Layamum Gurunamasankeerthanamum On Mahaperiyava. . .

Purandaradasar says…

guruvina gulAmanAguva tanaka doreyataNNa mukuti

paripari shAstravanOdidarEnu vyarttavAyitu bhakuti

Aru shAstrava Odidarenu mUrAru purANava mugisidarenu

sAdu sajjanara sanghava mADade dhIranendu Ta tirugidarenu…

Unless one becomes complete saranagathi(gulama) to his Guru, there is no chance of deliverance (mukuti).

What is the good of reading(Odi) various (pari pari) shastras, and wasting(vyartha) devotion(bhakuti) (i.e. reading without devotion)

What if one has read 6 shastras, and what if a few puranas(muraru i.e 3-6) have been digested(mugisu), what it if without associating with noble persons goes about (tirugi) thinking he is a brave soul(dhira).

Fittingly, New Jersey is going to witness the energies and vibes of devotional artists’ talents and divine Guru Namasankeerthanam on Mahaperiyava at the Sri Satguru Seva Samājam, USA.

The Sri Satguru Seva Samājam, USA (SSSS), has three broad objectives encompassing promotion of the tradition of Nāma saṅkīrtana, support of the Bhagavathas who are the pillars of the centuries-old tradition and last but not the least sustaining the principles of the Vedic tradition.

The percussionists’ family make music across all spectrum of audiences enthralling them in their own way. The quartets ensure that the divine sound that is liberated from the earthen pot reaches the audience, ease them and infringe them with lots of positivity and joy!

The Rhythm has dependably been an archetypal aspect of Carnatic music, and in the cutting-edge era of percussionists and maybe no other individual has aced the complexities and the laya bequests of the ghatam to such a great degree as PadmaShri Thetakudi Harihara Vinayakram, Grammy Award–winning Indian percussionist, fondly known as Vikku mama, What Vikku mama has done for ghatam is to what Beethoven has done to music! He fervently shaped a revolution by bringing an accompanying instrument, made of earthen clay, the one on the fringes, to the main stages twined to be an integral part of the concert, by interluding Rhythms and Resonant elements to a completely astounding structure of taal!

The percussionist team. 

PC: NYC Radio

Indian heritage is known for its “Guru Shishya Parampara” method of teaching. Be it your kith or kin, a Guru is given all the respect and dignity he deserves when it comes to the learning of arts. Born to a mridangam player named Kalaimaamani Sri. TR Harihara Sharma, in a house where beats were all he heard, Vikku Mama began by learning the mridangam. Following his footsteps, the Vikku Mama sons, Sri. V.Selvaganesh and Sri. V.Umashankar started accompanying the Godfather in the present day concerts. And one need not be shocked, if Master Swaminathan has been under the tutelage of his grandfather and father Sri. Selvaganesh, another percussionist in the way.

Father Son Performing

Layam with gurunamasankeerthanam is a unique program that the New Jersians are to witness this 30^th October 2016. New Jersey Sri. Swaminatha Bhagavathar, known for his divine guru namasankeerthanams, is joining with the percussion devotional artists, to make the evening filled with bhakthi and positive vibes of Namasankeerthanam – Rhythm – Layam. The globalization has brought the IT professional Sri. Swaminathan from the cradles of heritage – town of temples – Kumbakonam (South India) to United States of America. Not slipping away from the tradition, listening to prominent bhagavathaas performing Namasankeerthanam, sparked his interest towards this tradition. With the blessings of his guru Brahmasri Dr. Udayalur Kalyanarama Bhagavathar, Sri. Swaminathan and few like-minded people, established - Sri Satguru Seva Samajam, a non-profit organization to promote the tradition of Sampradaya Namasakeerthanam - creating awareness, and most importantly passing this centuries-old tradition to the next generation. 

New Jersey Swaminatha Baghavathar

As said elsewhere, nothing can stop good things to merge for the cause of good, the family of percussionists: Sri. Vikku Vinayakaram, Sri.V. Selvaganesh, Sri. V.Umashankar, Sri. S.Swaminathan and Sri.Ganesan, and Sri. Swaminathan Bhagavathar have come together to enunciate the Bakthi Marg through Rhythm and GuruNamasankeerthanam.

So join us, to offer ourselves at the feet of our omnipresent Guru - நடமாடும் தெய்வம் காஞ்சி பரமாச்சார்யா.

For details about the event contact: 
Swaminathan – 732-325-8695, 
Venkatesh – 609-689-0406. Email : info@satguruseva.org. 

