In time for Tyagaraja Aradhana - An Interview with Sri R K S

ramakriya · Post by **ramakriya** » 15 Jan 2009, 00:22

I had a great opportunity to meet and interview Sangeethakalanidhi Dr R K Srikanthan, and Vidwan R S Ramakanth when they visited California during May 2008.

I have posted a transcript of the interview here:

http://hamsanada.blogspot.com/2009/01/blog-post_14.html

The conversation was in Kannada. May be I will translate it to English, when I find more time!

-Ramakriya

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 15 Jan 2009, 00:27

Wow! Thanks Ramakriya!

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 15 Jan 2009, 00:28

Oh yes I eagerly await the translation - lucky you!

suma · Post by **suma** » 15 Jan 2009, 07:19

Please Translate in english

vidya · Post by **vidya** » 15 Jan 2009, 07:54

Nice interview Ramakriya! (Arunk's CMtransliterator saves the day yet again!)

kalyani9 · Post by **kalyani9** » 15 Jan 2009, 09:25

Thanks Ramakriya for posting such a nice conversation.

RKS has clearly stated about the current status of music. There are other factors indeed as we know.

I have heard RKS rendering at Cleveland. He has delineated Madhyamavati so well that raaga bhaava and chaaya are very well depicted.. Marvelous. He sang Rama katha sudha rasa.

If I remember, Chitraveena Ravikiran accompanied him on his instrument than usual violin. R S Ramakanth gave vocal support to RKS. But RKS was simply superb.

I have read the article completely. Lucky you could get to talk to them. Good questions are asked.

In case you translate this article to English, please keep the original also.

Kalyani

ramakriya · Post by **ramakriya** » 15 Jan 2009, 10:14

Thanks Vidya, and kalyani8. (and of course arunk)

We were indeed lucky to talk to them. They were gracious enough to accept our invitation for dinner at our home, and after the dinner were even more gracious to sing few songs for us when we requested!

Some more rambling just in time for Aradhane

and yet another translated kriti:

http://neelanjana.wordpress.com/2009/01 ... hane-2009/

-Ramakriya

kalyani9 · Post by **kalyani9** » 15 Jan 2009, 11:40

Aha.. ramakriya you are really lucky.

How I feel I should have been there to listen to the greats !

I read the translation. It is good. It helps those who cannot understand Telugu.

It is imperative for a singer to know the composition and its meaning before he sings. Knowing meaning of the composition, tells about the context and concept of the kriti. Without knowing it if one sings, the rendering might be good sans bhaava.

Kalyani

svkashyap · Post by **svkashyap** » 15 Jan 2009, 14:17

Thanks Ramakriya. Very nice interview.

kalyani9 wrote: I read the translation. It is good. It helps those who cannot understand Telugu.

The original is in Kannada.

kalyani9 · Post by **kalyani9** » 15 Jan 2009, 15:08

svkashyap wrote:Thanks Ramakriya. Very nice interview.

kalyani9 wrote: I read the translation. It is good. It helps those who cannot understand Telugu.
The original is in Kannada.

I am talking here about the translation of Etula brotuvo teliya of Sri Tyagaraja in raagam chakaravaakam.

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 15 Jan 2009, 16:30

Today morning Doordarshan covered the function at thiruvaiyaru as usual where kunnakudy was no more! Less than one kilometer from the Samadhi, I was told, is the house where shri Thyagarajaswamy lived in flesh and bone his holy life and composed many of his gems .I wished that the Dordarshan showed also a glimpse of that house which is as sacrosanct as the samadhi and we could have a soulful darshan. I am sure that all the vidwans who participated in the Aradhana and particularly those who believe in the Bhakthi component of Carnatic music would not fail to visit that holy shrine of musical pilgrimage and pay their heartfelt homage to the Saint composer whose compositions form the bulk of their livelyhood rajagopalan

