Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru Mega Carnatic Music Festival in Dec 2014
for this wonderful event.bIn the month of December, the beautiful, high quality and fulfilling ‘Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru’ music and dance festival , a landmark event being conducted in the city. Lakshman Sruthi Musicals has been conducting this for the benefit of the rasikas at Kamarajar Arangam from December 18-25 every year.
For Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru, 2014 is a landmark indeed, marking the completion of a decade since its inception. CT-season 10 about to begin on 18th December in Kamarajar Arangam by 3.00 pm with Thiruvizha Jaishankar’s Nadhaswaram and followed by the rendition of Pancharathna Kritis. This divine event will be lead by Padma Bhushan P.S.Narayanasamy and elaborate arrangements have been made for some 500 plus artists to participate in this ensemble.
Former President of India, Bharat Ratna DR.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam will formally inaugurate CT-
Season 10 by lighting traditional Kuththuvilakku by 6.00 pm. Scores of eminent personalities from music industry are also to attend this event.
A Brief Introduction about Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru
World over, Tamilians as well as those who associated with Carnatic Music are familiar with
Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru. We wish to share the reason for naming it thus and the idea that sparked the creation of this event.
In 2005, we thought of conducting a music concert on behalf of Lakshman Sruthi Musicals and
we wanted the event to be unique and different from others. Every year, all artists associated with
Carnatic music assemble in Thiruvaiyaru and sing his divine Pancharathna Keertanas soulfully. Why not bring that same ambience to Chennai, we contemplated.
It was our decision to recreate that event and begin our music series with the Thyagaraja
Aradhana in Chennai. Hence we named our event Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru.
A quick recap of the association between the month of Margazhi and music,
• Music is the Divine’s language
• Music is the link between the ordinary man and the supreme god
• Music is the invisible spring of compassion
• Music is the medicine for the broken heart
• Music is hard to resist even for rebels and atheists
• Music is present everywhere - be it temples, congregations, Church or Gurudwara
In other words, music is the means to experience and attain the divine. Music is beyond
directions, countries, language, race, religion, or caste differences. It unites all. It touches hearts without any conditions attached. It is not an exaggeration to say that music has the power to overpower the five elements of air, water, fire, earth and ether. Next to sign language, music is a language understood by all.
What is special about the month of Margazhi?
God has created different seasons for different natural phenomena. Only during specific months
do the flowers bloom, rains fall, winds blow, snow falls and crops grow. The season for music is
Margazhi. Margazhi is said to be the king among months. Some of the highlights of this month are:
• Thiruppavai composed by Andal is sung during this month
• In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna says that he is Margazhi among months
• Thiruvathirai in Margazhi is celebrated as the day Lord Siva danced in Chidambaram
• Manikkavasagar bestowed us with Thiruvasagam in this month
• Jesus Christ is believed to be born in this month to bless mankind
• The various names of Lord Vishnu is chanted as Hari Naama Sankeertanam in this month
• Colourful patterns are drawn with rice flour (kolam) outside the homes in this month
• The temple bells chime throughout the month
• The deities are consecrated every day in this month
Margazhi has many such specialities. Such a month uniting with the all-conquering music is the
celebration of the music festival through Thyagaraja Aradhana.
He is the composer of the well-known kriti ‘Entharo Mahaanubhavulu’ and thousands of other
songs. Amongst the composers and scholars of Carnatic music, he is the foremost.
Among his compositions, the Pancharatna Kritis are considered jewels. He has composed five
songs in praise of his much-loved Lord Rama in five heavy ragas of Nattai, Gowlai, Aarabi, Varaali and Sree, which is sung by Carnatic musiciansall over the world. Not just vocalists, but instrumentalists too play this with great enthusiasm.
On close observation we can see that many these compositions in the heavy ragas are also played by classical musicians from the north as well as the west, because of which appreciation of Carnatic music is increasing among foreigners. It is a matter of pride for every artist that the appreciation for these kritis crosses all boundaries. Such popular Pancharathna Kritis are performed every year in the divine land of Thiruvaiyar during the well known Thyagaraja Aradhana festival.
Why & How Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru happened!
It is surprising but true that whether one is knowledgeable or not, all celebrate this Thyagaraja
Aradhana festival with enthusiasm. Indeed, they are blessed who can listen in person to the artists from all directions coming and performing in the Thyagaraja Aradhana festival. Many make it a point to come from even across boundaries to be part of this festival.
It may not be possible for all of us to go to Thiruvaiyaru and witness the music ensemble. This very thought gave birth to the idea of holding a virtual Thiruvaiyaru festival here in Chennai itself. M/s Lakshman Sruthi Musicals have committed to organize this event and we have successfully Conducted it for the past nine years.
With the blessings of the Music Trinity, we wish to hold 'Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru' for the 10th
Year in succession to the great happiness of musicians and rasikas alike. Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru
brings the divinity of the Tanjavur soil to Chennai not only for the enthusiasts in the city but across from all the districts of the state, from across different states and even countries.
Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru is the new wave of music festival that promotes the south Indian classical music form and preserves it for the future generations to cherish and nurture.
It will be inaugurated on December 18 at 5 pm in Kamarajar Arangam in Chennai. Led by the
senior vidwan Padmabhushan PS Narayanaswamy, 500 musicians will sing the Pancharathna Kritis
that day. Regardless of age, gender and status as an artist, vocalists and instrumentalists are going to
bring the glory of Thiruvaiyaru festival in front of our eyes. All participants as well as the audience will be provided a booklet containing the five kritis to facilitate their joining in as well as enjoy the concert.
At 6 pm, former President Bharat Rathna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam will light the traditional lamp to
inaugurate the festival. Nadaswaram exponent Thiruvizha Jaishankar who has preserved and nurtured this traditional art and performed more than 20,000 concerts globally will be honoured by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for his Lifetime service to the music industry conferred with the title ‘Isai Azhwar’ and a Gold medal.
19th onwards, there will be 7 concerts conducted every day, starting from 7 in the morning to 10 in the night.
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