Musical Girijavalam - Girijashankar Sundaresan
Musical Girijavalam
A friend had posted about a concert she enjoyed and trusting her judgment, I decided to check out this vocalist Girijashankar Sundaresan.
There I was at Sivagami Petachi on the afternoon of 23rd December this season to hear him sing. He started the concert with a varnam composed by Fiddle Ponnuswamy in Ragam Khamboji set to Adi thalam ‘Taruni Ninnu Pasi Talaledura’.
When one is a student of a maestro like Chitravina Ravikiran, it’s a given that every aspect of music is perfected.
His next song was Saint Thyagaraja’s composition ‘Orajupu Chuchedi Nyayama O Raghutama’ in Ragam Kaanada Gowlai set to Adi thalam. Every one of Thyagaraja’s compositions has a different mood in the inner layers, though outwardly it may appear as if he is just obsessed about Lord Rama and he does nothing but to blindly praise him.
What should be noticed is the ‘relationship’ between him & Rama. Rama is not just a God but has several roles to play in Thyagaraja’s mind. Rama was his friend, teacher and many such relationships and like our relationships they have between them happiness, sorrow, bliss, desire, pining, missing, fondness, indulgence, grievances and many others. Of course, it’s all vocalised by only one of them, and the other one in the relationship is Rama who does not directly express himself but doesn’t the very thought of Rama bring forth so much from Thyagaraja. And thoughts are coming from within and what flows from there is an act of Rama, so he has a part to play for Thyagaraja to do or say whatever it is.
In this song, he asks Rama as to why the Lord is giving him sneering glances. Why is the Lord behaving in a manner which is not befitting him. He questions Rama’s inconsistency towards his devotees.
This song needs to be sung after understanding the lyrics and I think both Ravikiran and Girijashankar have taken care of this.
Next song was Patnam Subramani Iyer’s composition ‘Marivere Dikkevaru Ramayya’ in Ragam Lathangi. This song will give one a feeling of it resonating with Thyagaraja’s sentiment about Rama, like asking Rama to save him and stating that only Rama was his refuge. It’s on record that Patnam Subramani Iyer was born much after Thyagaraja. Probably he was inspired by Thyagaraja, after all they are all from the same geographical belt!
Girijashankar went on to sing Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s ‘Akshaya Linga’ in Ragam Shankarabharanam, which he sang effortlessly. That is when I thought this was a ‘Girijavalam’. His next song was Ambujam Krishna’s ‘Ododi Vanden Kanna’ in Dharmavati Ragam set to Adi thalam. The lyrics in this song is simple and endearing. Such as ‘Naan Unakkum Ennakumulla Uravinru Arindhu .. Ododi Vanden Kanna’. Now this is the genre of songs the you would be reminded of someone like Unnikrishnan who excelled in such songs. Listening to Girijashankar, I felt he could fill the void left by Unni. Very few singers can do this and Girijashankar can well be an alternative to Unni with his mellifluous voice. His voice has a quality which can be gentle & endearing that can melt a hardened person and rare in this power driven world, whether it is Music or Yoga. Everyone wants Power Yoga and not a holistic enhancement.
He ended the concert with a lovely thillana in Rageswari composed by the inimitable Lalgudi Jayaraman. As I am getting older, my interest and knowledge in music is no more shallow and it is for my soul not for my ears. It is now that I am able to appreciate the beauty of such compositions which makes Lalgudi Jayaraman the legend he was!
Girijashankar’s earnestness was very evident and it would be so encouraging for aspiring musicians if they had a sizeable audience. It’s like this, when I put some effort into cooking at home and have laid out the table but there is none who come to eat, I certainly feel disappointed. It could be demotivating too but I don’t succumb to it and keep on cooking whether people eat or not ... I must be sounding insane, a problem among my generation of women, I think!
Girijashankar has a lot to offer and eager to deliver and is hoping people will receive it!
There I was at Sivagami Petachi on the afternoon of 23rd December this season to hear him sing. He started the concert with a varnam composed by Fiddle Ponnuswamy in Ragam Khamboji set to Adi thalam ‘Taruni Ninnu Pasi Talaledura’.
When one is a student of a maestro like Chitravina Ravikiran, it’s a given that every aspect of music is perfected.
His next song was Saint Thyagaraja’s composition ‘Orajupu Chuchedi Nyayama O Raghutama’ in Ragam Kaanada Gowlai set to Adi thalam. Every one of Thyagaraja’s compositions has a different mood in the inner layers, though outwardly it may appear as if he is just obsessed about Lord Rama and he does nothing but to blindly praise him.
