Veenavaadhini Sampradaya Sangit Belief’s ‘Dikshitar 250’ highlighted the enduring enchantment of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s compositions

A portrait of Muthuswami Dikshitar.
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Carnatic music has a wealthy assortment of kritis composed by completely different vaggeyakaras, notably the Trinity. Muthuswami Dikshitar’s kritis are identified for his or her intricate phrases, melodic enchantment and lyrical magnificence. As Dikshitar was proficient in enjoying the veena, one may see its affect in his compositions. Lots of his kritis are set in a leisurely veena-playing model with quicksilver madhyamakala passages to seize the ragas’ essence.

To have a good time the composer’s 250th beginning anniversary, a year-long occasion titled ‘Dikshitar 250’ has been organised by Veenavadhini Sampradaya Sangit Belief. the Belief, based by Veena artiste Jayasri Jeyaraaj and Jeyaraaj, just lately offered live shows by Veena Venkatramani and Neyveli Santhanagopalan at Arkay Conference Centre, Mylapore.

Veena Venkatramani’s live performance introduced the lyrical fantastic thing about Dikshitar’s compositions.
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Veena Venkatramani, disciple of Jeyaraaj and Jaysri Jeyaraaj, at Arkay Conference Heart, Mylapore.
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Stringing melodies

The night started with Veena Venkatramani’s veena recital spanning 90 minutes. The spotlight was her presentation of kritis reminiscent of ‘Kadambari priyayai’ (Mohanam) and ‘Sadasraye abhayambike’ (Chamaram). The vainika shared that the raga, which is in any other case known as Shanmukhapriya, will get the identify Chamaram in Dikshitar college. Dikshitar had adopted the Asampurna Melakarta system in naming the melakarta ragas.

Veena embellished every kriti with well-nuanced raga alapanas and kalpanaswaras. The tanam part, following the Chamaram alapana, stood out. Selection of kritis and good kalapramanam are her belongings. Apparently,

The tani avartanam by Tirucherai Kaushik (mridangam) and Ok.R. Sivarama Krishna (kanjira) was wealthy in complexity.

Bonding with rasikas

Neyveli R Santhanagopalan rendered compositions which might be wealthy in emotive enchantment.
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Senior vocalist Neyveli Santhanagopalan’s live performance confirmed his skill to have interaction with the viewers. He started his efficiency with the Gowla raga composition ‘Tyagaraja palayasumam’.

Accompanists Nagai Muralidharan (violin) and Mannargudi Easwaran (mridangam) elevated the presentation. Santhanagopalan acquired into an introspective temper within the ensuing Bilahari raga alapana as he traversed by its many layers. He offered the kriti ‘Eka dantam bhajeham’ with kalpanaswaras. He didn’t bask in too many korvais on this section. However in the principle kriti ‘Sri rajagopala bala’ (Saveri), in direction of the second half of the recital, he got here up with a number of intricate korvais. An elaborate and artistic niraval-swara section adopted after the kriti.

Earlier, Santhanagopalan offered a Varali raga alapana retaining all its aesthetics intact. The kriti chosen was ‘Seshachala nayakam’. His ‘Manasa guruguha rupam bhajare’ (Anandabhairavi) was wealthy in melodic enchantment. Violinist Nagai Muralidharan’s repartees through the alapana and swara segements have been satisfying. Senior mridangist Mannargudi Easwaran displayed his percussive talent through the tani avaratanam.

NEYVELI R SANTHANAGOPALAN with Nagai Muralidharan (violin), Mannargudi Easwaran (mridangam).
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