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The Hindu
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
A Semmangudi tribute concert highlighted the distinct features of his bani
Not all legacies are loud. Some settle in silence, in the grain of a raga, in the pause before a swara. It's hard to describe what Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer's music felt like unless you have sat in front of him and listened. For those of us who have heard him through recordings and anecdotes, tribute concerts are the closest we can get to his art. This month at the Music Academy, yet another such evening marked his 117th birth anniversary, featuring Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath. She was accompanied by R.K. Shriramkumar on the violin, Arun Prakash on the mridangam and Guruprasad on the ghatam. The choice to open the evening with 'Merusamana' in Mayamalavagowla was not surprising. This Tyagaraja kriti, which compares Rama to the immovable Mount Meru, was one of Semmangudi's well-recognised openers, rendered in the chowka kala. For Semmangudi, Mayamalavagowla was never just a beginner's raga. In 'Merusamana', he demonstrated how a foundational raga could carry immense musical authority. His rendition of the piece was known for its deliberate pacing, especially the notable silence between pallavi and anupallavi. This moment, a breath of space before the percussion joined was observed in this concert too. Shriramkumar's violin paused and so did the percussion, only to re-start as the anupallavi began, creating a space that many rasikas would instantly recognise as Semmangudi's signature style. The niraval and kalpanaswara at 'Gala munanu sobhillu' followed. There was a clear transition from keezh kala to mel kala swaras, separated by a precise, short pause and the percussion elevating it. The second piece, 'Nenendu vedakudura' in Karnataka Behag, a composition seldom heard in recent times, especially after Semmangudi's era, brought a gentle lift to the concert's momentum. It's hard to think of a Semmangudi concert without Karaharapriya. The raga was almost second nature to him and true to the tradition, it unfolded with an alapana that brought out its innate karuna rasa, with the singer and accompanists totally engrossed in the music. When most in the audience expected Neelakanta Sivan's 'Navasiddhi peruvaalume', the musicians pleasantly surprised them by rendering Tyagaraja's 'Rama nee samanamevaru'.The niraval at 'paluku paluku teneloka' was seeped in melody. After a run of Tyagaraja compositions, Muthuswami Dikshitar's 'Amba nilayadakshi' in Nilambari was presented and offered a moment of contrast. The chowka kāla tempo brought out the raga's gentle sway and the percussionists responded with thoughtful strokes. A segment of kalpanaswaras followed. Semmangudi's contributions to Carnatic music are many, but his role in bringing Swati Tirunal's compositions into mainstream concert repertoire stands out in particular. His deep sense of devotion and musical insight gave these kritis a strong footing on the concert stage. Echoing that lineage, the concert next featured the lively 'Gopanandana valarippu' in Bhooshanavali. Thodi, for many rasikas, is strongly linked with the voice of Semmangudi, a raga that he returned to often, each time with a new intensity. 'Rave himagiri', the swarajati by Syama Sastri, was presented next. The alapana was carved through Thodi's maze of curves and layered intricacies. A special touch came during the kalpanaswara, where the inspiration drawn from the original chittaswara structure created a sense of continuity between the composer and the performer. Encompassing all the trikalams, starting from the keezh kala and ending with the mel kala, the tani avartanam elevated the mood of the entire concert. Arun's clarity and precision on the mridangam was meticulously followed by Guruprasad on the ghatam. The simple yet aesthetic korvais, embedded with variations in a simple thathikitathom phrase — were a treat to laya admirers. The 'Peru lenna mata' in Kapi, a rakti raga, was taken up next. Semmangudi's fondness for rakti rāgas is well-known. He made this javali, composed by Dharmapuri Subbaraya Aiyyar, his own. 'Sapashya kausalya' in Jhonpuri arrived like a familiar face in the crowd. With the switch to madhyama śruti, the Chenchurutti thillana brought in the sparkle of laya and melody that Semmangudi himself relished in closing moments. The mangalam 'Rama chandraya janaka rajaja manohara', wrapped up the evening.
The Hindu
30-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Independence Day brings the Zifo Open Quiz to the city
When we speak on the phone, Dr Navin Jayakumar, ophthalmologist and quizmaster, is sifting through hundreds of questions, carefully choosing those that he will ask the gladiators of knowledge who will gather on August 15 for what is arguably Chennai's most well-known quiz. 'Chennai has a magnificent tradition of quizzing on Independence Day,' he says, adding, 'From 1994 to 2020 the Landmark Quiz was an event enjoyed by school children, corporates, college students and senior citizens. The quiz was reborn as the Zifo Open Quiz two editions ago with the city's own global scientific informatics leader thrilled to reignite the curiosity. Now everyone knows what the afternoon of August 15 is meant for.' The journey of the Zifo Open Quiz 2025 kicked off in June with a school round for classes IX-XII conducted at their schools. 'This allows a large number of schools to participate among themselves. After the preliminary round, the top two to three teams from each school are chosen based on their scores. They will compete for the best school team and can participate in the general round too. Earlier the top eight made it to the final but now we choose six and for the other two slots hold a semifinal as a qualifier,' says Dr Navin, who has been the quizmaster except for two breaks in between. With its popularity growing over the years, the annual quiz now draws nearly 2,000 participants who battle for top honours and prizes worth Rs. 5 lakh, putting their omnivorous reading to good use. Prizes are also awarded for best team name, school and college teams, corporate team, senior citizen team and family team apart from audience prizes. Initially held at the Narada Gana Sabha hall, the contestants now fill the Music Academy from end to end. To cater to participants from cities such as Berlin, London, Dubai and other Indian cities the organisers have a concierge service where participants can drop off their luggage. 'The quiz idea was always about getting everyone interested and watching it. So the questions have an element of deductive logic and are a mix of the usual science, history, geography and pop culture with content on both India and abroad. It's like working out a crossword puzzle,' says Dr Navin, adding that the old-fashioned questions, such as capitals but asked with a twist, are still the most popular. The Zifo Open Quiz 2025 will be held on August 15, 1.15pm at the Music Academy. For details and registration look up or call +91 8754569948.
