A colourful portrait of ragas and rapport among artistes on stage made Sikkil Gurucharan’s recent concert enjoyable.
Creating the perfect ambiance for a music concert, especially in a temporary auditorium at the heart of town, largely falls on the musician’s shoulders. Sikkil Gurucharan achieved this effortlessly, opening with the sloka “Gajananam bhootha ganathi sevitham,” resonating in Shanmukhapriya. His rendition style was not only inspiring but also auspicious.
Notably, his was the only major vocal concert in the two-week Maha Sivaratri Mahotsavam at Sree
Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur. The choice of familiar numbers greatly contributed to the concert’s success, making it appealing to the audience. In this respect also, Gurucharan’s two-hour-and-a-half concert was appealing to the rasikas.
Yet another one is the support of the accompaniments. Together with all of them the concert turned a memorable one. Following the sloka, Gurucharan transitioned to Dikshitar’s ‘Siddivinayakam anisham’ in Shanmukhapriya and adi. The prolonged ‘sevitham’ in Anupallavi was particularly captivating, highlighting his clarity of diction.
Distinct moods
Even though the alap was short, Gurucharan could bring out the shades of the raga Sudha Dhanyasi in the composition ‘Himagirithanaye’ of Muthayya Bhagavathar in adi. There were several short packets of swaras that smacked of the raga and the violin accompaniment complemented the rendition perfectly, enhancing the musical experience.
The performance of the much sought-after Abhogi composition of Subramaniya Bharathiyar in rupaka thalam, ‘Sabhapathikku vere daivam samanamakuma,’ was soothing, with the accompaniments adding to its charm. ‘Oru daram Siva Chidambaram’ showcased Gurucharan’s versatility through niraval, demonstrating his energy and skill. The unique tala rupakam provided a refreshing change.
Melodious Mohanam
Mohanam took center stage in the concert, with the rendition of ‘Kapali’ by Papanasam Sivan. Gurucharan’s improvisations within the constraints of this pentatonic raga were commendable, earning applause from the audience.
Violinist Alangode Gokul displayed remarkable dexterity, faithfully reproducing the vocalist’s phrases and enhancing the overall performance.
Gurucharan’s percussion team, including mridangam artiste K M S Mani, ghatam player Vellattanjur Sreejith, and morsing artiste Vellinezhi Ramesh, showcased their expertise. Mani’s soft touches during accompaniment and energetic performance during tani, along with Sreejith’s rhythmic fills, added depth to the concert.
The concluding numbers, paying tribute to Siva, were fitting for the occasion: ‘Chandra chooda Siva Sankara’ by Purandaradasa in Darbarikannada and ‘Bo sambo Siva sambo’ by Dayananda Saraswathi in Revathi.
Photo: Anil Vijayan
