Celebrating the legacy of Swathi

Creativity involves breaking established patterns in order to explore aesthetics from a different perspective. This was evident in three major concerts that were presented at Irinjalakuda as part of the annual Sree Swathi Thirunal Music and Dance Festival.

Flute wizard Kudamaloor Janardhanan enchanted the audience with a brilliant Smarajanaka in Behag. Negotiating through the contours of the raga, he painted a beautiful picture by emphasising on jeevaswaras and characteristic phrases of the raga. Rarely heard Maamava Jagadeeswara in Saraswathy Manohari followed with some sancharas in upper octave, reminiscent of Musiri’s style. Next he played phrases of the seven ragas of the saptha ragamalika Bhavayami and then went on to dwell on each raga.

Kudamaloor Janardanan   | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Guruvayoor Sanoj (mridangam) and Kottayam Unnikrishnan (ghatam) accompanied. He concluded the concert with Maadhavaloka in Jaunpuri.

Noteworthy rapport

T.M. Krishna, on the second day, started with Nagalingam in Sankarabharanam, adorned with niraval and swara passages. Sahana followed with a slow-paced Giripai, decorated with clustered swara passages that soared to the upper octaves.

T. M. Krishna in concert   | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

What came next was a pageantry of ragas rendered alternatively by the vocalist and violinist Akkarai Subhalakshmy. A spiralling Kedaram was complemented by majestic Sankarabharanam, followed by an exposition of Kalyani, which was followed by a neat Begada. An exquisite Kamboji evoked an excellent Yadukulakamboji, while Mohanam preceded a neat Bilahari and finally a serene Sree. Exploration of Nava ragamalika varnam Valachi Vachi followed in detail.

After Hamirkalyani, ‘Thenamudham’, a poem was rendered. Then came a Thani by Mannargudi Eswaran (mridangam) and Udupi Sreedhar (ghatam). Swathi compositions were delivered in the final phase only and included Smarajanaka in Behag, Pahitharaksha in Anandabhairavi and Panchasayakajanakan in Neelambari.

Abhishek Raghuram   | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Abhishek Reghuram’s recital on the third day was composed of Palayamaadhava in Asaveri and Paripahimam in Mohanam followed by a neat sketch of Anandabhairavi.

Traversing through the features of the raga and furthering the boundaries with rarely-heard phrases, he made a gentle slide to the kriti in the raga -Pahitharaksha. Bhooshavali in Gopanandana was beautifully expressed in the ragalapana as well as through manodharma swaras with the characteristic pa da sa phrase that is unique to this raga.

Aural magic

With amazing voice modulations Dhanyasi was unfurled followed by a Syama Sastri kriti Meenalochani brova. His creative approach was evident as he brought variations for the line ‘Neerada veni’ by stressing on the word ‘Ni’ and adding colour with ragamalika swaras such as Atana, Anandabhairavi and Ahiri. Akkarai Subhalakshmi excelled on the violin. Anantha R. Krishnan (mridangam) was in sync with the vocalist and presented an excellent tani. Kanthanodu in Neelambari, Sumasayaka and Ithisahasamu in Saindhavi were the pieces in the final phase.

Devoted to Swathi kritis

The programme concluded with Meera Nangiar’s Bharathanatyam recital that was devoted to Swathi krithis. A mallari in Gambheera Natta heralded the items to be followed. Pannagendrasayana, a Ragamalika, came next in which the emotions, expectations and agonies of the nayika during the eight yaamas (sessions) of the night were skillfully portrayed. Her training at Kalakshethra was evident in the choreography and she cautiously went through her recital, so that there was no inadvertent trajectory towards the Mohiniyattam format.

In the padam Kaminimani in Poorva Kamodari, she effectively narrated the conversation between the Nayika and her maid. Ithu Sahasamulu in Saindhavi and Karunanidhane, a bhajan in Charukesi, completed her technically perfect solo.