User:Maheswarivenkitaraman/sandbox

Maheswari revealed her wizardry in handling veena with ease. Visually-challenged Maheswari Venkataraman in the company of Balasubramanian (mridangam) and Lakshmanan (ghatam) presented a lively veena concert organised by Rajalakshmi Fine Arts in its monthly programme. She began with the Abhogi varnam in two speeds and moved on to ‘Bhaja Manasa Vigneswara’ in Bahudhari. The movement of her fingers on the frets with an ease revealed her artistry in handling the instrument. Every item she handled, with a brief raga outline preceding the kriti, was ear-worthy. Her alapanas of Lalitha for the kriti, ‘Hiranmayim’ and Abheri for ‘Nagumomu’ with swaras were pleasing. Her inspired play of ‘Marivere’ (Shanmukhapriya) for RTP brought out not only the beauty of the raga with carefully crafted phrases in the alapana but a kind of play that kept the audience spellbound. This was evident in her raga sancharas of Gowla, Arabhi, Varali and Sreeragam. The niraval and swaras were brisk. The percussive support extended by Balasubramanian (mridangam) and Lakshmanan (ghatam) who also came off with an exuberant thani lent vibrancy to the kutcheri.