A musical evening

Vijayawada: Swaratarangini, a music-based organisation arranged a ‘Jalatarangini’ concert of Nemani Somayajulu at Sri Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao Government Music and Dance College on Sunday, as its monthly programme.

Nemani Somayajulu is the only the artiste available in both Telugu States, who plays this rare ‘Jalatarangini’ instrument. Somayajulu is basically a ghatam and mridangam artiste and he rendered mridangam and ghatam support to music legends like Chittibabu and Mangalampalli for many concerts. Fifteen cups are used to get perfect rhythm to particular raga. The level of water should be changed by the artiste. Nemani Somayajulu has gained professionalism in playing this instrument.

Somayajulu started the concert with Muthuswamy Deekshitar kriti “Vatapiganapatim bhaje” in Hamsadwani ragam. He continued the concert with other krithis like ‘Endaro Mahanubhavulu’, ‘Raghuvamsa sudhbudhi chandrama’. The Ragam Tanam Pallavi in Mohana ragam was excellent and the music lovers appreciated his talent. He also played the tunes of Chittibabu like ‘Wedding Bells” and “Kommallo kokilamma”.

Nemani was instrumentally supported by Palaparthi Nageswara Rao on violin, NS Kalyanaraman on mridangam and M Haribabu on ghatam. KS Govindarajan, the principal of the college appreciated the services of Nemani Somayajulu to the music world.