NEYVELI SANTHANAGOPALAN AND HIS SISHYAKULAM

[CRama]

Neyveli Santhanagopalan along with 10-12 of his students presented the thematic programme SACRED VERSES FROM TAMIZH TRADITION in the Bhakthi Sangeeth Utsav on 24 June in Narada Gana Sabha. NSG many times emphasised that Carnatic music and bhakthi are inseparable which can be observed from the great compositions of trinity and other composers. He also highlighted the compositions of pre trinity composers as also the Tevaram, Tiruvasagam, Pasurams, Pann isai and pointed that tamizh is a treasure house of bhakthi compositions and our life is not enough to study the entire tamizh ilakkiyam. The songs were presented mainly by the students which included Sreeranjini Santhanagopalan and also the son of NSG (I could not note his name) while NSG provided the commentary and sang along at times. List of compositions presented.

Aindu Karathanai Aanai mukhathanai- Thirumoolar Thirumandiram- followed by Gnanasambandar thevaram- Pidiyavar Uru Umai- Pann-Vyazhakurinji- (Sourashtram). This describes the story of the birth of Ganapathi.
Ponnum mey porulum tharuvaanai – Sundaramurthy Nayanar Virutham followed by Madayil Vaazhai paaya - Thevaram- Thakkesi pann (Kambodi)
Vaananai mathi soodiya mainthanani–Thirunavukkarasar thevaram- Keeravani
Naamam pala solven- Bhoothathazhvar pasuram followed by Kulam Tharum Selvam tharum- Thirumangai azhvar pasuram- Begada
Keesu keesu entru-Thiruppavai-Bhairavi
Painkuvalai thamarayaai pongum- Thiruvembavai of Manikkavasagar- Simhendramdhyamam.
Seer sirakkum meni-Thirupugazh- Nalinakanthi
Petra thaay thanai-Virutham in Ragamalika followed by Anbenum pidiyul- Ramalinga swamigal Thiruvarutpa- Kalyanavasantham
The thevaram- Pidiyavar Uru Umai was rendered in all nadais- from tisram to Misram. It was a real feat and an aural feast.

The thevaram Vaananai- the middle na is wrongly spelt with moonu chuzhi na. NSG corrected that it should be rendu chuzhi na. He also mentioned that during the thevaram era, there was no pann equivalent to Keeravani. But it was tuned in Keeravani by a great singer called Thodi Kannan. In this context NSG offered his gratitude to the late TMT who tuned many thevarams with the appropriate sangathis etc and popularised them by singing in concerts. I do remember the soulful rendering of this thevaram by KVN and DKJ.

Kulam Tharum Selvam tharum- Thirumangai azhvar pasuram was set in the kriti format by NSG. (We have heard it as a virutham only).

NSG greatly appreciated Ariiyakudi for tuning the Tiruppavai songs in attractive ragams and making them suitable for concert platforms.

Painkuvalai thamarayaai pongum- Thiruvembavai – Simhendramdhyamam. There was a detailed neraval by all the sishyas taking turns. Special mention may be made of one very young sishya – may be 14-15 years old who presented an impressive neraval.

It was an excellent presentation. NSG have got very good communicative skills. NSG spoke in lucid Thamizh with all relevant information about the composers and the songs. His passion towards the thamizh songs was very much evident. The Guru and sishyas have worked hard to prepare the rare songs and NSG deserves full appreciation for his training of disciples to this perfection. NSG has proved that he is an excellent tunesmith like his Guru TNS. The Begada song had an excellent varnamettu which gave the impression of a heavy kriti. The Thiruvarutpa in Kalyanavasantham had cascading sangathis which was a challenge for the sishyas to sing and they did that with aplomb. While singing viruthams and neravals, the sishyas displayed their manodharmam which received heavy applause from the discerning audience. Just like Sreeranjini, we can expect many accomplished singers from this Gurukulam.

Thanks to the organisers of Bhakti Sangeeth Utsav for giving us this wonderful programme.

[Rsachi]

Thank you CRama!

[thanjavooran]

Shri CRama,
Many thanx for the review on Bakthi Sangeeth Utsav. Really you enjoy retired life. As mentioned NSG deserves full appreciation for his efforts.
with wishes,
Thanjavooran
26 06 2015

[rajeshnat]

Crama
Thanks for your review . I was thinking TMT only tuned vaananai never knew this person Todi kannan. Was there any alapana, neraval and swaras in this concert . How long was the concert?? Glad also to hear that NSG son is entering into fray.

