Carnatica's Rasika Forum

Concert of TNS at KGS on 13-8-2009

The title given for the programme was Krishnagana and the rasikas were full of expectations which were fulfilled in full.

TNS was accompanied by VVRavi on violin, Vellore Ranabadhran on mridhangam and B. Purushothaman on kanjira.

The concert started with the varnam in Bhairavi which was followed by a raga alapana of mohanam. While the rasikas would have been debating in their minds whether it was going to be Svagatham Krishna of Oothukkadu or rajagopalam of Dhishithar, it proved to be the latter. The svara was sung at the end. The majesty of the song was brought out in full.

Next was a wonderful delineation of Panthuvarali, one of the jewels in the diadem of the emperor of ragas. Rasikas would have wondered as there is not any well known song on Krishna in that raga but, it was the ashtapadhi chandhanacharchitha in panthuvarali. The keli of Krishna among muhgDhavadhoonichaya was brought before the eyes and to the uninitiated the keli rahasya also was communicated beautifully to the rasikahrdhaya by the manner of singing. TNS sang also svara at the end at ‘haririha’ the line of refrain resembling the keli, playful dance of Krishna.

Next was raga alapana of Thodi which, short or long, is delightful with TNS singing it. The krthi was--- no, not krishnam baja but the composition of oothukkadu kavi, brindavanalola , a rarely heard one, though TNS is known to sing it earlier.

What came next was dvujavanthi. The beautiful raga sung most beautifully and the song chetha Sri balakrishnam were a lullaby to the child Krishna, soothing with the raga and sahithyabhava.

The main attraction of the Gokulashtami uthsvam performed by TNS on the day was the saveri, with the krthi sree rajagopala. It was a thirumanjanam of the Rajagopala of Mannargudi brought in front for all to see ( that is those wished to see) and the decoration with the svaras which were at ‘dheergraganya dheena saranya,’ which proved to be a real dheeraagraganya,and with the thani of Ramabadran and Purushotthama which followed, Rajagopala went on a ula.

Saa veree , saa, the raga devata, veree, appeared with a body and manifest on the stage. veraH means body and veraaH asyaaH asthi ithi veree , the damsel with a form. Saa vai raajagopalaH abhavath. She was transformed into Rajagopala of Mannargudi.

With the song kaaneere in kamas by Otthukkadu kavi and the pasuram of Periazvar that followed in ragamalika, Krishna nama rasana, Surdas bajan in rakesri and the thillana in Sindhubhairavi , ten pieces in total were equivalent to the tendays brhmothsava to Lord Krishna.

In the song kaaneere Krishan was asking for butter veNNai veNNai veNNai and we could visualize the scene from the music itself. The pasuram was another epic by itself, both in the bhava and raga. TNS started the pasuram in simmendhramasdhyamam. This pasuram aanirai meykka nee is the rasikas favourite as the other pasurams he used to sing such as siruviralaL, puLLinvaai piLandhittai , chediyaayas etc.

The simmendhramadhyama was spread over like a canopy under which the raga vaasanthi which was very skillfully presented and then there was a raga hamsavasantham, (clarified with TNS regarding the name), obviously coming out of the fertile imagination of TNS ,which was hamsanandi and vasantha with suddha madhyama and the prayogas by which it emerged with a distinguished svaroopa of its own.. The pasuram ended with the raga peelu followed by bajare yadhunatham in peelu.

Krishna nama rasana , a bajan by Surdas in rakesri was the manifestation of the ustad in TNS.

Last was the Thillana is sindhubhairavi in fast pace which gave an end to the utsavam like that of the sound of melam.