Akshay Padmanabhan performing at Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha
| Photo Credit: RAGHUNATHAN S.R.
The laudable aspects of Akshay Padmanabhan’s concert for Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha were his voice, choice of kritis and how he structured a well-balanced concert.
Akshay opened his recital with Lalgudi Jayaraman’s varnam in Nalinakanti and signed off with Lalgudi’s tillana in Khamas. Muthuswami Dikshitar’s ‘Sri varalakshmi’ in Sri ragam followed.
After a brief delineation of Bilahari, Akshaya presented Tyagaraja’s popular ‘Paritana michchithe’. He opted for a brief niraval on ‘Rokkami chutakula’ and added a few rounds of swaras on the pallavi.
The vocalist was accompanied by Ajay Gopi on the mridangam, Sathya Ganesh on the ghatam and VSP Gayatri Sivani on the violin
| Photo Credit:
RAGHUNATHAN S.R.
Raga Mukhari was taken up for detailing. It was a good exercise, but a few more sections of reposeful phrases would have lent an edge. He chose Tyagaraja’s ‘Muripemu galigegada’, and did justice to both the raga image and the sublime emotion of the kriti. ‘Ituleni malayamarutamuche’ turned out to be his choice for niraval as well as swaraprastara. After a few brisk rounds, the panchamam-centric swaras added extra lustre to the rendition.
The interlude was ‘Renukadevi samrakshitoham’, a rare composition by Muthuswami Dikshitar in raga Kannada Bangala.
His choice of the main raga was Thodi, which provides immense scope for a musician to explore and improvise. Akshay unhurriedly ventured into the raga essay and highlighted every nuance of the raga. The chosen kriti was Dikshitar’s ‘Sri Krishnam bhaja manasa satatam’. Paucity of time made Akshay go straight for the swara segment on ‘Pankajaasanaadi devamahitam’.
VSP Gayatri Sivani on the violin followed the vocalist with perfect synchrony. Her raga and swara responses were measured and matured. Ajay Gopi on the mridangam and Sathya Ganesh on the ghatam came up with enjoyable exchanges in the tani.
Published – January 02, 2026 11:27 am IST
