Aparna’s Blog

There is a saying in Tamil that goes ‘vilagi poanaal virumbi varum’. Well that’s how it has been with me and T.M.Krishna’s Todi! Todi turns out to be the main raagam in most of his concerts that I go for. And the worst part is that I miss many of his concerts where Todi is not the main. I missed the concert where he sang Sahana RTP too! Before you start off saying that his Todi is excellent, etc., etc., having listened to way too many Todis of his, I know it very well too. Yet I am just not interested in listening to Todi in every other concert! Just last Saturday, he sang a RTP in Todi in a concert, which, by the way, was superb (That concert deserves a separate post. I will write about it soon). So I least expected Todi to be the main raagam in yesterday’s concert. But when that is exactly what happened, I left the concert the moment he started the Todi alapana.
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For all those fans of Sanjay Subrahmanyan out there, in case you are not aware, he is one the judges for the finals of Ragamalika – the show on Jaya TV. Yesterday was the first episode of the finals. It will go on for another couple of weeks I guess. I started watching the show only after the first participant had started singing. By the way, that participant sang quite well and that was the reason why I paused channel surfing. Little did I expect to see Sanjay as the judge! Srinivas was the other judge. I have watched many shows where Srinivas was the judge and I have always found him to be a good judge.

As far as I know, generally, it’s only the judge who is a non-classical musician who sings/performs before the competition starts. But, it has been quite a long time since I last watched Ragamalika and I have no idea how it is nowadays. So, can anybody who watched the first segment of the show please tell me if by any chance, Sanjay sang anything in the first segment? Also please tell me what Srinivas sang. Thanks!

Accompanists:
S.Varadarajan – Violin
Tanjavur Ramdoss – Mridangam

Where & When? – Bharati Vidya Bhavan on 20th, May

Concert Duration – 2.5 hrs

Songs List:
1. Bhavanuta – Mohanam – Swarams at Bhavanuta
2. Nee daya radha – Vasanta Bhairavi
3. Vinataa suta – Harikambhoji - Alapana, Neraval & Swarams at nera vaishakotsavamuna
4. Nee madhi – Ananda Bhairavi
5. Bhajare re chita – Kalyani – Elaborate Alapana
6. Sivakama sundari – Mukhari (Started at anupallavi – Bhavaroga)
7. arumarundhoru – Kambhoji
8. Durusuga – Saveri – Alapana, Swarams at parama paavani; Tani Avartanam
9. Hey Govinda – Madhuvanti - Alapana
10. Raamanai Bhajitthaal – Maand
11. Tillana – Todi
12. Mangalam – Sowrashtram
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There are times when you are lost in the beauty of music so much that all you would want to do is just listen to it and do nothing else. That’s how I feel right now, completely mesmerized by Sanjay’s Nattakurunji. As I listen to the beauty of the raagam unfold with every passing second, I am falling in love with it more and more. I have lost track of the number of times I listened to it this week. I am already listening to it for the third time today! I can’t wait to go home and listen to more of Nattakurunji - Sanjay’s vazhi maraitthirukkudhe and jagadeesa (not this version but the one from his Chatushram CD) and M.S.Gopalakrishnan’s Nattakurunji varnam (This one is the best!).

sEvikka vENDum ayyA by Madurai Mani Iyer - This one is a must listen! I have been listening to it since morning. Can’t stop listening to it at all! Andholika is a real beauty! I just love the swarams at the end in this one.

Accompanists:
S.Varadarajan - Violin
Neyveli Venkatesh - Mridangam
K.V.Gopalakrishnan - Khanjira

Where & When? - Ratnagireeswarar Temple on 1st March, 2008

Songs List (Partial):
1. Varnam - Pantuvarali
2. Ananda natana prakasham - Kedaram - Raaga outline, Swarams at tha jam thari pa ma ga
3. Maarubalka - Sri Ranjani - Alapana, neraval & swarams
4. Chidambaram ena manam - Kalyani - Alapana, Swarams at Chidambaram
5. Kaayarohanesham - Abheri - Brief Alapana
6. unnaDiye gati eNRu aDainthaen - Bhahudari - Raaga outline
7. Keeravani Alapana
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Everybody knows that this song is based on raagas, Nattakurunji and Sahana. But when this album was released, I didn’t even know the raaga Nattakurunji, which incidentally has now become one of my favourite raagams!! And neither did I identify the Sahana part in this song at that time! It was only after a few years that I was able to exactly identify the raagas in the song and started enjoying the classical beauty in it. So, this song being based on classical raagams was not why I liked it instantly on seeing the trailer itself - Aishwarya’s teasing looks, a blushing Tabu, a handsome Ajith, the colour of the costumes & finally, the music! - I liked it all! Later when I saw the entire song, I liked it even more. I would put this song in the category of those Rahman’s songs that have been picturized very well. What about you?

Incidentally, the very first time when I watched the trailer of Alaipayuthey (Snehidhane song) was right after watching the trailer of Kandukondain Kandukondain featuring this song. At that time, I liked this trailer more than Alaipayuthey! :O Anyway, I really wish Rajeev Menon takes a movie soon and Rahman composes music for it. Hope that happens soon!