Pran Pratishtha – Instilling Life Into Music – 21 January 2024

Sometimes, a Ranjani-Gayatri concert is an experience which you can’t even know to wish for, from the universe. Who could have foreseen the change of dates, who could have made it all align so perfectly. It was simply destined to happen, before the momentous occasion of the Pran Pratishta. Their music was the bestest way to elevate our energies so that when we saw Rama yesterday, we burst into tears of such intense joy.

Dharmavathi took the entire audience and instantly placed us right in front of him with folded hands. Rama Raksha stotram. He is everything. Na Anyam Jaane! Naiva Jaane! Na Jaane! Ramachandrasya Dasoham! Heart, it’s okay. Feel. Cry. Every syllable rang sweeter, more poignant. Sriranjani came with her rich beauty in Ranjani ma’am’s voice and then more in that irreplaceable violinist’s strings. Sadguru Thyagaraja’s grand, grand masterpiece, each sangathi gem shining in all its glory, in such marvelous power-packed akaaram. Marubalka. Darinerigi Santasillinatti. What an iconic line. Taken up at that tempo for some brilliant neraval, those flourishes in the slower neraval as words floated, and that gripping faster neraval, with swarams to that fun edam.

Ernakulatthappan Thiruvadi Charanam – 31 January 2023

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.

Margazhi!!! – 4 December 2022

If the next time you see me, I just look at you and squeak “Margazhi!!!!” in a pitch high with delight, I apologise in advance. How else to express the joy that the music season is back! Can’t wait to experience more, soon.

Meanwhile, Ranjani-Gayatri’s electricity waits for no one. They launched into Bowli with uninhibited gusto – the kriti chosen to express gratitude to She who finally made Margazhi happen – Karunanidhiye Thaye. Her Compassion is not some slow, teary-eyed thing, it comes to uplift with that urgency, that unquestionable conviction – Ini Edhu Thunai Medhiniyil Maadhumaye! Swarams to THAT! What a start! Goosebumps just remembering how it sounded. This was followed by the exquisite Shaalivaateeshwaram, in precious, precious Devagandhari.

Music That Never Leaves – 28 August 2022

While I was swamped with the week’s work and thought I wasn’t gonna get the time to write, there was one person who simply didn’t leave my head. You know him? Mohanakara Mutthukumara. You know, the Vallikku Vaaitthavan. The Mayileriya Maanikkam. The Gnana Vinoda! Notes that ring in the ears even after four whole days. Well, that’s the Ranjani-Gayatri effect.

Beginning briskly with the Abhogi varnam, they treated us to the most most charming Chaala Kallalaadu in Arabhi – what a joy were all those patterns, the chittaswarams, every single jantai! This was further adorned with some kalpanaswarams.

Lost Together, in Music – 16 April 2022

The Ranjani-Gayatri concert in Mysore made me wonder what we rasikas did to deserve to listen to them in our lifetime. How music pours from every pore of their being! How every rasika in that sacred space could connect so profoundly with every little movement, every little musical nuance, and revel. When we applauded, it rivalled the loudest and the longest of Irinjalakuda’s thunders. When hearts open, even skies don’t compare.