Swathi Sangeethotsavam at Kuthiramalika Palace

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 06 Jan 2018, 11:11

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp ... 372356.ece

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 06 Jan 2018, 11:22

Dear KVC,
I am going there! Hope to report...

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 06 Jan 2018, 18:12

Forumite Sachi at Tvm!?
That's going to be a literary treat too!

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 06 Jan 2018, 22:35

I haven't visited the website.

Being a betting man, I would wager that Amrutha Venkatesh and Sanjay Subramaniam find themselves on the roster.

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 06 Jan 2018, 22:38

That will get you zero return.

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 07 Jan 2018, 11:41

Quick update: Having the time of my life!

Prof. Namboodari sang several wonderful songs y'day... Most of them were totally new to me.

Details follow....

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 07 Jan 2018, 21:55

A full house (maybe 700-800 people) enjoyed the music of Prince Rama Varma and a crack team of accompanists in a feast of Swathi Thirunal songs that just blew me away. The Prince is the master of communication with the audience as well as his accompanists. He has distilled all his knowledge and appreciation for the finest elements and presents it in the way only he can. We forget the technicalities and focus on enjoyment.

I told him after the concert that he is the Monarch of Musical Magic.

Believe me, missing this venue and its musical atmosphere will make a rasika poorer.

By the way I simply love Kerala. Don't know why, may be past life connect.

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 08 Jan 2018, 18:52

Nice report, Sachi.
No wonder. It's God's Own Country.

To make the experience complete, you must attend music concerts at the Navaratri Mandapam too. In the same complex.
(You have to go in 'temple attire').

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 08 Jan 2018, 22:40

Yes, SRK! I have attended one such concert as the main singer's guest in fact

Sri. KVN with TNK, UKS, THV, 1986,Saveri.

Today was my third and final concert. Amrutha Venkatesh, with Rajeev, Arjun Ganesh, Karthik and Payyanur.

What a concert it was. For percussion buffs, a real feast, no holds barred, with Karthik stealing the show. The high dB ensured that a new trick on the ghatam, running the palm to produce a metallic skating sound, was very effective. Of course Arjun and Rajeev need no praise new, they are always good.

Amrutha was a big challenge even for this super team. She sang a padavarnam in Athana. Paisa vasool as a Marwari would say. Then came a whole lot of unfamiliar songs, in Nata, Saurashtra, Bilahari, Jaunpuri, Huseni, and a Mangalam in Pantuvarali! The main was Gangeya Vasana Dhara in Hamir Kalyani. What a song. Her alapana was enough to trigger my imagination about organising her jugalbandi with Kaushiki.

Swathi Thirunal is perhaps the most under-rated composer and lyricist in CM. His songs are like model papers for me as far as Samskrita is concerned. He has poured the entire Bhagavatam into his songs, like a doting mother would fill up the payasam with choicest dry fruits for her child's birthday feast. And then the songs are such a natural fit for laya with their prosody. The words are so musical phonetically. And Amrutha was simply amazing the way she delivered the lyrics. Many times the accompaniment was so good she would repeat the lines with new twists.

After (post-edit:BEFORE

) she sang the wonderful Utsava song in Saurashtra, she announced that the previous Nata song had been tuned by Prof Venkataraman of Trivandrum. The Prince prompted her to ask if the Prof. was in the audience. A man rose in the far back to a big applause from the audience. I can assure you the song and the delivery were simply Gold Standard.

I told Prince Sri Rama Varma in the end that he is a matchless combination of a musician and a music fest organiser. He should write for all of us about our music and musicians. He is a very positive communicator.
He will not talk of bad tea or how to tie a veshti, for sure.

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 09 Jan 2018, 07:40

Sachi,
Fine report, enabling one to 'live the experience'.
I learn from a reliable source that Amruta acknowledged Prof. Venkataramanan for tuning of a kriti in Naata.

Seems Karthik had created quite a sensation with his super pot. He's a great entertainer.

Happy to know you already had attended a Navaratri Mandapam concert.

Thanks to Sri Rama Varma - the Swati Sangeethotsav is entirely his brainchild. The Prince is a King maker too!

