MS’s gems comes to Sudha’s rescue during Nava vidha bakthi

Thematic concerts put two kinds of responsibility on the artist. One, trying to find right krithis to fit the theme and second, is to adhere to the concert paddhati (mix of suddha and prati madhyamam ragams, composers, raga alapanai, nereval, swaram, thani avarthanam). At times artist take the short cut to fit songs they have learnt over the years into the theme, and that is like trying to take the existing blouse to buy a matching new saree. Yes that is lazy logic! Get it? Rasikas have been trained over the years in this format put together by Sri Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar and when artist don’t follow, rasikas like me get disappointed. Then there is the third kind of responsibility that is thrusted upon on artist by organizers when the praise and take the artist on a levitation trip, just like how Subshree Thanikachalam (ST) elevated Sudha Raghunathan to the super star of Carnatic music because it was Dec 13 and it is Rajinikanth’s birthday. So did Sudha deliver to three counts responsibilities to hall packed audience?

Shlokam – Shravanam keerthanam vishnosmaranam padhasevanam archanam, vadanam, daasyam, sakhyam, atma nivedhanam – Prahlada charithiram – Bowli
1.Shravanam – Sudha Maadhurya – Thyagaraja- Sindhuramakriya
Ramakatha Sudha – Thyagaraja – Madhyamavathi
2.Keethanam – Vyathu Vaazhveergal – Andal paasuram – Gowlai
Ongi ulagalandha – Andal paasuram – Aarabhi
Kaadar kuzhai aada – Thiruvembpaavai -
3.Smaranam – Yen neramum – Devagandhari – Gopalakrishna Barathi
Smarane Onde – Malayamarutham – Purandaradasar – Ragam, Nereval, Swaram
4.Paadhasevanam – Sri Ramapadhama – Amruthavahini – Thyagaraja
Brahma Kadigina – Mukhari – Annamacharya
5.Archanam – Sompaina – Ahiri- Thyagaraja
6.Vandanam – Vandanamu – Sahana – Thyagaraja
Gandhamu Pettanura – Thyagaraja
7.Daasyam – Dasanamadi – Nadanamakriya – Purandaradasa
8.Sakhyam – Ponnar Meniyena – Sundarar -
Vadavarayai – Ragamalika – Illangovadigal – Silapadikaram
9.Atma nivedhanam - Hari Tuma Haro – Darbari Kananda - Meera bhajan

Here are two other interesting facts revealed by (ST) during her accusative appreciation session. Vanja pughazcchi?
1. Sudha gave me the topic 12 days back when I was getting ready to print the invites. Sudha was also nervous that she had not prepared.
2. Sudha has a 40 page note book in front of her and she has delivered.

My cribs:
1. Why this dime a dozen song list? Are you giving your rasikas “hear one get one free” for each of the bakthi’s? In your unprepared status are you presenting all the songs you know?
2. I have been hearing Sudha since she started singing and the only 2 songs she has learnt for this ocassion are Vadavarayai and Brahma kadigina.
3. It was sad to see you looking at the paper even for Azhwar paasurams? It is your guru who popularized them and you need a reading aid? Even housewife and rasikas know them byheart.
4. Failing to deliver on the concert paddhati – just one raga alapana!
5. You could have spoken less and sung more.

My appreciations:
1. Malayamarutham alapana reminded me of her guru impeccable rendition. Sudha delivered on malayamarutham on dot.
2. Immense stage presence to manage the show with every little hardwork.
3. Voice and brigas that flow effortlessly.
4. Embar Kannan, Patri Satish Kumar and Raman – what a team work!

A Mami special:
An irate mami who sat behind me was literally cursing Sudha for not learning any new songs and what came to Sudha’s rescue was those rendered and popularized (Brahma kadigina, Dasanamadi, Vadavarayai, Hari tuma haro). She said, “Paatu paadu na calendar podara”. Apparently, Sudha has posed for a 12 sheet calendar for 2011 to raise money for her Saamudhaya foundation.

Q&A session:
During the Q&A session, a rasika had asked Sudha to distinguish between Sampradaya sangeetham, Shastriya sangeetham and janaranjaka sangeetham.

Sampradaya sangeetham – this is something that I learnt from my guru and she in-turn learnt from her guru. She gave an example of Raka Sashivada – Takka- Thyagaraja kriti and how GNB has vivaciously delivered and how she has been a part of the chain carrying it forward from MLV.

Shastriya sangeetham – this is sticking to the science of music. Taking what is permitted within the raga swaroopam and building it based on your karpanai and manodharama. She demonstrated how GNB would sing a sangati and how her guru MLV would and how she takes both of them together.

Janaranjaka sangeetham – She takes the example of “Vishamakara kanna” and everybody in the audience claps. May be Sudha took a dig at Aruna Sayeeram? Vishamakara Sudha? :-) I leave it to your imagination and interpretation.

My advice:
1. Just learn those songs sung and popularized by MS and deliver without paper and perfection, the world will sit at your feet. Nobody has filled the void or capitalized on the songs she rendered. Rasikas are hungry and waiting for another MS.
2. MS reached the peak of bakthi (Atma nivedhanam) by just delivering music. The songs she delivered are enough to get you all that you want in this world and in the other world.

3.Losing a guru early on in life is like losing your husband or ever more than that. You lost MLV in your prime and have come up with shear hard work. But remember you have many more miles to go.

Finally, did Sudha deliver on 3 counts?I was in a double mind after hearing Sudha at Indira Sivasailam Endowment concert, but I decided to stick it out for her. And it was MS gems that came to her rescue. Well you make your decision!