YASHASWI SIRPOTDAR'S SILKEN RIBBONS OF SONG

     As I entered the banquet Hall of Secunderabad Club, for the ‘In Continuum’ Concert in July 2016, late, in true Hyderabadi tradition, on a rainy monsoon morning, it was as if I had entered a warm and embracing concert room filled with mellow reverberations.

      It was the effect of the music of Yashaswi Sirpotdar, a singer of disarming charm and dextrous ability whose obvious love of music was infectiously communicated to an appreciative audience. Onstage to capture the music’s vibrancy and emotion - flanking Yashaswi Sirpotdar were Suhaas Shastri on tabla on her right, and Rahul Gole on harmonium on her left and Kalyani Gajre on tanpura behind her left shoulder, Suhaas Shastri and Rahul Gole, themselves intelligent, engaging and sympathetic accompanists, always in sync, always together. In complete sangat.

     Listening to music ‘live’ is itself a privilege, so we will recollect the well-conceived concert as a captivated member of the audience, for which we must thank the Bararia family for organising this concert as part of ‘In Continuum’ the annual concerts they organise, beginning from 2014, to revive, after a gap of many years, Hindustani music concerts that elders in their family had started way back in 1973-74.  

     Yashaswi Sirpotdar began the morning’s performance with ‘Mian Ki Todi’. Two compositions - (a) Vilambit or the slow tempo set in Ek Taal of 12 beats. (b) Drut or fast tempo set in Teen Taal of 16 beats.

     She went on to ‘Ahir Bhairav’. Two compositions (a) Madhya Laya (laya means tempo, so it would be middle tempo, neither vilambit nor drut) set to Ek Taal. (b) Drut set to Ek Taal.

     Her approach to the music was engaging. Glorious and solid - straight ahead, no nonsense and with no flashy experimentation - in true Hindustani classical tradition.

     After the short Interval the concert resumed with ‘Sur Malhar’ also known as Surdasi Malhar. In its pure form it is Malhar, which is a season specific Raga, meant for the rainy season. It's a 'big' Raga. In this she sang two compositions: (a) Vilambit Teen Taal (b) Drut Teen Taal.

     Displaying fine musicianship, Yashaswi’s clear tone perfectly captured the essence of the raga. And her explorations of the raga, however deep, were never uncharted. Her thematic development never strayed from good structure and a symmetrical, rich flow of ideas. There was always clarity, logic in her communication. She never for a second, lost track of where she was, she was always in control; always aware of the final destination.

     ‘Thumri’, a sub-genre of Hindustani, is an essential vehicle for expressing all the rasas of love, like longing, anguish, jealousy, envy etc. The composition she sang had been made popular by the late, great, Shobha Gurtu. In a Thumri, when the lyric has something to do with the beginning of monsoon, dark clouds and of separation and longing, it is known as Kajri. This piece was a Kajri set in Keherwa Taal which is of eight beats.

     The last was a Marathi 'Abhang'. "Vaikunthichya Raya". It's also set in Keherwa Taal, but the style of playing this taal is typical of bhajans. It's also known as 'Bhajani Theka'.  

     Yashaswi Sirpotdar’s musicianship is first class. Her technique is beyond reproach. Her voice and song throughout the concert, was like silken ribbons floating and waving in a cloudless sky, just what we needed on a cloudy monsoon morning, she soared away full of great ideas, glistening over her embellishments. Clean. Clear and precise.  

     The accompanists Suhas Shastri and Rahul Gole, as we said before, were accomplished musicians and together with Yashaswi Sirpotdar gave us a display of class and dedication, a performance that wove silken patterns of grace and elegance and delivered this music to us in the audience with such pleasure and enthusiasm. 

      Photographs and expert inputs from Amit Bararia