It was
just another day at Thirumylai (not exactly) – evening time – Sannathi thiruvarathanam
– not many people around – and there was this beautiful rendition in Nadaswaram
by Thiru Mohanraj ensemble.Purely divine,
not performed for any audience, solely forThirumylai Sri Madhava Perumal. : https://youtu.be/8UjrBwbavNc
Think this kriti to be : “Mahalakshmi Jaganmāta” -popular composition by Papanasam Sivan, in rāga Śankarabharanam and
miśra
cāpu
tāḷa.
One well-known rendition is by N. C. Vasanthakokilam, often listed simply as
“Mahalakshmi – Sankarabharanam” in recordings.
mahAlakṣmi jaganmātā
manamirangi varamaruL
anupallavi
mahā viṣṇuvin mārbenum
maṇi pīṭhamadanil amarndaruL...
“mahālakṣmī jaganmātā manamirangi
varamaruḷ” – addressing Mahalakshmi as the
mother of the universe, bestower of grace. Śankarabharanam (Dhīraśankarabharanam) is
the 29th melakarta rāga
in Carnatic music. Its scale
corresponds to the Western major (Ionian) scale, which is why it feels very “śuddha” and
expansive, suiting a māṅgalya/maṅgala
goddess like Mahalakshmi.
•Arohana: SR2G3M1PD2N3SSR2G3M1PD2N3S
•Avarohana: SN3D2PM1G3R2SSN3D2PM1G3R2S
Śankarabharanam is a very śānta, full-bodied rāga, foundational
in Carnatic, often chosen for major deities and weighty compositions, yet capable
of bhakti-laden sweetness, aptly for Mahalakshmi, whose bhāva combines śrī (prosperity),
karuṇā
(compassion) and jaganmāta–swaroopa
A video taken by
me on 23.7.2026… since am sub-zero in
Carnatic music, inputs searched in web with the help of ChatGPT.
The annual Aani
Brahmothsavsam of Sri Azhagiya Singar is drawing to a close and today is day 9 –
theerthavari and dwaja-avarohanam.
In the evening there was
grand purappadu of Sri Thelliya Singar in Sadadarsha vimanam .. .. and today it
was mellifluous Nadaswaram music played by MKSN Manikandan and Chittoor
Devarajulu and party.
In the initial Peyalwar Kovil stretch
they played : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q__INZktf-g
nārāyaṇāya
namō mādhavāya ॥
A simple
meaning: "Salutations to Lord Nārāyaṇa;
salutations to
Lord Mādhava."
As the evening procession moved
gracefully through the streets, Vidwans Manikandan
& Devarajulu rendered "Nārāyaṇāya
Namo" in Madhyama Varali, a composition of
Sri Narayana Tirtha set to Khanda Chāpu tāla. While my
camera captured the artiste's concentration, a short video taken atPeyazhvaar kovil street later helped me discover the musical identity
of the performance through a lengthy conversation. My initial attempt to identify the rāga from a brief recording led to an
interesting exchange with ChatGPT, music
critic Essel (Lakshmi Narasimhan) and, finally, the
performing vidwan himself, reminding me that learning is often a delightful
journey.
Narayana Tirtha, was a Hindu saint and Carnatic composer, best
known for the Sanskrit musical work Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini that presents
Krishna’s life in a sequence of songs, verses, prose passages, and narrative
pieces. He is remembered for devotional compositions centered on Krishna and
for popularizing the tarangam form in musical-dramatic tradition. Sri
Krishna Leela TaranginiTarangam is a
devotional-dance item in Kuchipudi in which the performer dances to Narayana
Tirtha’s compositions, often on a brass plate, making it one of the form’s most
recognizable signature pieces. In
practice, tarangam combines singing, rhythmic footwork, abhinaya, and
balance-based movement, so it functions as both a musical composition and a
dance number.
Today the Nadaswaram
performace was enthralling and kept me spell bound – thanks and special appreciations
to Sri MKSN Manikandan&Chittoor Devarajulu- acknowledgement, regards
and thanks to Devaraj, my friend Essel and of course ChatGPT - a rich learning experience !!