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 09 Jan 2018, 07:49

Sivaramakrishnan,
You're right. The tuning by Prof. was indeed for Nata kriti. I mixed up. The music was such I didn't make notes well.

Your reliable source would perhaps fill in more beautiful points.

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 09 Jan 2018, 08:59

Sachi,
So nice of you to have responded promptly.

Hope you'd write on all the concerts.

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 09 Jan 2018, 10:32

SRK,
What more can I write? I lack the digilence and knowledge of CRama, you and Rajeshnat.

Also, I was in a kind of spell listening to music here. I didn't make good notes. And I never record the concerts on my phone.

So, just a few comments.

Prof. Tamarakkad Govindan Namboodari is a born musician, with a beautiful voice with easy 2.5 octave reach even in his post retirement phase. What I heard is that he lives music 24x7.
He sang a beautiful Saveri song, Raghuramadoota Anjaneya. It has a lovely take off and one can spin it in many ways.
The main was the Shanmukhapriya song, Mamava Karunayaa. Trivandrum Sampath is a fine violinist and played very well for Shanmukhapriya. Prof. was a picture of bliss as he sang.

There is an ad where Saif Ali Khan is impressing a girl by playing golf in a room full of antique objects. He swings with a swagger and the ball hits many objects in disdain as it finally comes to rest in a crystal wine glass. I find most musicians sing today with the same disdain for swaras. They touch, trespass and tumble over notes with a swagger that speaks of supreme musical mastery and scant respect for musical notes. This worthy Prof. lives in a different world of music. He seems to revere each note, has the lung power to stay on a note without tremor, and music is less of a tight rope walk and more like a saunter in a scented garden for him.

Prince Rama Varma sang a rare Bhoopalam kriti Rama Rama Pahi. His main was in Behag, Rina mada nuta.
With the Prince you feel his singing is more a music lesson than a music concert. The phrases are all distinct and we can actually repeat all of them mentally as we listen to him. After interacting with him I know of his vast and eclectic knowledge of music. He has chosen this ouvre deliberately perhaps.

I have already written about Amrutha. Even in the opening strains of Athana, there was the stamp of her unique bouquet of musical capabilities - strong, full and unoscillated swaras, a whole array of gamakas, glides, curves, filigrees, soft and strong strokes, leaps (my, my, what leaps) and delicate endings that makes the violinist pause in awe.

Hamir Kalyani is like a versatile actress (I should say actor) whose full potential of acting, charm and good looks needs a master director to bring it out. Amrutha did it. The song helped, of course

ram1999 · Post by **ram1999** » 09 Jan 2018, 10:44

Sachi_R wrote: ↑09 Jan 2018, 10:32
He sang a beautiful Saveri song, Raghuramadoota Anjaneya. It has a lovely take off and one can spin it in many ways.
The main was the Shanmukhapriya song, Mamava Karunayaa. Trivandrum Sampath is a fine violinist and played very well for Shanmukhapriya. Prof. was a picture of bliss as he sang.

Shouldnt it start as Anjaneya raghurama ..... ??, a beautiful composition set to tune by Semmangudi

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 09 Jan 2018, 10:47

Yes, Anjaneya.. And Raghuramadoota... He sang it with both beginnings in a kind of cyclical manner. That's why I said take off points.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 09 Jan 2018, 10:58

Sachi,
Namboothiri is thamarakkad govindan namboothiri. Please mention his name in full , if possible if you still have edit rights correct it. If you search nair and namboothiri google will throw million hits thamarakkad govindan will never come at the top . i have tasted only once in ragasudha this thamarakkad vidwan that day he ended with shankarashree(hamsanandi) and taruinyan(dwijavanthi). That dwijAvanthi brought KVN before me.

You are a modern marketer ,which is what is required . You seem to write with a great punch with lovely phrases - there is more a TRS style in your writing with sudden throw of manodharmam not a KVN style in writing who i assume is your all time favourite .

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 09 Jan 2018, 11:12

Sachi,
That's really a fantastic report you have filed.
I've always seen a Swati Tirunal in the Prince for his erudition and cosmopolitan outlook.
Keep coming on the festival, please! You might have had Darshan at the Sri Padmanabhaswami temple by now. That will be another write up I suppose.

