HYDERABAD: ‘What makes a raga come alive?’ Sudha Raghunathan seemed to ask with every note she sang, her mastery in ragas and authentic krithis captivating the audience.
The Rudrapatnam Brothers, with their traditional musical style, questioned the very essence of rhythm and melody — how can something so ancient continue to feel so fresh? A Kanya Kumari’s violin, with its delicate and powerful notes, made the audience wonder, ‘Can music truly speak to the soul?’ Indeed, the performances that followed answered this question with a clear ‘yes’, as each artist offered evenings of exceptional music, leaving the audience spellbound at the 66th Annual Art Festival hosted by the South Indian Cultural Association.
The week-long festival opened with a fantastic concert by Prince Rama Varma. He commenced with Amma Ananda Dayini, a beautiful varnam by Dr Balamuralikrishna in Gambhiranata raga, then took everyone on an emotional journey with Devadeva Kalayami in Mayamalavagowla raga and Sankara nin karunai in Behag raga.
His main composition, Varuga Varuga, rendered in the Panthuvarali krithi, was a true highlight, and packed with intricate ragalapana and swara kalpana. He was backed by SR Vinu on the violin and B Hari Kumar on mridangam. The crowd was clearly captivated!
On the second day, Padma Bhushan awardee Sudha Raghunathan took the stage and began with a lively Ninnukori varnam in Vasantha raga and followed up with Paahi Paahi Bala Ganapathe in Hamsadhwani raga.
She dived into some classics, like Muthuswami Dikshitar’s Mahishasura Mardhini in Gowla raga and Papanasam Sivan’s Kaa Vaa Vaa in Varali raga. But it was her rendition of Tyagaraja’s Swara Raga Sudha Rasa in Sankarabharanam raga.
Embar Kannan’s fantastic violin backing stole the show. She closed with crowd favourites such as Jagadodharana in Kapi raga and Bho Shambho in Revathi raga, leaving everyone spellbound.
The Rudrapatnam Brothers, RN Thyagarajan and Dr RN Tharanathan, took the spotlight on the third day. They opened with Intha thamasama, a Kannada varnam, and continued with pieces like Sri Vighnarajam Bhaje in Gambheeranata raga and a rare Nadamani raga krithi by Dikshitar.
Their main composition, Rama Kadha Sudha in Madhyamavati raga, was a treat, with Komanduri Seshadri on violin adding extra flair. Sanjay Taranadhan on mridangam and M Chandrakanth on ghatam presented an exciting thani avarthanam, which the audience absolutely enjoyed.
The fourth day brought a fresh vibe with Vidwan Sikkil C Gurucharan, who started with the cheerful Kadanakuthuhala varnam, Neeve Rakshakudavani. He delivered compositions like Nada Tanumanisam in Chittaranjani krithi and the touching Manasuloni Marmamunu in Hindola raga. His Simhendramadhyamam RTP (Raga Tala Pallavi) was a crowd-pleaser, with inventive swarakalpana and an energetic collaboration with violinist VSP Gayatri Sivani. The dynamic thani avarthanam by Dr DSR Murthy on mridangam and M Chandra Kanth on ghatam brought loud applause.
Kerala’s MK Sankaran Namboothiri graced the stage on the fifth day, beginning with the serene Innam Enmanam in Charukesi varnam, he charmed the audience with pieces like Dum Durge in Sriramjani raga krithi and Enduko Nee Manasu in Kalyani raga.
The highlight was his Shanmukhapriya RTP, featuring the Pallavi Saravanabhava Guhane Shanmukhane in Tishra jathi triputa tala, and he closed with traditional favourites like Vande Vasudevam in Sree raga and a Bhagesri Thillana.
The violin recital by Vidushi A Kanya Kumari and her talented students Sai Rakshit and Siva Teja — accompanied by mridangam maestro Patri Satish Kumar — was another highlight. Starting with Pancha Mathanga Mukha Ganapathina in Malahari raga, she continued with pieces like Mathe Malayadhwaja in Khamas raga and a lovely Natabhairavi composition. Her main piece, Madhyamavati, which paired well with a lively thani avarthanam, brought the audience to their feet, and her Thillana in Tri raga to wrap things up left everyone in awe.
The grand finale featured an amazing Kuchipudi performance by Deepika Reddy, who presented a dance ballet, Rukmini Krishna, which brought Krishna’s tales to life with grace and emotion. From start to finish, each artist presented something unique, making the festival a memorable experience for everyone who attended.