Those who
lived in Triplicane half-century will know the names of Saraswathi Gana
Nilayam, Smt GP Kamala, Smt. Chandra teacher and more .. .. young girl children
would be sent to them for learning Carnatic music and one would hear, singing
in various voices – lambo dara …. Laku mi … !!.This famous song of Purandara Dasaru, perhaps was the first song for aspiring
musicians to learn singing .. ..
Before you read
further – can you associate ‘Bellows’ – primarily a device to expel a controlled
blast of air to Carnatic music !!
The first fatlering step is to sing in unison with the shruti,
beginning with Sa-Pa-Sa (the tonic and the fifth). This simple exercise helps voice lock into the pitch of the drone. A good
way to check aspirant Singer’s accuracy
is to sustain the “Sa” for as long as possible and listen carefully. If voice
wavers or feels unstable, try making small, controlled adjustments. Over time,
this will improve your sruti shuddham (pitch purity).
In every Music class, the
teacher would harshly say - “First, align your voice with the shruti.” What
would that really mean?That is better tried with a Shruti Box.For
many beginners, singing with a shruti box feels confusing at first!!A
shruti box is more than just background sound; it’s a constant companion that
trains your ear, refines your pitch, and strengthens your grasp of ragas. In
essence, it is believed that the humm of the “surpeti” helps the performer channel
the humm of the universe through them.
A shruti box (sruti box,
shrutibox, srutibox or surpeti) is a musical instrument, originating from the
Indian subcontinent, that traditionally works on a system of bellows. It is similar to a harmonium and is used to
provide a drone in a practice session or concert of Indian classical music. It is used as an accompaniment to other
instruments.In classical singing, the shruti box is used
to help tune the voice. The use of the shruti box has widened with the
cross-cultural influences of world music and new-age music to provide a drone
for many other instruments as well as vocalists and mantra singing.
Adjustable
buttons allow tuning. Nowadays, electronic shruti boxes are commonly used,
which are called shruthi pettige in Kannada, shruti petti in Tamil, Malayalam,
and Telugu, and sur peti in Hindi
Understand that in Carnatic vocal music, there is no universal
pitch—each singer has a natural sruti that complements their voice, and half
the journey is finding it. Before the
arrival of the harmonium in the Indian subcontinent, musicians used either a
tambura or a specific pitch reference instrument, such as the nadaswaram, to
produce the drone. Now there are two
main types of shruti boxes:
•Manual (Reed-Based) Shruti Box: These work like a
harmonium, producing a warm, organic sound through air reeds. While
traditionalists prefer them, they require more effort to tune and maintain.
•Electronic Shruti Box or Shruti Apps: Most modern
vocalists use electronic shruti boxes or mobile apps. These provide precise
pitch control, allow multiple drone settings (Sa-Pa, Sa-Ma), and are easier to
carry around.
Bellows are a device
constructed to expel a controlled blast of air. The simplest type consists of a
flexible bag comprising a pair of rigid boards with handles joined by flexible
leather sides enclosing an approximately airtight cavity which can be expanded
and contracted by operating the handles, and fitted with a valve allowing air
to fill the cavity when expanded, and with a tube through which the air is
forced out in a stream when the cavity is compressed. It has many applications, in particular
blowing on a fire to supply it with air.
Sure have
heard this song from Salangai Oli set to the tune of Isaignani Ilayaraja
தகிடததிமி தகிடததிமி தம்தானா…
இதய ஒலியின் ஜதியில் எனது தில்லானா…
சுருதியும் லயமும் ஒன்று சேர…
In Indian classical and
Carnatic music, Sruti (pitch) and Laya (rhythm) are the two foundational
pillars.Sruti refers to the exact,
fundamental musical pitch or microtone. It is the smallest interval of sound
that the human ear can differentiate and a singer or instrument can produce. It is traditionally maintained in the
background using a drone instrument, such as a Tanpura or an electronic Sruti Box.Laya is the rhythm, tempo, or pulse of the
music. It is kept steady by counting,
tapping the hand, or keeping time on a percussion instrument like the Mridangam
or Tabla.
