Vishakha Hari - Tyagaraja Ramayanam
One has not come across such a huge gathering for a religious discourse in Chennai in recent times. This was the thought that crossed one's mind visiting the Asthika Samajam at Venus Colony to hear the Harikatha Kalakshepam of young Vishakha Hari.
On the final day, the audience braved the rain and listened to her, umbrellas and inverted chairs providing shelter.
A smart looking young woman demurely draped in a nine yards silk sari, single plait adorned with jasmine, Vishakha narrates Tyagaraja Ramayana sitting in front of a small desk. Armed with reference papers, she occasionally uses the chiplakattai in her hand.
Striking aspect
Vishakha is blessed with a ringing voice and fluency of communication. Her rigorous training in Carnatic music is a striking aspect. Probably that is her strength as well as vulnerability. She draws energy through music. The audience promptly erupts into applause whenever she completes the rendition of a kriti. This trait, however, erodes into the narration, as she bursts into a viruttam, slokam or a kriti at the drop of a hat. Well, Harikatha here is the medium with its foundation on music.
Vishakha's story telling is simple and lucid. Her interpretations are logical rather than philosophical. She kept the story moving on a fairly even tempo at the same time not leaving even minute details.
"Tyagaraja Ramayanam" assumes various shades with the talents of the performer. Vishakha did not leave any of the incidents highlighted by the saint poet, unexplored. She regaled the audience with the rhythmic charanam `Surasararipu Garapja' of "Jagadanandaka," the Nattai song of Pancharatna, to refer to the fleeting character of the fiend Surasa, who intercepted Hanuman on his trip to Sri Lanka.
That was how one got to hear `Pahirama Dhootha' in the rare Vasantha Varali and "Puddi Radu" in Sankarabharanam or "Janakaja Sameda" in Asaveri. Tyagaraja apart, Annamacharya, Patnam Subramania Iyer, Valmiki, Arunachala Kavi and Dikshitar also found room in Visakha's repertoire.
"Sri Varalakshmi" in Sriragam of Dikshitar was rendered in all earnestness just after referring to Sita as Lakshmi. But why? ``Varalakshmi Vratam is just a week away" mused Visakha amidst laughter. Bhairavi or Ahir Bhairav shone with equal appeal in her rendering.
Vishakha relaxed with a fairly elaborate sloka in Kharaharapriya followed by "Chakkani Raja." Is this raga Vishakha's favourite? The raga and the kriti figured on both days this writer attended in addition to "Samanamevaru" once again in the same raga. She even indulged in a luxuriant neraval at `Vaga Vaga Ga Bujiyinche' in "Anuragamule" in Saraswati and "Kotinalu Danushkoti" in Todi the other day. Vijayaraghavan's response on the violin was rounded off with Ganapathiraman's tani avartanam on the mridangam. Only the kalpanaswaram was missing to make it a kutcheri.
Appealing articulation
When Vishakha was not singing, she articulated colloquially. She piled adjectives of impact without deviating from the subject. Her narrative carried light punches, breezy humour and mild dramatics sans digressions.
The audience broke into a thunderous applause hearing her multiple interpretations for Sita's act of throwing a piece of grass between her and Ravana in Ashokavanam and Vibeeshana's surrender to Rama. Such instances were plenty, from the extraordinary to the mundane.
Music is Vishakha's mainstay. The audience seemed to enjoy her approach as this perfectly suits the Indian psyche where music plays an integral part of devotion.
A full-fledged music concert might not be relished by the layman, whereas Vishakha Hari's style of Harikatha bridges the gap perfectly. She is definitely an endearing raconteur.
No prizes for guessing - Smt VISHAKA HARI is my most favourite.
Rajappa
12:25 noon 31 aug
One has not come across such a huge gathering for a religious discourse in Chennai in recent times. This was the thought that crossed one's mind visiting the Asthika Samajam at Venus Colony to hear the Harikatha Kalakshepam of young Vishakha Hari.
On the final day, the audience braved the rain and listened to her, umbrellas and inverted chairs providing shelter.
A smart looking young woman demurely draped in a nine yards silk sari, single plait adorned with jasmine, Vishakha narrates Tyagaraja Ramayana sitting in front of a small desk. Armed with reference papers, she occasionally uses the chiplakattai in her hand.
Striking aspect
Vishakha is blessed with a ringing voice and fluency of communication. Her rigorous training in Carnatic music is a striking aspect. Probably that is her strength as well as vulnerability. She draws energy through music. The audience promptly erupts into applause whenever she completes the rendition of a kriti. This trait, however, erodes into the narration, as she bursts into a viruttam, slokam or a kriti at the drop of a hat. Well, Harikatha here is the medium with its foundation on music.
Vishakha's story telling is simple and lucid. Her interpretations are logical rather than philosophical. She kept the story moving on a fairly even tempo at the same time not leaving even minute details.
"Tyagaraja Ramayanam" assumes various shades with the talents of the performer. Vishakha did not leave any of the incidents highlighted by the saint poet, unexplored. She regaled the audience with the rhythmic charanam `Surasararipu Garapja' of "Jagadanandaka," the Nattai song of Pancharatna, to refer to the fleeting character of the fiend Surasa, who intercepted Hanuman on his trip to Sri Lanka.
That was how one got to hear `Pahirama Dhootha' in the rare Vasantha Varali and "Puddi Radu" in Sankarabharanam or "Janakaja Sameda" in Asaveri. Tyagaraja apart, Annamacharya, Patnam Subramania Iyer, Valmiki, Arunachala Kavi and Dikshitar also found room in Visakha's repertoire.
"Sri Varalakshmi" in Sriragam of Dikshitar was rendered in all earnestness just after referring to Sita as Lakshmi. But why? ``Varalakshmi Vratam is just a week away" mused Visakha amidst laughter. Bhairavi or Ahir Bhairav shone with equal appeal in her rendering.
Vishakha relaxed with a fairly elaborate sloka in Kharaharapriya followed by "Chakkani Raja." Is this raga Vishakha's favourite? The raga and the kriti figured on both days this writer attended in addition to "Samanamevaru" once again in the same raga. She even indulged in a luxuriant neraval at `Vaga Vaga Ga Bujiyinche' in "Anuragamule" in Saraswati and "Kotinalu Danushkoti" in Todi the other day. Vijayaraghavan's response on the violin was rounded off with Ganapathiraman's tani avartanam on the mridangam. Only the kalpanaswaram was missing to make it a kutcheri.
Appealing articulation
When Vishakha was not singing, she articulated colloquially. She piled adjectives of impact without deviating from the subject. Her narrative carried light punches, breezy humour and mild dramatics sans digressions.
The audience broke into a thunderous applause hearing her multiple interpretations for Sita's act of throwing a piece of grass between her and Ravana in Ashokavanam and Vibeeshana's surrender to Rama. Such instances were plenty, from the extraordinary to the mundane.
Music is Vishakha's mainstay. The audience seemed to enjoy her approach as this perfectly suits the Indian psyche where music plays an integral part of devotion.
A full-fledged music concert might not be relished by the layman, whereas Vishakha Hari's style of Harikatha bridges the gap perfectly. She is definitely an endearing raconteur.
No prizes for guessing - Smt VISHAKA HARI is my most favourite.
Rajappa
12:25 noon 31 aug
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