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 15 Jan 2009, 16:32

Today morning Doordarshan covered the function at thiruvaiyaru as usual where kunnakudy was no more! Less than one kilometer from the Samadhi, I was told, is the house where shri Thyagarajaswamy lived in flesh ans bone his holy life and composed many of his gems .I wished that the Dordarshan showed also a glimpse of that house which is as sacrosanct as the samadhi and we could have a darshan. I am sure that all the vidwans who participated in the Aradhana and particularly those who believe in the Bhakthi component of Carnatic music would not fail to visit that holy shrine of musical pilgrimage and pay their heartfelt homage to the Saint composer whose compositions form the bulk of their livelyhood rajagopalan

kalyani9 · Post by **kalyani9** » 16 Jan 2009, 09:01

Sri Tyagaraja's house, where he lived was planned to be converted into a memorial.

Please read this news given about 2 years ago. I suppose the project is completed by now.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/03/stories ... 170500.htm

ramakriya · Post by **ramakriya** » 16 Jan 2009, 09:48

kalyani9 wrote:Sri Tyagaraja's house, where he lived was planned to be converted into a memorial.

Please read this news given about 2 years ago. I suppose the project is completed by now.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/03/stories ... 170500.htm

A sad tale

I had written about this sometime ago.

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 16 Jan 2009, 11:06

Who was leading the rendition of the Pancharatna krithis without Sri Kunnakudi?

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 16 Jan 2009, 11:13

Here is a brief report on the aradhana - http://news.chennaionline.com/newsitem. ... RYNAME=CHN

I presume 'Neyveli Santhanam' refers to Sri Santhanagopalan

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 16 Jan 2009, 12:06

mohan wrote:Who was leading the rendition of the Pancharatna krithis without Sri Kunnakudi?

In that center spot , where Shri kunnakudi used to sit , I did see that Shri Srimushnam rAjA rao was sitting , I am assuming he was leading (not very sure, because I just caught 10 minutes in doordarshan, some one else can correct me, if I am wrong. )

ksrimech · Post by **ksrimech** » 17 Jan 2009, 08:56

rshankar: I checked with my father who saw the relay. He told me that sIrkAzhi Dr Siva Chidambaram seems to be the next convener of the TTU. Somebody can correct me if I'm wrong.

Ponbhairavi · Post by **Ponbhairavi** » 17 Jan 2009, 19:13

Dear Ramakriya
A news item in dinamalar says that the unchavrithi started from thyagaraja's house at tirumanjana veedhi.May be the sad tale has come to an end.If someone who had been to the aradhana can post a photograph of the blessed house those who had not been there can have a glimpse of that divine memorial so nicely planned a couple of years back

suma · Post by **suma** » 17 Jan 2009, 19:47

Ponbhairavi
I dont know how to attach pictures in the forum. If anyone can help, I can share some of the pictures that I have. A wall painting hanging at the entrance of the Saint's house, the living room where devotees sit, sing. This room also shows a book shelf, a shelf with vessels used by the saint and some other possessions stored, God room of the saint, a bronze statue of the saint in the puja room that is now used for sevai. It is believed that the saint would do puja in the puja room and compose in this hall. It is a typical hall seen in old houses of our grandparents and great grand parents. We were fortunate to go and visit these places, the samadhi place where aradhana takes place and thiruvarur thanks to a great man and his vision.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 17 Jan 2009, 20:36

" Hereditary" Brand Ambassador and small screen idol stole the show. Only their names were found place in all the leading dailies. Neyvely played a low profile.
Thanjavooran

kalyani9 · Post by **kalyani9** » 19 Jan 2009, 22:51

Suma, Please try with images in post reply mode

kalyani9 · Post by **kalyani9** » 10 Mar 2009, 13:27

Sri R. K. SrinkanThan was felicitated here (Madras) on 8th March. Did anyone attend?

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 14 Mar 2009, 00:18

here is a review....

http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/03/13/stor ... 130200.htm