This Shruti petti
attracted me yesterday and here is a short video:https://youtu.be/yVlLYdDwl0wof Nadaswaram vidwan performing and
carrying a Shruti box along at the time of Thiruvanthikappu at Sri
Parthasarathi Swami thirukkovil – Vaikasi Ekadasi purappadu on 27.5.2026
"Akhilandeshwari
rakshamam " is a popular Carnatic composition usually set to the Raga
Dwijavanthi and Adi ThalamNadaswaram
Here is
a beautiful rendition in Nadaswaram played by MKSN Manikandan and Chittoor
Devarajulu on day 9 Pathi Ula of Sri Parthasarathi Perumal before kannadi
pallakku purappadu on 9.5.2026. : https://youtu.be/dAc_04YP1D4
Muthuswami
Dikshitar (1776 – 1835), was a poet, singer, Veena player and a legendary
composer of Indian classical music, one of the musical trinity of Carnatic
music. Muthuswami Dikshitar was born in Tiruvarur near Thanjavur,to a family that is traditionally traced
back to Virinichipuram in the northern boundaries of the state.His compositions, of which around 500 are
commonly known, are noted for their elaborate and poetic descriptions of Godsand temples and for capturing the essence of
the raga forms through the vainika (veena) style that emphasises gamakas.
Muthuswami
moved to the town of Manali, near Madras at the behest of Venkatakrishna
Mudaliar, a local zamindar. The Dikshitar brothers accompanied the zamindar to
Fort St. George nearby where they were introduced to Western orchestral music
and the violin. An ascetic named Chidambaranatha Yogi then took Muthuswami
under his wing and away to the city ofBenares.Deekshithar was blessed
by Tiruttani Murugar whoplaced a piece
of sugar candy in his mouth and commanded him to sing. This marked the
beginning of his career in music and also led to him adopting the mudra,
Guruguha, one of the many names of Murugan. His first composition was
Śrināthādi guruguho jayati jayati in the raga Maya Malavagaula.Muthuswami Dikshitar's brothers
Chinnaswamiand Balaswami Dikshitar were
also noted musicians.
அகி2லாண்டே3ஸ்1வரி ரக்ஷ மாம்
ஆக3ம ஸம்ப்ரதா3ய நிபுணே ஸ்ரீ
akhilANDESvari raksha mAM
Agama sampradAya nipuNE SrI
anupallavi
nikhila lOka nityAtmikE vimalE
nirmalE SyAmaLE sakala kalE
Thanks to
my friend Mr S Lakshmi Narasimhan (Essel) for identifying and providing me
music based inputs to the writer, who has zero knowledge of Carnatic music
!!
The popular"Rangapura Vihara" composed in Sanskrit and dedicated to Sri
Ranganathaswamy of Srirangam is a masterpiece ofMuthuswami Dikshitar. The title of the song means one who roams
(vihara) in Srirangam (Rangapura). It details the exploits of the Lord Rama,
whose family deity is Ranganatha of Srirangam. The song was rendered by
M.S.Subbulakshmi, live at the United Nations.
ஸ்ரீபேயாழ்வார்
மங்களாசாஸனம் - மூன்றாம் திருவந்தாதி பாசுரம்
ஸ்ரீ
பார்த்தசாரதி எம்பெருமான் விடாயாற்றி - 6ம் நாள்
-
ஸ்ரீமதி விஷாகா ஹரி பக்தி ப்ரவாகம்
கடற்கரையில் வெள்ளை அலைகள்வந்து உதைக்க சிவப்பான
பவளம், வெண்மையான முத்துக்கள், அந்தி நேரத்தில் அழகான மங்கள விளக்குகள் என விளங்கும்
திருவல்லிக்கேணி!:https://youtu.be/F3aRLOCm54M
After the grand
Chithirai Brahmothsavam, it is 7 days of rest
called ‘Vidayarri’ at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam. It is
music time - vidayarri (period of rest) for Sri
Parthasarathi Perumal. Music kutchery by renowned people have been
arranged, coordinated by Sri Parthasarathi Swami sabha.
On day 4 of
Vidaayarri (14.5.2026) is was amazing rendition by Ms A
Kanyakumari.
