By Sudha jagannathan

Bombay Jayashri Ramanath rendered selective and absorbing Tyagaraja kritis on February 13, 2005 at Music Academy on the occasion of Tyagaraja Aradhana function. The two-and-a-half hour concert was simply majestic. She began the evening concert with the kriti Rara Mayintidaka in Asaveri Raga and delivered it in a voice that showed divine touch.

She followed it up with Mundu Venuka in raga Darbar. This has attractive Sahityas. This one was rendered with absorbing beauty. The kriti Hechcharika Ga in raga Yadukulakambhoji gave a pleasing listening experience. Parihasakama in raga Vanaspati is a kriti with a question tag to Lord Rama. Jayashri presented it with quite a bhava and humility. Sri Raghuvara in raga Bhairavi was sung with involved dedication.

There was another beautiful kriti Tulasamma Mayinta in Devagandari, invoking bhakti rasa. She then did an elaborate alapana in raga Saveri. She brought out the beauty of the raga with her charming voice. As she was rendering Rama Bhana Trana elegantly, the power went off and there was complete darkness inside the Music Academy. That did not stop her from singing. An undeterred Jayashri continued singing and the audience, too, remained unperturbed. One got the feeling that she got drowned totally in the nectar of Tyagaraja’s compostion and was oblivious to the power failure.

Jayashri put the audience completely at ease by singing a Nilambari kriti Uyalalukka. She then sang Namo Namo Raghavaya Anisam in raga Desiya Todi with splendour. This kriti was Saint Tyagaraja’s first composition. She reserved this for the end.

The song and the way it was rendered with melody left a lasting impression on those who had gathered at Music Academy that evening. In this song, the Saint pays salutations to Sri Raghava. Praising the qualities of Rama, the Saint addresses the Lord as Kalpaka Vriksaha who grants health, longevity and prosperity to HIS followers.