வலைப்பூக்களுக்கு நான் ஒரு late entrant.. 2003-லிருந்து 2005 வரை நிறைய கட்டுரைகளை (பெரும்பாலும் இசை விமர்சனங்கள்) தெரிந்த சில நண்பர்களுக்கு மட்டும் மின்னஞ்சலில் அனுப்பி வைத்துக் கொண்டிருந்தேன். அப்படி அனுப்பிய மின்னஞ்சல்களில் ஒன்று கூட கைவசம் இல்லை.
அப்படி அனுப்பிய ஒரு மடலை பிரகாஷ் அவர் வலைப்பூவில் போட்டார். (இங்கு படிக்கலாம்).
15-20 கட்டுரைகள் காணாமல் போனதே என்றெண்ணி அவ்வப்போது வருந்துவதுண்டு. யாருக்கும் பெரிய இழப்பில்லை எனினும், அந்த கட்டுரைகளைத் திருபிப் பார்க்கும் பொது, நினைவில் நிற்கும் அக் கச்சேரிகளை மீண்டும் ஒருமுறை கேட்பது போன்ற உணர்வு எனக்கு ஏற்படுமே, அந்த அனுபவத்தை இழந்துவிட்டோமே என்று நினைத்துக் கொள்வேன்.
நேற்று, a blast from the past, அன்பது போல, 2003-ல் நான் எழுதிய மின்னஞ்சல் ஒன்று கிடைத்தது. மீண்டும் தொலையாமல் இருக்க, இங்கு போட்டு வைக்கிறேன்.
Dear Lakshmi,
Hope everything is fine at your end. I’m having some free time today, thought I would write about the TNK concert I attended.
It was on 27th dec. 2003 @ Nada Inbam, Raga Sudha hall.
It was heartening to see a full house for a TNK concert (which unfortunately is a rarity these days). Violinist Shriramkumar and vocalist Chengalpet Ranganathan were also among the fortunate few to have listened to this amazing concert.
Concert started with the begada varnam rendered in 2 speeds. I was expecting “entharO” to follow. But, TNK played “Nadha thanumanisham” in his own bhava-laden style. He surprised me with several rounds of brisk kalpana swarams.
Duo-concerts become a problem when one of the 2 artistes is of a higher calibre. Viji might be a good violinist, but when playing with TNK, esp. during the kalpana-swarams, one gets a ‘sine curve’ feeling.
Although I had told u in my earlier mail that the kalyaNi aalapanai I heard that day was easily one of the best ever, for me the highlight of the concert was the 2-min. raga sketch of saramathy. I’m sure it would have melted the hardest of the hearts. Just a few strokes brilliantly brought out the pathos feel of saramathy. After the aalapanai I thought there was nothing left in that raagam to be explored. Such was the ‘niRaivu’. The best thing about TNK is his krithi rendition. I would be stating the obvious if I say that the “mokshamu galadha” was rich in emotional content. (TNK was in such a form that I dint even feel like opening my eyes to ‘sight-adichufy’ a ‘sooper-figure’ sitting beside me;-)
Without wasting anytime, he started playing kalyaNi. When I think about that aalapanai, I could imagine a beautiful painting unfolding in front of my eyes. If you imagine TNK as a painter and raga kalyani as the painting, he drew a few sketches here and there on the canvas(his violin) outlining the length and breadth (scope) of the painting(raga). Then he started painting (playing) the details with finnesse and precision. His fingers were weaving several beautiful patterns soaked with a very very pleasant bhavam. One could really feel the first few lines grow into a amazingly colourful, highly imaginative, captivating painting. (huh! I’m running out of adjectives.)
After the kalyani aalapnai, Chengalpet Ranganathan rose from his seat and made a statement from the bottom of his heart. “ithuthaan uNmaiyaana kalyaaNi, intha maathiri kEttu romba varusham aachu.” TNK seemed to be extremely happy after the aalapanai as he won several rounds of applause from the audience.
He dedicated all the applause to his guru semmangudi. He also recollected his initial days when he played kalyani with a flat nishadam. “oru thadavai appadi vaasichapOthu avar mugham suLichathai paarthen, aprum flat-aa vaasikkavE illai, as far as kalyaNi is concerned upper-sa is the nishadam and the madhyamam should be almost near panchamam”
He also demonstrated the kalyaNi “ni” with a flat note and with the gamakam.
He followed the aalapanai with “birana brova” and when he started the kriti almost everone in the hall let out a cry -recollecting the epic rendition of this krithi by semmangudi. Guruvayur Dorai’s accompaniement during the swarams was enjoyable. Especially his anticipation requires a special mention.
When the kriti and the kalpana-swarams were over, I couldn’t believe that TNK had played kalyani only for about 32 mins. I was left wondering how he managed to fit in so much in such a short time.
Saveri is another bhava-laden raagam. I need not say it would only be a treat if someone like TNK plays it. He took it for elobarating as an RTP. Thanam is a wonderful part of our music, which unfortunately most people do for the sake of doing it. The semi-rythmic syllables are such a pleasure to listen. I was a little disappoined when TNK after a few short-rounds of thanam started to play the pallavi.
When he started the pallavi, it reminded me a lot of the ARI’s saveri pallavi which we were debating on. However, when I went asked the sahithyam for the pallavi after the concert, he said it was “kari mora vina ledhaa hare krishna”, which I dont think is the pallvi line of the ARI concert. The pallavi neraval was pretty elaborate and he did tri-kaalam on it. He played several rounds of swarams at the slower speed and I would pick that as the best part of the RTP. After playing swarams at the faster speed, he played ragamalika swarams in sahana, poorvi kalyani and sree.
After the RTP, the percussionists got a chance to prove their prowess in the thani-aavarthanam. Guruvayur Dorai and Vaikom Gopalakrishnan were very enthusiastic in playing the 2-kaLai aadhi thani. After several aavarathanam in chatrusra nadai, the duo played a few aavarthanams in tisra-nadai. The kuraippu was delectable, especially when Guruvayur Durai played several aavarthanam pre-dominantly with his left hand. His subtle variations on the ‘thoppi-side’ of the mridangam was extremely good.
After the thani, SVK started to speak and he was showering TNK with accolades. Although, TNK deserved that and much more, I felt irritated listening to someone speak in the middle of a great concert. The only good thing he did was requesting TNK to play raagams like “kaapi, yadhukula kambhoji” etc. Which, TNK promptly obliged a played a garland of raga-sketches on ragas kapi, mohanam, thodi (in thodi he made 1 stroke with his bow and said”oru stroke-la raagam vanthudanum, raagam enga-nu thEdindu irukkak koodaathu”), Neelambari, Atana and behag.
When he played the mangalam, I’m sure all the hearts in that room would have been filled with extreme happinness.
regards,
Ram.
கமகம் 