Friday, December 22, 2017

Margazhi Isai Vizha 2017

Chennaiyil Tiruvaiyaru concert at Kamarajar Arangam, 22-12-2017, Friday, 8.30 AM to 9.30 AM.

Vocal Concert by Ms. Harini Krishnan.

Accomapaniments:
Ms. Ranga Priya - Violin
Mr. Balaji - Mridangam
Mr. Sai Kishore - Kanjira

Theme: Self Realisation (தன்னை அறிதல்) through Music.

Self is made of 3 naadis (ida, pingala and sushumna) and 7 chakras (moolaadhaaram, swadhishtaanam, manipoorakam, anahatam, vishuddhi, aagya and sahasraaram). If we meditate on these points, they will get clensed. As a result, any problems in organs associated with these chakras will vanish away. The songs covered in the concert were on deities who represent these chakras or the quality controlled by these chakras.

I am indeed lucky enough to meet Harini (junior to me in my school Kamakoti Vidayalaya, Trichy) at her concert for Chennaiyil Tiruvaiyaru.

This was her first concert in Chennai. Harini's voice was so sweet and deep. One could feel the strong foundation on listening to her songs.

The way in which she conveyed the raga in very few seconds need to be applauded.

She started the concert by dedicating her actions and fruits to Sri Narayana. With a brief outline of sriranjani she sung the sloka "Karomi yathyath sakalam parasmai" and then headed towards Papanasam Sivan's composition in the raga Sriranjani - Gajavadana Karuna sadana in Adhi taalam.

Vinayaka is the controller of moolaadhara chakra. As said by Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar in Vatapi Ganapathim Bhajeham (moolaadhaara kshetra sthitham).

The next song was Saraswathi Dayainidhi in the raga Saraswathi, in Adhi talam, composed by Sri Papanasam Sivan. Swadhishtanam is the centre for creativity, arts.. And it is totally good to listen to a kriti on the gnana devatha - Saraswathi. Well paced kalpana swaras added beauty to the rendition.

The next song was Maa Ramanan Uma Ramanan, in hindolam, yet another master piece of Sri Papanasam sivan, where he would have mentioned about Vishnu and Shiva in each alternating line. This song (vishnu - manipoorakam and shiva - Anahatam) started with an alapana. Niraval was placed at Thaayin migu dayaparan.. Accompanists too played a vital role in making this song a grand feast.

Violin portions by Rangapriya at alapana, swara sections were good. Tani aavartanam by Balaji and Sai Kishore were pleasing to our ears.

Then came the ever green theeraatha vilaiyaattu pillai of Subramaniya Bharathi in Ragamalika. This song is for vishuddha chakram. The akaara sanchaaram at kuzhalile soottuven enbaan in Khamas raga was beautiful. Due to hectic schedule at the Chennaiyil tiruvaiyaaru and overlap by the previous programme, this song was cut shortened with sindhubhairavi and khamas raga. Missed to listen shanmukapriya and maand raga charanam of this song. Would have been beautiful if those were also sung.

To compromise the missed maand raga in the previous song, Harini sang a short viruttham in maand raga. This viruttham on Aagya chakram focussed on forgiveness.

This was followed by the maand raga tillana by Lalgudi Sri G.Jayaraman. This tillana was on Kanchi Kamakshi. Parasakthi is the devatha for Sahasrara chakram. The pace of the tillana was very well maintained with the able support of percussionists.

Overall it was a good one hour realisation (satisfaction) of oneself through music.

Best wishes for the young artiste and her team to perform more and more in the coming days. They have a Bright future.

Last but not the least, I got an opportunity to enjoy this concert along with my sanskrit teacher at School Ms. G.K.Chandrika. So happy to meet her nearly after 2 decades.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Devi's Naamaa

Today 10-03-2017, Friday morning at 6.15 I had a chance to listen to the speech of Shri P.Swaminathan in Podhigai TV. He was sharing an experience related to Shree Lalitha Sahasranamam. I wanted to share with you the same.

In a village, there lived a scholar who was very well versed in Lalitha Sahsranama and other sanskrit granthaas. He was also so proud of his knowledge and was always asking whoever he meets, some questions related to sahasranamam and will make fun of them as they don't know the answer for the same. This was a routine thing happening over there and the poor people could not do anything. They respected his knowledge. So they remained calm.

Ok. Our Maathaa Lalithamba is Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent. All are her children. If a child does some mischief on his or her siblings, the mother will interfere at some point of time. Lalithamba is not an exception to it. Indeed she loves to play with us, Her child.

The scholar met a man who looks after cows in that village. He has nearly 50 cows with him. He use to feed them, give bath to them and clean the places. He does nothing other than this noble task of Go samrakshana.

The scholar asked the man if he knows to recite Lalitha Sahasranama. The man replied, "I don't know that and all. Also it wont be easy for him to recite. But I have heard it being recited in the temple on Fridays. I have 50 cows with me. I have named them with the names that came in the sloka and also easy for me to call - like Sandhya, Savithri, Gayathri, Saraswathi, Lakshmi, Kamala etc.. Daily I use to meet each of that 50 cows atleast 20 times and inquire them like -

'Kamala, did you drink water?'
'Savithri, have you finished eating the hay?'
'Saraswathi, finished eating the fodder?'

so on.

The scholar could realize a sudden blow on his head. From that moment onwards he saw the cattle herd as Lord Krishna. He started to respect people and he stayed away from mocking at people.

What we have to take from this is - we need to be humble. Reciting naamaas with correct pronunciation is important. But reciting them with utmost love to Devi is more important. So let us not stay away from reciting God's naama having we don't know the proper pronunciation as a reason. Start saying. Pronunciation will be coming perfectly in the due course of time with the God's grace.

Saint Valmiki who was a thief in the previous birth, got upadesam from Sage Narada - the word "ma-ra". He kept chanting mara mara mara mara till his death in that birth. Ultimately rama rama rama rama came from his mouth. Then came the Rama avatara and Valmiki wrote the epic Ramayana!

The sound of the bell comes first. Then the Elephant.