Vaagadheeshwari’s at Kalaalaya – 7 January 2023

Every Ranjani-Gayatri concert is a sacred space for the arts – Kalaalaya. Once they begin their music, the soul has no option but to quieten and listen. To behold RaGa after RaGa.

The listening began with the beautiful Kalyani kriti Ganapathe Mahamathe, with swarams for Ganapathe and Maam Paahi. When I visited the temple a while ago, I couldn’t see Kapaleeshwarar, because of the crowds, but no worries, he came for us in the favourite Papanasam Sivan’s kriti in sweet Valachi – Paadame Thunai Paramashiva!

RaGa Sudhaarasa Paanamu – 1 January 2023

Happy New Year!

What better beginning than music, and what better music than Ranjani-Gayatri’s!

New Year fireworks began with the raga of auspiciousness, Mangalam – the super duper favourite Ninnu Joochi, in Saurashtram. Sigh, how much we can trust these musicians to enthrall us, every single time! A burst of grip-max swarams fell in place.

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.

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.

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.