Musical tribute to Narayana Tirtha

THERE WAS a galore of bhakti filled tharangams of Sri Narayana Tirtha Swamigal at the three-day music festival organised by the Thirupoonthuruthy Narayana Tirtha Swamigal Trust at the Sringeri Pravachana Mandiram. Before launching into the performance of the musicians, a word about the effort of the Trust. It should be commended for organising the festival and through that popularising tharangams. The appeal of Thirupoonthuruthy Venkatesan that every musician must include a tharangam in his concert is worth considering.

Mr. B. Natarajan, patron, Thirupoonthuruthy Narayana Tirtha Trust and author of two volumes, Sri Krishna Leela Tharangini in English and Devanagari with complete meaning for each verse, and Mrs. Meenakshi Nataraja were felicitated on the occasion. Mr. R. Krishnaswamy, advocate, and Mr. K. J. Yesudas, spoke on the occasion.

The inaugural recital was given by Rudrapatnam Brothers (R. N. Thyagarajan and R. N. Tharanathan) who sang as many as eight tharangams, including Vallavangana; neraval and swaras at Paripurnabhodaika in Sankarabharanam (Tharanathan rendered a neat alapana) and Sri Nilayamsakhi in Varali preceded by a compact alapana by Thyagarajan. Srimushnam V. Raja Rao's beats on the mridangam were loud and clear laced with impeccable laya. R. Gopinath's violin support was adequate and K. S. Rangachari did a fair job on the kanjira.

Neyveli Santhanagopalan's expansive alapana in Todi for Mamakaaparadasharam and charming swaras at Atyanta Kripa Sagara evoked praise. This was the follow up on a moving Mohanam alapana and the most appropriate tharangam ``Kshemam Gurugopala''. With a spirit of peace and tranquillity enveloping this composition, Santhanagopalan rightly did not sing swaras and disturb the solemn atmosphere. Madhava Mamava (Neelambari), Govindam (Bagesri), Govardhana Giridhari and a Surati finale were noteworthy. S. D. Sridhar (violin) played alapanas sweetly and was quite equal in the swara duels. Mathirmangalam Swaminathan (mridangam) and T. V. Vasan (ghatam) displayed their percussive prowess in a skilled tani avarthanam.

T. V. Sundaravalli excelled in a Sudhadhanyasi alapana and sang Alokaye. Veeksham (Ahiri), the Bhairavi alapana and the composition Govinda Ghataya and the opener Jaya Jaya Ramanatha (Nattai) deserve special mention. Tiruvellor Parthasarathy (violin), Thirupoonthuruthi V. Viswanathan (mridangam) and Adambakkam Sankar were the accompanists.

Saindavi and Bairavi sang Narayanaya Namomadhavaya in Chakravakam, a raga not frequently heard. Bhavaye Hrudhayaravindha (Bilahari) and a Purvikalyani tharangam were rendered well. Villivakkam Raghuraman (violin) and Tillaisthanam Suryanarayanan (mridangam) did a fair job.

Gifted with a good voice Padmini Ravi covered all the nuances of Kalyani in pleasing style before singing Kathaye Kathaye Madhava with neraval and swaras adding spice. S. Chandran (violin) and Manikudi Chandrasekaran (mridangam) offered good support.

On the final day, Thrissur V. Ramachandran sang a heartwarming alapana in Khamboji and the tharangam Alokaye rendered with all the devotion that Narayana Thirtha has packed into it. His nerval and swaras were dazzling and there was a big applause when he concluded with the word Kalyanagopalam. Jayajayadurge (Durga) received an equal measure of praise. Kathaye Kathaye Madhava sung after a sparkling Kalyani alap registered well. M. A. Sundareswaran (violin) played with his customary sweetness while Umayalapuram Mali's teermanams on the mridangam were soft, and soothing to the ears.

After a chaste Kharaharapriya alapana the veteran musician- musicologist Rajalakshmi Santhanam sang Kalaiye Yeshode with a few rounds of sarvalaghu swaras at Navaneetachora. Her Vasanta alapana and swaras for Sahachari emphasised her concern for traditional patanthara. Supporting artistes were Jayanthi Keshav (violin) and Prasanna Karthikeyan.

Accompanied by T. K. Padmanabhan (violin) and B. Sivaraman (mridangam) Jayanti Mohan sang Govardhana Giridhari neatly.

With excellent support from Hemalatha (violin) V. Sankaranarayanan who has a rich and malleable voice rendered Poorayamamakamam (Bilahari) in style. So was Hey Rama Hey Krishna in Vasanta panchamam. Ambattur Babu accompanied the artiste on the mridangam.

Sistia Sarada (Vijayawada) appears to rely on speed and more speed. Akkarai Subbulakshmi's violin play shone by contrast. S. Kalyanaraman gave percussive support. Sarada's list of songs included a ragamalika and Sharanam Bhava in Hamsavinodhini, and Bruhimukundeti.

- K.S.

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