It was a wonderful and very impressive recital by Vidu. Sriranjani Santhanagopalan, accompanied by Vid. Kishore Ramesh on mridanga, Vid. Sunad Anur on kanjira and Vidu. Deepika Venkatraman on violin, at JSS College for Women, in Saraswathipuram as part of the 28th Music Conference organised by JSS Sangeetha Sabha in December.

Vidu. Sriranjani is one of the most sought-after musicians in the music arena today. She has an arresting voice capable of rendering every embellishment in high speed and slow glides. Her effortless singing with tremendous creativity, mellifluous voice and immense appeal are the hallmarks of this talented Karnatak vocalist.

The concert started with Bhairavi varnam and the evening came to a conclusion with rhythmic piece thillana in raga Ahir Bhairavi.

The second song was Deva Deva Kalayamithe, Ragam: Mayamalavagowlai composed by  Maharaja Swathi Thirunal. The rendition of pallavi, anupallavi and charanam in this song was awesome. She attracted the audience by her Alapana, Neraval and Kalpanaswara in Raga Reethigowlai of  ‘janani ninnuvina…’

The mood of the audience looked evident to soak in more when she started singing the divine Akilandeswari in raga Dwijavanti. Bhaktha Jana Vatsale sung  by her in the raga Brindavana Saranga melted the hearts of the rasikas.

She had designed the concert  in such a way that all aspects are  perfectly covered keeping in mind the rasikas’ favourites.

The audience could not have enough of her and craved for more.

Kishore Ramesh on mridanga and Sunad  Anur on kanjira excelled during tani aavarthanam. One must also place on record the melodious and excellent support provided by the violinist Deepika Venkatraman. The concert was a sheer aural pleasure for Karnatak music connoisseurs.

—Tarakad Seshadri Ramanathan