Glittering & Gorgeous - Gayathri Girish


GLITTERING & GORGEOUS


Smt Gayathri Girish gave a concert on Tuesday the 10th December 2019 under the auspices of Mudhra. Accompaniments : Udupi Srijith (Mudhra Kutcheri competition winner 2019) on the violin, Aravind Srikanth on the Mridangam (Mudhra Kutcheri competition winner 2019) and Trivandrum Rajagopal on the Kanjira and Shri Vaidhyanathan on the Tambura.

Before commencing the concert, Gayathri congratulated Mudhra Bhaskar and Smt. Radha Bhaskar for their undaunted efforts through the years in making Mudhra a successful sabha and cross a milestone of 25 years. She also recalled her association with Mudhra for over two decades.

Gayathri Girish opened her concert with Pachchimeeriyum Adhiappa ayya’s Ata thaala  varnam “Viri boni” in Bhairavi with its inherent brisk tempo.

She then proceeded to present a beautiful Thyagaraja krithi in Harikambhoji set to Aadi taalam. The song “Dinamani vamsa thilaka laavanya…” had a brief raga exposition with a good reply on the violin. A very neat presentation.

The next number was an astounding Amruthavarshini krithi. The song “Sudha mayi Sudha nidhi” composed by Harikesanallur Muthaiah Baghavathar in Roopaka taalam was excellently presented. The cascade of swara passages won the hearts of rasikas. The violin presentation once again was good. The swara rain accompanied by laya thunder with lightning strokes by the violin brought a pleasant shower at 

“Sarasi jaakshi Jaganmohini Sarasa raga Mani bhushani”. A cool presentation.

Then came a lilting Kaavadi Chindu composed by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiar ”Villinai yoththa”


This was followed by a soft, sweet “Amba Neelaayadhakshi karuna kadaakshi” in Neelambari. This Muthuswami Dikshithar composition in Aadi taalam is in praise of the presiding deity Neelayadakshi Amman of the Kaayaroganeswarar temple of Nagappattinam. Set in slow tempo the presentation was mesmerizing.

The next one was a brisk “Shrikantha niyeda..” in contrast to the previous one. This Thyagaraja krithi in Bhavapriya set to Deshaadi taalam was captivating.

As it was Thiruvannamalai Deepam, the artiste thoughtfully chose Thirunavukkarasar thevaram in Keeravani. “Vaananai Madhi Sudiya Maindhanai” was the number presented with devotion. The artiste virtually took the rasikas on a trip down to Thiruvannamalai straight from Nagappatinam a couple of songs before. The exploration at “Veeranai Vidamundaanai Vinnavar Dheeranai Thiruvannamalaiyaanai…” was soaked in devotion. The violinist’s play of Keeravani was very nice.The thani aavarthanam was captivating.

 Then came a Ramalingaswamigal’s Thiruarutpa as a raagamaalikai…..Saveri, Begada, Poorvikalyani, Kedaragowlai, Dhanyasi, Amir kalyani Rithigowlai and Behag followed by Gopalakrishna Bharathiar’s “Irakkam varaamal pona dhenna kaaranam”

The concert concluded with a Thiruppugazh “Eenamiguth thula piravi…” in Surati

On the whole the concert was glittering and a gorgeous one.


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.) 

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