A CASCADE OF THILLANAS

(post by Madhavi Ramkumar)

The pandemic rampant throughout the world has altered the situation almost irreversibly for performing artistes. Live concerts have been replaced by virtual shows that have a completely different set of demands and challenges, and some benefits too. It is indeed heartening to see that many innovative and absorbing programmes that would probably not have been conceived in the pre- pandemic milieu have been devised and presented to an audience that is not restricted by space or time. One such outstanding endeavour is the series ‘A Thillana a Day’, comprising no less than 50 thillanas sung by Amrutha Venkatesh and published on her Youtube channel from the 1^st April 2020 onwards.

The presentation comprises works by T.V.Gopalakrishnan, M.Balamuralikrishna, Lalgudi Jayaraman, Tanjavur Sankara Iyer, Thirukkokaranam Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer,  Srimushnam Raja Rao, M.D.Ramanathan, Swathi Thirunal,  Maharajapuram Santhanam, Muthaiah Bhagavathar, Veena Sheshanna, and Mysore Vasudevacharya. The wide spectrum of ragas employed, ranging from traditional favourites such as Anandabhairavi, Khamas and Kapi to Hindustani ragas like Ahir Bhairav, Basant Bahar and Sankara, highlights the variety and diversity extant in this category of composition. Some of the thillanas are well known and have gained wide currency in the concert circuit and on the dance proscenium while many others are relatively unknown.

The series starts with a thillana by T.V.Gopalakrishnan, set to Chandrakauns raga and adi thala featuring both tisra and chaturasra gathis, and ends appropriately enough with Swathi Thirunal’s timeless classic in Dhanashri raga and adi thala. Inclusion of masterpieces such as the Poorvi thillana by Thirukkokaranam Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar and the one in Khamas by Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer impart a welcome vintage flavour to the preponderance of modern pieces. Though adi thala features prominently, both popular and rare pieces in thalas as diverse as khanda chapu, rupaka, mishra chapu and multiple gathis of adi thala in the same thillana have also been incorporated.

Though the thillana is conventionally sung towards the end of the concert, its inherent complexity and intricate rhythmic permutations call for a great degree of expertise and skill on the part of the performing musician. To acquire a repertoire of so many such compositions, and to internalise and perform them with certitude, is indeed an admirable achievement. Despite the fact that the entire presentation here has been sung without accompanying violin and percussion support, it is remarkable for clarity of exposition and rhythmic and melodic precision. The brief notes, and the occasional quiz appended to the compositions, serve to evoke interest and enhance involvement among the viewers. The thala could have been mentioned in all of the notes in order to avoid any ambiguity whatsoever. Overall this is an impressive effort that could serve as a reference point for  musicians and connoisseurs alike. It is hoped that the series will be extended with the inclusion of both recent compositions and others that were in vogue years ago, like the Sankarabharanam thillana by Ponnaiah Pillai in adi thala tisra gathi, and the Purnachandrika thillana in adi thala by Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar.