DIWALI DHAMAKA - Rajhesh Vaidhya

DIWALI DHAMAKA

Rajesh Vaidhya and his team gave an electrifying performance at the concert arranged under the aegis of Meenakshi Sundararajan Fine Arts Academy on Thursday the 19th December 2019. As the main artiste had to rush to Meenambakkam airport to catch the 9.00 p.m. flight to Dubai, the concert was advanced to 5.30p.m. The auditorium was full and overflowing even 30 minutes before the advanced time of the concert. 

Rajesh Vaidhya and his team commenced the concert to a tumultuous welcome with an invocation song “Giriraja Suthaa” by Thyagaraja in Raagam Bangaala. The fast number was followed by another Thyagaraja krithi in Poornachandrika “Thelisi Raama chintanato..” with brisk and speedy rhythmic patterns. One more Thyagaraja krithi “Jaanaki Ramanaa…” in Suddha seemanthini was presented with high speed. The delineation at “Raktha nalina dhala” was electrifying and energetic.

An intense Raagam –Thaanam in Amruthavarshini followed with cascade of swara patterns. It poured….. highlighting the artiste’s manodharma. The song presented was Harikesanallur Muthaiah Baghavathar’s “Sudha Mayi Sudha Nidhi..”

The much awaited Kadhanakuthoohalam piece “Raghuvamsa Sutha…” by Patnam Subramaniya Iyer was full of speed and energy where the artiste had wide scope to dwell deep into the song. Thunderous applause followed literally after every song. The sound system played spoilsport in the beginning but was set right later. In spite of the decibel limit being extremely high the rasikas were seen enjoying every bit of his stroke with loud ovation. 

The main Raagam Thaanam Pallavi was in Sallabham (the famous “Raa…raa…song from Chandramukhi is in this raagam) Rajesh Vaidhya traversed through Hindolam and Brindhavana Saranga and gave a wonderful account of the main raagam. The Thani aavarthanam that followed was a display of fireworks. It was Diwali Dhamakaa….what an array of Laya fireworks..!

The thukkada section commenced with M.S.Subbulakshmi’s evergreen hit “Kaatrinile varum geetham” from the film ‘Meera’(lyrics by Kalki Krishnamoorthy and tuned by S.V.Venkataraman) followed by D.K.Pattammal’s super hit song “Theeratha Vilayaattup pillai” in raagamalikai (Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathiyar’s song composed by R.Sudarsanam). Then came a devotional hymn “Maithreem bhajatha” written by H.H.Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal of Kanchi and tuned by Vasanth Desai for M.S.Subbulakshmi’s United Nation Concert. A very pleasant number indeed……soft and sweet.

Then came a mash-up like medley of “Bagyadha Lakshmi baaramma” and Swati Tirunaal’s Dhanasri raga thillana.

The concert concluded with “Hara Hara Shankara…Jaya Jaya Shankara” in Sindhu bhairavi.

On the whole the concert was enjoyed both by the learned and the layman. The rasikas exchanged pleasantries and the atmosphere was like a “Kalyana Kutchery” where everyone could be seen satisfied …like extremely happy after a sumptuous meal.

Purists may please excuse….but it was truly a DIWALI DHAMAKA……

   About the Author:

SHANKAR VENKATRAMAN, a practising company secretary by profession, hails from a family with musical lineage. On the maternal side, his mother’s great grandfather Nemam Subramania Iyer was one of the last disciples of Saint Thyagaraja Swamigal. His maternal grandfather Nemam Nataraja Bhagavathar was the disciple of Mahavaidhyanatha Sivan and an Asthana Vidhwan of Sringeri Samasthanam. His son “Kalaimaamani” Prof N.S.Ramachandran was the Director of different  Kendras of All India Radio and the  Dean and Director of Music Department, University of Delhi. He had composed many kruthis out of which “Sri Chandrasekhara Yatheendram Aashrayae”on Sri Kanchi Paramacharya in Sankarabharanam popularized by Dr.M.S.Subbulakshmi and “Sree Maha Ganapathae..” in Aabhogi an evergreen hit of M.L.Vasanthakumari are very popular.

Shankar Venkatraman’s father (Late) K.V.Venkatraman, son of Kanjanur-Kottur S.Vaithyanatha Swamy Iyer was an ardent devotee of Sri Kanchi Paramacharya and had served as the Correspondence-in-charge for Sri Paramacharya while Shri Periyavaa was camping in Kumbakonam during 1930-31(When Periyavaa was referred as Kumbakonam Periyavaa). Sri Sengalipuram Anantharama Deekshithar is Vaithyanathaswamy Iyer’s maternal cousin.

Shankar did his schooling at Vidya Mandir, Mylapore (1968-1982) Chennai and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai. He did his Company Secretary course from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Chennai-600034.

(*The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of Music of Madras.)