Akkarai Sisters @ Sastri Hall, Chennai

Venue: Shastri Hall, Luz, Mylapore, Chennai

Date: 19th Oct 2006

Organizer: Youth Association for Carnatic Music (YACM)

Violin Duet: Akkarai Sisters – Subhalakshmi & Swarnalatha

Mridangam: R. Sankaranarayanan

Khanjira: B. Sree Sundar Kumar

List of songs:

1) sarasijanAbhA (varnam) – kAmbOji – kanda ata – swAti tiruNAL

2) atukArAdani – manOranjani – Adi – thyAgarAjA (aS)

3) ALAva dennALO – paras – Adi – UthukkAdu venkata subbaiyer

4) umA gOwri – pUrvikalyANi – misra chApu – n. ravikiraN (AS)

5) mAyammA – Ahiri – Adi – syAma sAstri

6) marivErE – latAngi – kanda chApu – pattanam subramaNya iyer (NS)

7) chakkani rAja – karaharapriyA – Adi – thyAgarAjA (ANS – main)

8 ) visvEshwar – sindhubhairavi – rUpakam – swAti tiruNAL

9) thillAnA – kalyANavasantam – kanda chApu – n. ravikiraN

10) pavamAna (mangaLam) – sOwrAshtram – Adi – thyAgarAjA

I think the sisters gave a commendable performance despite the absolutely pathetic sound system, intermittent noise of diwali crackers and sound of vehicles plying on the road outside (and their horns). The person who was incharge of the equipment didn’t know what to do at all. He was just sitting there as he usually does blissfully unaware of how to set things right. Though I have never seen a proper sound system at Sastri Hall, the amplification is usually a bit too loud and it drowns any noise from outside. But today the amplification was totally screwed up. When the sisters started playing, there was a trembling sound that came out through the speakers. Kudos to them for giving a good concert despite all this.

The highlight of the concert was the kharaharapriya raga alapana. It was done for more than 12-13 minutes by Akkarai Subhalakshmi and was simply awesome. R. Sankaranarayanan on the mridangam played almost like his guru Sri Srimushnam Raja Rao with beautiful kanakkus at many places. B. Shree Sundar Kumar on the khanjira is no stranger to the concert circuit and as usual played well.