Melodious, mesmerizing music concert was performed by Amrutha Venkatesh to the accompaniments of Rajeev Mukundan on the Violin, Nanjil Sri Arul on the Mrudangam and G. Chandrasekara Sharma on the Ghatam, on the sixth day of the 74th annual music and arts festival of Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Samajam.
Amrutha commenced the concert with innum en manam ariyadavar a Charukesi Pada Varnam by Lalgudi Jayaraman, pleading to lotus-eyed Lord Krishna to understand the mind, with adequate chittaswarams.
Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, was saluted through Dikshidar’s (in which Vatapi Ganesha is described as both the creator and destroyer) vaataapi ganapatim bajeham in Hamsadwani, which was a good brisk voice opener for the vocalist.
She then rendered Virutam, Appar’s thevaram (thirumurai), Kunitta puruvamum, which the violinist brought out well, for Neelakaanta Shivan’s Ananda natam Aduvar Thillai’ in raga Purvikalyani.
She embellished the ragam in the niravals, which was mesmerising.
The vocalist enthused and brought positive energy with her quick swara passages (brigas), praising Lord Vishnu for Swaati Thirunaal in Arabhi ragam.
Thyagaraja’s, (praising Lord Rama’s charming smile and yearning to see Him and receive his grace), Nagumomu Ganale in Abheri, was the main song of the evening.
She used the slides between notes and created fluidity and brought the emotion live. The vocalist’s scale and melodic movements were well brought out by violinist Rajeev. The sangathis that Amrutha expressed gave the Mridangist and Ghatam vidwan to produce a distinctive and unique Tani.
Her final pieces include Oruthimaganai pirandu from Andal’s Thirupavai, Eppo Varuvaro by Gopalakrishna Bharati in the Raga Jonpuri and Arunagirinathar’s Thirupugazh Niraimadhi mugamenum in Hamsanandini.
S. Padmanabhan
