S. Nithyasree gave a veena performance at Narada Gana Sabha as part of the Mangalam Muthuswamy Veena Endowment series. She received support from B. Ganapathiraman on mridangam and B.S. Purushotham on kanjira.
The program opened with the Nattakurinji varnam ‘Chalamela’, then moved to Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar’s ‘Gam ganapate’ in Hamsadhwani. Swara improvisations at two tempos brought energy to the piece. Nithyasree next sketched Jaganmohini briefly before playing Tyagaraja’s ‘Sobillu saptaswara’. The accompanying swara sections again used two speeds, though some faster passages showed repetition.
Pace shifted with a measured chowka-kala rendering of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s ‘Kamalamba samrakshitoham’ in Anandabhairavi. The sub-main item featured Lathangi. Nithyasree presented a detailed alapana that emphasized the raga’s characteristic phrases avoiding panchama and shadja, covering three octaves smoothly. Steady movement across registers created breadth and held attention. This led into Patnam Subramania Iyer’s ‘Marivere’ in Khanda Chapu tala, decorated with kalpanaswaras. The Lathangi portion stood out for balance and command.
Madhyamavati served as the main raga. Its alapana flowed freely, yet a tighter focus on core phrases could have strengthened effect. The following tanam stayed brief, though quicker speed sometimes reduced clarity. Tyagaraja’s ‘Rama katha sudha’ formed the kriti, with niraval at ‘Dharmadhyakhila’ and two-speed kalpanaswaras. Exchanges stayed precise, and later passages included inventive kanakku and jantai patterns for added intricacy. The shift from Lathangi to the fuller Madhyamavati gave the second half clear progression.
Nithyasree showed readiness to explore manodharma and used varied talas. A steadier tempo in some pieces might have improved rhythmic accuracy at moments.
The concert closed with Dharmapuri Subbaraya Iyer’s Khamas javali ‘Marubari talalenura’. Ganapathiraman and Purushotham accompanied with care and flexibility, matching the program’s changing needs.
