Sophisticated singing

Sisters Apoorva and Anahita gave a vocal concert at the Alamma’s choultry under the aegis of Ramabhyudaya Sabha on 16th April, 2019. They were accompanied by young Gokul on the violin, B.C. Manjunath on mridanga and M.R.Manjunath on ghata.

Tutelage under a stalwart like Chitraveena Ravikiran has given the sisters a sophisticated singing. Rising to the occasion, they mostly chose compositions on Lord Rama for the present concert.

The sisters paid their obeisance to Lord Ganapati with ‘Maha Ganapatim’ by Jayachamaraja Wadiyar in a rare raga Amruta vahini. Anahita sang Shahana which led to Tyagaraja’s ‘Raghupate Rama Rakshasa Bheema’. This is a rare composition of Tyagaraja in Sanskrit hardly taken up by musicians in a concert. The composition was rendered well with good sangatis and an apt neraval at ‘Saraseeruha nayana sajjana hrdaya niketana’, which describes Rama’s qualities with splendid adjectives. Energetic Swaras followed by the neraval were admirable.

Apoorva’s expansion of Varali carried heart-warming melody. The free-wheeling brigas were cleverly connected with many made-for-the-raga phrases. Tyagraja’s ‘Eti anmamidi ha’, which started with the anupallavi, was rendered with intellectual swarakalpana at ‘Sagara Shayanuni Tyagarajanutuni’. Fillers ‘Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama enniro Seeta’ in Vasanta and Rama nama Ratnahara dorakitu’ by Purandara Dasa were welcome with a smile by the audience.

The centrestage was reserved for an RTP in shanmukhapriya. The ragalapana was shared by both the sisters while Tanam  was presented in ragamalika in ragas Behag, Nata and Kanada, finally closing with Shanmukhapriya again. The pallavi was intellectually woven in Chaturashra Jhampe tALa, Khanda Nade, the lyrics being ‘Rama RaghurAma GuNadhAma mamava pattAbhi.’ The swaras were again developed in ragamalika in Ranjani, Devamanohari (by the violinist) Kapi and Bahudari. Violinist Gokul is a young lad who stood upto expectation in all parts of the manodharma throughout the concert. B.C. Manjunath and M.R. Manjunath (ghata) supported the artistes enthusiastically.

Bhajan ‘He Govind He Gopal’ of MS fame, ‘Rama nAma bhajisuvavage unte bhavada bandhana’ In Darbari kanada  and a tillana composed by their Guru Ravikiran in Kamas formed the concluding part of the concert.

By Dr. Padmavathi Narasimhan