Kalakshetra foundation -- Smt Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam

[Sundarnrao]

It is always like a celebration of euphoric festivity to attend Smt. VS’s concert as it truly offers unlimited excitement and extreme enlightenments all the time. Smt.VS’s distinctive gayaki filled obsessively with nimble grace represents the essence of truest Indian tradition and her dominant vocalism builds the spiritual evolution through her mystical pursuits. The open-air concert further heightened the disposition for extreme expectations through its tranquil ambiance and the hamsadhwani splendors that Smt.VS was sparkling during sound-check.

Charming the audience majestically with a yogic calm posture and deep serenity of musical bearing, smt VS started the concert with “sri vaatapi ganapathi” set in sahana. It was exceedingly prodigious rendition that showcased her formidable musicianship through her power of intelligence, devotion, sensation, attentiveness to build a pensively meditative milieu. While the MC introduced Smt. VS as a “glamor musician”, I’m sure she would also definitely append “queen of romanticism” after listening to the sahana presentation (and the overall concert). Smt.VS romanced Sahana in her own artistically visual alleyway to assure the best-of-best flavor. After eons, I got to hear such a deific sahana today. Lord Ganesha effigy behind smt.VS would have got life and would have illuminated his special blessings for sure.

Smt VS launched “sadhachaleshwaram” in bhoopalam in a mercurial style and added extraordinary manodharma structures as part of her musical statements through phenomenal behlawas.

Smt VS scripted “sri thyagaraja palayamsumam”(gowla) as her third presentation. Her raga exposition with consummate command and devout enrichments duly created an extraterrestrial character all over the auditorium. Smt. VS’s amplified epitome of decorous serenity was discernible in her fourth “kannada gowla” presentation “nilothpalambikaya” where she offered vast melodic improvisations to unleash the raga potential within the presentation structure. Her graceful passages on G2 and N2 were out of the world

Smt.VS’s arty aesthetics was felt in her fifth presentation thevaaram on sohini-- where her manodharma statements were very unique, unpredictable and uncomplicated and ensured the signatory predicament of sohini (G m D N S", S"r" S"r" N S" N D, N D-G m G )as against the influence of “marwa” and “puriya”. Known for her musical clarity, smt.VS was able to lucidly express a fastidious adherence of raga colors to switch into her sixth presentation “Aandavan dharisaname” – The transition embossed her indelible signature mark on the rendition principles of sonata charter. The subtleties and nuances conveyed in jaunpuri were astounding and all her ingenious sketches were inspiringly nimble.

Smt.VS is one of the rarest artiste that has supreme knack of expressively communicating the emotional-personality of any raga to ensure effective communication to all forms of listeners ( connoisseurs, Commoners, Counselors, critics, collaborators, neophytes etc) in pushing the envelope to fulfill their hearts with her magnificent musical ideas. This unhindered communiqué was reverent in her seventh presentation “Sri Kamalambike” in sri-ragam and every rasika got spiritually spell bounded with Smt.VS’s musical effect. Emotions and expressions were oozing brilliantly across every word – not sure how to put the enlightenment that every rasika attained in words. Discerned listeners might have observed her divine expressions "raaka-chandra" (full-moon; r-pmr- rgrs-ns) chandrakala (cresent moon; Sn-sn-np-pm-mn) etc..Also, expressions across “ambari”, “shaaka” “vashankari”, “bhaktha” were THE BEST. Lord Ganesha (deity behind the concert-dias) must have enjoyed it as thoroughly as possible.

As Ustad Amir Khan always said, “An artiste has to have poet’s mind to create the best imagination of melody”, Smt.VS always ensures best shine on the lyrical contents with clarified diction, heartfelt enunciation and diligent pronounciations. It was luminously exhibited in her final thevaaram across every line in the devotional verses.

Mridangist M.Balaji and Violinist Usha Rajagopal delivered a classic accompaniment without altering the mood of the concert.

Overall, the concert was a repeated holy assurance of unity with God through sagaciously redolent music by Smt.VS and I’m sure Late.Shri.S.Rajam would have blessed "Long shall my music live in you after I am gone" if he had heard today’s concert.

[mahavishnu]

Thank you for your report, Sundarnrao. Did you catch any of the book release function also?

[Rajani]

Mahavishnu : Yes, I did atttend the book release function, although I could only stay till the "thevaaram" part of the lovely concert.

The event was wonderful. The Banyan Tree area lit up tastefully looked ethereal. The program started about 30 min late. We first watched a five-minute video of the Tiruvarur temple, a few shots of the Book Release function held there(in Tiruvarur) in January and the murals. The introduction by Ranvir Shah ( of Prakriti Foundation) and the speeches by Mr Rajamani, Prof Shulman and Leela Samson were all very crisp and eloquent. Mr Rajamani's was particularly moving. Then the book was placed by Mr Rajamani (with Prof Shulman giving a hand) at the feet of Ganesha who has a shrine under the Banyan. Then the concert commenced.

Many luminaries of Chennai in the fields of dance, art, folk art, history, archaeology , music could be spotted in the audience. The presence of a good number of Kalakshetra students with their long braids, beautiful traditional saris and jewellery added to the lustre.

If you are really interested I can give you a synopsis of the speeches.

[mahavishnu]

Rajani: Thank you. Please post whatever you can at your leisure.
I have been very interested in the story of King Mucukunda and the mythology bringing Tyagarajaswamy to earth. I hope the murals are preserved at the temple. They are spectacular and a must-see for anyone visiting the area.

[Rajani]

A gist of the speeches ( which were very short anyway)

Sri V K Rajamani : I am very very happy about this function today since I could not attend the Jan. one in Tiruvarur due to ill health (90% renal failure). I first heard about the murals in 1970s from Mr Chandramurthy, the well known historian. When I went to photograph them, I had to lie down on the floor to do that ( since they are in the ceiling of the Devasiriya Mandapam,) but the place was very filthy. We then got buckets of water, swept and washed the floor, spread white bedsheets ( to reflect light) and then I photographed them. This was the pre-digital era and so I had to wait to return to Chennai, develop the shots and see how they came out. They were in good condition then.
Later I met David (Shulman) and showed them the photos. He was very excited about them. When we went to the temple to see the same murals in the 90s they were in bad shape due to neglect. WWith the help of INTACH and Prakriti they hav been restored. The book has taken many years to come out but has been done with a lot of care and the background colours etc are most suitable and tastefully done.

[cienu]

Thank you for reporting Sri V.K.Rajamani's short speech.
I pray that the upkeep of the Murals is being done in a scientific manner.

[mahavishnu]

Thank you again, Rajani. I really appreciate your write-up.
The whole project sounds fascinating.

As Cienu mentioned, I really hope this and other such great treasures are not just painted over.

[Rajani]

Prof David Shulman : This is one happy story with a happy ending but there are many other temples where such heritage treasures, which belong to humanity entirely, are being lost because of neglect or painting over etc, maybe even as we speak.
Rajamani is one of the best photographers of these times especially of this genre. His photographs form the heart of the book. If you all have not seen his pictures of the Srirangam temple, bronzes of Chennai Museum etc, I strongly recommend you find a way to do so.
Acc. to legend. when Mucukunda asked for the idol of Tyagaraja, Indra made(with Viswakarma's help) six identical icons and asked him to choose. To help him, it's said (the real) lord Tyagaraja winked at him. So all of us here, are here we could say because Tyagaraja winked at us.

[PUNARVASU]

Felt happy to read about this; being from the place (Tiruvarur) it made me want to go there and see the temple .