In a poignant celebration of the legendary M.S. Subbulakshmi’s birth anniversary, Hamsadhwani orchestrated a magnificent vocal concert featuring the acclaimed Gayathri Venkataraghavan. Her performance, a highlight of Hamsadhwani’s 35th annual music festival at Youth Hostel, Adyar, was beautifully complemented by Mysore V. Srikanth on the violin, N. Manoj Siva on the mridangam, and Chandrasekara Sharma on the ghatam.
Gayathri was an impeccable choice for this tribute. Like M.S. Subbulakshmi herself, Gayathri has always prioritized ‘bhava’—the emotional depth and expression—in her classical Carnatic renditions. After a period away from the stage, Gayathri’s return was nothing short of triumphant, enchanting the audience with a truly dynamic and resonant performance.
The concert commenced with a spirited rendition of the daru ‘Mathe malaydhwaja’ in Khamas, setting a vibrant tone. This was followed by the revered Ganesha Pancharatna Mala, ‘Mudhakarata modakam,’ presented in the distinctive style popularized by M.S. Subbulakshmi. True to tradition, a Nattai raga kriti, ‘Namo namo raghukula nayaka’ by Annamacharya, provided a powerful impetus to the evening’s musical journey, enhanced by judiciously added swaras.
Next, Gayathri delved into Kalyani, a raga celebrated for its vivacity, presenting a beautiful alapana. Her chosen kriti was Dikshitar’s ‘Bhajare re chita,’ with her intricate swara passages centered on the familiar charanam line ‘Devim shakti bijodbhava.’ Continuing the theme, she then performed Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Devi neeye thunai’ in Kiravani, another exquisite kriti dedicated to Shakti.
A brisk rendition of ‘Sobillu saptaswara,’ a Tyagaraja kriti in Jaganmohini, preceded the evening’s centerpiece: a comprehensive and soulful exposition of Madhyamavati. This raga, known for its unique blend of majesty and devotional depth, was masterfully explored by Gayathri. She navigated its intricacies across the low, middle, and high octaves with remarkable grace and precision, unveiling the raga’s rich emotional palette.
Following such a moving alapana, Syama Sastri’s ‘Palinchu kamakshi’ proved to be the perfect choice. Gayathri rendered it with an ideal tempo, her singing of the charanams ‘Svantamulona’ and ‘Rajathi raja’ deeply enhancing the kriti’s inherent beauty. She further embellished the performance with niraval and swaras on the mudra charanam ‘Rajanmukhi syamakrishna nuta.’ These intricate improvisations were delivered with impeccable restraint and an abundance of ‘bhava,’ avoiding any excessive flourishes.
The accompanists were equally superb. Mysore V. Srikanth on the violin mirrored Gayathri’s melodic vision with remarkable sensitivity and precision. N. Manoj Siva on the mridangam and Chandrasekara Sharma on the ghatam provided a supportive yet subtle rhythmic foundation. Their concise ‘tani avartanam’ (percussion solo) was a tasteful addition, enriching the overall appeal of the concert without overshadowing the main performance.
The concert concluded with a delightful selection of pieces famously popularized by M.S. Subbulakshmi. These included ‘Bhavayami gopala balam’ in Yamuna Kalyani, the enchanting Meera bhajan ‘Paga gunghroo,’ Bharatiyar’s poignant ‘Villinai oththa puruvam,’ and the soul-stirring ‘Maithreem bhajatha.’ This thoughtfully curated finale served as a truly befitting homage to the iconic musician.