Aishwarya and Soundarya singing Maitreem Bhajata before PM

[kvchellappa]

https://mahaperiyavaa.blog/2017/09/19/p ... im-bajata/

This is the link given by the PM in FB:
http://www.narendramodi.in/s-aishwarya- ... -pm-537014

[Sachi_R]

What a wonderful video. Very moving.

॥ श्रेयो भूयात् सकलजनानाम् ॥

[arasi]

From the beginning note to the crescendo, flawless, heartfelt singing. True heirs to the tradition, bless them

[Sachi_R]

Nothing to be cavilling at, but I felt the upper half/Sa Sruti alignment would have been helped by a tambura Sruti.
I repeat, nothing to cavil at.

[hnbhagavan]

They are being pushed to be in the lime light.It is pure lineage.

[cienu]

From the beginning note to the crescendo, flawless, heartfelt singing. True heirs to the tradition, bless them

Dear Arasi
Thank you for your kind comments. I am attaching two more pictures from this occasion for the benefit of the readers of this forum.
A group picture with the PM

The Prime Minster listening to Maithreem Bhajatha.

[cienu]

What a wonderful video. Very moving.
॥ श्रेयो भूयात् सकलजनानाम् ॥

Thank you so much Sachi. Unfortunately due to security reasons, mobile phones and Tambura Sruti were not allowed.
It was a momentous occasion for Aishwarya and Saundarya to sing in front of the Prime Minister.

[cienu]

They are being pushed to be in the lime light.It is pure lineage.

That was an unfair comment from you Sri hnbhagavan (perhaps unintended) on what was just a courtesy call on the Prime Minister. The pictures and video were released by the Prime Minister and not by me. With regard to your comment on “pure lineage”, my daughters are truly honoured to represent such an awe - inspiring heritage of not just music, but also important life values like humility, compassion, charity and public service.

[cienu]

An article by S.Aishwarya regarding the visit to the Prime Minister's residence which she had posted on her page on Facebook.

Quote

"It was an unforgettable day for our family in New Delhi when we met the honourable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi Ji for almost 30 minutes at his residence yesterday (Sep 19th, 2017). As soon as we entered the room, the Prime Minister welcomed us with a warm smile and almost immediately a photographer took pictures of us with the Prime Minister. My father Shri V Shrinivasan, conversed with Shri Modi in Hindi and regaled him with various anecdotes.

He told the Prime Minister the story of the Venkateshwara Suprabatham and how intensely my Grandmother Bharat Ratna M.S. Subbulakshmi and my grandmother Smt Radha Viswanathan had practiced for a period of almost 10 months. Starting with the Purohits of Tirupati and under Vedic scholars like Agnihothram Thathachari, Sanskrit Professors like Shri Veezhinathan, my great grandmother and grandmother by hearted the Suprabatham after knowing the meaning of each verse. Subsequently they sang the Suprabatham in front of The Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamigal and last but not the least finally before Lord Balaji Himself.

However, when it came to recording of the Suprabatham, my Great Grandmother still had apprehensions whether she was “perfect” enough. It was my Grandmother who nudged her and said that the recording must be done immediately as otherwise it runs a risk of getting delayed for a longer period. Ultimately this was completed in just two takes.

Two days after the recording, my father was born and hence he was named as “Shrinivasan” after the Lord of the Seven Hills.

Another anecdote my father told the Prime Minister was the story of “Maithreem Bhajatha”. The Mahaperiaval of Kanchi had composed this historic song to be sung at the United Nations by my Great Grandmother and Grandmother in 1966. The song was set to music by the renowned music director of yester years Shri Vasant Desai at the home of Kalki Sri Kannan in what was then called Bombay. My great grandfather Sri T Sadasivam paid by cheque, Rs. 501 as remuneration to Shri Vasant Desai. After 6 months, the auditors found that the cheque had still not been banked. There was a lurking fear in my Great grandfather’s mind that he may have underpaid the music maestro and hence he requested Kalki Sri Kannan to go to Shri Vasant Desai’s home and gently enquire about the reasons why the cheque was still unbanked. To his utter surprise, Shri Desai pointed to the wall where the cheque was framed and neatly displayed. He said that since Smt Subbulakshmi Ji had signed the cheque he had kept it as her blessing and would not bank the same.

My father also told the Prime Minister about how Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan after hearing her sing called my great grandmother “Suswaralakshmi Subbulakshmi”, the Voice of the Purest Note.

The Prime Minister was visibly delighted upon hearing these anecdotes.

My parents presented the Prime Minister with a copy of the book “MS & Radha – Saga of Steadfast Devotion.” authored by Smt Gowri Ramnarayan and published by the Suswaralakshmi Foundation for Classical Musical and Performing Arts.

My father requested the Prime Minister whether my sister Saundarya and I could sing a song for him. With a twinkle in his eye the Prime Minister asked me “How long will your song take”. I replied 3 minutes. Immediately, he pressed a bell and asked for a videographer to come in. The Prime Minister told my father “For the sake of history we will record the song so that the future will know that Aishwarya and Saundarya sang at the Prime Minister’s house”

As we sang the song, the Prime Minister listened with deep appreciation and when my sister and I concluded with the words “Shreyo Bhooyath Sakala Jananaam”, there was an applause from the Prime Minister himself. He praised us for the rendition and said that he was extremely happy that we were upholding the “Sangeeth Parampara” of our great grandmother and grandmother.

As we took leave I must confess that my sister and I were deeply honoured to sing before the Prime Minister and this event will remain etched in our memories forever."

