Raso vai saha (रसो वै सः)

Music concert organized by HYMA (Houston Youth Music Association) on the Janmashtami day left rasikas with a very long lasting, and profound experience. It was a musical extravaganza.

Dr.Pantula Rama, well-known Carnatic musician enthralled music lovers at Ashtalakshmi temple in Houston on the auspicious Janmashtami day.  The team of musicians will speak for its top standards with Vidwan MSN Murthy on Violin and Vidwan Kotipally Ramesh on Mridangam. The entire group of musicians is the "top" grade artists in All India Radio (AIR). 

The concert started with mellifluous Mohanam with "Rakta Ganapatim" invoking the Lord Ganapathi.  It did not take much time to understand that it is going to be a feast for Rasikas. 

Dr. Rama's voice is enchanting, and she has a very unique "Gambhiryam." Every note, either simple or complex, is distinctly heard in her voice. If all the notes imagined being "pearls," one can collect each pearl without missing a single note; her rendering of gamakas is exquisite and out of the world. In Telugu, there is a popular saying "Mutyala Saralu (Mutyalu = Pearls)," Dr.Rama's notes are nothing less than "Mutyala Saralu."

Dr. Rama then presented "Cheta Shree Balakrishnam" in Dwijavanti. This was another master class. She kept on the enthralling audience with her command over her voice, her confidence, and her grace. The "Gambhiryam" was exuberant.

Then it was "Sakala Graha Bala neeve sarasijaksha" in Athana by Purandara Dasa. Followed by Athana was a rare kriti in Natakapriya "Mara Janaki Ashraye."

By this time the stage is being set for something very special. Something that you rarely witness something you see once in a lifetime. Dr.Rama then renders an elaborate Kalyani - "Ye thavuna ra Nilakada neeku"  by Saint Thyagaraja.

Now is the time for the grand finale  - Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi. I am afraid if the words can even describe the way "Ananda  BhaiRavi" was presented. The Kriti rendered was "Nanda Bala Navaneeta chora."  It was the culmination of pure master class, bliss, and joy. I rarely witness such an extraordinary presentation at a music concert. The pacing of the music, strategic pauses for providing better grasp, the grace, Artist's eye contact with the audience as well as with the accompanying artists were all perfect. It was an exemplary display of visualization skills ("Kalpana chaturyam") of Ananda Bhairavi. Dr.Rama is a rare musician with such an exemplary "Kalpana shakti." She is extremely innovative yet very true to the "Karnatic" tradition.  Her authoritative hold on the imagination is at it's best. One of the stunning attitudes about Dr.Rama is her magnificent rendering of gamakas, sometimes extremely fast-paced "Chitta-Swaras" (musician's stronghold).  At times the "Chitta-Swaras" that were being delivered are almost seemed impossible coming from a vocalist; such fast-paced Swaras are only possible on an instrument like a violin or a veena.  Being Janmashtami, it was an apt tribute to Lord Krishna in a true music sense. 

When she was being introduced, many things were mentioned about her "Kalpana"(Visualization), and she delivered on every promise. 

Followed by the Ananda Bharavi, it was "Navaneeta Chora Devaki Vasudeva Nandana" in shenjuruTTi.

The concert ended with a rendition of Sindhubhairavi "Tamboori Meetidava-bhavabhdhi Daatidava" by Purandaradasa.

It is hard to imagine that one can listen to such a high-quality Carnatic concert in a foreign land.  It was my "Sowbhagyam"(Great Fortune) rather than anything else to witness this concert.

Kudos to HYMA for the job is well done!!

 जयन्ति ते सुकृतिनो  रससिद्धाः कवीश्वराः |

नास्ति येषां यशः काये जरामरणजं भयम्   ||