Girl to Woman . . . ! - 2

Yeah , finally the hunting came to an end, for my parents with this "Agmark Chamathu Payyan". Oh, I should also tell you how interesting the "bride-seeing-casual-event" went about! 

It was an October weekend to prepare for the Halloween. Knowing about my atrocity nature, my parents announced about the event, a little while before the entry of Hero's family.  Getting dressed up in all trad wears, I warned my parents that I am not attending any interviews for Wife positions. 

(I should confess here few things! Point of priority, My inlaws happened to be very jovial dudes. No interviews. The so called ceremony turned out to be an initial stage of get - together! Point of Pride:: Finally, one time - for the first and last, I am satisfied that my parents were afraid of me and my performances. Yo, until M.Tech, neither my academic nor my professional performances could succeed infringing fear in their heart!!) 

Like an actor's dialogue in a movie, "It was like an one day cricket match", the wedding engagement got fixed in less than a week! But, was there anyone to think of me ? Goddammit ! All I was worried about - "The Good Boy" labelled guy. The guy seemed to be calm, composed, shy, too - not  - social, patient, reserved - Okay, to put it perfect, he looked an "exact opposite" of me. Whatever I had a little in reserve, he had reserved it for himself. (This is what is called future planning??) Both the bride and groom to be, approved each other without seeing each other in person. (Thanks owed to Skype and Whatsapp - T - Mobiles and Airtel, India)

These traits of the "husband to be" attracted a lot of kiths and kins to become Socrates and offer advices to me. My organ called brain, finally started working, irritated by the list of instructions that it received from "n" number of biotic factors, in the environment. At one point, the neurons got cranky that they stopped sending instructions to each other! 

So, the first question, that ran in my mind was, Should I change ? If yes, then all WH questions. As i mentioned earlier, the first thing is my language. Then, what else ? I started searching - a self analysis - a search within self , to see if I would score a pass mark as a good "daughter in law" to the new family, What if, I am stamped talkative ? Come on, peeps! I never knew what on earth silence means. And, being naughty is my birthright. Should this promotion of Miss to Mistress, snatch my birthright? And, I - a self obsessed - naughty - never - give - up - crazy girl, should let it happen ? How do I get to know about this calm - composed - good boy? First of all, How can a person be calm and chamathu? (When it never works for me, it should work for none, is the logic!!)

So the transition phase ( Transition of Whom to what, you readers, will know in the subsequent posts) began ! ! !
The first and foremost point that hit the list was, me getting up early ! ! I never knew what "Early" meant! Yeah, I was more a nocturnal than an early bird. So, the game began!

***** To be Continued *******

Ras Barse - 2016

With mixes of styles, trends and tradition, Chennai has always been encouraging all form of music. Though some parts of Chennai, is typically portrayed as the cradle of Carnatic musicianship, there is a family of musicians who broke this stereotype by organizing a grand event, first of its kind, in Chennai, at the Chinmaya Heritage Centre, on 11^th of April, 2015. An event that honored Stalwarts of Hindustani Music, an event to offer tribute to the King of Shehnai – Ustad Bismillah Khan, an event that brought a promise about good music patrons, an event by the students, an event to enunciate Guru Shishya Parampara – Ras Barse – 2015!

Pt. Ballesh, among the handful of disciples of Ustad Bismillah Khan, has, for over 10 years, been training students in Hindustani music. In Chennai, the bastion of Carnatic music! And, many of us might not be knowing about a Hindustani Music School that teaches both vocal and instrumental to the music aspirants. Christening their home at the AVM Street as Shehnai Nivas, the Ballesh Brothers – Shri Prakash Ballesh, Shri Krishna Ballesh and Shri Shiva Ballesh, has always been following the footsteps of their father Shri.Pt.S.Ballesh to pass on the rich heritage of Hindustani classicals and Shehnai to the current generation music lovers through their music academy – Tansen Academy of Music. Pt.Ballesh took up Shehnai as his profession, following his ancestral path.  

The Sanskrit sloka says “Gurur Devo bhava,” meaning “Guru and God are one.” Indian heritage is known for its “Guru Shishya Parampara” method of teaching. Be it your kith or kin, a Guru is given all the respect and dignity he deserves when it comes to the learning of arts.  Fittingly, Chennaites are going to witness another Fantabolus musical retreat of the Hindustani Jugalbandhi and recitals, as a musical tribute to the bade Guru Baabajan, The King of Shehnai – Ustad Bismillah Khan, this November, 2016!

            Let us gear up, roll our sleeves up, to witness the grand event – Ras Barse – 2016, staging this November.

            Watch this space to know more.

Lots of love,

Riya.