What should be noticed is the ‘relationship’ between him & Rama. Rama is not just a God but has several roles to play in Thyagaraja’s mind. Rama was his friend, teacher and many such relationships and like our relationships they have between them happiness, sorrow, bliss, desire, pining, missing, fondness, indulgence, grievances and many others. Of course, it’s all vocalised by only one of them, and the other one in the relationship is Rama who does not directly express himself but doesn’t the very thought of Rama bring forth so much from Thyagaraja. And thoughts are coming from within and what flows from there is an act of Rama, so he has a part to play for Thyagaraja to do or say whatever it is.
In this song, he asks Rama as to why the Lord is giving him sneering glances. Why is the Lord behaving in a manner which is not befitting him. He questions Rama’s inconsistency towards his devotees.
This song needs to be sung after understanding the lyrics and I think both Ravikiran and Girijashankar have taken care of this.
Next song was Patnam Subramani Iyer’s composition ‘Marivere Dikkevaru Ramayya’ in Ragam Lathangi. This song will give one a feeling of it resonating with Thyagaraja’s sentiment about Rama, like asking Rama to save him and stating that only Rama was his refuge. It’s on record that Patnam Subramani Iyer was born much after Thyagaraja. Probably he was inspired by Thyagaraja, after all they are all from the same geographical belt!
Girijashankar went on to sing Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s ‘Akshaya Linga’ in Ragam Shankarabharanam, which he sang effortlessly. That is when I thought this was a ‘Girijavalam’. His next song was Ambujam Krishna’s ‘Ododi Vanden Kanna’ in Dharmavati Ragam set to Adi thalam. The lyrics in this song is simple and endearing. Such as ‘Naan Unakkum Ennakumulla Uravinru Arindhu .. Ododi Vanden Kanna’. Now this is the genre of songs the you would be reminded of someone like Unnikrishnan who excelled in such songs. Listening to Girijashankar, I felt he could fill the void left by Unni. Very few singers can do this and Girijashankar can well be an alternative to Unni with his mellifluous voice. His voice has a quality which can be gentle & endearing that can melt a hardened person and rare in this power driven world, whether it is Music or Yoga. Everyone wants Power Yoga and not a holistic enhancement.
He ended the concert with a lovely thillana in Rageswari composed by the inimitable Lalgudi Jayaraman. As I am getting older, my interest and knowledge in music is no more shallow and it is for my soul not for my ears. It is now that I am able to appreciate the beauty of such compositions which makes Lalgudi Jayaraman the legend he was!
Girijashankar’s earnestness was very evident and it would be so encouraging for aspiring musicians if they had a sizeable audience. It’s like this, when I put some effort into cooking at home and have laid out the table but there is none who come to eat, I certainly feel disappointed. It could be demotivating too but I don’t succumb to it and keep on cooking whether people eat or not ... I must be sounding insane, a problem among my generation of women, I think!
Girijashankar has a lot to offer and eager to deliver and is hoping people will receive it!
About the Author:
Sandhya Shankar belongs to a well respected business family in Chennai. She is a Life Skills & Corporate Trainer by profession. She is an avid reader and a natural writer, who has written several poems and articles. She even presented her poems as a reading at the British council. She has keen interest in all art forms and has explored many different forms of painting like stained glass and Tanjore being among them.
Music being her first passion, she had her formal training under Terakotti Chandrasekharaiah at Bangalore and later briefly under Mrs Champa Kumar. She is a regular visitor of concerts, theatre and other live performances. Her witty reviews have gained a loyal and interactive readership for their sound technical commentary and relevance for every kind of melophile, from the casual-goer to the ragam expert, frequenting Chennai’s rich music scene.
(*The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of Music of Madras.)
Sandhya Shankar belongs to a well respected business family in Chennai. She is a Life Skills & Corporate Trainer by profession. She is an avid reader and a natural writer, who has written several poems and articles. She even presented her poems as a reading at the British council. She has keen interest in all art forms and has explored many different forms of painting like stained glass and Tanjore being among them.
Music being her first passion, she had her formal training under Terakotti Chandrasekharaiah at Bangalore and later briefly under Mrs Champa Kumar. She is a regular visitor of concerts, theatre and other live performances. Her witty reviews have gained a loyal and interactive readership for their sound technical commentary and relevance for every kind of melophile, from the casual-goer to the ragam expert, frequenting Chennai’s rich music scene.
(*The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of Music of Madras.)
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