On the evening of April 27th, thanks to Kala Tarangini (KT), we had a musical treat at the residence of Ajai and Sridevi Tirumalai. The dance studio convered to the concert hall seemed like an auditorium and it gave a fulfilling experience to the artists and the audience alike. True its mission of passing on tradition, KT has organized a traditional concert of a senior artist who had earlier come to Cleveland to teach Sampdaraya students and a junior concert preceding it by one of the Sampradaya students. The concerts were soulful and their beauty was equally matched by the delicious food and the warm hospitality of the hosts, The Thirumalais.

Junior Segment – A local star in the making

The junior segment of Carnatic music featured a vocal recital by 13 year old, Aditya Ravikanth, a senior student of Smt. Tara Bangalore of Anubhava School of Music.  He was supported by Sahana Srinivasan on the violin (also a student of Smt. Tara Bangalore) and Tarun Bangalore on the Mridangam, a student of Dr. Pravin Sitaram.  

Aditya started the evening with a brisk krithi in Atana, Sri Mahaganapathim in praise of Lord Ganesha which set the stage to follow on with more. A Ramaswamy Sivan’s composition, Ekaalattilum maravEne in ragam Nattaikurunji was presented with bhavam and clear phrases of Nattaikurunji. On the violin, Sahana accompanied thoughtfully switching appropriately to taara and mandra sthayi to support Aditya on the vocal. Next item was in bright Kalyani ragam, Bhajanaseyave with raga alapanai and brisk kalpana swarms. This followed the beautiful Muthuthandavar’s krithi Sevikka vendum Ayya in Andolika, which brought back memories of past about how the composer was cured of his disease. Tarun’s soft and playful rhythm supported the artist and the raga Andolika.

The main piece of his concert was in a ragam whose melancholy can melt the hardest rocks – ragam Keeravani. Aditya took this ragam and explored it very well, especially the nishadam and used beautiful akarams to come back to nishadam. Sahana’s violin added to the beauty of the raga and keep it lingering. As usual her violin was singing and she took rishabham as her defining note to beautify and reach the pinnacle. Her cyclic pattern showing each saptaswara was beautiful. Following the alapanai, Aditya chose to sing Saint Tyagaraja’s kriti Kaligiyunte. The neraval of the phrase “Baguga Sriraghu Ramuni padamulu” and subsequent kalpana swaram brought out his creative talents. Tarun Bangalore supported the concert with graceful rhythm on the Mridangam. His tani avartanam bristling in fast passages was note worthy and clearly showed his talent. I loved the way he had fun with his friends and supported them anticipating every creative note.

Aditya concluded the concert with a Shankarabharanam Tillana. It was clear by then that Aditya had put in a lot of hard work as evidenced by his voice control, modulation and passion for Carnatic music. By the time he completed the one and a half hour long concert effortlessly, we could see that a local star is in the making. We look forward to seeing this young talent on a bigger stage.

Main Segment – A Padam and Javali treat

In the main segment we had the delight of listening to a soothing concert of Dr Nirmala Sundararajan, a senior musician, musicologist and a teacher par excellence. She is an A grade artist, and has been trained by illustrious gurus, Sangeeta Kala Acharya T. Mukta and Sangita Kalanidhi T. M. Thyagarajan. She has been singing along side with her Guru Smt T Mukta for more than 20 years and we could see her imbibing the rich culture of the traditional style of rendering the padams and javalis. One could see a lot of traces of Sri T. M. Thyagarajan style of rendering as well. Fondly called in Boston circle as “Nirmala Mami”, Mami has devoted herself to music and has researched a lot on padams and javalis and navagraha kirtanas.

The concert by Dr Nirmala Sundararajan was full of bhavam, devine rendering and traditional style that was soulful. She was accompanied by local young artists, Suhas Rao on the violin and Ullas Rao on the mridangam. Mami opened her concert with a Hayagriva upasana and a brisk Ata Tala varnam in Bhairavi followed by a rare Thyagaraja krithi Aparadhamula norva in ragam Rasaali. A soulful Thirupathi Narayanaswamy’s Mamu Joopa vemi rama in Durbar followed with a neat alapanai and brisk kalpana swarams bringing out the subtle nuances of the ragam. Suhas’s composed accompaniment of the ragam durbar added to the beauty of the concert which mami really appreciated as he played.

Next was a bhakti filled Bhadrachala Ramdas krithi in ragam panthuvarali. Audience was awestruck with the beautiful rendering of the ragam and song with utmost bhavam. As an apt song, mami chose to render Enagaanu Rama Bhajana - is there anything higher than chanting rama’s name, in this month of April when we celebrate Rama Navami. She elaborated the devotion with her neraval at rāmaciluka nokatÌ£i peñci prÄ“ma mātÌ£aladÌ£a nÄ“rpi. Mami’s intricate patterns in neraval and kalpana swarmas, Suhas’s creativity and beautiful bowing supported the artist and Ullas’s rhythmic patterns in Rupaka thalam enhanced this krithi.  After this she brought up another beautiful ragam, Ananda Bhairavi rendering Marivere in misra chapu.  

The main piece of the evening was in the majestic Shankarabharanam ragam. The essence of the ragam was so beautifully captured right from the start. Her creativity, step by step building the mood of raga without any hurry, adorning with beautiful phrases was delightful to listen to and enjoy. Suhas played remarkably along with her, embellishing the mood. Thyagaraja’s famous, Enduku Peddala in this ragam was rendered beautifully with neraval at “Veda shastra tatva arthamulu telisi” followed by a bright exchange of kalapana swarams between mami and Suhas in chauka, madyama and dhruta kalams (speeds). On mridangam, Ullas’s tani avartanam speaks about his knowledge and about his Guru Pravin Sitaram. While he supported the main artist by enhancing each sangathis and manodharma, Ullas presented himself beautifully in his tani avartanam playing skillfully which included attractive kuraippu, mohra and creative korvais. His support on the anupallavi, playing at off-beat was notable.

Mami continued with a Padam Tiruvotriyur Tyagaraja in Atana by composer Ghanam Krishna Aiyyar,  a Javali in Khamas, modi jesevelara of Shri Pattabhiramayya, and another beautiful Padam of Vaithiswarankovil Subbarama Iyer in Sahana ‘Ini Enna,’ portraying the feelings of a Kanditha Nayika where Suhas accompanied her beautifully on Sahana giving her to express the song comfortably. Mami then sang a viruttam in Mohanam and Shanmukapriya followed by a composition Muruganin Maru Peyar Azhagu written in Tamil composed by Guru Surajananda. On audience appeal, she sang a purandaradasa krithi Sundara Mooruti Mukhyaprana followed by soulful Krishna Nee Begane Baro in Yamuna Kalyani. She concluded her mesmerizing concert with Kurai Undrum Illai and Mangalam.  

Dr Nirmala Sundararajan presented us with a melodious concert of myriad shades of composers and compositions from Padams, Javali, Tillana to brisk and Ghana kritis. Talented and accomplished in her own way, Nirmals mami’s simple nature, a pleasant smile and eagerness to appreciate young local artists while being energetic herself was the hall mark of this concert.

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