Chittaiswarams, those lively, lyrical bursts of swaras tucked between lines of a kriti, rarely get their own spotlight. But today at 6 pm, in the Music Academy Mini Hall, vocalist Sriranjani Santanagopalan is set to change that. In a one-of-a-kind thematic concert titled ‘Grand Compositions with Chittaiswarams’, she invites the audience to experience the layered beauty, rhythmic play, and expressive charm of these musical interludes.
Organised by the Sruti Foundation, in memory of its founder N Pattabhi Raman, the concert is both an artistic homage and a joyful exploration. Known for her deep-rooted classicism and expressive vocal style, Sriranjani brings to this performance a selection of grand compositions that elevate the chittaiswaram beyond its usual role as embellishment.
“Chittaiswarams are like the hidden gems in Carnatic compositions — they’re quirky, catchy, and bring a distinct personality to the kriti,” she explains. “Even those unfamiliar with the piece often find themselves humming along with just the chittaiswaram. It’s that memorable and fun.”
The curation for the evening includes a diverse range of compositions. “There is a palindrome chittaiswaram composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar as an extension of a Dikshitar Navavarana,” she shares. “There are two kritis I’m presenting that have two different chittaiswarams. And there are compositions that have chittaiswarams with sahityams.”
Through these pieces, Sriranjani also plans to explore rhythmic variations and structural detailing. “In Janani Ninnuvina, I’m going to be doing a vinyasa, which means it’s like an exposition where I’m bringing it down to lower speed, middle speed, and then higher speed. These are the fun parts of having a chittaiswaram.”
Asked about what the audience can expect from the evening, her response is immediate: “A lot of variety, exuberance, happiness, just overall joy. Chittaiswarams really do bring that joy.”