Garbha Kavitvam RTP in Bhairavi- Dr. Pantula RamA-MSN Murthy @ MA (12/19/18)

Live at the Madras Music Academy (December 19th 2018)

Dr. Pantula RamA- vocal
Prof MSN Murthy- violin
Thanjavur Murugabhoopathy- mridangam
Papanasam Sethuraman- kanjira

1) Garbha Kavitvam RTP (mandahAsa sundarAnga vadanA gopibrunda chandana pAhi pAhi mAm)- Bhairavi (w/ Ragamalika swarams in Hamsanandi, Karnataka Devagandhari, Durga and Neelambari), Dhruva (sankeerna gathi), Dr. Pantula RamA
2) karpUram nArumo (nAchiyar thirumozhi)- Khamas, Kanda Chapu, Andal
3) Andamu Anandamu (Narasimha thandavam)- Anandabhairavi, Adi (Tisra Gathi), Nallan Chakravarthula (N Ch) Krishnamacharyulu

note: this thumbnail happened in another concert

This is a treasure to be cherished. One of my favorite vocalists of today, Dr. Pantula RamA, a brilliant and forward thinking artist introduced a pallavi based on Garbha Kavitvam at the Music Academy on December 19th 2018.
In classical poetry, there are four types of structures:

ASu kavitvam
bandha kavitvam
citra kavitvam
garBha kavitvam

garBha kavitvam in simple terms is basically the hiding the meter of one poem inside that of another [Atluri, https://www.engr.mun.ca/~adluri/telug...].

With her powerful and evocative range, Dr. RamA presents a blissful Bhairavi which instantly touches our heart. When she launches into the tAnam, it sounds so sonorous and astute. She does not compromise with the quality at all. When she explains the pallavi line and the Garbha Kavitvam excellence, one can easily grasp the depth of her scholarship. And listen to how intelligently Dr. RamA has fashioned the pallavi in her own intimitable way by adding "sundarAnga vadana gobrunda chandana sundaravadana sundara mAm pAhi"! This satisfies both the layman and the intellectual together! And when she goes into the rAgamAlikA swaraprastara, it is so canny and marvelous that we spontaneously applaud. No wonder she won Best Pallavi singing in the Senior Category!

Her companion on stage and in life, MSN Murthy provides soulful and splendid support as he always does and the percussion accompaniments do not miss a chance to compliment the husband-wife team.

Following this stupendous RTP is Andal's Karpuram Narumo in Khamas and NCH Krishnamacharyulu's Andamu Anandamu in Anandabhairavi dedicated to the greatest acharya who ever lived, Bhagavad Ramanujacharya! His name is the name that uplifts us into another plane. We just have to chant it!

I am fortunate to know both Dr. RamA garu and Prof Murthy garu. I have seen them twice in the US, (1st in Dallas, 2nd in Philadelphia) and both times were magnificent. Whenever I have a question about a krithi they have rendered, I email them.

Unfortunately I don't have the other pieces of the concert which include a rare Kedaragowla varnam in Misra Jampa, Sadachaleswaram and the main krithi Venkatasaila Vihara which immediately evokes the imagery of Sri Venkateswara Swamy in my mind. Also, her trademark Nee Nama Rupamulaku with all charanams rendered is cut short.

The audio quality is not good, due to unnecessary noises from audience members, including a loud burp. Despite this, I greatly enjoyed the Garbha Kavitvam pallavi.

Thanks to a rasikA who recorded it for posterity and my dear friend Dr. Manjunath for sharing. Let's encourage the wife-husband duo of RamA-Murthy garus on their musical journey of bringing pleasant, profound and soon to be everlasting gAnam for the world to soak in! We are all fortunate to hear their music today!

Please read Sri C Ramakrishnan's review of the concert here: https://www.magzter.com/article/Art/S...

An article last year on Dr. RamA which mentions the Garbha Kavitvam pallavi: https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/in...