Shri Narayan Rangaraj (narayan of rasikas.org) is a Professor of Industrial Engg. and Operations Research at IIT-Bombay. He performed at the residence of an ardent rasika of Carnatic Music at Mumbai on the morning of 11th December (IST). Now people who know that I have moved to the US might be wondering how I attended this concert to be writing about it! Thanks to the cooperation of the hosts of the concert (who are my Mama and Mami) I got to "oversee" the concert in the literal sense of the term through skype! So I listened to the concert late at night from the US!
My bales and pranaams to technology for making this possible!
A disciple of AS Panchapakesa Iyer, Alamelu Mani and PN Krishnamurthy, Shri Narayan is well known among serious music lovers in Mumbai as not only a practitioner of traditional and aesthetic Carnatic music but also an enthusiastic rasika. That we got him to perform at our forum was indeed our good fortune! Narayan has, at some point or other been a mentor to most of us young musicians in Mumbai. I for example have greatly benefited from our music sessions at Shri Narayan's place. Shri Narayan's rAga AlApana essays are very educative and complete and give new insights into the rAgam.
The Mumbai Carnatic Music Forum, under the aegis of which the concert was held has been started by young musicians in Mumbai to build a strong, knowledgeable rasika community in Mumbai and also to enhance sharing and active and regular musical interaction with each other. We have successfully completed 12 chamber concerts now and are spearheading towards our anniversary in Jan!
Now to the theme and list. Narayan's theme was "Allied Ragas". He sang pairs allied ragams, some with detailed manodharmam, some without. He sang a Dikshitar kriti for one ragam and a Tyagaraja kriti for the other. He ended the concert with pAlincu kAmAkshi.
1. suguNamulE - chakravAkam
2. sUryamUrtE - sowrashtram
3. ranganAyakam (started from anupallavi) - nAyaki - R
4. tappaganE - shuddha bangALa - R,S
5. sarasa sAma dAna - kApi nArAyaNi - R(short sketch)
6. shrI rAmam - nArAyaNagowLa - R, S @ kusha lava tAtam
7. paralOka - mandAri
8. rAmanAtham - pantuvarALi (or kAmavardhini, if you will) - N, S @ kAmita phala, tani
9. ninnanavalasinadEmi - kalyANi - R
10. akshaya linga vibhO - shankarAbharaNam
11. pAlincu kAmAkshi
The choice of rAga pairs speaks volumes of Shri Narayan's vidwat and practice. Singing these rAgams back to back is no mean task. There were absolutely no glitches while moving from nAyaki to shuddha bangALa or from kApi nArayni to nArAyaNa gowLa.
I sat through till rAmanAtham. Just as I was praising technology, the internet connection at the hosts' end decided to give way and I had to sign out.
The highlights of the concert were the AlApanas for nAyaki, shuddha bangALa and nArAyaNa gowLa. The nArAyaNagowLa was especially so good that I was humming it throughout the night even after I had signed out and I am still humming while I write about it after about 12 hours! Ah! what a delight it was! Wish I could hear the kalyANi kriti. I have heard only Nedunuri's recording.
I must also congratulate Smriti Sunderrajan for providing excellent violin support. As difficult a task as it must have been for the experienced vocalist, I am sure it must have been even more challenging for this youngster. But she did a brilliant job of not confusing between the raagams and supported Shri Narayan wonderfully.
Rohit Prasad played well on the Mridangam thorughout. However, I missed the tani unfortunately! I am sure it must have been exciting!
Last but not the least, the hosts did a wonderful job and with elders' blessings, we hope this forum and its activities continue for a long time in the future.
