On a Wing and a Prayer
After all that morning drama played out due to a failed Air New Zealand plane engine, an understandably shaken Mala and co. arrived at the Adam Concert Room, for a delayed start (thankfully they made it to Wellington after a detour to Hamilton, back to Auckland by road and then by the next flight to Wlg).
Mala's Magic flute takes over for the next 4 hours
Though the artistes were still quivering from their mid air experience, they forgot the incident and created magic for the next few hours and treated the small but extremely fortunate music RasikAs to a soothing, brilliant and spiritual experience that would be etched in the memories of the attendees.
Thematic selection - a stroke of the genius
Dedicating the concert to all mothers (in tune with the Mothers day) Mala announced that she will be rendering kritis exclusively on Mother/Devi in the first half, much to the delight of the audience. It was amazing that she took so much care that she was even dressed in Red, creating the mood for Devi Kriti renditions.
Song list
The concert started briskly with Amma Ananda Dayini in Gambeeranatai, Devi Neeye tunai in Keeravani, Annapoorne Vishalakshi in Sama, Mari vere Gathi in Ananda Bhairavi, Brocheva in Kamas, sub main of Thaye Yasodha in Todi and the centre piece Unnai Allal Vere Gathi Illai Amma in Kalyani by Papanasam Sivan. Bhaskar was brilliant in his raga alapanas & kalpana swarams and Ravi gave an astounding Tani for around 15 minutes.
The second half had songs such as Narayana Ninna nama-sudha dhanyasi, Ragam Thanam pallavi including Hindolam, Mohanam, Madhyamavati and Sudhha Saveri; Maitrim bhajata and concluded with the fitting finale, the evergreen Katrinile Varum Geetham sung by her grand mother-in-law. The exchange between Mala and Bhaskar in the RTP was marked by total involvement and freshness and concluded with a small Tani by Ravi in the traditional style.
