While the Capital’s senior artist G Raghuraman gave a melodic flute recital, Chennai-based vocalist G Ravikiran presented an impressive performance on his maiden concert in the Capital during the Chithirai music festival, organised by Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Sabha jointly with India International Centre at C D Deshmukh Auditorium recently.

G Raghuraman began his recital with Lalgudi G Jayaraman’s Varnam “Chalamuseya” in Valaji presented with required brilliance and speed followed by a piece on Lord Ganesha in the traditional raga Hamsadwani.

Next was “Entha mudhu” in ragam Bindumalini, a composition of Thyagaraja in Aadi talam, which reminded one of the great N Ramani. Raghu proved himself to be a worthy disciple of Ramani by playing the number with the same sweetness and poise.

Raghu chose Kalyani as the main raga and elaborated the same by touching all the octaves with ease and played Thyagaraja’s “Nidhi chala sukhama”. He did the niraval for the phrase “Mamata bandana” from the charanam portion of the krithi, displaying his manodharma skills.

The swaraprastara and korvai were perfectly played and it sounded mellifluous to the ears. He took another Thyagaraja composition in Karaharapriya and played the famous “Chakka ni raja” set to Aadi talam.

“Visweswar darshan” of Swati Tirunal in Sindhu Bairavi was rendered with so much precision that one could immerse oneself in the melodious number.

Raghu played the famous Lalgudi tillana in Tilang, which was a fast-paced number with beautiful rhythm. The concert concluded with “Vaishnava janato” a bhajan, which was very dear to the Father of the Nation.

Delhi R Sridhar on the Violin lent a good support. The Mridangam support by M V Chander Shekar was, as usual, commendable throughout the concert, especially the Thani avarthanam, and soothing to the ears.

Young and energetic vocalist G Ravikiran left the listeners spell-bound with his maiden concert in the Capital on the second day of the festival. He started the concert with the sublime number of Thyagaraja “Tera teeyagarada” in Gowlipanthu, a Janya of 15th mela Mayamalavagowla, which demonstrated his Kalpitha and Kalpana music and indicated that an enjoyable evening was in store for rasikas. His next rendition, a Thyagaraja composition “Vinata suta vaahana” in ragam Jayantasena, was sung with perfection.

Ravikiran delineated raga Kamas with a scintillating alapana, bringing out the beauty of the raga throughout and rendered the popular krithi of Thyagaraja, “Sujana Jeevana” with perfect diction and bhava.

His quick tempo krithi “Vaachama Gocharame Manasa” in Kaikavasi, which is rarely heard in concerts (Janya of 60th Melakartha Neetimathi), kept the rasikas guessing.

“Bhogindra sayinam” in Kuntalavarali of Swati Thirunaal, was sung with riveting swaras, ably supported by Padmanaban on Mridangam. He followed it up with another rare krithi “Mangala devate Para Devate” of Muthuswami Dikshitar in Marga Desi, which showed glimpses of his guru T M Krishna.

Ravikiran chose a composition of Kumara Ettendra Maharaja, “Gajavadana” in Thodi as a central item, which was rendered with a soulful alapana, bringing out the emotive contents of the raga.

He showed his improvisation skills in the niraval for the phrase from Charanam portion, “Karthikeya Guhavara” and followed with kalpanaswaras, which were noteworthy. He concluded the concert with “Irakkam varamal ponadenna” in Behag.

Delhi R Sridhar on the violin and Kumbakonam N Padmanaban on the Mridangam provided excellent support to the concert. While Sridhar’s takes on Kamas and Thodi were notable, Padmanaban’s Tani avarthanam in Adi talam was enjoyable.

G Raghuraman hails from a family of distinguished musicians. His grandmother, Kirannor S Jayalakshmi, a renowned Carnatic flautist of yesteryears, and his father K J Govindarajan was a well-known Bharatanatyam guru. Raghuraman had his initial training from Swamainathan Iyer, T S Sankaran, R Thyagarajan and later from legendry flautist N Ramani.

Hailing from Chennai, G Ravikiran had his tutelage from Padma Bhushan and Sangita Kalanidhi R K Srikantan. He is currently learning the nuances of
music from leading vidwan T M Krishna.