 Rama Ravi and Nandita Ravi
Violin – Mysore Srikanth
Mridangam – Toronto Gowri Shankar
 Since the demise of T Viswanathan, Carnatic music has been facing the imminent extinction of the
Veenai Dhanam bani. One could easily be forgiven for thinking that soon this
inimitable style of music would be heard no longer on stage. Rama Ravi and her daughter Nandita Ravi have shown that such fears are unfounded. Their concert at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana on April 20, 2006, showed us that this classical school rendition with its deceptive simplicity of presentation was very much alive and would continue to be handed down from generation to generation.
Their concert combined all the key elements of extreme classicism and aesthetic appeal. It was a pleasure to lovers of pure and undiluted Carnatic music. Rama Ravi was ably supported by her daughter, Nandita Ravi, and accompanied by Mysore Srikanth on the violin and Toronto Gowri Shankar on the mridangam. Both the vocalists’ voices were in form and resounded through the 800-seat capacity University Hall at Cleveland State University.
'Buddhi Radhu' in Shankarabharanam was set at a leisurely tempo, allowing the listener to digest every grand phrase of
Shankarabharanam. Rama Ravi continued with swarams, slowly and deliberately constructed to bring out the essence of the ragam and its beauty. Mysore Srikanth’s response to Rama Ravi’s swarams was excellent and embellished every phrase Rama Ravi sang. Similarly, Nandita Ravi’s responses were well developed.
 Dikshitar’s Chetha Sri Balakrishnam was followed by a concise yet complete Karaharapriya ragam. Deliberate and precise, the alapana was a demonstration in itself that this ragam could be presented so completely with essential brevity. Winding kalpana swarams that added to the beauty of the song followed the rendition of Rama Neeyada.
In all of their extended kalpana swarams the emphasis was always on the raga lakshana and the bhavam of the preceding song. The percussionist, Toronto Gowri Shankar, showed restraint and much needed subtlety in his accompaniments; never once overpowering the grace and melody of each phrase.
The one drawback in the concert was that the extensive kalpanaswarams took up most of the time and there was only time for a couple of padams and a javali. Those in the audience who had come great distances and waited patiently to hear these will have wait till next year. Perhaps the Aradhana committee will invite Rama Ravi again. We can only hope for that.
Mathura Sridharan
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