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In melodious tranquillity
SUGUNA VARADACHARI seemed to value tradition and padanthara more than anything else, and this was proved in no small measure in her concert for Kala Kruthi. The ambience was typical for chamber music and one could discern a noteworthy compatible quietness, which was present throughout the concert.
She began with the incomparable Saveri varnam and quickly followed it up with "Sri Maha Ganapathim Bhajhe Hum" (Atana). Dhenuka featured next, and the song, "Teliyaledu Rama" was sung void of any of those contrived frills, thereby enhancing the tranquil nature of the composition. Next, while rendering the Dikshitar piece, "Santhanagopala Krishnam," (Khamas) the artiste took utmost care to accord the lofty stature the kirtana deserved. It seemed most appropriate that she chose the thuritha "Narthana Muralidharam" for swaraprastharam in the vilambaka krithi.
The next piece was "Samodham Chinthayami" (Swathi Tirunal - Suddha Dhanyasi) and there was a slight ambiguity in the alapana at the beginning which was soon done away with in the later phrases.
The other major songs were "Maravakave O Manasa" (Patnam - Sama) and "Ksheerasagara" (Sivan - Poorvikalyani). Karaharapriya occupied the prime slot in the evening, and the raga alapana for this and the earlier Poorvikalyani had all the sedate phrases with no sense of outlandishness, repetitive sangathis or needless flamboyance. The grandeur and the stamp of the ragas were presented as a whole, and the linking of one phrase to the next spoke of unobtrusive continuity. The Karaharapriya song was "Srinivasa Thava Charanam" of Sivan, which was a welcome surprise and evoked emotional response from the audience. The neraval and swaram were rendered fittingly at "Dhinajana" for this song.
The remaining part of the concert had delightful selections like "Paravasamayanu" (Punnaga Varali), "Vallikanavan Perai" and a tillana in raga Ghambira Vani. In spite of the sense of completeness in the cutcheri, one was still left wondering why the artiste had dispensed with the tambura sruti in spite of affording a vocal support (pin-pattu) complement. This absence was probably the reason for the lack of perfect sruti alignment at the top shadjamam at some places.
Violin support came from Savithri Sathyamurthi and she carried herself as a true accompanying artiste without ever overdoing her role.
Her playing of the ragas, especially Suddha Dhanyasi was explicit though she too seemed to experience difficulty while playing the top octave.
Ramakrishnan on the mridangam was at his anticipative best during the nerval and swara phases and excelled with a compact tani in tisra eka talam that was given to him to perform.
S. SIVAKUMAR
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