Jayanthi Kumaresh’s veena strings offer diverse expressions

Artistes who perform regularly overseas, especially with co-artistes from other genres, need a reset to the Chennai expectations of tradition. ‘Nannu vidaci’ set to Mishra Chapu also coasted nicely at an even tempo with sweet glides. Jayanthi’s treatment of the raga was unconventional but pleasing, with Hindustani overtones and a liberal dose of varjam, including a quaint ‘ni ri ma’ phrase that was a good high point. The raga sketch again had some Hindustani touches with haunting stops and sustains at ‘ga ma da.’ The raga has a melancholic character and that threatened to bring down the cheer of the moment, but a brief well-crafted thanam was quickly followed by the pallavi ‘Sariga nee padamule gathiyani’ set to Adi by Abhishek Raghuram. Muthu Thandavar’s ‘Theruvil varaano’ in Khamas added more melody towards the back-end of the concert that was finished off with the Hamsanandi thillana by Lalgudi Jayaraman and ‘Kamakshi lokasakshi as the mangalam.