Jayanthi Kumaresh takes her audiences on a voyage of Raag Kamavardhini in this clip extracted from her performance at the Darbar 2013 festival. Also known as Pantuvarali, Kamavardhini is a 51stmelakarta raga that deploys all notes with a flat 3rdand 7th and a raised 4th. Hindustani classical enthusiasts may want to draw references from Raag Puriya Dhanashri while listening to this recital.

A pioneer in her instrument, Kumaresh explores the raga, revealing its phrases with depth and tranquil; The devotion and valour in Kamavardhini is brought out with subtle as well as pronounced ornamentations in the elaborations. She plays an 11-minute alapana, detailing the notes and their microtones with impeccable crimps and gamakas on the swara-scape of the raga.

The composition, ‘Shiva, shiva, shiva, enaraadaa’ is a composition by Saint Tyagaraja (1767-1847). Set to Adi Tala, it soars to delightful strata with Patri Satish Kumar and RN Prakash joining in on the mridangam and ghatam respectively. Kumaresh’s ability to use the lower strings simultaneously on her veena to create a harmony-like effect throughout a Carnatic performance without bending any rules of the tradition is like manna to the ears.

Musicians
Jayanthi Kumaresh (saraswati veena)
Patri Satish Kumar (mridangam)
RN Prakash (ghatam)
Mithila Sarma (tanpura)