Padmashree Srinivasan presented Vaikuntam in Bhulokam

Annanagar Music circle trust organized their monthly Carnatic concert last Sunday, with the exemplary traditional programme by Vidushi Padmashree Srinivasan and team. She was wonderfully accompanied by Vidwan Gyandev Pappu on the violin and Vidwan Akshay Ram on the mridangam.

Endowed with a good powerful voice, Vidushi Padmashree began the programme with a short shlokam, followed by the kAnaDA rAgam varNam nera nammiti set to aTa tALam, composed by Ramanathapuram (Poochi) Shrinivasa Iyengar. She sang in a brisk pace and continued the same pace with the next composition in nATTa rAgam, sarasIruHAsana priyE, by Puliyur Doraiswami Iyer set to Adi tALam. The audio engineering was well balanced for us rasikas to enjoy the evening, where the firm strokes of Vidwan Akshay Ram and follow-ups by Vidwan Gyandev were also thoroughly enjoyed throughout the concert. Vidushi sang extended swarams in nATTa in that brisk pace, providing a clear exposition of her vidwath.

The first elaboration in rAgam ShaNmukhapriyA was excellent, and a short and superb follow by Vidwan Gyandev. Padmashree was able to show her range in mandra sthAyi too, lower that what most female singers attempt, and sang well. Padmashree sang a relaxed version of mAmava karuNayA set to misra cApu tALam, a composition of Maharaja Swathi Tirunal. The neraval and swarams were also presented well with the team rounding up the song well to complete the first hour of the concert, on the dot. Padmashree then sang two brisk songs, namely, ranganAyakam bhAvayE in rAgam nAyaki (Muthuswami Dikshitar composition in Adi tALam), and dEvadEvam bhajE divya prabhAvam in rAgam HindOLam (Annamacharya composition sung in kanDa cApu tALam).

The central piece presented for the day was the rAgam kAmbhOji. The elaborate alApanAs were traditional from both Padmashree and Gyandev and did full justice to this weighty rAgam. The magnum opus of Saint Thyagaraja O rangashAyi set to Adi tALam was the choice of the day. The second hour passed at a soothing pace as the team presented a traditional version, including elaborate neraval (vaikuntam was indeed brought to bhUlOkam again), swarams and a brilliant laya vinyAsam, in this central piece. I cannot avoid mentioning again the audio settings helped us enjoy the nAdam of the instruments, especially as it was well balanced and perfect for the hall.

Padmashree then sang a viruttam in beHag, sindhubhairavi and karnaranjani (excuse me if I am missing a rAgam in this rAgamAlikA). She then continued in karnaranjani to sing Om namO nArAyaNA, composed by Ambujam Krishna. She then switched to madhyama shruti to sing Hari smaranE mADO, a composition of Purandaradasa, in yamunAkalyANi, followed by the paras rAgam tillAnA composed by Shrinivasa Iyengar. With the traditional mangalam, begun with praHlAda narAdAdi, the outstanding evening's concert was brought to a close.