A well-etched Thodi by Ranjani and Gayatri

The sisters highlighted the versatility of this majestic raga

Who could resist that melody-tinged pallavi, the ebullient sancharas and sharp swaraprastara that marked the culmination of the RTP in Hamsanadham, the piece de resistance of Hamsa Geetham, the online concert supported by Purdue University featuring Ranjani and Gayatri. The pallavi, ‘Va vennilave mannil va theynthidaamal deepamaaga olira,’ was set to an intricate Chatusrajathi Triputa talam — the Poorvaanga in chatusra nadai and Uttaranga in tisra nadai. All these, not at the cost of its musical brilliance. The duo vied with each other in presenting an expansive swaraprastara, with a closing touch of ragamalika. Rajiv Mukundan’s violin accompaniment was splendid. His aesthetic sense makes him a desirable accompanist on any day. Similarly, the percussion section led by Sai Giridhar was an asset to the vocalists in its subdued richness. S. Krishna (ghatam) matched well with him. Their thani in the intricate tala was well executed and deserves special mention.