Gayathri Venkataraghavan @ TTD, Chennai

(Photos courtesy Sri Pyarilal of carnaticsangeetham.com)

Venue: TTD Information Center, Venkatanarayana Road, T.Nagar, Chennai

Date: 23 June 2007

Organizer: TTD Information Center

Vocal: Vid Gayathri Venkataraghavan

Violin: Vid Charumathi Raghuraman

Mrudangam: Vid Erode Nagaraj

Ghatam: Vid H. Prasanna

Tambura: Vid Vijayalakshmi

List of songs:

1) valaci (varnam) – rAgamAlikA – Adi – kothavAsal venkaTrAma iyer (O)

2) nEnendu vEtukudurA – karnATakabehAg – Adi – tyAgarAja (S)

3) shrInivAsa nInE pAlisO – Anandabhairavi – rUpakam – purandaradAsa (AS)

4) nI irangAyenil – aTANA – Adi – pApanAsam sivan

5) shrI rAjagOpAla – sAvEri – Adi – muthuswAmi dIkshitar (AN)

6) ninnu vinA – navarasakAnaDA – rUpakam – tyAgarAja

7) nijadAsa varadA – kalyANi – Adi – paTTaNam subramaNya iyer (ANST)

8 ) ANAda selvathu (viruttam) – sahAnA & kApi – kulasEkara AzhwAr

jO achutAnanda – kApi – kanDa cApu – annamAcArya

9) nAdrudru dhIm tadiranA (tillAnA) – vasantA – Adi – ammAchatram kannusAmi piLLai

10) nI nAma rUpa mulaku (mangaLam) – saurAshTram – Adi – tyAgarAja

(Key: O=raga outline, A=raga alapana, N=neraval, S=kalpana swaram, T=taniavartanam)

It was an enjoyable concert that lit up my Saturday evening. All kritis were rendered well. Kalpana swarams were put at the pallavi line in “nEnendu” and “shrInivAsa nInE” and at “bhujagAdhipa shayana …” in “nijadAsa varadA“. Neraval was done for the same line in “nijadAsa varadA” and at “nArAyaNa tAraka divyanAma” for “shrI rAjagOpAla“. Vid Gayathri’s raga alapanas were very melodious and captivating. Her Anandabhairavi alapana was hailed as “brahmAnandabhairavi” by one of the rasikas.

Vid Gayathri was ably assisted by all her accompanists. Vid Charumathi’s raga alapanas were enjoyable. Vid Erode Nagaraj and Vid H. Prasanna played well for all the songs. Vid Nagaraj’s ghumukki laden accompaniment gelled very nicely with the songs. Taniavartanam played for the kriti “nijadAsa varadA” comprised the catusra and tisra naDais.

The concert ended with a tillAnA on Lord Anjaneya in raga vasantA and a traditional mangaLam.