I was fortunate to listen my guru's 3 hour recital yesterday. Her concerts are like classes, you always learn, everyone has something to learn, no matter what your musical stature is. Yesterday's hero was 'raga thodi at the hands of Neela mami' !! I have not heard such a thodi alapanam ever.
For the musically elite,this is what she did. Most of the sancharas were bereft of 'Panchama', now that adds to a elevating mood when listening. To qualify her concert is not something I want to do, nor I can do, but those 3 hours felt like being in a world where the only language is 'Carnatic music'.
To add to the spice, we had Charaulatha Ramanujam on violin and she is a young master...brilliant brilliant,brilliant.... (she was not so happy with her thodi accompaniment as was evident from her smiling 'not good enough' expression while looking at maami ) Belonging to a music fraternity,listening to concerts with ur 'guru bhais and behans',knowing the performers personally is invaluable.
Apart from thodi,there was a rare ragam called 'Sucharitra' she sang with such elaboration, I wonder how maami can think of such things to sing :) Where does she get them ? Why doesnt my brain work like hers ?? Oh am frustrated at this moment !!!!
The RTP was a mastermind, Khanda nadai,Khanda jaati Jhampa talam in simhendramadhayamam. The ragamalika had valaji,dwijavanthi and mami's fave sindhubhairavi. There was a bold bratty bat romaing over the hall causing rasikas to wince,grimace and get goospimply ( I was the star of that show :) ) but to think that none of that mattered to those on stage and that their superb concentration was intact is amazing.
This wont be complete without mention of mridangam Arjun Kumar. To play for the song is everyone's wish and he excelled there. Mridangists are so misleading, you see them smiling, laughing, shaking their heads or simply sitting and watching the singer, but when they get to task, it is impossible to fathom what goes on inside to produce that kind of music in rhythm. Arjun Kumar is simply this and more. He is his guru's shishya no doubt. 'Mridangam is the king of rhythm and the queen of melody' is a popular saying and he gave us a royal outing :)
The best part of all this is the job of driving around my guru 'Neela Maami'. She enjoys sitting in my car, she loves my driving and she loves the KVNs I play while I drive. At the end of it all, she always says 'May God bless you child with many more things' and thats it... I feel my life is worth it all !!!
At the feet of my Guru,
Rekha..
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