P Ganesh, Chitraveena for Chennai Fine Arts 9.3.19

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Chennai Fine Arts
Programme at Sastri Hall, Mylapore, Chennai
09-03-2019 Saturday 06-8.30 p.m.

P Ganesh - Chitraveena
V V S Murai- Violin
B Sivaraman- Mridangam
N Guruprasad- Ghatam

Sruti- 5.5 (G*)

Raga- Kriti-Taala- Composer

1 Sahana – Varnam - Aadi
2 Sourashtram- Ranganathudey- Rupaka-Tanjore Ponniah Pillai
3 Kannadagoula- Orachupu – Aadi –Tyagaraja
4 Kannada- Inthakante – Rupka- Patnam Subramania Iyer
5 Vijayasree - Varanarda – Aadi- Tyagaraja
6 Suruti – Induvin Thuyar theerttha (pancharanga kriti) - Aadi – Paripoornan
7 Kalyani - Pankajalochana – Misrachapu- Swati Tirunal –(Main)
8 Paras - Javali – Cheli nenetlu-Aadi
9 Kalyanavasantam - Tillana – Khandachapu- N Ravikiran
Mangalam

Ganesh, brought up in the N Ravikiran clan, is a versatile artist more popular as one of the singing duo of carnatica brothers with Shashikiran. But I look forward to his Chitraveena recitals which are very few in Chennai. Absolute command over sahitya is another plus point of the school.


Though talented instrumentalists have a good scope abroad and are very successful teachers I often wonder why there is only a shallow patronage for core carnatic instrumental music especially in the homeland. It is observed that the tendency is marked in Chennai. Perhaps this qualifies for an exclusive debate!

*****
Billed appropriately as a ‘Visesha Vadyaanubhava’ by the organisers, the concert was notable for purity and authenticity apart from the artist’s success in upholding the scope of the unique instrument – the Gottuvadyam rechristened as Chitraveena.
A well tuned instrument with its sympathetic strings produces a magnificent Nadaprapancham at a high pitch of 5.5 kattai which could better be experienced by attending the recital in person. Violin accompaniment is in fact not required though it provides some rest for the main artist.


After a perfect tuning, Ganesh started with the time tested Varnam in Sahana and followed it up with Sourashtram in stark contrast for Ranganathudey- the not commonly heard kriti of Ponniah pillai with closely packed sahitya in the charanams.
A few meaningful rounds of swaraprastara at the Pallavi with eduppu after 3 matras off the samam was impressive. The next kriti Orachupu was adorned with exquisite swaraprastara at different sthaayi-s with a relaxed approach, the Mandrasthaayi being most impressive.

The sub-main was a grand Kannada with a detailed aalaapana for Inthakante (bringing memories of Ramnad Krishnan) with elaborate swaras characteristic of the scale at the Pallavi. In fact I had requested Ganesh for Kannada well in advance and and he happily obliged with the stellar composition - a real gift to me. Many in the audience too opined that Kannada and Inthakante made a very good selection for the evening.

Varanaarada was the pacemaker of the concert with the percussionists executing an unusually extended Teermaanam at the end.

Next was a kriti in Surati ‘Induvin thuyar theertha Indalooraney’ – a kshetra kriti on Parimala Rangar at Mayavaram (Thiru Indalur)- one of the Pancharanga kritis. It was announced by Ganesh that the author Paripoornan was none other than P N Muralidharan, the highly resourceful organizer of Chennai Fine Arts, himself an accomplished musician and a prolific composer. Ganesh has been actively associated in tuning the Sahitya.

The main piece of the concert – Pankajalochana - was rendered with a good delineation of Kalyani and Neraval/swaras at Brindavanathakritha – a tidy presentation at that.

The Javali in Paras and the Tillana in Kalyanavasatham gave a fitting finale to the two and a half hour concert. The violinist Murari followed the recital closely. Sivaraman and Guruprasad gave spirited percussion support. Is contact mike necessary for Ghatam especially while accompanying stringed instruments?

