Makkal roar for T.M.Krishna & Kuzhuvinar (8th April 2006)

My only penchance with my december season spree was I missed a few artists I hoped to attend. TMK was on top of that list and now I realize I did miss something. This was acclaimed by many as one of the top kutcheris given in the recent past of the rAma navami utsavam (sudha is still unbeaten, for the huuuuge mandapam looked like pallavan bus 12G, yes the fetid smell inclusive). The crowd was also very mixed. I was surprised to see a whole lot of school kids today, and of course the old patrons and pedestrians as I.

Enchanting the crowd

To the disappointment of we junta, it started half hour late (T.Nagar traffic jam was blamed for it) and the length brought down to two and half house :(, which is quite less for such emminent artists. All thanks to a bhajan to go all night until the cock koovifies in the morning, it was wrapped up by 9. Nevertheless it was a enjoyable all through.

from where I listened to

The man has astounding enegry *hats off to him*. He was bustling from the start to the finish with only some short respites in between, to brush off the sweat and such. Unforgiving voice, esp when he went almost as low as the lower rishabam/sadjamam :-o, topped it all. Plausibly there was only one place where his voice didn't quite listen to him :( I think, when he was peaking. Choice of songs were simply amazing, esp. his mangalam in praise of lord rAma was groovy :-", and the crowd just lovvved it for it was so befitting for the ocassion.

Majestic tunes to follow

As for the violinist :), I was simply admiring his majestic posture once in a while. Not a wee bit slouching :-o, for the entire session. The mridangist, ghatam combo today was scintillating. Crowd went gaga for it :)). I can't say if it was flawless, but it was much more coherent than the previous concert - the orchestration between the two. The whole crew made the even very vibrant.

If a casual listener as I could enjoy the concert this much, then imagine how it would be for the mavens out there. Best of all, its free :D. Simply brilliant. But am still wondering what all those Bose equipment (the white kits) were doing up front :-?.

Here is a summary of the songs -

1. rAma nannu brOvarA
2. teliyalEru rAma
3. rAma ninnE tentatively (R: husEni)
4. sri rAmam ravikula sOmam
5. ?? (with verses as - shrE rAja gOpAla bAla)
6. ?? (with verses as - sambase kousalya)
7. raamajOgi mandhu (R: kamaas)
8. pibarE raama rasam
9. rAmachandra janaka (R: kurinji)

The Troup:
Sri T.M.Krishna - Vocal
Sri S.Varadarajan - Violin
Srimushnam Sri V.Raja Rao - Mridangam
Sri E.M.Subramaniam - Ghatam

so next stop with Priya Sisters on tuesday

this is SamY, reporting from Sri Rama Samaj, West Mambalam, Chennai (8th April 2006)