Chinmaya Mission Boston (CMB) showed off a festive flair, and spirituality was in the spotlight during the second annual Triple Play Concerts held at CMB’s auditorium in Andover. Acclaimed Carnatic musicians Ranjani and Gayatri presented the first concert on May 18. Harikatha exponent Vishaka Hari performed on May 19 and 20.

Supported expertly by H.N. Bhaskar on Violin and Manoj Siva on Mridangam, the Carnatic vocal concert by Ranjani and Gayatri was imbued with spirituality. Beginning with a lilting Varnam in raga Khamas, the duo set the tone for what was to be a truly remarkable concert. With an alaap by Ranjani, the rendition of Thyagaraja’s Manasa Etulortune reflected the characteristic meditative feel of its Malayamarutham raga. In a concert with numerous highlights, the delivery of Thanjavur Ponnayya Pillai’s Amba Neelambari, with an alaap by Gayatri, was outstanding. The audience was rapt as the bhakti rasa in praise of the Goddess clearly had the capacity to move one to tears. Ranjani and Gayatri transformed this masterpiece of Ponnayya Pillai into one of their own, effectively proving their dominance in the Carnatic music realm.

Gayatri’s innovative alaap in Simhendramadhyamam as a prelude to Ninne Nammithi Nayya by Mysore Vasudevacharya was another highlight. She nearly stole the show, demonstrating creativity with a shruti bhedam, arriving at Saveri raga from Simhendramadhyamam. Both sisters displayed technical brilliance with tremendous support from the accompanists. The piece de resistance of the concert was undoubtedly the RTP (raga thana pallavi) featuring multiple ragas including Bahudhari. As Gayatri’s voice is reminiscent of Hindustani singers, her rendition in raga Jog did not come as a surprise. The RTP showcased the singers’ incredible skills in improvisation with the pallavi Dhananjaya Saarathe leaving a haunting impact. The singers rendered three audience requests that included Karunai Deivame before closing the concert with a Marathi Abhang in praise of Pandarpur Vittala and receiving a standing ovation. It was a pleasure to behold the interplay between Ranjani and Gayatri as they showed appreciation for each other’s music. In a concert that lasted for more than three-and-a-half hours, the sisters’ energy from start to finish was equally noteworthy.

The second and third days of the Triple Play concerts saw Vishaka Hari presenting Harikathas. A disciple of the legendary Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, Vishaka Hari has been successful in continuing her Guru’s legacy with her singular style and enjoys a loyal following worldwide. Also, as the daughter-in-law of Krishnapremi Swamigal, Vishaka Hari has been able to imbibe his spiritual guidance to claim a distinctive spot in the concert circuit in India. In a coup of sorts, CMB had the honor of hosting this artist for two out of the six concerts in her limited tour this year. For her concert on May 19, Vishaka Hari aptly chose the story of Sundara Kandam in honor of Hanuman, the presiding deity at CMB’s Chinmaya Maruti Center. She began with Jaya Jaya Ramanatha, a Tarangam in raga Nattai from composer Narayana Tirtha's Krishna Leela Tarangini. The concert was a heavenly melding of Carnatic, Hindustani and Marathi Abhang music. Vishaka’s presentation which included descriptions of the meaning – both superficial and deep - of the music provided interpretations of sequences from Ramayana. When she dwelt on why Sita put a blade of grass to separate herself from Ravana during imprisonment in Ashokavanam, her elucidation was at once brilliant and enthralling. Vishaka Hari then used Thyagaraja's masterpiece Chakkani Raja Margamu in Karaharpriya to focus on the advice that Ravana received from Vibhishana. Here, she explained how each sangathi or variation in a Kriti is used to portray a different mood. It was also refreshing to see her depart from convention when she offered the opportunity to her Violin and Mridangam accompanists to showcase their skills in solo presentations. Vishaka Hari captured the hearts of local rasikas during her maiden appearance in Boston.

Vishaka’s topic for her concert on May 20 was the enduring and popular Krishna Leela. Dealing with episodes from Krishna’s life, she presented the story about how Krishna came to be known as Damodharan as well as the story of Kaliya, the poisonous serpent. She concluded the program with a Thillana in raga Nagaswaravali, composed by Lalgudi G. Jayaraman specifically to depict Kaliya Nardhana. Vishaka was rewarded with a spontaneous standing ovation from the audience when she imparted the reasoning behind the construction of the composition. She left the Boston audience wanting more after two days of skillful delivery and devotional storytelling by blending different styles of music.

Chinmaya Mission Boston and the volunteers should be lauded for their efforts in coordinating the events. CMB’s Artistic Director Durga Krishnan also credits patrons such as Prashanth and Anuradha Palakurthi and other anonymous donors who made significant contributions toward the concerts. Their generosity made it possible for numerous young Carnatic music students to attend the concerts. An idea often expressed by local art lovers is that it is invaluable for children to experience the authentic conventions that leading classical musicians and dancers from India bring with them. Witnessing the results of the dedication and discipline of these venerable artists is motivating for youngsters. As Krishnan puts it, increased support from the Indian community including sponsors, parents and teachers would make it easier for organizers to bring high-caliber artists from India for concerts at affordable prices.

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