A concert which should have been attended by a full house!

[CRama]

Sivaramakrishnan, The longest review coming from you. Thanks.
By the way, What is Pancharanga kriti you have mentioned.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Pancharanga kshetra denotes the five temples in which kritis have been composed by the author.
**
Following is the gist of the information received from Sri P N Muralidharan on the Pancharanga Kshetram-s and raga of the respective kriti composed by him:

1. Aadi Rangam- Srirangapattinam
(Vasantha)

2. Appala Rangam - Koviladi near Srirangam (Aahiri)

3. Madhyarangam- Srirangam
(Begada)

4 Chathurtha Rangam - Thirukkudandhai or Kumbhakonam
(Mukhari)

5. Pancharangam - Mayavaram -Thiru Indalur
(Surati)

the murthi-s are in the form of 'Sayana perumal' in these kshetras situated on the banks of the entire stretch of Cauvery before the river joins the sea.

[CRama]

Thanks for the information. We should hear the vocal rendering of the five kritis for complete understanding of the sahithyam

[RaviSri]

appAla rangan in Kovilladi comes only after Srirangam. It is more than 20km from Srirangam and is on the way from Grand Anaicut (Kallanai) to Tiruvayyaru, about 5 km from Kallanai. The Perumal here is also known as appakuDathAn. This is the 5th divya dEsham.

[arasi]

Sivaramakrishnan,
A concert review replete with fascinating details. Thanks also for a detailed one, as CRama points out.
I have heard a couple of concerts of Ganesh on the chitravina over the years and I think he is excellent. Wish he would play more.
Paripooranan's compositions are something new to me. Hope we will get to know more about them. I would like also like to hear the lyrics.
For me, a violin is not that essential as an accompaniment in this case when there were two percussionists. Akkarai playing for Ravikiran is a different thing. It sits very well with me. They are the same school, and after all, it is a very talented violinist playing for her own guru...

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Here's the Transliteration in English of the Surati Kriti presented in the concert
Courtesy : P N Muralidharan
*****************************************
Pancharangam - Thiru Indhaḷūr
Suruti Ragam, Adi Talam

Pallavi

Indhuvin thuyar theertha indhaḷoorānē - un
Iṇaiyaḍi muḍiyil gangai kāvēriyaik kaṇḍēn

Anupallavi

Bandhaminḍri valvinai theera thiruvalliyuṛai nādhan

Paadham aḍaindhēn vēdha chakra vimānamurai śayananē ranganē veera śayananē

Charanam - 1

Vāzhndhē pōm neerē ena vasai vāzhthiḍa ninḍravoorānaip pōla
Nirka nēriḍumō ena indhaloorān kaliyanukku iṛangiya pancharangamām

Charanam - 2

Koṇḍa karangaḷ nāngilum paṇṇeḍungālam kumaikkum aivarai
Kaṇṇimaikkum kālathil veezhthiḍum puṇṇiya pooraṇanē parimaḷaranganē

[arasi]

Thank you for bringing the sAhitya of one of the compositions of Paripooranan.Very good lyrics.
I tried singing it. In pallavi, gangai 'kAviri' flows better than 'kAvEri', as I see it.

[Govindaswamy]

Before Sivasamudram waterfalls River kAvEri splits into two and forms an island, in which Madhyaranga Sri Rangabatha Swamy temple is located

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Govindaswamy,
I have requested the composer to give information on your query.

[Sundara Rajan]

I know that MayUrapuri became MAyavaram, which was Tamilized to MayilAduthurai. The name IndhalUr for the place is news to me. Any information about the etymology of the name ?

[rajeshnat]

I know that MayUrapuri became MAyavaram, which was Tamilized to MayilAduthurai. The name IndhalUr for the place is news to me. Any information about the etymology of the name ?

sundararajan sir
Thiruindalur has the famous parimala ranganathar temple part of 108 divyadesam temple. This place is actually part of mayavaram north of kaveri river.