Radha & Jayalakshmi – Sri Madhurapuri Viharini | Bilahari | Navaratri with Meenakshi 2025 Special

Navarathri Day 2:
Continuing this journey, I share a rarely heard gem in Bilahari — Sri Madhurapuri Viharini — rendered by the duo Radha and Jayalakshmi. If Day 1 revealed Brinda’s meditative stillness, Day 2 unfolds with a contrasting brilliance — a cascade of brikas and sheer artistry that the duo was celebrated for.

Alapana:
The Bilahari alapana that precedes the kriti is a masterclass in structure. It opens with an expansive, opening phrases before gently settling into slower, rakhi-based phrases that anchor the soundscape of Bilahari, pulling us into its unique atmosphere. Though the raga naturally lends itself to speed and flourish, Radha never loses the sight of its essence. Her rendition remains rooted in raga and phrase, with brikas woven in not as ornament, but as a means of contrast — balancing stillness with restlessness.

Around 5:13, a single phrase sparks a breathtaking surge of rapid-fire brikas that follow — crisp, non-linear, pitch-perfect, and executed with a brilliance that leaves the listener awestruck. This is artistry that dazzles without ever losing discipline, leaving us with an alapana that is both exhilarating and deeply satisfying.

Composition:
The kriti itself is no less striking. While its lyrical and musical structure makes clear that it cannot be a composition of Muthuswami Dikshitar, its beauty stands independent of authorship. What elevates the experience further is the accompaniment: the mridangam, in a characteristically 1950s style, lends weight and elegance, while the ghatam adds a rich layer of rhythmic texture — together framing the composition in warmth and vitality.

In this rare recording, Radha and Jayalakshmi remind us of Bilahari’s dual nature: luminous, playful, restless — yet always grounded in raga bhava. It is a celebration of artistry, discipline, and devotion, and a perfect continuation of this Navaratri offering.

Vocal: Radha & Jayalakshmi
Violin: RS Gopalakrishnan
Mridangam: Kalpathi Ramanathan
Ghatam: TS Vilvadri Iyer

00:00 - Alapana by Radha
06:45 - Alapana by RS Gopalakrishnan

07:54 - Pallavi:
Shri madhuraapuri vihaarini shri raajamaatangi maam paahi

09:22 - Anupallavi
Paamara jana paalini kaama janaka mohini
(Mel Kala Sahithya) nama roopa vimarshini nateshwari jagajjanani

10:21 - Charanampaandya raja poojithabja pada yugale
odyaana pithasthita sakala kale
(Mel Kala Sahithya)
paatali kusuma priye padma raaga samaprabhe
Somasundareshwara priye guruguha samudbhave

11:32 - Kalpana Swaras

Link to the playlist:    • Navarathri 2025, a tribute to my grandmoth...