Alathoor Anjali on 17th Oct 2010 at NGS mini Hall

[thanjavooran]

Alathoor Anjali 17th Oct 2010 at NGS mini Hall

The function started exactly at 16 25 hrs with excerpts of Alathoor brothers recordings [ year and the accompanying artistes not known ]
Salamela Natai kurinchi varnam
Anandha bairavi R, P, N and S
Broche vareverae Sri ranjani R and P
Kambodhi R only as the time was up for starting the regular function the concert came to an abrupt stop at 17 35 hrs.

Thirupoonthurithi Venkatesan the organiser of the function welcomed the gathering and invited the chief guests to the stage . TRS , Vellore Ramabadhran and NGS Krishnaswamy were present and owing to ill health the prime sishya of Alathoor, shri Chengleput Renganathan did not attend.
Invocation song was by R Niranjan a law graduate and sishya of Thirupoonthuruthi. Manicka veenam slokam and sarasi ruha by puliyur Duraisawmy Iyengar in Nattai..
Shri Suri son in law of Alathoor Srinivasa Iyer spoke few words welcoming the gathering.
NGS Krishnaswamy
1. Today is an eventful occasion since Guru is being honoured on the Vijaya dasami day.
2. This function was started in 1995 and conducted since 15 yrs at this same venue at the request of Thirupoonthuruthy
3. He mentioned that the Kambodhi that was stopped, can never be heard in future. The beauty of this raga is displayed nicely.
4. In the first year 1995 Thodi was played and Hindu gave a nice report on this particular Raga while covering the function.
5. Nowadays though youngsters show more interest in CM, yet there is a doubt whether they listen to such chaste music,
6. There is a trend also that they feel it is sufficient and manage with their existing capacity they possess. This is incorrect
7. There should not be any experimentation on the concert and few come to the platform for performance at a very early stage.
8. In earlier days a vidwan will perform on stage only after thorough training and at the age of 35 only. This gives scope for listening to yesteryear stalwarts.
9. In the present day each student has more than 10 to 12 gurus for learning different Varnams, Kritis , Niraval and swaram singing etc..
10 This should be avoided and learn everything from one Guru thoroughly.
11..Gurus should not be changed very often which will spoil student's future. Fundamentals should not be experimented.
12. Chengleput R and Thiruppoonthuruthi still follow the same old tradition.
13. Vellore has played for all the senior Vidwans including Alathoor
14. He has participated in this function with all his ailments. [ Virtually he was guided to the stage with his son and one more ]
15. TRS has a practice to attend all the concerts and will never talk about the defects instead, will talk high, by siting the appropriate places.
16. He has lot of sishyas and encourages them to learn better.
17. Today he has come to this function as CR could not make it.
18. The response of audience for such functions is very poor and could have come at least to listen to the excerpts.

Vellore Ramabadran

19. He has not played for him other than once.
20. In 1962 when Pappa venkataramaiya was given SK, he played for Alathoor at that time only.
21. VR sang a niraval on Kalyani piece Amma ravammma as Alathoor would do with a kalapramanam.
22. He used to sing Tirupugazh in all concerts.
23. During the first concert simply told him that he will follow him like a dharma paththini in mirudangam instead of playing .
24. The concert was with Mannarkudi Natesapillai on Morsingh and it was full bench concert.
25. A mirudhangam player should follow without causing nuisance to the main Artiste.
26. It is not necessary that one should exhibit all his ability in a single concert. and this should be borne in mind

TRS

27. He has been asked to say few words all of a sudden as he came as a rasika only.
28. He mentioned that he was the first rasika to come.to listen to the excerpts. [Yes. it is true . As I entered he was the only person present inside the hall.]
29. Now he enjoyed the Kambodhi with classical weight.
30. Palghat Mani Iyer became famous at the age of 12
31. Nina pillai became Laya Puli at the age of 60. He honored PM at Tiruchur when PM was 12 yrs old
32. Layam is like a terrorist weapon to dread Musicians.
33. In Newjersy in an workshop for pallavi singing he questioned the students how to identify this item is Pallavi.
34 One foreigner simply told when the same line is repeatedly sung it is pallavi. A funny observation
35. PMI once told the main artiste to remove the angavasthiram so that he can start playing mirudhangam as the thalam was secretly put under cover.
36. Only Alathoor gave a new dimension to Layam
37. Layam is not Bayam [ Terror ] One should make efforts and work on that field to achieve status
38 St Thyagaraja had more disciples, MD only few and SS nil
39. Thanjavoor quartette were the only known disciples of MD and authorised to use Guruguha Mudhra for their compositions by MD himself
40. For Guru bakthi only Tirupoonthuruthi is a befitting example.
41 Every year he conducts Memorial day for Naryana theerthar regularly and in the same lines he honors this Guru also.
42 CR is Lion of Layam.
43. NGS Krishnasamy is an ardent disciple of Gnananda and offers freely the venue for HKM, Papanasam Sivan. this shows his Guru bakthi
44. To reply to this NGS told that he wants to be a volunteer and willing to offer all possible assistance for such functions.
45. Thiupoonthuruthi offered vote of thanks mentioning each and everyone who made this function successful.
46. He praised NGS Krishnaswamy for his immense service.
47. Son in law of Alathoor Srinivasa iyer who was present exclusively for this occasion with his wife and daughter [ 2nd dau of A S Iyer] from Bangalore reminded that VRB has performed in Kerala also for Alathoor brothers.
48. second daughter mentioned that Alathoor Srinivasa Iyer was performing srardham for Alathoor Venkatesa Iyer till his death as an example to his Gurubakthi
49. When SK was offered to him by MA he refused to accept and wanted Alathoor Subbu to be given first. This was decided by "'Thiru vula cheettu " and Subbu won the race.

At the end there was a vocal concert by Shyamala Venkateswaran accompanied by V.L. Kumar, Trivandrum Vaidhyanathan and Chandra sekara sarma. The concert started with Kalyani varnam.

My observation.

The hall was totally empty [10 rasikas only] and that too with senior-- senior citizens and the hall became half full in due course. As usual not even a single performing Artiste was present . As NGS K correctly puts in, they can at least visit the Hall to listen to the excerpts. It is a pity that representative from Alathoor Subbu's family was missing. At the end all were given kadalai paruppu sundal as prasadam.in a paper cup.

Thanjavooran 19 10 2010

[cienu]

Dear Thanjavooran,

Thank you for your detailed report .