Nanditha Kannan’s concert was proof of her training and lineage

Nanditha Kannan’s vocal recital stood out for the perfect choice of kritis and raga essays

In a technologically driven world, it is heartening to see several rising young artistes learning directly from gurus. Watching Nanditha Kannan’s vocal recital for Pushkaram Trust recently, I thought about the care and attention her guru, violin exponent R.K. Shriramkumar, would have bestowed upon her.  Nanditha’s exhaustive Kalyani essay, preceding one of Dikshitar’s masterpieces ‘Bhajare re chittha balambikam’, was indicative of her training and approach. Her creative instincts came to the fore in the Madhya Sthayi phrases. This composition in Misra Chapu, on the goddess at Vaithiswaran koil, was the highlight of the concert and is in the second Vibhakti. Many names of Devi that Dikshitar has used in this kriti are  from Lalitha Sahasranamam. The devotional bhava of the kriti was in full bloom in  the niraval and swaraprastara at ‘Devim sakthi bijodbhava’.

The Begada alapana by Nanditha, who belongs to Veena Sabesa Iyer’s lineage, had an old world charm about it. She succeeded in interweaving melodic patterns and bringing out its essence. She took up the fourth of Dikshitar’s Tyagaraja Vibhakthi kritis, ‘Tyagarajaya namaste’. She rendered swaras at the pallavi. 

Nanditha commenced the concert with Tiruvotriyur Thiyagaiyer’s Sahana varnam ‘Karunimpa’, followed by a fast-paced rendering of  ‘Vadera deivamu manasa’ (Panthuvarali) by Tyagaraja.  Niraval and swaras were at the third charanam, ‘Dhaatru vinutudaina’. 

Chintamani,  is a beautiful raga which can instantly create the ambience of kaarunya (compassion). Syama Sastri, one of the Trinity, chose this unique raga for his composition ‘Devi brova Samayamide’. And, Nanditha offered an emotive rendering of it. She then sang Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Kumaran thaal  paninthe thuthi’ in Yadukulakambhoji.

Nanditha’s tukkada line up was impressive, and so was her singing of these pieces. No wonder, she had won the first prize in Thukkadas (vocal) in The Hindu Margazhi Classical Music Competition in 2021. In this concert, she presented four pasurams commencing with ‘Maanikkam katti vayiram idai katti’ from Periya Thirumozhi in a Ragamalika, comprising Neelambari, Kamas, Hamir Kalyani and Suruti. Her treatment of the shabad ‘Thakur tum sharanahi aayo’ in the Misra Nadai was apt. M.S. Subbulakshmi used to sing this at her concerts. 

Nanditha concluded her recital with two songs by Subramania Bharati, ‘Nenjukku neethiyum’ and ‘Bharatha dessmenru peyar solluvar’.

Nanditha’s co-artistes of the evening succeeded in enriching the concert. On the violin was the young C.S. Chinmayi. She is the disciple and daughter of C.N. Srinivasamurthy, who in turn was a student of violin maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman. Chinmayi is an able accompanist. On the mridangam, another youngster A. Vamsidara, disciple of Poongulam Ramakrishnan, was an asset to the vocalist. His Thani in Misra Chapu, with Tisra nadai and a short chatusra-tisra combination, was well executed. Overall, the young trio offered a wholesome concert.