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Saint's sparse use of swaras
LAST WEEK music lovers in Chennai came under the spell of the Pancharatna kritis of Sri Tyagaraja arranged as goshti ganam by sabhas at different places in the city. It was as it should be, for who, among music-lovers, will not be moved by the songs of the Bard of Tiruvaiyaru. In fact, no further proof is necessary than the Tiruvaiyaru festival where, thanks to Doordarshan, one saw the large gathering on the fringes unmindful of being drenched by rain, sing enthusiastically by the Pancharatna kritis along with the musicians in their special enclosure, protected from the rain. That is divinity experienced after 155 years of Sri Tyagaraja's exit from the world.
Hearing the Pancharatnas, one cannot but feel that Sri Thyagaraja has outdone himself where his genius shines at its best and touched the pinnacle of Carnatic music, the way he has interlaced swaras and sahityas. What was his guideline to posterity by using swaras in the Pancharatna kritis alone and not in any of his other kritis. Like the way he has expounded spirituality through his songs, he perhaps wanted to indicate that if any musician wants to indulge in swaras, it should be in sarvalaghu as in his Pancharatnas. (In this context it is worthwhile recalling an incident recorded by the great exponent of Kalakshepam, Sulamangalam Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, who was also involved in Thyagaraja aradhana during his days. Writing about Umayalpuram Krishna Bhagavathar and Sundara Bhagavathar, two prime sishyas of Sri Tyagaraja, Sulamangalam Vaidyanathar Bhagavathar has said that the two disciples of the saint, with immense swara gnana, never sang swaras in their concerts in deference to the advice of their guru. In this connection he says how in the Saptha Sthana Utsavam at Tiruvaiyaru, Krishna and Sundara Bhagavathar, going behind the procession of Sri Pranatharthihava, sang ``Dorakuna,'' the song in Bilahari that moved the listeners to tears. Even as Sri Tyagaraja's songs cause to be propagated by the sishyas, the guru's views on swaras too were respected to the letter.
It is a matter of tradition that even today at the Tiruvaiyaru festival musicians refrain from singing swaras. How wholesome this practice! Why not it be extended to the aradhana cutcheris held by sabhas in the city wherein senior vidwans take part. Nobody is going to say that they do not know swara-singing, for during the rest of the year they over-exert themselves along with the percussionists, to create a mega decibel world. Instead, one or two more of Sri Tyagaraja's songs can be sung. Like Krishna and Sundara Bhagavathar, let our musicians in their Aradhana concert programme respect the views of Sri Tyagaraja. Even at other times, the lesser the swara deluge, the better would be the quality of music.
For Narada Gana Sabha Sudha Raghunathan gave the aradhana concert. In her case appreciation surfaces even before she opens her mouth. The programme containing nothing but Tyagaraja songs, served to justify the overwhelming applause of audience. For the sahitya wealth, musical depth and structural eminence of the songs contributed to more than half the success of her concert. To this she deployed her pressurised tonal power in passionate loud karvais in the tara sthayi, that has become part of her concert technique.
The image of her music's vigour was triumphantly communicated with streaking fast phrasings in alapanas and computer-induced swaras. In such a mood what else could one expect than the infatuated strokes on the mridangam by B. Ganapatiraman. It was almost a field day for him in contrast to the tame picture of the violinist G.A. Gnanasundaram.
``Nineve-Bhajana'' (Nattai) and ``Endaro Mahaanu Bhavulu'' (Sriraga Pancharatna) gave a sampradaya start to the recital. The first raga effort was Sriranjani, followed by the song ``Sogasuga- Mridanga-Taalamu'' in which swaras at three points gained more importance. Surprisingly, with her voice itching for speed, she did not elaborate Todi raga and instead went to render the Kriti ``Jesina-Tella-Harachitivo'' in a casual manner.
She reserved her briga resources mainly for the alapana of Madhyamavati going over phrasings over and over again. If it is Madhyamati, it could be nothing but ``Rama-Katha-Sudharasa''. It was given royal treatment as the main item and refreshingly the tani avartanam between Ganapatiraman and morsing artiste Raman was brief.
Crispness of presentation without vocal exaggeration marked the performance of Mambalam Sisters Chitra and Vijayalakshmi for Nadopasana. There was a smooth flow in the raga alapana of Ritigowla by Chitra and Kalyani by Vijayalakshmi. Without any gesticulative mannerism the sancharas, essential for precisely defining the ragas, were pleasantly sung. There was restraint in swara singing. The choice of kirtanas -- ``Maa-Paala-Velasika'' (Asaveri), ``Janani-Ninuvina'' (Ritigowla) ``Saarasa Dala'' (Kamas) and ``Nijadasa-Varada'' (Kalyani) -- lent dignity to the performance without unnecessary sangatis. The violin support from Kalyani Shankar, mridangam by Kumbakonam Ramakrishnan and Kanjira by Rangachari was measured. What stood out in the recital was the mood of relaxation they created among the audience. — SVK
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