Margazhi Musings 2019: Bharat Sundar #2

Date: 15^th Dec 2019 / 18:00 Hrs

Venue: Meenakshi College, T. Nagar

Team: Bharat Sundar, Shruti Sarathy (Violin), Poonkulam Subrahmanyan (Mridangam), Harihara Sharma (Kanjira)

Full House 

Having been forewarned, Bharat Sundar ensured they he and the team spent quite some time in cultivating a good relationship with Latha Sound Systems people (there was only one around) to get the acoustics as right as it could be given the constraints of the hall. The accompanists are very good on their own merit. A special mention was made about Harihara Sharma for he is the grandson of the master Vikku Vinayakram.

Bharat hitting a sixer!

Bharat got into his business quickly with a valachi vachi varnam and proceeded to the Nattai Maha Ganapathim. Sruthi didn’t waste any time in getting into the groove.  Dasa’s “Idu bhagya idu bhagya” in Pantuvaraali was next with a great alapanaa and support from violin. Vasudesha Purandara was taken for Niraval and Kalpanaswarams.

A brief Atana Bala Kanaka Maya set the tempo for the rest. The ever-green Hindolam of Papanasam Sivan “Nambi kettavar” reverberated with Poongulam Subrahmanyan slipping into the tempo effortlessly. A word about the Ghatam player Harihara Sharma. He displayed uncanny understanding of the nuances and displayed his skill perfectly of a Upapakkavadhyam player to enhance the concert. A Karaharapriya came next – Janaki pate Jaya karunya.

The clock showed 20:10 Hrs. Then, he had a quick word with Subrahmanyam to ensure there was enough time to slip in a RTP. Thank God, Poonkulam replied in the affirmative! A lovely Hameerkalyani alapanaa and short Thanams flowed. It was a brilliant rendition with the violinist coming out at top. Bharat chose the Pallavi lines “Vadaname Chandra Bimbamo Senthur vazh Murugaiya nin.” After the Pallavi lines were sung sans swaras, he proceeded to bring the Sivakavi Song by MKT in Sindhubhairavi. The crowd erupted in joy.

A Lalgudi thillana in Behag came next before Mangalam.

A harmonious encore

It was a full house indeed and the joy was palpable amongst the audience. Sometimes, a concert can be too technically correct but lacking in audience and team connect. Here, we saw how the artists came together and the audience felt being a part of it. It is the latter that brings happiness.

Well done, Bharat Sundar and the team.

  

Ambience: *

 Vocalist: ***

Accompanying artists: ***

Raga of the Concert: Hameerkalyani

Overall: ***