Pranava Naada Bindu Roope! – 26 December 2021

Ranjani-Gayatri, what did we do to deserve this?

Last concert you began with a varnam and sounds check had Tulasidala, so this time? Varnam for sounds check and kriti to begin. Because you don’t do repeats. Which kriti? The best. Rara Mayintidaaka. Vid. Manoj Siva and Vid. Anirudh Athreya immediately made it clear – this was going to be one tightly anchored, gripping concert. Asaveri Swarams, perfect.

Not Sri. Not Manirangu. MSS’s Ikanaina! You cannot sing the SECOND kriti like this… Not even 10 minutes into the concert (approximations, their music made my watch obsolete) and it already felt like we were flying with you. Sangathi rockets soaring starwards one after the other. Akalanka Neeve… Neraval – Swarams. These words seem so useless in the face of your music. The little flowered creeper began growing, as it wound itself tightly to your voices, (what unshakeable support!) as you made it shoot upward, making it blossom with every note. On the way, it found yet another nectar sweet structure to latch on to – Charumathi Raghuraman ma’am’s bow. And so rose the little creeper, twisting and turning to your imaginations, flowers blooming all through, between three melodic pillars, coursing through the path set by the maddening Deshadi beats, to become her towering, self-actualized self. Pushpalathika. You think we clapped? That was us folding hands over and over, in reverence.

RaGa Christmas – Timeless – 25 December 2021

Christmas Morning. I’m so conditioned to wake up and stand in a line, to book tickets to experience divinity. Well, a morning queue still happened, so there’s that! As soon as I think of Christmas, instead of Santa and carols I think of Ranjani-Gayatri and the best presents – Vagadheeshwari, Vasantha Bhairavi, Surutti! And today? This evergrowing tapestry got studded with another beautiful collection of fine, polished gems.

They began their concert with a brisk varnam, with all the colours and varnams of Sri coming together so beautifully. This was followed by an absolutely high-energy rendition of Sadguru Thyagaraja’s Nada Sudha in Arabhi, powerpacked with swarams to “swaram”ulaaru! How swiftly these accomplished artistes take us to that elevated plane of energy and music, so seamlessly, and every single time, without fail!

Questions, at Krishna Gana Sabha – 19 December 2021

Every time I attend a Ranjani-Gayatri concert, I have two burning questions. One lasts from the beginning of the concert to the end, that is “How!” and the other comes at the end, when it’s all over and lasts an eternity, until the next concert – “Why?!” What about “What?” Easy Answer – Divine musical magic.
What a start – the priceless gem of Shyama Shastri in Paras. Sung in perfect gait. When they sing the plain notes at Phaa-laa- Absolute Shivers. Fantastic slow swarams that add weight and those fast swarams that come as a blast of creativity, adorning the beautiful Gaanalole and “Saa-Ma”-Gaanalole. Beauty, Beauty. Easy favourite among starters.

Gayana Samaja – RaGa Unleashed – 12 December 2021

Six hundred and ninety four days.
That’s how long we’ve all waited. For this to happen. Certainly feels longer than an eternity. Ranjani-Gayatri tore through the skies as they unleashed the music they’ve been holding on to, their musical clouds that could no longer contain themselves exploded and washed us away into another dimension yesterday evening.

Oh how I love this venue. The buzz of excitement that begins an hour before. The eager minutes of waiting outside the artistes’ entrance, filled with music-related conversations, with an eye towards the gate, ready to catch them as they arrive. The way it always rains, even if just a flower shower, a prelude to the musical downpour that would soon begin. The crowds that throng this place, against all odds, always. Downstairs, Upstairs, Standing outside, looking in. The DAIS. The speakers. The monitors. Their pure Sa, during sounds check, flowing through these equipment, straight to the soul. It’s time. The curtains open. The applause. The smiles. The tears. The folded hands. 694 days.

Margazhi – RaGa Tetris comes Full Circle – 5 December 2021

I’ve written about the RaGa-Tetris before, but have you ever seen Tetris pieces make a full circle?

Yesterday’s Ranjani-Gayatri concert was too good to be true, too wish-fulfilling and gratifying and too much Margazhi for just the 4th of December! The last Chennai concert before the pandemic hit, began with a piece I’ve loved forever. Jaya Jaya Padmanabha. Sarasangi. Yesterday’s first piece? Take a Guess. I’ve never felt such joy at hearing Sarasangi! What a delectable starter. Crispest rendition, crisper swarams. Every improvisation so so lovely. Percussionists revved up their aesthetic engines and the nectar sweet violin set the tone for the concert. This was going to be… EPIC.