Sriranjani’s soulful concert at music festival enthrals audience in Madurai

Sriranjani Santhanagopalan renders a vocal concert at Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Samajam in Madurai on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: R. ASHOK

Sriranjini Santhanagopalan (the daughter disciple of Neyveli Santhanagopalan), rendered a soulful concert on the third day of the 73rd Music and Arts Festival – 2025 at Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Samajam, along with VSP Gayatri Shivani on the Violin, Delhi Sri Sairam on the Mridangam and Alathur T Rajaganesh on the Ganjira.

She began the concert with Pachimiriyam Adiappaiah’s varnam “vIriboni ninne kori cala” in ragam Bhairavi worshiping the Lord at Mannargudi, for whose love we all yearn.

She invoked the blessings of Lord Vinayaga through ”Palum Theli Thenum” (Avvaiyar’s sloka) and rendered “varana mukhava” by Koteeswara Iyer in Hamsadhwani. After a brief alapana on the Violin, she rendered a verse from Amalanathipiran and sang “Vangakadal kadaintha” ( Andal Thirupavai) to indicate the sacred margazhi month.

The concert got its tempo from “Sarasa Saama Daana” by Thyagaraja in Kapi Narayani, in which Tyagaraja explains as to how Rama tried to advice Ravana through Anjaneya to free Sita. The Niraval “Hitavu Maatalentho” brought out the entire bhavam of Tyagaraja.

Sriranjani’s rendition of “venkataramana” in latangi by Papanasam Sivan, witnessed elaborate and excellent swaraprastharas and the niraval “Alarmel Mangai” had very good brigas, which was applauded by the Rasikas.

The violinist, sitting alongside the vocalist, blended the strings seamlessly and brought perfect coordination. Sriranjini went on to sing Azhagar Kuravanji, by Kavi Kunjara Bharathi (written in 19th century) in kambhoji on Lord of Alagar Koil. 

Delhi Sri Sairam on the Mridangam and Alathur T. Rajaganesh on the Ganjira both excelled during the Tani Avardhanam.

The vocalist’s final pieces include the immortal “Katrinile Varum Geetham”, Bhaktajana vatsala (abhang), Chinnanjiru kiliye, Abirami Anthathi and a Meera Bhajan through Thillana.

Padmanabhan S.

Published – January 06, 2025 07:19 pm IST

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