Sri Prasanna Vidya Ganapathi Mandali Charitable (SPVGMC) Trust, Mysuru, offers grand annual music series yet again with known and unknown musicians. On Sept. 9, the Trust presented a special concert that brought pure joy to the connoisseurs.

Vid. Thiruvarur Girish sang for the first time in Mysuru. Less known in Mysuru, Girish excels as a vocalist. He is the grandson of legendary musician T. Brinda and the nephew of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Vid. Thiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam who accompanied him in the concert. Girish is known for his dedication to the Veena Dhanammal School, celebrated for its unique compositions and techniques. Vid. R.K. Shriramkumar accompanied Girish on violin and Vid. Arun Kumar on rhythm pad.

The very opening of the concert was delightful with Purandara Dasaru’s ‘Gajavadana Beduve’ in Hamsadhwani which the vocalist suffixed with crisp swaras. ‘Nijamarmamulanu’ by Sri Tyagaraja in a rare Umabharanam raga, less heard in concerts, was a neat presentation. Vanaspati (Bhanumati), the fourth melakarta,  was indeed a welcome item, as it is a rare raga with only three known compositions, the other two being ‘Brihadamba Madamba’ by Muthuswami Dikshitar and ‘Eeshwari Jagadeeshwari’ by Balamuralikrishna.  ‘Pariyacharama’ by Sri Tyagaraja, prefixed with an appealing alapana was pleasant.

After a couple of fillers, ‘Nannugannatalli (Tyagaraja, Kesari) and ‘MAmava Meenakshi’ (Varali. Dikshitar, Mishra Chapu), the artiste took up the main raga of the evening — Shankarabharana. The ragalapana was extensive with all the expected sangatis and Ramkumar’s version of the raga was equally sweet and enjoyed by the audience. The composition was again a rare one — ‘ShankarAchAryam BhaktamAnu ShankarAchAryam SmarAmyaham’ by Subbarama Dikshitar set to Vilamba Adi Tala was presented majestically with no hurry, also with a detailed neraval at the opening line of the charana ‘Parama Gyana lata Ala vAlam’ and kalpana swaras with a korupu centering around ‘pa’ concluding with a muktaya.

Bhaktavatsalam’s appreciation and encouragement for his nephew’s singing throughout the concert was commendable and his playing both as an accompanist and in Taniyavartanam was breathtaking.  But many a time the vocalist could hardly be heard especially in the lower notes. It is a humble request to the senior mridangists to keep the volume of their mridangas loud enough for the audience to enjoy the music of the main artiste. It is true that the concerts with senior mridangists always attract large number of listeners and the main artistes are highly privileged and blessed to have them for accompaniment, because of which they don’t speak though their singing is less heard many a time.

It is also true that the concerts with them are elevated because of their very presence and of course with their accompaniment. But it is also important that the audience should be given the opportunity to enjoy the lyrics of our great composers, which is brought to us by the vocalists.

Bhaktavatsalam sir encouraged Arun Kumar and generously allowed him to play and exhibit his talent on the rhythm pad.  Taniyavartanam was energetic with Bhaktavatsalam’s fingers which created magic and was greatly enjoyed by the audience.

After the Taniyavartanam, Girish presented an RTP in Kalyani. The raga development was marked with gamaka oriented sancharas and both the vocalist and the violinist revelled in playing the tanam. The pallavi ‘JagannAtha Sahite nAtha Sahite hite te namste’ set to Khanda Triputa TAla was made colourful with ragamalika swaras in Todi, KApi and Behag.

The end pieces of the concert were a padam in Mukhari, a javali by Dharmapuri Subbarayar in Behag and ‘Sarvam Brahma mayam re re’ in Madhuvanti by Sadashiva Brahmendra.

The artiste spoke at the end of the concert and said his main aim is to sing his family compositions and popularise them. Yes, Girish is preserving the legacy with his honest, traditional singing with                           no added colours.

—Dr. Padmavathi Narasimhan