In jurisprudence, it is often said that not only should justice be done, it should also be seen to be done. In the recently concluded festival of music and dance titled Dhilliyil Tyagaraja (“Tyagaraja in Delhi”) in the National Capital, popular Chennai-based vocalists Sudha Ragunathan and the duo of Ranjani-Gayatri, without doing justice to the title of the festival, seemed to be seen doing justice. In concerts of around two-and-a-half hours, Sudha sang only three and Ranjani-Gayatri only two compositions of Tyagaraja. However, they did, thankfully, take up Tyagaraja kritis as their central piece.
The festival was organised this past week by the Tyagaraja Music Festival Trust, Delhi, in association with the Delhi Tamil Sangam and the Delhi Muththamizh Peravai at the Delhi Tamil Sangam auditorium.
Sudha began her recital with a Tyagaraja composition and in quick succession took up another song of the saint-composer. It was then quite a while before she took up another of his compositions. Her voice was not in fine fettle either and was bereft of the usual sweetness.
During the recital by sisters Ranjani and Gayatri, it was a long wait for the audience before they could get to hear the first kriti of Tyagaraja, “Varanarada”, a fast-paced composition in raga Vijayasri, which was, however, delightfully presented. Their singing of the complex sangatis in a synchronised manner was a treat for music lovers, which made the long wait worthwhile. The duo then took up another Tyagaraja song “Evarimata” in raga Kamboji as the central item. Gayatri, the younger sibling, sang a scintillating alapana of the raga in an unhurried manner, bringing the nuances of the raga to the fore. However, after handling the composition and singing it very well, the sisters seemed to be in a hurry to complete it and in the process did not take up the niraval, ending by singing only the kalpana swaras.
The other song which Ranjani-Gayatri took up for detailed rendition was Papanasam Sivan’s “Tanikai valar” in raga Todi. Elder sister Ranjani sang a fine raga alapana. For this rendition, the duo chose to sing the niraval of the phrase “Tulli vilaiyadi varum togai mayil mele” and kalpana swaras, both depicting their depth in the sphere of creative music. The duo also sang Muttuswami Dikshitar’s “Tyagaraja yoga” in raga Anandabhairavi.
“Sudha Madhurya Bhashana” in raga Sindhuramakriya — a song not heard frequently in music concerts, was Sudha Ragunathan’s opening song. “Neebhajana” in raga Nayaki and “Swararagasudha” in raga Shankarabharanam were the other compositions of Tyagaraja that Sudha sang. Being the central item, the Shankarabharanam song contained a detailed alapana of the raga, niraval of the phrase “Muladharaja nada merugute mudhamagu mokshamura” and kalpana swaras. Earlier, Sudha sang Dikshitar’s “Mamava Pattabhirama” in raga Manirangu and Koteeswara Iyer’s “Arul seyya vendum” in Rasikapriya (72nd mela, a vivadi raga).
The concluding portions of both the concerts were engaging.
H.N. Bhaskar on the violin, K.V. Prasad on the mridangam and Nerkunam Shankar on the kanjira provided excellent support to both Sudha Ragunathan and to Ranjani-Gayatri. Bhaskar’s takes on ragas Shankarabharanam, Manirangu, Todi and Kamboji were delightful. The tani avartanams of Prasad-Shankar duo on both the occasions in Adi tala were riveting.
