2013 Nov - Nadaswaram Concert by Nakenthiran and Party

A long time ago, I heard a joke about why Nadaswaram is played in marriages.  When the “getti melam” is played during the time of tying the knot the decibel level of the instrument is so high making it hard for the couple to have second thoughts.  The music generated by the Nadaswaram and Thavil simply carries above the general chatter of the people attending weddings it will even drown out any harmful family gossip. 

For me, sitting in the front row for the Nadaswaram concert, forget about the second thoughts I did not even have first thoughts.  The music simply drove away all the thoughts allowing us to experience just the presence which is beyond thoughts.  For that, we are grateful to Mr. Nakenthiran and party for a sumptuous concert.  That could be the reason though many of us complained about the high volume but stayed through the concert.  Presence must be addicting.  Allow me to digress a bit and we will pick up from here shortly.

Our beloved singer within our community received a coveted “Aasthana Vidwan” title from Kanchi Sankaracharya recently.  It is none other than Sri Madhu Venkatesh Chandrasekar.  Well deserved title for someone who is innately talented, well trained and has worked extremely hard to achieve great heights such as this in his music career.  Jayanthi joins me in wishing you enormous success in the field of music and every aspect of life.  The entire South Florida community is very proud of having Sri Madhu in our midst.  Congratulations to his family as well for providing the support.  Nice job. 

Shiva Vishnu temple Kumbhabhishekam activities are happening around the clock.  It will culminate during the Thanksgiving weekend this year.  Along the way, we have some unique opportunities to experience a few rare events.  It is our strong belief that the Moola vigrahas inside the inner sanctum have the energy of their respective Gods invoked in them when the Temple is first built.  In the case of our temple, Sri Savyasachi Swamigal came to do the initial invocation or Prana Prathista at the time of the first Kumbhabhishekam.  Over the years through the chanting of Vedas, abhishekams, poojas and prayer of thousands of devotees the Sannidhyam or divinity has grown.  Now, it has been 12-years and it is time to renew the temple or do the Jeernodharanam followed by another Kumbhabhishekam.  The question is what to do about the energy inside these Moola Vigrahas?  During the recent Balalayam function, this energy was  transferred on to mirrors and saved for the next two weeks.  The energy will be transferred back during the Kumbhabhishekam.  It was interesting that strands of darbhai, a form of sawgrass, are used for this purpose.  One may ask – is this all hocus pocus?  Well, if you believe there is energy in those vigrahas then it can surely be transferred to another object and transferred back.  If you can believe thin strands of fiber optics can carry thousands of phone calls then surely darbhai can be the conduit to enable the transfer.  Let me leave it at that and allow people with more knowledge to carry on the dialogue.  Let us get back to the concert.

I must admit I enjoyed the Carnatic music part in the first half of the concert more than the film songs that followed.  But everyone enjoys songs from the evergreen film like Konjum Salangai and Thillana Mohanambal.

·    Vathapi Ganapathim in Hamsadhwani – started the concert powerfully.  The sahithyam part was done very well.  Swaras could have been stronger but overall a powerful rendition

·    Aravinda Lochana in Needimathi – took many of us for a loop in guessing this ragam.  Glided us through the song beautifully.

·    Ninuvina in Navarasa Kanada – when the alapana started I thought the song was going to be Papanasam Sivan’s “Naan oru vilaiyatt bommaiya”.  Let me put in the request for the next time.  Excellent alapana and very nice rendition of the song.  Thoroughly enjoyed it.

·    Ever popular “Kurai Onrum Illai” in Raga Malika – audience was in a music-high at this point.  Now the film song section:

·    Singara velane deva – abheri.  Probably an all time favorites among nadaswaram fans.  A difficult song with very intricate gamakams.  Took us back 50-years to this film era.  Nice.  I am going to list the film songs played so you can gain an appreciation (at least the Tamils among the readers) for the breadth and depth of the team’s knowledge of film music.

·    Thunbam nergaiyil (in Desh), Kannodu kanbathellam, Ponnonru kanden

·    Maraindirundu parkum (in shanmuga priya), Nalamdana, English note by madurai mani – great to hear Thillana Mohanambal songs back to back

·    Aiyyayyayyo anandame, Unnai kanaada (from Vishwaroopam), Nee oru kaadal sangeetham, Then sindude vanam, ENNa paravai siragadithu, Pakkathile kanni pennirukku (from padikkada medhai), Vinnodum mugilodum, Konja neram, Thakita thadhimi (from salangai oli), Innum konja neram?? – kumki, Amudhai pozhiyum nilave, Thaazhaiyaan poo mudichu, Povoma urgolam - chinna thambi, Radhaiyin nenjame, Uruguthe maruguthe

·    Nenjukkulle unnai from recent movie Kadal.  Responded to on the spot request from the audience.  A very difficult song to sing or play.  I thought the song was simplified and played in Nadaswaram.  Good attempt.

·    Thillana – from where else?  Thillana from Thillana Mohanambal, of course. 

Thanks to Ilangai Tamizh Manram and Sri Balasubramanian from arranging the concert.