Vasanta Subbalakshmi, a young visually challenged girl is gifted with a natural flair for music. Today she is regarded as one of the finest performing artistes with opportunities coming her way. Recently she stood first in Post Graduation in Music from Telugu University, winning a gold medal. She is a recipient of CCRT, Government of India and won several prizes including Ragam- Tanam-Pallavi rendition from Shanmukhananda Sabha, Mumbai. She performed at various prestigious sabhas in India and the US. She gave a concert this time, last week, in an exclusive concert earmarked for the rendition of Muthuswami Dikshitar compositions at Saptaparini, Banjara Hills. This was held by Sanatana Sampradaya Sangeetha Bharati, striving for culture for excellence.
Vasanta Subbalakshmi opened her concert with Gananayakam in Poornashadjam, set to Adi talam. The kirtana rendition was a smooth sail with devotion, further highlighted by elaborate swarakalpana that touched higher octave with clarity taking the pllavi line. This was followed by Sri Saraswathi Hithe in Maanj raga set to Adi talam. Parvathi Kumaram’ in Natakuranji, Roopaka talam taken next was a simple kirtana presentation and yet was filled with Sahitya Bhava.
Vasanta then chose Parandhamavathi in Dharmavathi as her sub-main number set in Roopaka talam. The raga essay she dealt with a bit leisurely, was spread across the three octaves and took good time in building impressive phrases.
After presenting a breezy number Sri Ranaganatham Upasmahe in raga Poornachandrika, she went for main number of the concert Paradevatha in Dhanyasi.
This was vilambakala kriti that moved in slow pace, preceded by expansive raga delineation that took nearly ten minutes with no repetition of raga phrases. The kirtana part incorporated with a neraval choosing the charanam Kalamalini Katyaini Kanjalochani Bhavapasamochani all attributes of the goddess. The kalpanaswaras that followed mirrored her rich manodharma. There was mandatory tani avartanam and both the percussionists, Srinivasa Gopalan on mridangam and Janardhan on ghatam came out with impressive rhythmic cycles.
Mallela Tejaswi on violin was at his best in his turn of playing ragas in detail of both Dharmavathi and Dhanyasi. His response to swara presentation too was praise worthy.