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 09 Jan 2018, 11:22

SRK, I did go into that temple. And spent over 2 hours.

It is of course one of the finest temples I have visited.

I am not competent to write about such temples. In fact I wonder what good fortune makes me get a chance to visit these temples.

Rajesh, sorry, I couldn't edit the first mention of the name. The second time, I think I have written the full name.
Thanks for your feedback on my reporting style.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 09 Jan 2018, 13:31

It is very nice to read your festival report. I have been once, about 12 years ago. The audiences then might have been measured in dozens, certainly not hundreds!

Yes, the ambience is great and also the music. For a Mylapore Mama, though, obviously the timing is all wrong! We are exhausted after December, but still very much busy with our own, now more relaxed, but very much still happening, season.

I will go to the Navarathri series of and when I can. Sadly, skin-deep judgement is still alive and well in India just as it is in the rest of the world. Rama Varma is a reformer: will see if he can change this in my lifetime. I'm not going that far too be made to sit outside.

Sachi, did you see the owl? I wonder if the one I saw is still alive and a regular attender. And if its children maintain the family interest in real m music... Or prefer the cinema

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 09 Jan 2018, 13:39

Sorry,. Nick, nobody warned me to look for an owl.
The owl is the vehicle of Lakshmi. Maybe she had come down just for your visit.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 09 Jan 2018, 15:01

Back then, when I asked, I was told that the owl was a regular!

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 09 Jan 2018, 18:00

Today was spent walking around and sighting food places. Here is a snapshot:

At the entrance to Agraharam there is an eatery serving varieties of beef. I didn't take a photo.

I also visited the Kuthiramalika Palace Museum (in other words the innards of that massive tiled Palace facade houses a museum

)
There is a long line of life-like Kathakali wooden statues done so well it deserves a Geotag and a national heritage status.

Then to Chitralayam that stores all the paintings and photos of the Travancore Royalty since the 18th Century. Very engaging indeed.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 09 Jan 2018, 18:14

Shri Sachi,
Very nice report.
Thanks,
Thanjavooran
09 01 2018

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 09 Jan 2018, 18:31

Is 'innards' intentional after 'beef'?
There is near Erode a place called Brahmana periya Agraharam, full of Muslims and tanneries.
Times to come we may not be lucky to witness!

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 09 Jan 2018, 19:21

No sir, what I meant was that until I was informed that there is a fine museum housed inside that building, I thought it was just a facade. My stupidity.

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 09 Jan 2018, 19:34

Hope you have taken my light remarks in fun. I follow your posts avidly.

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 09 Jan 2018, 20:27

Dear KVC, no scope for mistaking your humour!
I was struck how everything is named after Ananta, Padmanabha, Krishna, Shankham.. Even the airport is next to Shangumukham Beach and they stop the flights on the runway to allow ceremonial elephant procession for the Lord's bath in the sea...
(And then I saw this beef board.)

Anyway, here's a positive. A beautiful archway/doorway in the palace complex:

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 09 Jan 2018, 20:45

I remember Anatharama Dikshitar saying in one breath, sankhu, chakkaram, gadai, vanamaalai, kousthubham, srivatsam, maarbile lakshmi .. ippadi kandennal bhattadiri. Appanum thalaiyaati divyamaana swaroopatthai kaatinaar. intha kaliyile naanooru varshatthukku munnaadi.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 09 Jan 2018, 21:13

Sachi,
Every year my wish, but a miss

You delight us with your account of your trip, pictures and musical moments. Good to have you around on the forum, as always. See you at the spring festival in Gayana Samaja...

pattamaa · Post by **pattamaa** » 09 Jan 2018, 21:26

If you are still there, visit Sri Varaham temple... This is where dikshitar composed famous abhogi keerthana - sri lakshmi varaham...

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 09 Jan 2018, 22:09

There is/was a very good handloom shop. I think I still have some vestis (mundu) dating back to my visit.

If you can travel that far, visit the wooden place at Padmanabhapuram Palace. Beautiful! And I think Swathi Thirunal composed [some of?] his music there?

You've probably been there another time already....

