By Dr. Padmavathi Narasimhan

Vidu. Aishwarya Vidhya Raghunath performed for Ramabhyudaya Sabha at Alamma’s Choultry on the seventh day of the music series on Apr. 5. She was accompanied on the violin by Vidu. Nalina Mohan, on mridanga by Vid. B.S. Prashanth, on ghata by Vid. Sharath Kaushik and on tambura shruti by Medha Bhat.

An accomplished young vocalist of today, Aishwarya’s style is marked with classicism and spontaneity. Her mellifluous voice and clarity in singing have always captivated the audience.

A brisk, cheerful ‘Inta jalamu jesite ’ varna in Begade was the opener. Nata (Jaya Jaya Janakee kanta’ by Sri Purandaradasa) capitalised on that perky start with just a dollap of alapana and in an engaging pace with the natural aid of the khanda chapu structure. ‘Seethapathe Naa Manasu’ and ‘Enta ne varnintunu shabari bhagya’ by Tyagaraja showed aesthetic moves in sangatis.

‘Makelara vicharamu’ by Tyagaraja in Ravichandrike was a good choice to fill the sequence before starting the main raga of the evening – Thodi.

Aishwarya focused on ‘ragarasa’ in the alapana of Thodi, fully employing the brigas and gamakas, enjoying each phrase in all the sthayis. Her voice has range and she moved with ease without restraint in the top pitch.

Creativity by Nalina Mohan too allowed the raga to flourish. Niraval at the anupallavi part ‘Addadampuche kilaje’ had emphasis on raga bhava with racy verve in the second speed.

Prashanth’s accompaniment was by and large conducive to the overall mood. Young Sharath received appreciation for his playing both by his co-artistes and by the audience.

In the post-tani part Aishwarya sang an excellent shloka on Rama describing Him in navarasas, in ragamalike with ragas – Devagandhari, Dhanyasi, Purvikalyani, Bilahari, Sindhubhairavi and Neelambari, which later led to ‘Ramachandra Raghunandana Dasharathe Karuna Payonidhe’ in Neelambari.

‘Saapashya Kausalya Vishnu Saapashya’ in Jonpuri and a nottuswara in Shankarabharanam by Muthuswamy Deekshitar on Rama were the final items of the evening before the concluding ‘Ramachandraya vinuta’ mangalam.