Mandolin siblings (Mandolin)

Mandolin siblings (Mandolin)

Attended Mandolin Duo concert of Kumari Samhita Shivram and Shreyes Shivram. They were accompanied by Palghat Shri Krishnarajan on Mridangam and Shri Manjesh Mohanan on Ghatam. This concert was part of annual Swar Raga Sudha festival by Raagmalika at Sudanese club, Abu Dhabi. I attended the concert with my father-in-law on 1st June 2025.

Concert started with Ganpati Stavan. It was famous Vatapi Ganpatim, a famous Kriti of Muthuswami Dikshitar in Raag Hamsadhwani. There were sawal jawab between mandolins. It ended with an applause.

Second presentation was Endaro Mahanubhavulu, a popular Kriti by Tyagaraja in Raag Shri.

Next presentation was another Kriti by Tyagaraja, Manavyalakinchara in Raga Nalinkanti. This was a farmaish to the artists before the concert.

Next presentation was another Kriti by Tyagaraja. Samaj vara gamanaa in Raag Hindolam.

This was followed by the time for accompanists. First it was the Mridangam. Krishnarajanji demonstrated the nuances of Mridangam with forceful and delicate play. It was followed by Ghatam where Manjesh Mohanan ji demonstrated variations of Ghatam play. It was folllowed by the sawal-jawab between Mridangam and Ghatam. Then the Mendolins joined in for the conclusion.

A chit from audience demanded some song that was not taken by the artists.

They then played Bho Shambho, composed by Shri Swami Dayanand's Saraswati, in Raag Revati. This was the concluding piece.

So it started with Ganpati and ended with Shambho.

Organized had given only mini concert slot for the concert but they appreciated the duo compared the concert with main concert.

One doesn't get to watch Mandolin concerts very often. I don't know many mandolin players apart from U. Srinivas and U. Rajesh. 

Broadway sound system was good.

Unfortunately, lesser known artists don't draw the audience. Concert started with a mere attendance of 18. Timing of 4pm also didn't help. Audience kept trickling in to reach xx by the end of the concert.

Ragamala has been organizing 2-3 day event of Carnatic music every year for past 20 years. It's a commendable effort by the organizers to inculcate and nurture the Indian classical music in Gulf.

A good concert.