Carnatic Arangetram of Janani Sriram

By Ravikanth Rayadurgam

Janani Sriram, a student of the esteemed Guru Tara Bangalore presented her Carnatic music Arangetram on August 18^th, 2024. As we have come to expect from Guru Tara’s students, this was a veritable feast, replete with evergreen compositions by the major Vaggeyakaras of Carnatic music presented with a great deal of creativity.

Janani started the concert with a Varnam of Prof. T. R. Subramaniam in the Ragam Behag. The Pallavi, Anupallavi, and Mukhtayi Swaram were rendered in two Kalams with the Chittaswarams rendered briskly in Madhyama Kalam, ornamented with Brigha laden passages. At the outset it was clear that the entire team on stage was totally in sync, with the accompanists blending in as needed and accentuating the main performer. The depth in her rendition of the Varnam was an excellent predictor of the delightful fare that followed.

Following an exquisite outline of Saveri, she presented Dikshitar’s classic Kari Kalaba Mukham in Saveri. The exceptional weight and feeling with which it was rendered would have done any professional musician proud. The Kalpana Swarams at the end of the piece were aesthetically delivered showcasing her firm grasp of Layam without sacrificing the Bhava of the Ragam or the grand composition.

O Jagadamba, a Syama Sastri masterpiece in Anandhabhairavi, is a classic composition that is revered by connoisseurs. Starting with a lilting outline of the Ragam, Janani dove into a chaste and soul stirring rendition of the classic. The Bhavam and the reverence with which the piece was sung will be etched in this writer’s memory for a long time. Janani took a classic piece rendered by doyens of the past and made it her own!

The Ragam for the sub-main was Pantuvarali. The Alapana was dynamic as she explored the full range of the Ragam; a special mention must be made of the rich Brigha in her voice and how she used it in the right measure to liven up and accentuate the Alapana. Yash responded with an equally enthralling response, keeping up the mood that Janani had created. A lovely rendition of the composition Sivananda Kamavardhini (composition of Sri G.N. Balasubramaniam) followed. A meditative Neraval at the phrase “Bhavani pavani…” was followed by brisk Kalpana Swaram exchange with Yash ending in a dynamic conclusion where she displayed her exceptional grasp of Layam and her ability to improvise within the constraints of the Ragam and Talam.

Saint Tyagaraja’s Nenarunchi Naanu in Malavi was delivered at a breathtakingly fast Kala Pramanam without sacrificing even an ounce of clarity. With the accompanying artists all blending in perfectly it was a truly delightful experience for the audience. This piece highlighted how Janani could span the range from slow and deeply meditative pieces to extremely dynamic pieces without sacrificing the fidelity of the art form.

As her main piece, Janani presented the evergreen Mohanam as the Ragam with Papanasam Sivan’s masterpiece Kapali as the composition. The Alapana was a soulful journey through the nooks and crannies of Mohanam, spanning octaves and ornamented with relaxed, mellifluous phrases and cascades of lightning-fast Brighas. Yash’s response was equally alluring, as he dexterously essayed an Alapana that oozed Mohanam in every phrase. This was a much-anticipated piece for Carnatic music aficionados and Janani more than lived up to the expectation with a majestic rendition of Kapali. Starting with the Pallavi where the sangathis flowed with precision, she rendered the song in its full grandeur. Special mention must be made of the clear diction which further heightened the enjoyment of the song. The Kalpana Swarams that followed were a testament to her improvisational skills as Janani once again displayed her mastery and control of intricate and technically challenging Laya patterns and Kala Pramanams. Yash matched her note for note and phrase for phrase, as the two of them wove a wonderful tapestry of Swarams in the image of Mohanam. The percussion team of Tarun, Sri. Vaikkom Gopalakrishnan and Sri. Siva Ponnudurai entertained the audience with a percussive treat as part of the Tani Avartanam phase. Tarun took the lead in exploring mesmerizing Laya patterns that included sensitive as well as vigorous explorations of the Tala structure. The exchanges between Tarun and the veteran Ghatam and Kanjira artists were delightful as their mutual appreciation rubbed off on the audience. The excitement among the audience was palpable as the Tani Avartanam culminated in a precisely executed Koraippu leading to a rousing finish.

Prior to embarking on the Ragam Tanam Pallavi, Janani presented Neevadane Gana in Saranga in a brisk tempo.  The Ragam Tanam Pallavi, set in three Ragams—Surutti, Kalyani, and Todi—was a testament to her and her Guru's confidence in her ability to handle multiple challenging Ragams within an RTP. As is the hallmark of students of the Anubhava school Janani and Yash presented concise alapanas in each Ragam while still managing to cover the full essence of these Ragams. The Tanam, sung to the accompaniment of the percussionists was simply superb; Janani presented Tanams in lower Kalam and upper Kalam in each of the Ragams while also singing Tanam phrases where she seamlessly moved back and forth between Ragams. The Pallavi line “Saravananai Murugani Guhanai Ninai Nidham Padhame Thudi shaivai nee Arule Perave Thiru…”, a composition of Prof. TRS was set to Khanda Jathi Ata Talam.  Clearly, thanks to the multiple Ragams and the complex Talam, this was a difficult Pallavi to execute. It was amazing to see such a young musician come through with flying colors. She performed Neraval in each of the three Ragams as well as phrases transitioning across Ragams freely, while distinctly highlighting the melody of each Ragam and strictly staying within the constraints of the Talam. This was a superb display of her ability to innovate within the melodic and rhythmic constraints. Janani and Yash enthralled the audience with Kalpana Swarams in the chosen Ragams along with a garland of Ragamalika Swarams providing a grand end to the RTP. The perfect sync between the melody and rhythm, coupled with the palpable camaraderie among the artists, created an experience that was wholeheartedly enjoyed by the audience.

The post-RTP session included a lilting rendition of Raamanai Bhajithal in Ragam Mand, followed by Sharade Karunanidhe and a dynamic Thillana, both in Hamirkalyani, concluding with the Mangalam.

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