THE BUD THAT HAS BLOSSOMED WITH FRAGRANCE - Shruthi Shankarkumar


THE BUD THAT HAS BLOSSOMED WITH FRAGRANCE


Vocalist Shruthi Shankarkumar commenced her wonderful concert with a tamil varnam “Kannanai Mani vannanai..” in the ragam Husseni, composed by Violin Maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman. The presentation was a pleasant surprise as majority of the artistes render varnams in Telugu language. This tamil varnam sprinkled rose water on the rasikas and welcomed them to the concert.

Shruthi then moved on with a Swati Thirunal Krithi “Saroja naabha dhayarnava
Maamava sharadhendhu mukha seshapuraalaya” set in Chakravakam. She displayed the beauty of the raga with a very sweet delineation at “Dhara ramaa ramana Amara paalaka…”

A brief aalapanai of Kannada followed. The violinist gave anexcellent account of the same effortlessly. Sri Muthuswami Dikshithar’s “Sri Mathru bhutham” was presented brilliantly. The exploration at “Suwasitha Nava Javanthi Pushpa vikasapriya hrudhayam..” was excellent.

Then came the magnum opus piece of the concert in the form of Bhairavi aalapanai. What a peaceful and pure Bhairavi…..leisurely presented. Shruthi slowly built a temple of Bhairavi with her rendition brick by brick and ultimately performed a consecration …The aalapanai had the Nadhaswaram effect…so nicely presented. “Upachaaramulanu” by Thyagaraja was the song presented. The exploration at “Kapata naataka suthradhaari..” was excellent. That was followed by a very brief thani aavarthanam. The concert ended abruptly after this song due to paucity of time.

Definitely Shruthi is not a budding artiste. The bud has now blossomed into a beautiful flower ….with fragrance. The concert organisers can think of promoting her  to the prime slot next year.

   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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