In a technologically driven world, it is heartening to see several rising young artistes learning directly from gurus. Watching Nanditha Kannan’s vocal recital for Pushkaram Trust recently, I thought about the care and attention her guru, violin exponent R.K.
Shriramkumar, would have bestowed upon her. Nanditha’s exhaustive Kalyani essay, preceding one of Dikshitar’s masterpieces ‘Bhajare re chittha balambikam’, was indicative of her training and approach. Her creative instincts came to the fore in the Madhya Sthayi phrases.
This composition in Misra Chapu, on the goddess at Vaithiswaran koil, was the highlight of the concert and is in the second Vibhakti. Many names of Devi that Dikshitar has used in this kriti are from Lalitha Sahasranamam. The devotional bhava of the kriti was in full bloom in the niraval and swaraprastara at ‘Devim sakthi bijodbhava’.
The Begada alapana by Nanditha, who belongs to Veena Sabesa Iyer’s lineage, had an old world charm about it. She succeeded in interweaving melodic patterns and bringing out its essence. She took up the fourth of Dikshitar’s Tyagaraja Vibhakthi kritis, ‘Tyagarajaya namaste’.
She rendered swaras at the pallavi. Nanditha commenced the concert with Tiruvotriyur Thiyagaiyer’s Sahana varnam ‘Karunimpa’, followed by a fast-paced rendering of ‘Vadera deivamu manasa’ (Panthuvarali) by Tyagaraja. Niraval and swaras were at the third charanam, ‘Dhaatru vinutudaina’.
Chintamani, is a beautiful raga wh.
