With a traditional repertoire infused with creative intricacies, K. Gayathri, presented a concert accompanied by Sayee Rakshit on the violin, Sumesh Narayanan on the mridangam, and S. Krishna on the ghatam.
The evening began with a unique varnam in ragamalika, composed by her guru Suguna Purushothaman. This piece showcased a medley of ‘Priya’ ragas, starting with Karaharapriya in the pallavi and gracefully traversing through Kokilapriya (anupallavi), Ramapriya (mukthaiswaram), Shanmukhapriya(charanam), and four distinct chittaswarams in Pasupathipriya,Rishabapriya, Yogapriya, and Rasikapriya. Gayathri’s execution brought out the beauty of each raga unfolding them with clarity, poise, and a seamless flow.
This was followed by ‘Margazhi Thingal’in Naatai, an apt choice of Tiruppavai for the month’s first day. Gayathri captured the devotional fervour of Andal’s verses, invoking the spirit of Margazhi with every note. ‘Neevera kula dhanamu’ in Begada was a serene offering from the Tyagaraja canon. Gayathri’s intricate alapana brought out the raga’s essence with elegance, despite occasional breath control challenges, which she managed with grace.
K. Gayatri with Sayee Rakshith on the violin and Sumesh Narayanan on the mridangam.
| Photo Credit:
SRINATH M
Sayee Rakshit’s violin accompaniment elevated the piece. The niraval at ‘Thyagaraja hridaya neevesha’ was particularly noteworthy, with excellent rounds of kalpanaswaras adding a lively dimension. Next was Syama Sastri’s ‘Mayamma yaanine’ in Ahiri, a raga that demands an intuitive connection to its melancholic beauty, turned out to be the emotional fulcrum of the evening. Gayathri’s slow, deliberate phrasing allowed every note to resonate deeply, enveloping the audience in a shroud of introspection. The concert lightened momentarily with Swati Tirunal’s ‘Pahi parvatha nandini’ in Arabhi, which offered a joyous interlude and was rendered with precision and energy.
The main was ‘Meenakshi memudam’ in Purvikalyani, a monumental composition by Muthuswami Dikshitar. Her alapana was expansive yet delicate, with intricate gamakas and the niraval at ‘Dasha gamakakriya veena’ and the kalpanaswaras were blissful, followed by tani avartanam, the rhythmic highpoint of the evening. Sumesh Narayanan and S. Krishna brought a delightful interplay of percussion that was both calculative and exuberant.
The most anticipated RTP came as an awe-inspiring blend of melody and rhythm, set in Sriranjani, and in Khanda Triputa tala containing 39 aksharas. The pallavi ‘Nirajakshi kamakshi nikila loka janani niranjani sri’ was perfectly structured with delicate oscillations and slides, conveying the essence of the raga, reflecting herunderstanding of both raga aesthetics and rhythmic dynamics. The kalpanaswara in ragamalika explored Sriranjani, Ritigowla and Sriragam, each meticulously interwoven and presented with clarity. The concert came a full circle with Patnam Subramania Iyer’s Khamas thillana striking an exuberant note.
Published – December 24, 2024 03:23 pm IST
Friday Review
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Chennai Margazhi Season
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