A Sankarabharanam package that the twin brothers, Heramb and Hemanth, unfolded in the second half of their concert bore elements of universal appeal that befitted the unusual theme: birds in Carnatic music. The third in MadRasana’s five-part ‘Prakriti’ series showcased how winged creatures enhance the aural aesthetics beyond their appearances in the lyrics. Syama Sastri’s ‘Sarojadala netri’ was the centrepiece by the Bengaluru-based flautists , coming after a detailed alapana of purist’s delight and tanam high on eclecticism.
As artistic director Vinay Varanasi said, the kriti extolling Meenakshi carries not one but two references to divine parrots — shukapaani and shukashyamala. Yet the overall presentation was not literature-driven. The wind instrument anyway produces only notes, and Heramb took off from the anupallavi (that mentions shukapaani).
In fact, the siblings wound up the composition in just three minutes and coasted on to swaraprastara. Violinist Sayee Rakshit toed the serene beauty of the flautists, who soon went for a change of ragas. Hamsanandi (by Heramb), Hamsanadam (Hemanth) and Hamsadhwani (Sayee) lit the line-up.
Their tonal quality alone should have appealed, but the listener was reminded that ‘Hamsa’ implied the floating swan. Interesting grahabhedam The twins then resorted to an interesting grahabhedam, revealing that the pivotal ‘sa’ and ‘pa’ of Sankarabharanam are prakriti swaras, believed to have derived from the peacock a.
