Kannadasan's poetic prowess on show

THERE WERE many facets to poet Kannadasan; though popular for his lyrics for films, his contribution to the literary world was recognised by scholars and earned him the title `Kavi Arasu'. Madurai T. N. Seshagopalan, the recipient of the `Isai Perarignar' title from the Tamil Isai Sangam this year, had made special efforts to present a concert comprising the poems of Kannadasan, as a tribute to one of the outstanding Tamil poets of the 20th century.

It was obvious that he had made efforts to study the vast body of writings, before selecting the pieces. He gave a brief explanation before each item, about when and in what context some of the poems were written. A verse or two in the form of a Viruttam took the place of the raga alapana after which followed a song in the same raga.

The concert began with a `venba' composed by Kripananda Variar in praise of Kannadasan in Hamsadhwani; the raga delineation was excellent; this moved into Nattai and was followed by a song on the famous temple of Ganesha at Pillayarpatti, an important religious centre for the nagarathars of Chettinadu, from which community Kannadasan hailed. The Tamil Isai Sangam also incidentally is managed by prominent persons from the same community. The phrases used in the neraval and swaram were very similar to those used in instrumental music.

Kannadasan had done a translation of Adisankara's ``Soundaryalahari'' as `Ambikai Darisanam' and Seshagopalan chose verses from that set to Ahiri raga; he touched upon the plaintive nuances of the raga, that helped the feeling of devotion. The main item was Todi through `Parthanai Paar' and the raga was presented in all its majestic grandeur, in which he could not resist Grahabedam. `Deva Unadu' in Todi was followed by neraval and swaras and then it was the turn of the thani by the multiple percussion accompaniments - mridangam by T. K. Murthy, kanjira by Harishankar, morsing by Srivanchiyam Gopalan and gethuvadyam by Arudayarkoil Subramaniam; fortunately they did not overwhelm the vocalists during the concert, during which the gethuvadyam could hardly be heard; nevertheless they exhibited their skills in the thani.

U. Srinivas in his mandolin concert presented a quick succession of kritis before the main item in Shanmukhapriya. After a varnam in Sriragam, there was a racy song in Hamsadhwani but the swara segment was too long. One could not help wishing that his Bhairavi piece `Yaaro Ivar Yaaro' was played a little slower, suitable to the mood of the song.

The swaras after `Saravanabhavaguhane' in Kannada were imaginative but the speed? With all the pakkavadyams - S.D. Sridhar on the violin, Ramabhadran on the mridangam, E. M. Subramaniam on the ghatam, Selva Ganesh on the kanjira and Srirangam Kannan on the morsing - the ensemble was quite noisy, though as always Ramabhadran's had a very gentle touch, which could not be said of Selva Ganesh.

It will be helpful for the listeners if instrumentalists announce the compositions, otherwise they would lose out on the music trying to identify the song.

The main raga Shanmukhapriya was fortunately played at a comfortable tempo and octave, touching the essential attributes of the raga. Sridhar's effort on the violin was particularly good towards the end.

As concluding items there were ``Kilikkanni,'' a Bharatiyar song in Ragamalika, where some very unusual phrases came through in Kamas, Kalyanavasantham, Amirthavarshini and Sindhubhairavi, ``Santhinilavavendum'', ``alaipayude'' etc.

The Bharatanatyam programme of Padma Subramaniam began with a prayer from Sekkizhar's Periyapuranam. The story of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Vamana was mimed during the swara passage in Mohanam before the actual Tiruppavai ``Ongi ulagalantha'' was sung. The composition ``Aadikkondar'' in Mayamalavagowla describes the dance of Nataraja; but the movements were too much in the lasya aspect to be accepted as the majestic manliness of the Lord of Dance.

Generally Bharatanatyam is considered to have lot of straight lines and angles in the line of movements compared to, say, Odissi. In Padma's style everything moves in curves, including the theermanams during the course of the varnam; in Bharatiyar's ``Kuyilpattu'' adopted as the varnam, the movements in the theermanams were leisurely and appeared very light, without any strain on the part of the artiste; they suggested playing with a ball or a deer; but the emotional aspect of the song was carried through on the facial expressions even during the nritya portions, unlike in general practice where the nritya and abhinaya portions appear divorced from each other. At the charanam part of the varnam Padma showed off her expertise in footwork in Kathak-style, as swaras were played by Kannan on the veena.

After an intermission Padma's prime disciple Uma Sriram danced ``Mamayil Meederiva'', a composition in Lathangi by Padma's mother Meenakshi Subramaniam. Next Padma took up a segment from ``Meenakshi Kalyanam'' dance-drama, which was ``Kandale Tadatakai'' taken from Thiruvilayadal keertanas. There was no question that she expressed the emotions of young Meenakshi expertly, almost making the young women in the audience feel quite coy.

It is unfortunate that a good veena artiste like S. Sundar has not been given chances by any other organisation except Tamil Isai Sangam. Though he was given less than an hour he justified his selection. Beginning with ``Gajavadana'' in Sriranjani, with a short stint of kalpanaswaras, he moved on to M. M. Dandapani Desikar's composition ``Ennai Nee Maravade'' in Amirthavarshini. All the raga alapanas and kalpanaswaras he attempted, though short, were imaginative, comprising Amirthavarshini, Bahudari for ``Unnadiye Maraven'' by G. N. Balasubramaniam, and Keeravani.

The last one was the main item in which Sundar also played tanam before taking up the thevaram ``Vananai''; a decent thani was provided by Nanganallur Sriram on the mridangam.

Mr. M. Karunanidhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and litterateur, has translated in easy simple language the verses of `Sangattamizh' in the ancient style and presented them as nine stories. These have been set to music by T. R. Papa and sung by Seerkazhi Dr. Sivachidambaram, T. L. Maharajan, P. Susheela and Vani Jayaram. `Sangattamizh' was presented as musical dance-drama by the artistes of Kalaikkoyil led by Muttharasi. A recorded introduction by Mr. Karunanidhi himself, was played before the dance-drama.

All the dancers were girls. But the music was neither light classical nor folk. It was so cinematic that it would perhaps be difficult to choreograph it in a really classical Bharatanatyam style. The girls could not do much to bring out either the emotional nuances in the poetry or the lyrical beauty, because the music and dance did not help them much.

LAKSHMI VENKATRAMAN

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