Carnatica's Rasika Forum

Concert of TNS at Sri Krishna gana sabha on 24-12-2008

Paripoorna nishkalanka niravaDhi sukhadham

TNS was accompanied on the violin by MChandrsekharan, Srimushnam RajaRao on the mridhangam and TVVasan on ghatam.

The concert started at 4.30pm with mohana varnam for which TNS sang kalpana svara as usual. The next was ‘vinathasuthavaahanudai,’ in Harikambodhi, of Thyagaraja, which was followed by an enchanting raga alapna of Poorvikalyani and the Krthi was ‘janamosakaraadhaa,’ of Thyagaraja. The neraval-svaram was sung at ‘paripoornanishkalanka niravaDhisukha dhaayakaa,’ .which aptly describes today’s concert. The rendering of rag and svara was paripoornam.

The natakurinji raga that followed, though it was the navagraha krthi ‘budhamasryami which was expected, the day being Wednesday, was evoking memories of the song ‘paalvaditum mugam ,’ of Oothukkadu because of the soundharya it depicted which was ‘paravasam migavaagum azagu..’ as described by Oothukkadu kavi. It was budhamastrayami, of course that followed. The playing by MC added to the charm of the raga.

The next was a moving varali to which MC replied fittingly, TNS started the pancharathna krthi of Thyagaraja in varali, ‘kanakanaruchira.’

The sankarabharanam that followed was majestic and a real Dheera snkarabharanam. The word dheera denotes majesty , durable and composed . The raga was all that. The krthi was ‘Akshyalingavibho which could be well foreseen as it suited the majesty of the raga delineation. The neraval- was at ‘badharivanamulasvara,’ and the according to the derivation of the word dheera meaning dheeH raathi ithi, TNS dished out his brilliance through it.

Next was videmuseyave of Thyagaraj in karaharpriya with quick svara prastara at ‘rajaraja.’ And then came a scintillating hameerkalyani. The elaborate raga which was sung by TNS and TNSKrishna alternatively, created a doubt whether it was going to be the thiruppavai of the day ‘thoomani maadatthu,’ and it was justified because what followed was a RTP with the words ‘maamaayan maadhabvan vaikundhan Srimannaaraayanan.’ And the thanam was wonderful. The svara was a ragamalika with the ragas bagesri, reethigoulsa, hindolam behag and suruti. The Hameer kalyani with TNS is always a ameer (rich ) and this is no exception. The exhilarating RTP can only be described by the words of the pallavi itself ‘,maamaayam.’

The concert ended with a sloka in ragesri, krishnaya vasudevaaya and a bajan ‘Krishna nama rasana.’ in ragesri. The whole concert was as I mentioned in the title, paripoornanishkalanka niravaDhi sukha dhaayalkam.

MC was accompanying TNS for several concerts during this season and each one has been delightful to the rasikas. Srimushnam RajaRao and TVVasan are well known to all and there is no need to comment upon their excellent performance.