audience spell bound followed by Shri HN Bhaskar's beautification of Dhanyasi in violin. The sisters rendered a nice Thyagaraja composition in Dhanyasi with "Ramabirama manasu". The niraval and swaras at "Sangeethamu" were a real treat to the listeners and evoked the best bhakthi rasa.

RG then sang an excellent composition of Gopalakrishna Bharati's surutti raga krithi "Thillai Ambalathaanai". Before moving to the main piece, Ranjani Gayatri sang a nice composition of Harikeshanallur's Pashupathipriya krithi - "Sharavana bhava samayamidhira". The main piece for the evening was in Vachaspathi. A detailed raga aalapanai was essayed by Smt Gayatri with a purposeful shruthi bedham to distinguish the difference between Vachaspathi and Vaasanthi. Smt Gayatri explained it to ensure the audiences did not get confused. It was very nice to watch many young rasikas. It was as exquisite and majestic and contained all the essential items for this mela raga. The main krithi "Pahi Jagatjanani(Swati Tirunal)" was adorned with stately niraval and moving swaras. Shri HN Bhaskar's violin support in his solo versions and swara repartees were very soothing and impressive.

The thukkadas came in the form of virutham followed by "Sharavana Bhava ennum" in Shanmukhapriya. No concert of theirs is complete without an Abhang. Rasikas wanted a Dasar krithi and smilingly the sisters sang a soothing dasar krithi in Behag, "Naaneke badavanu".Before rendering abhang, Smt Gayatri explained the meaning of the abhang and continued singing "Rama Naama" in Jhinjotti.

Brilliant percussion support came from Shri K Arun Prakash on the Mridangam and Shri KV Gopalakrishnan on the Kanjira. The thani was filled with rhythmic articulation.

It was an excellent start for the season, I must say!