By Dr. Padmavathi Narasimhan

On the second day of the Heritage Music Festival at 8th Cross, V.V. Mohalla, Akkarai Sisters — Vidushis Akkarai Subhalakshmi and Akkarai Swarnalatha — presented a vocal concert with Vid. Vittala Rangan on violin,  Vid. K.U. Jayachandra Rao on mridanga and Vid. Vazhappally Krishnakumar on ghata. These two musically gifted sisters won the hearts of the listeners with their singing.

Can one be equally competent in vocal music and an instrument? These sisters have proved yes. We also have a few rare examples in the field — T.N. Seshagopalan and Ranjani and Gayatri.  While it is good to import the vocal style into an instrument playing, the vice versa is not true.

The sisters’ rich music heritage and gruelling training under great stalwarts have earned them name and fame. Renowned for their soulful music filled with fine nuances and creative artistry, today the sisters hold the unique distinction of being amongst the foremost musicians in the field in both vocal and violin.

Right from the ‘Samininne’ varna in sri, the musical expression emerged clearly in their singing. In each of the compositions, the Sahitya was clear and they had no piece of paper or book to refer to. ‘Keta varum taruvaan’, a composition of their grandfather Suchindram Sivasubramaṇiam, brought all the five ragas of the ghana raga pancharatna, wherein a beautifully knit chitteswara followed the sahitya in each raga, finally cascading into the pallavi in the reverse order.

Bhavani, rarely taken up in concerts for elaboration, was handled alluringly by Swarnalatha leading onto ‘Kanikarambuto’, a composition of kalyani Varadarajan in adi tala, which was popularised by the Hyderabad sisters. The sisters remembered with gratitude that they had the good fortune to learn this composition from them. Neraval at ‘anayambunee naama vachana seya’ was satisfying. Deekshitar’s ‘Hiranmayeem Lakshmeem sada Bhajami’ in lalita, though a mere presentation, had clarity in minute things. ‘Devi Kamakshi’ in Sumanasaranjani was a surprise as it is a composition of the younger of the sisters Swarnalatha.

Subhalakshmi’s Shankarabharana was exhaustive and solid. Vitthalarangan’s version on the violin was equally appreciative. ‘Akshaya Linga Vibho’ by Deekshitar was majestic with a detailed neraval and kalpanaswaras at ‘Badari vanamoola nayika sahita’, followed by a thrilling taniyavartanam by Jayachandra Rao on mridanga and Vazhappally Krishnakumar on ghata.

The concluding part of the concert was very pleasing, which included Purandara Dasa’s ‘Baliya manege vamana bandante’ ugaboga in ragamalika (Hamsanandi, Hameer Kalyani and Lalith) followed by devaranama ‘Barayya Venkataramana’ and ‘Ranga Baaro Panduranga Baaro’ in Sindhubhairavi.