Avasarala Kanyakumari is
a very famous Violinist.She is
acclaimed to be playing
vocal-style phrasing and experimentation.Hailing from Vizianagaram, Andhra, she has
been living in Chennai for decades.She was mentioned in the congressional record
of the US in 2021, for offering free
Carnatic violin instruction and acknowledging the influence of her teachers.She is the first female violinist to create
ragas
A Kanyakumari was awarded
the Sangeetha Kalanidhi award of the Madras Music Academy in 2016 becoming the first female violinist to
get the award. Her awards include – Padma Shri, Kalaimamani, Ugadi Puraskar
from Govt of AP,Honorary citizenship of
the state of Maryland, U.S; Asthana Vidhwan of TTD on honorarium for the period
of five years;Asthana Vidushi of
Sringeri Sarada Peetam, Ahobila Mutt and Avadhoota Peetam and many many more.
It was indeed a very
divine performance enthralling the audience – her commitment and dedication to
her performance and the way she treats her instrument Violin with divinity –
are all seen to be believed and are worthy of emulation.
After the grand
ChithiraiBrahmothsavam, itis7
days of rest called ‘Vidayarri’ at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam.It is music time-vidayarri (period of rest) for Sri Parthasarathi Perumal.Music kutchery by renowned people have been
arranged, coordinated by Sri Parthasarathi Swami sabha.
On day 4 of
Vidaayarri(14.5.2026)
is was a stirring performance byK Bharat Sundar.
K. Bharat Sundar is a
prominent Indian Carnatic classical vocalist and composer, widely recognized as
one of the leading musicians of the contemporary generation.He has been honouredwith the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan
Yuva Puraskar (2020) by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. He is an 'A' grade artist of All India Radio
and a regular performer at the prestigious Madras Music Academy December
Season, as well as global stages like the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival.
After the grand Chithirai Brahmothsavam, it is 7 days of
rest called ‘Vidayarri’ at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam.It is music time - vidayarri (period of rest) for Sri
Parthasarathi Perumal. Music kutchery by renowned people have been
arranged, coordinated by Sri Parthasarathi Swami sabha. On day 3 of
Vidaayarri today (13.5.20263) is was
grand performance by Trichur Brothers.
திருவல்லிக்கேணியில் பிரம்மோத்சவம் கண்டு அருளிய எம்பெருமான்
'விடாயாற்றி' என இளைப்பாறுகிறார். இவ்வமயத்தில் இசைக்கச்சேரிகளும் திருக்கோவிலில் நடைபெறுகின்றன. விடையாற்றி
என்று பரவலாக சொல்லப்பட்டாலும் அது "விடாயாற்றி" - ஆற்று-.1. Rest, repose, as relief from weariness; இளைப்பாறல். 2. That which affords rest or relief; இளைப்பாற்றுவது. 3. Festivities within the temple following the main festival, பெரியதிருவிழாவை அடுத்து சுவாமிக்கு இளைப்பாறலாகக் கோயிலுக்குள்
நடைபெறும் உற்சவம்.'விடாய்' என்றால்
தாகம்/களைப்பு, 'ஆற்றி' என்றால் ஆற்றுப்படுத்துதல் (அ) களைப்பைப் போக்குதல்.
The performers of the day Trichur Brothers, Srikrishna Mohan and Ramkumar Mohan
are renowned Carnatic Musicians. Sons of veteran Mridangam Vidwan Shri Trichur
R Mohan, the brothers were exposed to Carnatic Music from a very tender
age.They trained under the late Neyyantikara
Mohanchandran for 10 years. They were titled "Trichur
Brothers" by HH
Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Kanchi, Shri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal.
The duos hail from a traditional business family in Trichur
known as the "SitaRam Group". The brothers along with their family
are currently settled in Chennai.The
duos are known for their uncompromising attitude towards Bhavam (Bhakthi, or
Spiritual quotient) and Pataanthara (Orthodoxy with respect to the composers
and their compositions).They also adopt
a unique style of Raga delineation where both of them exchange phrases, long
and short, in exploring the nuances of a Raga (Musical Scale).
Both are qualified Chartered Accountants.The CA
professionals also have a band called‘Anubhoothi’ which performs from Carnatic to rock and jazz. They were further
famous through the anthem for the Clean Ganga
campaign ‘Namami Gange’ which garnered them
national attention. Here is a short
video taken during their performance:https://youtu.be/Xe3fUwTROQk
Nadaswaram and thavil vidwans rendering mallari at Nachiyar
Kovil temple just before Kal Garuda Sevai purappadu 26.12.2026.Alongside Thavil vidwans –
Thirucherai Aranganathan Battacharyar is also prominent.
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