[CRama]

Rajesh, the concert was for nearly one and half hours. There was neraval for the song in Simhendramadhyamam by turn by all the disciples of NSG. Some of them showed high level of manodharmam during neraval, especially one boy about 15 years. There were no swaras though. No raga alapanas also. Elaborate viruthams were soulfully rendered.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Excellent review CRama.

[arasi]

Rama,
Happy to hear that NSG presented with his students a concert like this--something which I admire him for. His love and proficiency in tamizh (and in other languages), his musical skills and his imagination (not forgetting his sense of humor) are a delight to many of us.

I look at the list, and what variety! Such all tamizh, that too old tamizh pieces are a joy. NSG's vAnanai (!) is a class in itself.

Sriranjani is making him proud. His son sings too, now? I knew he was learning to play the mrudangam. And, who is the teen that you were impressed with? Now that summer holidays have started here, could it be a kid from north america?

[rshankar]

CRama - as usual thank you! Your retirement suits us!!

Beautiful program. Are you aware if it was recorded??

[arasi]

Ravi,
"Your retirement suits us!"
I like that

[MV]

! Your retirement suits us!!

Thanks for the review CRama. I wonder if a recording is available or will it be on Youtube. Sounds like a great program.

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

CRama: Nice review/recap of the eve. NSG invests lot of energy into teaching his students and is always a fund of knowledge.The compositions that he has unearthed can have "legs: only if besides the Sishya parampara other musicians--male/female propagate them. let's not forget the only reason the Trinity's compositions survived is because their disciples subsubsequently zealously propagated the compositions in addition to propagating their own compositions(a la Patnam Subramania Iyer,Vasudevchar,Poochi Iyengar et al).

What is this about retiring? i recall from our annual rasikas meeting you are still a spring chicken compared to some of us old foggies!!!!

[Sivaramakrishnan]

The thevaram Vaananai- the middle na is wrongly speltwith moonu chuzhi na. NSG corrected that it should be rendu chuzhi na.

Could someone explain the meaning of 'Vaananai'? And 'Ambalavaanan' ?

[pattamaa]

looks like grand program. hats off to carnatica... hope these recordings appear in youtube sooner or later..

[CRama]

The earlier years programmes are available in the youtube. I also expect that it will be uploaded in youtube later. If I get any info, I will post it.

MKR, I have retired from service last month at the age of sixty.

[srini_pichumani]

Sivaramakrishnan Sir,

vAn2anai at the start of this tEvAram simply refers to the One in the Sky -- please see the full tEvAram at thevaaram.org (TirumuRai 5, 2nd verse in the 4th chapter on Tiruvannamalai)

வான னைம்மதி சூடிய மைந்தனைத்
தேன னைத்திரு வண்ணா மலையனை
ஏன னையிகழ்ந் தார்புர மூன்றெய்த
ஆன னையடி யேன்மறந் துய்வனோ.

ampalavANar literally refers to the "Resident" in the ampalam, with the special reference to the presiding deity of Chidambaram.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

srini,
Thank you so much for the details.

[jaishreejyothi]

But it was tuned in Keeravani by a great singer called Thodi Kannan. In this context NSG offered his gratitude to the late TMT who tuned many thevarams with the appropriate sangathis etc and popularised them by singing in concerts. I do remember the soulful rendering of this thevaram by KVN and DKJ.

Hello sir, you seem to be familiar with the singer Thodi Kannan. This person happens to be my grand uncle (on my mother's side). I am currently a student of music and I know of him only through the stories my grandmother has shared with me about his musical prowess. I would love to get my hands on any recordings of his that might be out there in the hands of music lovers. Would love to have any and all information you can share about my grand uncle.

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Jaishree

[Pratyaksham Bala]

@jaishreejyothi

THODI KANNAN :-

Actor:
Thodi Kannan has acted in the 1947 Tamil movie ‘Thiyagi’, and in the 1958 Tamil movie ‘Kudumba Gouravam’.

Singer:
He was a member of the singer group of the song ‘Pozhaikkum Vazhiyai Paaru’ in the 1955 Tamil movie ‘Asai Anna Arumai Thambi’