Saketharaman

 

Today everything is marketed or projected in a powerful way, for example Power Yoga…yoga is supposed to give a person, balance of mind and flexibility but with power yoga, hot yoga ( Bikram’s Hot Yoga) weight loss became the priority. So, how can another person better this marketing jargon…they can brand it as Ultra Power Yoga? HotterYoga ? What has to give you peace causes excitement. Fast is another buzz word, faster the better, fast food, fast deliveries, intermittent fast and all that is meant to be Satvik has become Rajasik. Carnatic Music is also not spared, in this Race for Pace.

Almost every concert I had gone to, the recital was soooooo fast and so much of neravals, ghamkas, brigas and what not ! Infact, more popular the artiste, more the pace, making me gasp for breath watching them sing. I admire them, enjoy their singing, but wonder if they enjoy what they are singing or just playing to the gallery !

Gone are the days of GNB, Ariyakudi, Semmangudi, DKP when they sang fast only in parts but they didn’t have this pressure to prove their supremacy nor did they have any insecurity about their place in Carnatic Music. Oh yes ! We do have some rare artistes (who also sing rarely) like Bombay Jayashri & T.M. Krishna, who sing so slow !

Sakethram is one artiste who was different, whose concerts have been enjoyable especially the one in Narada Gana Sabha this year. But, I am sharing my experience about his concert at The Music Academy.

                                              

Sakethram’s first song was ‘Sundaratara Deham’ a Thyagaraja composition in Ragam Kamavardhini which is the same as Pantuvarali. Here, Thyagaraja describes Sri Rama’s beauty in such poetic manner that if one understands the language, they can imagine the beauty of Rama. Now, how should such a song be sung? I think it should be sung the way Mohammed Rafi sang ‘Chaudhvin Ka Chand’, lovingly descriptive, relishing every word, losing himself into the lyrics, and I was glad Saketh did exactly that….he valued the lyrics, brought the emotions which possibly the saint -poet wanted to convey. This is important, losing oneself into the lyrics and not trying to overpower the lyrics, in one’s urge to show their competence.

Sakethram went on to sing a popular verse from Abhirami Andhaadi, ‘Dhanam Tharum, Kalvi Tharum’ . Saint Abhirami Bhattar of 18th century, composed Abhirami Andadhi in praise of Goddess Abhirami of Tirukkadayur. It comprises 100 slokas in praise of Abhirami, such that the end word from the sloka is the beginning word of next sloka. Hence it is called Andaadi (Andam in Tamil means end and Adi means beginning). This is the 69th verse from this tongue twisting Tamil mega devotional poem.

Sakethram paid a tribute to Sangita Kalanidhi K.V. Narayanswamy since it was his centenary year by singing Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Sivakama Sundari’ in Ragam Mukhari. What a lovely rendering by Saketh, especially the phrase ‘kelayo en muraigal uyar sama gita vinodhini podhumun sodanai.’ Which means…. ‘Won’t you listen to my appeal, Oh lover of Sama gitam? Please stop your trial, which I am unable to withstand. I am a destitute ! ‘Surely, Goddess Sivakami’s heart would have melted after listening to Saketh.

When he started the aalapanai for the next song Dikshitar’s ‘Jambupathe Mahapahim’ in Ragam Yamuna Kalyani, I felt as if I was listening to a Hindustani concert and it was so good & therapeutic to my jangled nerves. I mean, music is supposed to heal, Right ? This was it …I sat back to enjoy a wonderful and yet a different rendering of this classic composition.

Sakethram’s next choice was Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Nambi Kettavar Yevar Ayya’ in Ragam Hindolam. Now, I actually liked the way he planned the line up of songs, because after a gentle Yamunakalyani to a livelier Hindolam and then came the majestic Ragam Atana, a composition by one of our legends in Carnatic Music, M.D.Ramanathan. This was Sakethram's tribute to M.D. Ramanathan, it being his birth centenary year too. The song ‘Hariyum Haranum Ondre’ was interesting and direct, with each alternate line describing Vishnu and Shiva in turns.

It was past 8pm, and what followed was Thyagaraja’s ‘Koluvamare Gada Kodandapani’ in Ragam Thodi’. In this the Saint -Poet expresses that that he is blessed to be serving Lord Rama.

Then came a tribute to another great musician, T.M.Thiagarajan for yet again, it was also his birth centenary year along with the other two. He had set to tune the famous Nachiyar Thirumozhi ‘Karpooram Naarumo’ in Ragam Kamaas. I am not exaggerating when I say that, though I know this song & have heard several good musicians sing it, Sakethram had us sway to his soulful rendering of this….he surely feels each word and handles it just right.

There came an excellent RTP on Dashavatharam, where Pallavi was the highlight. It was a ragamalika, and it is essential to know how the ragams were chosen to suit the avataram. To begin with the first 3 avatarams, Matsya,Kurma, Varaha were all in Shubhpantuvarali, then came Narasimha avataram in Bilahari (don’t you agree that is a wonderful choice?), Vamana avataram was in Reetigowla, then Rama, Balaraman, Parasurama were all in Patdeep and he ended with Krishna & Kalki in Sindhu Bhairavi.

After this elaborate RTP, came a popular Swati Tirunal Composition in Ragam Kapi ‘Nama Sudha Rasamayi’ which was indeed a Sudharasamayi … sweetness indeed
The next song, cannot be described but only be experienced. It was a lullaby by Papanasam Sivan in Ragam Kurinji ‘Kanne En Kanmaniye’. It was so beautiful that I want to learn it and sing it for my future grandchildren. If M.S. Subbalakshmi patented ‘Sri Ranga Puravihara', for me, Sakethram has patented this lullaby. I would have liked to leave the concert with that lovely feeling which this lullaby created. Though Sakethram ended the concert with a Kannada composition by Akka Mahadevi in Ragam Pahad. My only suggestion would be that the lullaby to be sung in the end and sung in every concert of his….just like Dasettan (K.J. Yesudas) always ends his concerts with the verse from Narayaneeyam!!

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.)