’Sangeetha Mumoorthigal’ drama brings characters alive at Tamil Isai festival

On the ninth day of the 52nd Tamil Isai festival at Rajah Muthiah Mandram, the Chennai United Visuals, under the able leadership of T.V. Varadarajan, presented “Sangeetha Mumoorthigal” (the Trinity of Carnatic music), a drama conceptualised by Veesvee, dramatised and directed by T.V. Varadarajan, scripted by Chandramohan (with T.V. Varadarajan), and musical score/direction (as many as 30 musicians, both vocal and percussionist participated ) led by Sangita Kalanidhi Padmashri Bombay Jayashri Ramnath.

The drama unraveled the lives of Syama Sastri, Saint Thyagaraja, and Muthuswami Dikshitar (three legendary composer-musicians who transformed South Indian classical music), their friendship, mutual trust and their philosophies (one worships Bangaru Kamakshi, other Lord Rama and another Lord Muthukumarasamy).

The Trinity were identified - Thyagaraja with turban, Syama Sastry with his little Veena and Muthusamy Dikshidar with Tambura.

Music was the centre of attraction of the drama as many rare kritis of the Trinity in rare ragas (not frequently heard) like Punnagavarali, Hamsadwani, Hemaavati, Gowlipantu, Jayantashri, Sankarabharanam (hindustani equal Bilawal), mohanam (hindustani bhoop), manirangu, Sri Ranjini, Chintamani and among others were presented by the team.

The drama also unfolds the secret that the Dikshidar had mastery of Tamil as he teaches Thanjavur Nalvars viz Chinnayya, Ponnayya, Sivanandam and Vadivelu.

The portrayal of Bobbili Keshavayya with Syama Sastry, at the royal court of King Sarabhoji in Thanjavur, where Syama Sastry counters Keshavayya by singing a Pallavi set in his own newly created Sharabhanandana Talam and successfully defeating Keshavayya, received a lot of applause for the depiction.

The drama was filled with life as the artists presented strong and jovial dialogues all through with anecdotes. T.V. Varadharajan as Syama Sastry, Lakshmi as Syama Sastri’s wife, Calcutta Ramesh as Muthuswamy Deekshithar, Balagurunathan as Thyagarajar, Nivedha as Thyagarajar’s daughter Seethamma and Swayam Prakash as Bopilli Kesavaiah made the audience feel for the character.