More than an hour before Ranjani-Gayatri ascended the stage, the chairs and ground-mats were almost full. Whenever I looked around there were people as far as the eye could see, a sea of rasikas sitting, standing, devouring the downpour from the skies. Felt so blessed to be one of them.
They began with the exquisite varnam in Hindolam by TM Thyagarajan on Maalmarugan. This was followed by Swati Tirunal’s Parvathi Naayaka. That perfect kalapramaanam for swarams in two speeds that fell so tightly and crisply. After this came the evergreen Naadatanum Anisham. Such gems, each one of these! Vairamum, Maanikyam thaane aagi.
Lathangi! Lathangi, Shiva temple. Of course, it had to be. A long-time wish. Ranjani ma’am treated us to an alapana that brought out all the pathos of the raga in perfect proportion to the swift, chiselling phrases. After the amazing Vid Vittal Rangan’s gripping and flowing alapana, came the most favourite Papanasam Sivan kriti. Countless memories of this dear composition – the composer’s ability to make each word breathe emotion with the raga at an all-time high. In their unparalleled voices they rendered the kriti before the most precious neraval line –
“Pirava Varam Thaarum (Iraiva) (Marupadi)
Pirandhaal Un Thiruvadi Maravaa Varam Thaarum Maanilameedhinil”
I have no words to express my gratitude for their impeccable artistry in this neraval that makes it truly theirs. Timeless. Pralayathukkappaal. The way each word comes and goes to create beautiful meanings, to reinforce, re-express such profound sentiments with the highest ideals of music… Absolutely Unforgettable. And Irreplaceable. That emotion built up in the neraval exploded into fast kalpanaswarams to rival the ongoing actual fireworks.
A half hour of the most intense divinity. In breathtakingly beautiful contrast, Kamalamba came to bless us, in graceful Anandabhairavi. Aanaagi, Pennaagi. In perfect balance.
With just one phrase, all the joy in the world unlocked. Some for the reveal itself, loads for the excitement of what all we were going to feel in the course of her alapana… Gayatri ma’am’s Kambhoji. Accho how she revels in the lower notes, how beautifully she handpicks each progession. You’re forever torn in gratitude – to whom? The musician or to music itself? Only she can sing in a way that one feels things like indebtedness, or gratitude, to the ragas themselves, because of how vividly we get to feel and experience them! How she played all across the canvas, from grounded, rich phrases to flying all the way up in the heavens – such towering prowess. Mannaagi, Vinnaagi, Malayumaagi. And all this in the sweetest tone, drowned in aesthetics. She might be in the ring of fire but all of us get to be in an ocean of nectar! How lucky! No matter what day, once she’s near that upper Ga, Kambhoji just pulls her up and she delivers no less than the best of His Majesty. That upper Ma. Piercing. That wind down – such comfort. We came up to the surface to thunder down applause. The violin alapana explored the grandeur of the raga with a rich, sweet portrait. Who said temple concerts can’t have amazing sound?!
Thiruvadi Charanam. Yet another piece so close to the heart. Each line so profound. A neraval line that is alive with bhakti.
Aduthu Vandha Ennai Thallalaagaadhu!
Hara Hara Endru Sonnaalum Podhaadho?! (Thanjamendr-aduthu)
They POURED Kambhoji into each word. Each Hara Hara… The exchange neraval… Poor poor normal life. How does it ever stand a chance to win against something as enriching and uplifting as a RaGa concert? The post concert sadness and the impatience between concerts is but inevitable. The neraval led naturally to some grand rounds of slow swarams and then gripping second speed swarams with irresistible koraippu to Dha. This was followed by a sonorous Thani by Vid KV Prasad and Vid S Krishna.
Ninnuvina! How they launched into it! For the entire duration of the song I sat there beaming, mouth forever agape in disbelief. What is this mastery over form, over the instrument. Mind, body, heart all working in perfect tandem for such a cloudburst of Navarasa Kannada. What a celebration of this music! Kalaiyaagi. Kalaignaanam Thaane Aagi.
Gotta love Hindolam. Each one of those 5 notes with so much beauty to unearth, in so many different flavours. Ranjani ma’am so artfully built up the alapana, moving between each note in beautiful glides and long notes, finely carved phrases, punctuated by those breathtaking brakes. As soon as Ranjani ma’am began the alapana the brain had started the guessing game – and in one hint she made it all clear – Saamagaana Lolane it was! After a well rounded violin alapana came Gayatri ma’am’s alapana. Oh, a twist at the Ni! Onto… Malayamarutham! Things just got a LOT more fun. Ga Pa Ga Dha Pa Ni Dha – we all knew what THAT was! Hindolam with its Neerajakshi-like glides contrasted with Malayamarutham’s Dhanyudevvado-like gripping, swift twists, turns and tugs – what a lovely pair! Even with just Ni and Sa for segue, they moved between the two so easily. Both ragams were constructed in their befitting expressions before a quick round of exchanges between the two. How intensity reaches crescendo differently in different ragams! Gayatri ma’am’s phrases all the way up till Ni! How she flew! Each transition moved us to clap in glee. Both ragams were explored in rounds of Taanam with characteristic ease and felicity by all the three.
Saama Gaana Lolane Sadaashivane!
Karpaga Manohara Kaattharul Krupaakara
The pallavi was set to Tishra Ata, Dwi nadai. You know you’ve attended too many RaGa kutcheris when hands default to the even crazier Trimukhi by mistake – perhaps a better, more advanced mistake? (self deceit? :P) – a few times. In neraval we witnessed them flow with the syllables and the talam as second nature while focusing on pouring the best of both of the ragas across the pallavi. Swarams followed, in both the ragas to the respective points and in the second speed, the pallavi revealed all that extra fieriness as they dazzled us with some brilliant swarams and patterns. Ennaagi Ennukkor Ezhutthumaagi. Shyaam Kalyan came as the first ragamalika swaram before the triad of Neelamani-Shivaranjani-Revati. Sigh, how does she do this?! Each raga revealed and cherished in amazing ways and woven all through. Vittal Rangan continued his awesomeness by playing swarams in both.
Then it came. Mannaagi Vinnaagi… The Iconic Viruttham, this time in Hameer Kalyani and Sindubhairavi. And the most loveable Chandrashekhara Isha. And then we were treated to a medley of Desh Abhang and THE Vithoba Chala. And then mangalam! For about 4 hours they held our attention, minds, hearts, had us by very souls and after it got over, we just wondered – what now?
Thank God they are this constant source of light. Ezhunchudaraai Nindravaare. That we can come from mundane life into their concert, bask in and fill ourselves with this light and then go back, hopefully take some of this light with us and then come back soon, well before we run out. And after all this magic, they laugh and interact with each rasika with such generosity, leaving us beaming even harder! No wonder people love them and can’t get enough. Two eyes. So Kannukkor Maniyumaagi x 2. Truly!
Notes on Ra-Ga 