Unquote

[kvchellappa]

Undoubtedly the lineage is helping the sisters, but it is a blessing, and the blessing is not that they get attention, but that they are eminently worthy of it. We should not make it cheap by any reference to what happens around. I have read how Sri Sadasivam has not left a monetary legacy, but the way the sisters are shaping is due to the tapasic life Sri Sadasivam and MS lived, and an unpriceable legacy. The sisters deserve support from the point of music and commemoration of MS to take it forward in some way even beyond their lives. May god bless them to live as paragons of our culture.

[Sachi_R]

Not to forget the tireless role of a wonderful person, Cienu, and also their gurus.
I wish the sisters all the best to hone their art and become worthy of their priceless legacy!

[arasi]

Rasikas.org among other things has been a cheerleader for talents from day one--young talents in particular. It's part of its being. As in an ideal family--hope we will be one --it abounds in intellectual and emotional content. After all, music which we profess to appreciate has both those elements. Then, as in an ideal family, we hope to and try hard to maintain a positive attitude towards the music we love--where healthy discussions can happen--even controversial ones, if they add to our understanding of this precious art form.
We have so many bright men and women who engage in discussions here. sahrudayA-s all when it comes to music...
We are fortunate to be witnesses to a phenomenon called MS, we are also here to see how the family focuses on nurturing that music they were part of, in the true "taNNIr viTTO vaLarthOm sarvESA ippayirai?", as bhArathi sang about the spirit of independence. Did we grow this crop merely by watering it? How we shed tears in protecting it?

How many families of music have lost their precious gift in not continuing it into future generations! It needs a lot of devotion, effort, and perseverance. There could perhaps been a few more such families which made music their mission to flow through future generations.The focus alas, was not there, nor all the above qualities.

So, cheerleaders we are to the emerging generation and to those who follow them...

Aishwarya,
Loved reading your post...jug jug jiyO!

[MaheshS]

They are being pushed to be in the lime light.It is pure lineage.

That was an unfair comment from you Sri hnbhagavan (perhaps unintended) on what was just a courtesy call on the Prime Minister.

How many other young musicians get the opportunity to courtesy call on the Prime Minister of India and sing a song? So yeah, lineage does matter and it IS a blessing indeed.

[hnbhagavan]

My remarks is not to take away the great lineage which the sisters represent.it is just that opportunities do not come easily.Yes it is true and my best wishes for the sisters to take forward the MS Lineage.

[Sachi_R]

Cienu,
The video will be a remarkable record. Aishwarya and Saundarya are really fortunate in all the ways we have discussed here.

I am one of your admirers. You have a certain class that I have seen in everything you do, starting from the rasikas meet you hosted very graciously during Mr. Nageswaran's trip a few years ago.

I firmly believe that one's musical journey is nothing but one's journey to God. Your daughters are well on their way. Meeting and singing for our remarkable PM is a landmark.
God bless.

[RSR]

I am in a way happy that the parents of the sisters are able to get appointment with the very busy Prime Minister . i wish that they use that proximity to the powers that be, to persuade saregama to place all the early records of MS in public domain.
Just two days back, I had re-tried to place Vaishanava janatho of Narsi Mehta sung by Smt.MS in 1947 in youtube .It was a favourite of Gandhiji himself. A classic in every aspect. The music was by ' Remoji' Piano Vaidhyanathan. ( Gowri Ramnarayan has written about him).
It was blocked .
I wish that the sisters had sung 'Vandhe Matharam' of Bankim, ( MS duet with DKRoy) .No body can sing like that again. Sri..Modi would have appreciated that more, I think.
We are not living now in the Freedom struggle era. All the singers of that era had contributed to the movement. Smt DKP risked getting arrested and imprisoned for singing patriotic songs in public meetings.
Nobody remembers Sundarambal. Tragic.
Let the young musicians win appreciation from senior members of the Carnatic music fraternity and gain fame. Let them reach the rural people by concerts featuring the nationalistic message. Wishing them Success.

[vsn69]

From the beginning note to the crescendo, flawless, heartfelt singing. True heirs to the tradition, bless them

Dear Arasi
Thank you for your kind comments. I am attaching two more pictures from this occasion for the benefit of the readers of this forum.
A group picture with the PM

Dear Sri Cienu,
Heartening to see this thread and also happy to see that you and your family met PM Modi and your daughters sang before him.

I am Smt Rajam Pushpavanam's son and I have met MS Amma along with my mother, though I never got to meet the rest of the family.

I look upon MS Amma as my mother too. In fact, when my mother had passed away in 1991 due to diabetes, years later I really longed to see her again as well as hear her voice. That was fulfilled when I witnessed MS Amma's last public (or maybe the last but one) performance in Madipakkam, Chennai. I was truly dazzled; the same magical smile, the beauty, tejas, frizzy locks, the silk, diamonds et al...
Kind regards to you and your family. May God bless your children.

VSN

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

CIENU: Nirmala Mami and myself are pleased that both Aishwarya and Sowndarya got to sing before. the PM.It is truly commendable that Aishwarya has imbibed Amma Patti's. steadfastness in adhering to the spirit of the composition.

I am also pleased that you and Geetha are so diligent in encouraging Aishwarya to reach new heights. YES,unfortunately in our Society no matter how high she soars by virtue of her own effort and dedication,the 'halo' will continue to haunt her. One has to only put oneself in Aishwarya's shoes to understand what tremendous odds she has to fight against and appreciate HOW she has handles all these with modesty and aplomb--Ammu Patti would have been truly proud of her Great Granddaughter as your Mom is.

May God bless Aishwarya and your family with health and happiness.