It was like being in the midst of a cool monsoon day as one listened to P. Unnikrishnan rendering Tyagaraja’s ‘Varalenthuko’ in Gurjari raga. The feeling was reinforced when he followed it up with ‘Velavane’ in Sahana. The start was perfect and it brought back memories of the inimitable M.D. Ramanathan (MDR) and his concerts.
The singer was performing at the fourteenth MDR Day at Tripunithura. Like MDR, Unnikrishnan too focussed on the bhava of the ragas.
What began as a cool drizzle gradually turned into a heavy rainfall when Unnikrishnan elaborated Thodi. Right from the detailed alap, Unnikrishnan explored the varied aspects of the raga using the important swarasthanas to bring out the ragabhava. Unnikrishnan sang Tyagaraja’s ‘Vrindavanalola’ with a prolonged niraval followed by swaraprastharam. This was the main raga of the concert.
When Unnikrishnan began the alap of Khamboji the rain now seemed to be accompanied with a distant thunder. There was grace and power in the rendering. M.A. Sundareswaran on the violin gelled well with the singer. Muthuswami Dikshithar’s ‘Marathakavalli’ was the kriti that Unnikrishnan chose. It was laced with an elaborate niraval and swaraprastharam. This was followed by a memorable taniavarthanam.
Thiruvaroor Bhakthavalsalam (mridangam) and V. Suresh (ghatam) were brilliant. They converted Adi tala into Khandamisra, which ended in its ‘Mel-kaalam’ (next speed). Bhakthavalsalam was innovative, while Suresh showed amazing variation. Both of them seemed to be engaged in a fierce competition, trying out various korvais and beats and innovative natas.
As if in an attempt to calm the storm, Unnikrishnan hummed Bagasree, with the MDR kriti ‘Sagara sayana vibho’. The slow tempo was sung melodiously.
The MDR commemorative concert that began with ‘Jaya jaya swamin’ in Nata ended with a Kavadi chinthu.
