Naada Inbam recently presented Vasudha Keshav, whose vocal concert was dedicated to to the memory of the Mysore composers and their precursors, the Haridasas. The evening served as a reminder that India’s post-Independence linguistic re-organisation of States has no connection whatsoever with the centuries-old tradition of Carnatic music. The recital offered kritis in various languages.
The evening served as a reminder that India’s post-Independence linguistic re-organisation of States has no connection whatsoever with the centuries-old tradition of Carnatic music.
Vasudha Keshav commenced her concert with the works of two contemporary musicians. The opening piece, varnam ‘Nirajakshaa nine namminanu’ in raga Kalyana Vasantham, was a composition by R.N. Sreelatha, a close relative of the renowned R.K. Srikantan.
Then followed an invocation composed by the violin maestro T. Chowdiah. The improvisation sequence to ‘Prasanna Ganapathe maam pahi,’ in raga Bahudari was an engaging exchange, especially between the vocalist and her percussion accompaniments. J. Vaidyanathan was on the mridangam and B.S. Purushothaman on the ganjira entertained extensively in their thani, later.
Fresh interpretations
The kritis of Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar and Mysore Vasudevachar followed next. The kritis were ‘Chintayami Jagadamba,’ in Hindolam and ‘Idi samayamu brovarada,’ in the 10th melakarta scale Natakapriya, respectively. In the Kalayani essay , the lead artiste and her violin accompanist, V.V. Ravi, treated listeners to familiar yet fresh recapitulations of this common scale. The Purandaradasa song ‘Nambi kettavarillavo,’ one of the evening’s centrepieces was equally enjoyable. The other highlight was ‘Rara Rajivalochana Rama.’ This Vasudevachar kriti could easily be mistaken for any one of Tyagaraja’s own in Mohanam.
Among the lighter melodies was ‘Mereyadiru,’ a Devarnama of Kanakadasa, set to tune by Vasudha in Mishramand. Mysore Veena Seshanna’s song in Chenchurutti and a tillana of Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar in Hamirkalyani concluded the proceedings.