 Sankari’s wholesome recital
 Tirumala Tirupati
Devasthanams' Information Centre, and their Dharma Prachara Parishad, Chennai, organised three special ‘Srivari
Brahmotsavam’ concerts at the ‘Sravanamandiram Hall, T Nagar, (Sept 20, 23 and 24). The three women musicians were Sharanya Krishnan, Sankari Krishnan and Nisha Poornima
Rajagopal, respectively.
Krishnan, an A-grade AIR artiste, is an accomplished singer, whose forte is her focused commitment and dedicated devotion to the art of music. This disciple of maestro
Lalgudi, sang several kritis not too-often heard in city venues these days.
Annamacharya’s ‘Gummani Etistuthi’ in Poorvikalyani (Adi),
Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Srinivasa’ (in Karaharapriya-Roopakam: as also in Hamsaanandi-Adi),
Tyagaraja’s Vidajaladura (Janaranjani-Adi) and ‘Syamasundaranga’ (Dhanyasi-Roopakam) were evocative examples.
Her alapanas were pleasingly expansive, studded with well-calculated idioms and decorative phrases, and the swara essays were rich and dignified. Sankari, associated meaningfully with ‘Brhaddhvani’ (Research and Training Centre for World Musics), took special care to keep herself carefully within the confines of tradition, permitting herself, however, with cultured choice, scope for manodharma music. That was the main reason for her impressive and wholesome recital that evening.
She is well-versed in the theory and practice of music, as a teacher and performer, backed by intensive interactions with seasoned veterans in India and abroad. Keeping in mind the special ambience of the venue, she chose her compositions with pronounced preference for the Lord of the Seven Hills. Her Divya Prabandham-laced Ragamalika Viruttams (Mohanam, Hindolam, Sahana and
Hamsanandi), Rajaji’s popular ‘Kurai Ondrum Illai Govinda’ (Ragamalika-Sivaranjani, Kaapi, Sindhubhairavi), Annamacharya’s ‘Ksheeraabdhi Kanyaku’ (Kurinji-Kandachaapu), her tributes to her illustrious guru through colourful Shanmukhapriya (varnam) invocation and the charming finale Tillana in Kaanada, among others, were stirringly rendered and lent more lustre to the classy concert.
Padma Shankar’s highly commendable string support, A S Ranganathan’s enthusiastic percussive vibrations and Trichy Murali’s exuberant ghatam were additional welcome embellishments.
In short, Sankari’s concert was serene and well-composed, sans gimmicks and gracefully elegant. One cannot make the same observations of many compatriots.
R Srinivasan,
18A, 4th Main Road,
R A Puram, Chennai-28
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