Sahitya Payanam - A Divine Experience

On October 31st 2010 I performed the Sahitya Payanam concert at R. K. Swamy Auditorium, Mylapore. I performed "Pranamamyaham" in Gowla, "Panchashat Peetha" in Karnataka Devagandhari, "Todudaiya Seviyan", "Venkatachala Nilayam", "Raghuvamsa Suthambudi", "Sakala Graha" in Atana, "Shankari Shankuru" in Saveri and finally "Baro Krishnayya", a Ragamalika. Oct 31st being MLV's rememberance day I sang a few pieces popularised by her.
All these pieces were preceded by interesting anecdotes regarding the composer, composition, the meaning, as well as side stories from the puranas and ancient scriptures. The audience thoroughly enjoyed my speech as well as music. I was enjoying myself too; it is truly divine to understand and impart to all the glorious lyrical beauty contained in the treasure trove of Classical music.
The concert was preceded by the presenting of a cash award from the Isai Payanam Trust to veteran Tambura artiste Ms. Vijayalakshmi as token of appreciation for her services to Carnatic Music. In addition to accompanying many musicians on the tambura, Ms. Vijayalakshmi is also an accomplished singer, having sung in film choruses in her younger days.
MP3 clips:

Pranamamyaham - Gaula
Thevaram
Panchashatpitarupini - Karnataka Devagandhari
Raghuvamsasudha - Kadanakutuhalam
Maand
Venkatachalanilayam - Sindhubhairavi
Sakalagrahabalamemi - Atana
Sankarisankuru - Saveri
Haritumaharo - Bhajan
Baro Krishnaiya and Mangalam


By the way, hope you all had a great Diwali! I am sure you did!! I am still gorging on the sweets made with tonnes of love, lots of cashew, raisins, sugar, ghee by my dear grand mother. The mixture and then kuzhal were lovely too. I have to head to the kitchen right now, feeling very peckish!!