News - Views - Reviews
UNIQUE VARNAM ON LORD AYYAPPA PROVES TO BE ACID TEST
Lakshmi V N
R Dhivyaa
Posted on 2nd June 2001
News - Views - Reviews | |
UNIQUE VARNAM ON LORD AYYAPPA PROVES TO BE ACID TEST | |
| The recent performance of R Dhivyaa at the Music Academy, Mini Hall, Chennai, commenced with a traditional invocatory piece in raga Nata set to Chatusra Eka tala, followed by 'Gananatha Nee Tunai' in praise of Lord Ganesha, in raga Niroshta set to Adi tala, which was exciting. The very name Niroshta means 'without the lips'. The swaras in this raga are such that it can be sung without using the lips. Composer P R Venkatasubramanian had also set the lyrics in such a pattern that it obeyed the rule of Niroshta. None other than the vocalist Padmini could sing this piece so well that all the expressions of the dancer gelled with the imagination and tuning capability of the composer. Varnam, the central peice of the recital in ragamalika set to Adi Tala was unique. It was in praise of Lord Ayyappa and elaborated the episodes of Mohini Avataram, Ayyappa Jananam, Mahishi Vadham and so on. Rare sanchari-s explicitly depicted His miracles such as making his guru’s dumb son talk and the way He converted a Muslim robber into a virtuous friend (Waabar) etc., and were a treat to watch. This item remained not only an acid test for the singer and the dancer but also for the mridangist Ramshankar who proved his worth in this item. In the Navarasam Dhivyaa explicitly demonstrated the stories that were related to the emergence of all nine expressions from Goddess Sakti. This item kept the audience spellbound, also due to the fine following by Subbu on the keyboard alongwith special effects. Tillana in raga Vasanti, Adi Tala, was scintillating. Dhivyaa did full justice to all the items that she chose to present and thanks to the guru, Kanchana Janardhanan, for her dedicated service to this art form. Lakshmi V N |
R Dhivyaa |
Posted on 2nd June 2001 | |
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