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 09 Jan 2018, 23:50

Pattamaa, I walked in the Varaham area. I thought of the song Sri Lakshmi Varaham! So.
Yes Nick, have been to that Palace twice. And I also bought some handloom... So there! Owls of the same feather, aren't we.

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 10 Jan 2018, 01:25

"Owl Symbolism and Owl Meanings. The owl is sacred to the Greek goddess of learning, Athena and is even depicted on some Greco-Roman currency as a symbol of status, intelligence and of course, wealth."
We have two worthy owls in the forum.

MaheshS · Post by **MaheshS** » 10 Jan 2018, 01:36

Owls in Hinduism. Interesting read.

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 10 Jan 2018, 05:57

The old Anglo-Indian gentleman who lived in the Raheja Residency Olive block where I had a flat was a kind soul and facilitated matters as the association secretary. He collected all kinds of owl figures, pictures, etc. All sizes. I saw a few dozen of them, almost like an assembly of Indian kings and regents at a reception for Queen Victoria.
Here is an owl I said Hello to at 3 ft. distance. Perched next to the dining hall in Chinmaya Vibhooti:

By the way the bust of the royal elephant Chandrasekharan that served the Travancore kings for 86 years till 1970's or so has been preserved in taxidermy (head, ears, trunk, magnificent tusks!) and presented in the Chitralayam. He stands about 14 feet tall and has wonderful skin. Must be due to frequent Ayurvedic massages. No photos allowed.

Ranganayaki · Post by **Ranganayaki** » 10 Jan 2018, 08:39

Such a nice thread! Thank you RSachi for the descriptions and the tidbits!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 10 Jan 2018, 08:59

Ranganayaki,
His name's end* is AnandA

*also goal, purpose

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 10 Jan 2018, 09:03

rasikANANDAkaraka

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 10 Jan 2018, 10:27

Thank you. I am merely responding to the positive vibes I get all the time here from sahRdayIs.

Rig Veda:
आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 10 Jan 2018, 10:57

pattamaa wrote: ↑09 Jan 2018, 21:26 If you are still there, visit Sri Varaham temple... This is where dikshitar composed famous abhogi keerthana - sri lakshmi varaham...

The above kriti as well as
Hariharaputram (Vasantha - Sabarimala Ayyappan),
Sreekrishnam bhaja ( Todi- The Lord of Guruvayur) and
Pannagasayana Padmanabha (Madhyamavati - Sri Padmanabhaswamy,Trivandrum)
are said to be not 'on the spot compositions' of Dikshitar (in other words there are no records of Dikshitar having actually visited these temples of erstwhile Travancvore-Cochin State unlike those sthalas in Tamilnadu).

Academicians could throw light.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 10 Jan 2018, 18:25

Sivaramakrishnan wrote: ↑10 Jan 2018, 10:57
pattamaa wrote: ↑09 Jan 2018, 21:26 If you are still there, visit Sri Varaham temple... This is where dikshitar composed famous abhogi keerthana - sri lakshmi varaham...
The above kriti as well as
Hariharaputram (Vasantha - Sabarimala Ayyappan),
Sreekrishnam bhaja ( Todi- The Lord of Guruvayur) and
Pannagasayana Padmanabha (Madhyamavati - Sri Padmanabhaswamy,Trivandrum)
are said to be not 'on the spot compositions' of Dikshitar (in other words there are no records of Dikshitar having actually visited these temples of erstwhile Travancvore-Cochin State unlike those sthalas in Tamilnadu).

Academicians could throw light.

On top of that, several books say that Sri Lakshmivaraham is composed on the deity at the Kallidaikurichi temple.

Others aver that this is not a genuine Deekshithar composition but something out of the Kallidaikurichi School of disciples.

rupavathi · Post by **rupavathi** » 10 Jan 2018, 19:15

pattamaa wrote: ↑09 Jan 2018, 21:26 This is where dikshitar composed famous abhogi keerthana - sri lakshmi varaham...

Most definitely NOT... this song is based on temple in Kallidaikurichi. The charanam clearly states "tAmraparNi tIra sthitam..."

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 10 Jan 2018, 21:11

Friends,
I took a few short videos from my seat, please watch them here:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 1063686787

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 11 Jan 2018, 06:53

Sachi,
Thanks.
Thanjavooran
11 01 2018