The evening of Saturday, the 23rd February, witnessed a special music concert  (of the compositions of Oothukaadu Venkata Subba Iyer (Venkatakavi), a well-known Vaggeyakara of Tamil Nadu), by Vidushi Dr. Geetha Seetharam. It was a part of the cultural evening organised by H.V. Shantha, Director, Shashwathi Kala Vedike of Mysuru, on account of its 26th anniversary celebrations.

 Dr. Geetha Seetharam, a noted  vocalist and Vaggeyakarti of Mysuru, gave a brief introduction of this eminent  composer and his specialities before rendering his compositions in Sanskrit and Tamil. She began her musical recital with ‘Sri Vighnarajam Bhaje’ a Sanskrit  kriti in Gambheeranata set to Khanda nade with crisp kalpana swaras. After a short alaap of Reetigoula, a Tamil kriti ‘Yenna Punniyam Saideno’ was well-rendered in misra chapu with imaginative neraval and swaras.

A briskly rendered ‘Marakatha manimaya ‘in Aarabhi with decorative jatis describing the Kalinga Nartana of Krishna and kalpana swaras was enjoyable. A detailed rendering of Poorvikalyani raga followed by a scholarly rendering of the Sanskrit  kriti on poet Jayadeva ‘Padmavathi Ramanam’ in misrachapu was an apt choice. The singer enhanced the beauty of the composition with first speed swaras to pallavi and second speed swaras to ‘Jayadeva Kaviraja’

A lighter Tamil piece in Kaanada ‘Alaipaayude’ was a welcome change because of its nadebedhas and its popularity. The main  piece of the evening was ‘Kalyana Raama’ in Hamsanaada, followed by a Tani avarthana by Vidwan Natraj on mridanga and Vidwan V.S. Ramesh on ghata. Vidwan C.N. Thyagaraju was a live wire throughout the concert ably supporting the main artiste, with his creative rendering on his violin.

Dr. Geetha was  successful in depicting  the specialities of the composer like nadebedhas, jatis and his scholarly Saahitya. She concluded her recital with her own Kannada thillana in Sunaadavinodini  as a tribute to the composer himself, followed by a Sloka of Oothukadu in Madhyamavathi.

Shashwathi Kala Vedike and its organisers should be applauded for organising  such a melodious music concert at Ganabharathi’s Veene Seshanna Bhavana, Mysuru.   —M.S. Asha