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 The
sonorous, stately and uplifting strains of the heavenly hymn on
Lord Dakshinamoorthy, the Eternal Guru, soared above the
1,000-strong audience and harmoniously reverberated all round
the majestic interior of the Shaikh Rashid Auditorium in Dubai,
elevating the senses and the soul of all those present that
evening to a plane of undiluted tranquillity and deep
contemplation. The rendition of this highly enlightening
composition of Adi Sankara was marked by an immense depth of
feeling, purity of notes, impeccable style and a refreshing
vivaciousness and brilliance all of which proclaimed the
commendable calibre and competence of the artiste… an artiste
none other than the exquisite and youthful Sudha Ragunathan
whose concert was held on Thursday October 25, 2007, under the
patronage of the Consulate General of India, Dubai, Indian Fine
Arts, Dubai, together with Indian Community Welfare Committee of
Dubai as part of the ongoing 60th Indian Independence Day
celebrations in the UAE.
Ever smiling, charismatic and wonderfully
articulate, Sudha is an interesting study of a rare and unique
blend of traditional beauty, winning geniality, multi-faceted
talent and divine blessing, which was evident during the three
hours of celestial magic and thrilling enchantment.
The salutation to the guru was followed by an
intricate and rather elaborate Varnam, ‘Maathe Malayadhwaja’ in
raga Khamas dedicated to the Divine Mother, the ‘Dakshinamoorthy
Roopini’ which was delivered with proficiency and exactitude,
revealing glimpses of the enormous versatility of the artiste.
The familiar and much loved kriti on the
wonder God Ganesha, ‘Vatapi Ganapathim’ in Hamsadwani was
executed with consummate ease to a warm applause.
The crest jewel of the Pancharatna kritis of
Tyagaraja, ‘Entharo Mahanubhavulu’ in Sri raga with its timeless
appeal garnered the interest of all sections of the audience and
was rendered majestically in impressive style.
‘Visalakshi’ in raga ‘Kasi Ramakriya’ with
the accompanying swaram and thani avarthanam was magnificent and
truly spectacular. Sudha’s invincible mastery over the
components of her music – the moods and nuances of the ragas,
the combinations and complexities of swaras, the intricacies,
minutiae and thematical correctness of talas was indeed
phenomenal, revealing her superb legerdemain.
A supremely stirring and poignant composition
of Purandaradasa, ‘Narayana Ninna Namada’ in Sudda Dhanyasi with
deep undertones of humble entreaty was rendered in like spirit
in a vibrant fashion which elicited spontaneous appreciation.
Likewise, ‘Hari Smarane Maado’ in Yamuna Kalyani, the lyrics
potent with sublime meaning and exhibiting shades of
supplication indicating the pathway to Hari, was delivered with
great expertise and assurance.
The vintage favourite ‘Bantu Reethi Kolu’, a
quick crisp number, was catchy and captivating.
Nothing could be more endearing and
delightful than the childish pranks and exploits of Natkhat Lala
Krishna Kannaiyya and so it was not surprising that heady
feelings of ecstasy and elation pervaded the air as Sudha, in
her inimitable style, her countenance and body language giving
vent to the exuberance which seemed to course through her, burst
into a padam, ‘Vishamma Kara Kannan’ which brought a beatific
glow to the faces of her spectators (mirroring perhaps, the
presence of naughty, mischievous Kannan in each and every one of
us !!!!) and an irrepressible smile of genuine amusement to
their lips !
The Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi, one of the much
awaited highlights of any concert, was beyond doubt a veritable
feast not merely for those fortunate souls with a profound and
deep-rooted comprehension and understanding of the finer details
of this classic art, but for ordinary folks too and for those of
us blessed with a keen ear for music and the innate ability to
appreciate and enjoy music. With Sri Krishna Ganam, Venu Ganam,
Madura Ganam, in ‘Thodi’, Sudha, with amazing adroitness and gay
abandon, wafted her audience on the enticing and irresistible
waves of bhakti to the hallowed and heart-warming realms of
Shyama Sundara Muralidhara through glimpses of such alluring and
spell-binding compositions like, ‘Kuzhaloodhi Manamellam’
‘Asaindhadum Mayil Ondru’, ‘Pal Vadiyum Mugham’, ‘Alai Payudhe
Kanna’ and ‘Thaye Yasodha’ in Kambodi, Simmendra Madhyamam,
Nattai Kurinji, Kanada and Thodi. It was an enriching
experience… simply out of this world!
An exceedingly moving and appealing number,
‘Man Ke Ankhe Kholo’ on Sai Baba, an earnest and impassioned
plea to Baba, ardent and straight from the heart… brilliantly
endeavouring to raise the human spirit from the quagmire of
darkness and ignorance and imploring him to help mankind wake up
and emerge from the shadows of slumber into the lustre of his
love and compassion, through the strands of entreaty and
surrender, woven meticulously into the fabric of the song and
all the while extolling the glory of Baba, was presented with a
childlike simplicity and attachment. The electrifying silence in
the auditorium for the duration of the song spoke volumes of the
artiste’s superlative performance.
The perennially popular Ragamalika ‘Kurai
Ondrum Illai’ couched in simple language but laden with
immeasurable devoutness and presented with deep fervour and
explicit faith, reached out to each and every heart in the
audience, transporting them for a brief period to the abode of
‘Malai Murthy Kannan’ to a state of total harmony, serenity and
peacefulness. So powerful were the vibrations that for the
period of the song and even long after, one was left with the
wholesome feeling of being actually blessed and with nothing to
ask the Lord for !
With this, Sudha moved on to a higher level
with ‘Brahmam Okate’, a composition of Annamacharya, touching
upon the metaphysical… The Brahmam, Para Brahmam, moving on to
the physical presence – Bhoo Devi and Venkateshwarlu, all the
while reiterating in a tone of unquestionable finality the
Oneness and Supremacy of the Ultimate Power. Sung in a lively
and spirited mode and highly emotive – it drew a resounding
ovation.
In keeping with the spirit of the occasion,
Sudha concluded her recital with a sparkling rendition of that
priceless composition, ‘Vande Mataram’, a fitting finale to the
evening’s scintillating performance.
It was undeniably an evening of soulful,
lingering pleasantness, incalculably inspirational in content,
enthralling in its richness and beauty and quietly healing with
its divine impact. A musical moment in Time that will be
savoured and remembered for aeons…
Parvati Ganapathi,
Dubai.
ganpap@hotmail.com
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