Herambh and Hemanth with Vinay Varanasi, Sayee Rakshith, BS Prashanth and Chandrasekara Sharma. | Photo Credit: Available: MadRasana
The Sankarabharanam package launched by the twin brothers, Heramb and Hemanth, in the second half of the concert contained elements of universal appeal befitting an unusual theme: birds in Carnatic music. The third in MadRasana’s five-part ‘Prakriti’ series shows how the winged creatures add to the aural aesthetic beyond their appearance in the lyrics.
Syama Sastri’s ‘Sarojadala netri’ is the centerpiece of the Bengaluru-based flautists, coming after a detailed alapana of purist delight and planting high in eclecticism. As art director Vinay Varanasi said, Meenakshi’s extolling kriti carries not one but two references to the divine parrot – shukapaani and shukashyamala.
But the overall presentation is not based on literature. The wind instrument produces only notes, and Heramb takes it from anupallavi (which calls shukapaani). In fact, the brothers only completed the composition in three minutes and ran into the swaraprastara. The violinist, Sayee Rakshit, followed the calm beauty of the flautists, who soon changed ragas. Hamsanandi (by Heramb), Hamsanadam (Hemanth) and Hamsadhwani (Sayee) lit the line-up. The tonal quality alone should attract attention, but the listener is reminded that ‘Hamsa’ means floating swan.
Interesting Grahabhedam
The twins then use an interesting grahabhedam, showing that the ‘sa’ and ‘pa’ in Sankarabharanam are prakriti sounds, which are believed to come from the peacock and the cuckoo. And when Heramb explained how certain changes in the tonic tone would lead to ragas such as Kharaharapriya, Thodi and Kalyani, his brother kept the rhythmic flow intact by tapping the two-kalai Adi on his lap. Soon, Sankarabharanam returned and my crispy kakanku covered the solfa sequence. The 12-minute Tani avartanam between BS Prashanth (mridangam) and Chandrasekhara Sharma (ghatam) is smooth with emphasis on resonance and rhythm rather than arithmetic complexity.
Earlier, the alapana of Sankarabharanam sounded generally conventional, but the explanation of the duo made the phrases sound all the more sonorous. Together, the brothers drew a body for 18 minutes, and the violinist’s answer was the same. Tanam saw the flautists bring in the western touch, which Sayee responded appropriately. Sankarabharanam, pertinently, is the main measure between the continent and the concept of Nature in this case should not be limited only to the Deccan.
Body in the name of the bird
The 135-minute Kutcheri on stage, decorated with potted plants and leafy artwork, begins with a raga named after a bird: Mayuradhwani. Tyagaraja’s ‘Ragasudharasa’ is well presented, with the notes at the end of the pallavi effectively symbolizing the peacock’s dance. The sound then wears a kaleidoscopic quality even though they create different patterns. But the contenders in the young team can clarify that Mayuradhwani is called Andolika in the present day.
Anandabhairavi, with oscillation, becomes the second raga when ‘Marivere gati’ is created. This proves the preamble highlighting the kriti’s association with the goddess in Kanchipuram and the famous buzz of the parakeets in their area. Misra Chapu’s uneven tuning adds to Syama Sastri’s kriti.
The gentle touch of Vishnu’s carrier feathers is the subject of the third piece. Tyagaraja ‘Gnanamosaga is slightly’ following the word ‘Garuda Gamana’ or Giant’s goals. The meditative spirit, as mentioned in Dhruva Charitam, came over in alapana unhurried, but kriti quite pacy. Swansong is Annamacharya ‘Narayana te’ in Behag. Carefully, he also tried to repeat the themes of the first two concerts in the Prakriti series: the mountain (nagadhara: Krishna who lifts the hill) and the flower (pankachanabha: the lord with the lotus from his navel).