Nagamani Srinath at Rasikapriya,EKM

The late Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar during one of his visits to Tripunithura had remarked that Carnatic vocal music was rejuvenated by the genius of Madurai Pushpavanam. Around the same time Bidaram Krishnappa (guru of Chowdiah) gave an impetus to Carnatic music in the earstwhile state of Mysore. According to Chembai, Pushpavanam had a worthy successor in GNB, a post- graduate bhagavathar, with his vocal and physical attributes, though he arrived at the scene much later. But fate denied Krishnappa such a privilege. Yet, his relentless efforts blazing a new trail bore fruit with the appearance of young musicians from time to time. Mysore Nagamani Srinath who presented a vocal at Rasikapriya in Kochi , belongs to this category. A multidimensional personality, she has authored several books on music, apart from composing krithis in rare ragas as well as thillanas. The Head of the Department of Music in Mysore University, she is the desciple of Ramnad Krishnan, and her style has the imprint of M LV also, whom she considers as her Manasaguru. Nagamani began the concert with Bhrovabharama (Bahudhari) in which a fretful Tyagaraja asks the Lord how he could lift Govardhana easily while forgetting to save a devotee from the quagmire of worldly miseries. When she brought a flurry of swaras the composition was made more palatable. The mood in which the Saint of Tiruvarur had created Marugelara was reflected in her singing style. During the elaboration of Bilahari the refinement in voice that Nagamani has acquired by associating with vocalists like Syamala Bhave (Gwalior gharana) came to the fore. Paridaanamitchithe in Khandachappu by Pattanam Subrahmania Iyer was meticulously sung with a brief niraval and swara. Shanmughapriya assumed a vast dimension when Nagamani unearthed many of its hidden beauties through a pleasurable melodic excursion. Parvathi Nayakane with its effusive swara singing warmed up the concert. Govindaa by Purandaradasa in a rare raga known as Janasammodini from the Harikambhoji family was graceful. The Tamil ‘Bhaasuram’ (a flexible type of Tamil litereary work by Periya Alwar), tuned in Anandabhairavi, Kalyanvasantham, Sahana, and a thillana in Revathi composed by herself were the concluding pieces. Eswara Varma on the violin gave a satisfactory accompaniment. Krishnan with the mridangam and Vyasa Vittal on the ganjira ( both from Karnataka) were also good.

June8-2001 By Courtesy The Hindu.