NAVARATHRI MANDAPOM CONCERTS

[CRama]

Can somebody post the schedule of Navarathri Mandapom concerts in TVM. Thanks in advance.

[ramdas]

visit http://ramavarma.yolasite.com/itinerary.php

[ramdas]

NAVARATHRI FESTIVAL – 2010 (1186 M.E.) – NAVARATHRI MANDAPAM CONCERTS
Navarathri Mandapam, Fort Palace Complex, (Inside East Fort) Thiruvananthapuram - 695 003
2010 October 08 to 16, 6pm to 8.30pm

October 08 Friday

Main Krithi: Devi Jagath Janani
Ragam : Sankarabharanam
Vocal : Sri Kunnaikudi M Balamurali Krishna
Violin : Sri S.R.Mahadeva Sarma
Mridangom: Sri Palakkad Mahesh Kumar
Ghatom: Sri Perukavu P.L.Sudheer
October 09 Saturday

Main Krithi: Pahimam Sree Vageeswari
Ragam: Kalyani
Vocal: Smt. Seetha Rajan
Violin Sri S.R. Vinu
Mridangom Sri Arun Prakash
Ganjira Sri B.S.Purushotham
October 10 Sunday

Main Krithi: Devi Pavane
Ragam: Saveri
Vocal Prince Rama Varma
Violin Sri S.R.Vinu
Mridangom Sri Bangalore Praveen
Ghatom Sri S. Giridhar Uduppa
Morsing Sri Payyannur T. Govinda Prasad
October 11 Monday

Main Krithi: Bharathi Mamava
Ragam: Thodi
Vocal: Smt. Parassala B. Ponnammal
Violin: Smt. S.R.Rajasree
Mridangom Sri Nanjil Arul
Ganjira Sri Uduppi Srikanth
Ghatom Sri Manjoor Unnikrishnan
Morsing Sri Payyannoor T. Govindaprasad
October 12 Tuesday

Main Krithi: Janani Mamava
Ragam: Bhairavi
Vocal Sri T. V. Gopalakrishnan
Violin Sri S. Varadarajan
Mridangom Sri B. Harikumar
Ghatom Dr.S.Karthick
October 13 Wednesday

Main Krithi: Saroruhasana
Ragam: Panthuvarali
Vocal Sri Sanjay Subrahmanyan
Violin Sri Nagai R. Muralidharan
Mridangom Sri Neyveli Venkatesh
Ghatom Dr. S. Karthick
October 14 Thursday

Main Krithi: Janani Pahi
Ragam: Sudhdha Saveri
Vocal Sri Trichur V. Ramachandran
Violin Sri M.A. Sundareswaran
Mridangom Sri Kadakkavoor G.S.Rajeshnath
Ghatom Sri Vaikom Gopalakrishnan
October 15 Friday

Main Krithi: Pahi Janani
Ragam: Nattakurinji
Vocal Sri Thoppur B. Sai Ram
Violin Smt T. H. Vasantha
Mridangom Dr. G.Babu
Ghatom Sri Adichanallur Anil Kumar
October 16 Saturday

Main Krithi: Pahi Parvatha Nandini
Ragam: Arabhi
Vocal Sri Venkataramanan
Violin Sri Edapally Ajithkumar
Mridangom Sri Cherthala Ananthakrishnan
Ghatom Sri Uduppi Sreedhar
The ambience at the Navarathri Mandapam is something to be experienced to be believed. Perfectly balanced acoustics, lighting by oil lamps, the divine grace of the Goddess in whose honour the concerts are conducted, utterly disciplined and informed audience, the feeling of having travelled back in time by around two centuries.....the list is endless.

There are some restrictions though.

Only Hindus are allowed inside since it is a temple.

Men have to wear a mundu/veshti/dhothi and take off their shirts.

Everybody has to be seated by 6:00 pm at the latest.

Nobody can leave before the concerts finish.

The concerts start at 6:00 pm Sharp and finish at 8:30 pm Sharp.

Since the concerts are done as offerings to the Devi and not as "Performances" there is no applause.

Mobile phones are STRICTLY Forbidden inside.

The main krithi for each day is fixed.

Women were not allowed inside the Mandapam for 200 years but Rama Varma had the privilege of getting this tradition changed after fighting against this for 22 years. And now women can enter the place both as performers as well as listeners.

A speaker will be kept outside the steps of the Shree Padmanabhaswami Temple (Which is adjacent to the Navarathri Mandapam) for the benefit of those who wouldn't be prepared to follow all the restrictions listed above, but would still like to enjoy the concerts. A chunk of each concert would be broadcast by the All India Radio, Trivandrum on all days from 9:30 pm till 11:00 pm.

[CRama]

Thanks to Ramdas. Many new entrants for this festival.Let us hear them.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Veena concerts (at least one) were rather mandatory at the Mandapam till recently as a sacred offering to Goddess Saraswathi during Navaratri.

I cherish memories of Veena concerts by Sri K S Narayanaswami (wth K K Sivaraman / R Venkataraman), Sri M K Kalyanakrishna Bhagavatar, and later Sri R Venkataraman. Ravikiran once played Chitraveena and that too was grand.

Altogether a different experience where Tantreeravam merge divinely with the serene ambiance.

[CRama]

I fully agree with Sivaramakrishnan. It was a divine experience to hear veena concerts in front of Goddess Saraswathy. When the tradition is changed for something good like what Prince has done recently, it is really commendable. But Veena concerts should not be conveniently sacrificed for the same. When efforts are being done in Chennai by organising Veena festivals for revival of the audience interest in Veena concerts, it should not be dispensed with in Navarathri Mandapom. At least Prince Rama Varma can play Veena as he has done on many occasions earlier.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks CRama for sharing my sentiments.
It's a nice suggestion that Prince Rama Varma himself an accomplished Vainika could fill the valuable slot.

[venkatakailasam]

Thanks CRama for sharing my sentiments.
It's a nice suggestion that Prince Rama Varma himself an accomplished Vainika could fill the valuable slot.

Here is the link here the Prince is playing Veena at the Navarathri Mandapam in 1988

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Od7gJzo86c posted by musiquebox

venkatakailasam

[CRama]

I would like to get a copy of the Navarathri Mandapom concerts which are relayed over radio either by uploading or sharing a copy with me. I will arrange to collect it. I am in Chennai. Kindly help me.