The Hindu
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
The Music Academy's Mid-Year Dance Festival showcases another promising artiste
As part of The Music Academy's Mid-Year Dance Festival, Bharatanatyam dancer Aswathi K. and disciple of Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy Menon, presented a solo performance, seamlessly weaving bhakti and storytelling. The evening opened with an alarippu followed by 'Sri jalandhara', a keerthanam in Gambhira Nattai set to Adi tala, composed by Jayachamaraja Wodeyar. The hymn praised Shiva as the Supreme Yogi, adorned with the Ganga, the crescent moon, and the serpent. Aswathi brought alive the majesty of the deity through clear lines and expressive abhinaya, capturing his cosmic energy and the fierce destruction of Tripura and Taraka. The references to sacred spaces such as Arunachala, Sri Kalahasti and Chidambaram were presented with reverence, anchoring the piece in devotional imagery. The central piece of the evening was the varnam 'Vanajaksha' in Behag, composed by T.R. Subramaniam, which gave the dancer ample scope to display her technical agility and narrative sensitivity. Centered on Krishna, the piece unfolded through intricate jathis, interwoven with expressive storytelling. Her portrayal of the serpent Kaliya, subdued by Krishna, was particularly striking, the swift-coiling movements contrasting with Krishna's calm, commanding grace. In the final piece, the tone shifted to that of quiet anguish. Set in raga Husseni, 'Eppadi manam thunindatho', a Ramanataka kriti by Arunachala Kavi, voiced Sita's heartache as she questioned Rama's decision to leave her behind. Aswathi's abhinaya was moving, allowing the audience to feel Sita's disbelief and sorrow. Her portrayal conveyed emotional maturity, closing the performance on a note of poignant reflection. The orchestra included Janani Hamsini Narasimhan on vocals, K.P. Nandini on the violin, Chardutt V.V. on the mridangam and Shijith Nambiar on the nattuvangam. Aswathi's performance stood out for her sincere engagement with the themes she chose. It was a fine addition to the Music Academy's mid-year celebration of classical dance.
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby seeks Bharat Ratna for percussion artists
CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby, a connoisseur of Carnatic music, made a strong case for awarding the Bharat Ratna to percussionists in India, stating that percussion music had reached 'Himalayan heights' in the country. 'There is not only Umayalpuram Sivaraman. There were Kishan Maharaj, Alla Rakha, Zakir Hussain, and Samta Prasad. But the highest honour, like the Bharat Ratna, has gone only to Bhimsen Joshi, Bismillah Khan, M.S. Subbulakshmi, Ravi Shankar, and Lata Mangeshkar,' he said during a conversation with Mr. Sivaraman at The Hindu office in Chennai on Sunday (July 13, 2025). Mr. Baby's friendship with Mr. Sivaraman dates back to several decades. He has organised many concerts and even persuaded Mr. Sivaraman to perform for Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj. He added that the Music Academy and The Hindu should play a role in advocating Bharat Ratna recognition for percussion artists. 'This is the most appropriate platform to raise the question: why has a percussion artist never been given the Bharat Ratna? No one deserves it more than Umayalpuram Sivaraman. He is already a Padma Vibhushan awardee. The music fraternity should raise its voice for the recognition that is long overdue. Why is the government not listening to such a sane voice in the field of music and culture?' he asked. He also recalled an incident in which tabla maestro Kishan Maharaj criticised the Centre for its miserly attitude toward conferring awards on musicians. 'Unless we live for 80 or 85 years, no national honour will come to us,' Mr. Baby quoted Kishan Maharaj as saying at an event in Delhi attended by Union Ministers. The CPI(M) leader further pointed out inadequacies and partialities in the selection of awardees. 'Of course, there are genuine North Indian artists, but genuine South Indian artists have not been sufficiently considered,' he said. Mr. Sivaraman said that long ago, he had suggested to the Sangeet Natak Akademi that it institute an award in memory of the legendary nagaswaram player T.N. Rajarathinam Pillai. 'There is the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. Institute a similar award in the name of Rajarathinam Pillai,' he said. Mr. Baby supported this demand, saying Rajarathinam Pillai was equal in stature to Bismillah Khan. Mr. Sivaraman, who has performed with four generations of musicians, said he was ready to accompany the next generation as well. He also described the specific playing styles required for accompanying great musicians such as Mudikondan Venkatrama Iyer, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, G.N. Balasubramanian, Madurai Mani Iyer, T.R. Mahalingam, and M.D. Ramanathan. Speaking on the subject of creativity, Mr. Sivaraman cited poet Kalidasa to explain his philosophy: 'Don't think everything old is good; don't criticise everything new as bad. People with wisdom will always select the best from the old and the best from the new. That is my motto,' he said. N. Ram, former Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, who introduced the two, said the event was meant to highlight and celebrate an unusual association and a relationship that blossomed into enduring friendship. He said that Mr. Baby first encountered Mr. Sivaraman's music during the Emergency, when he was semi-underground and courted arrest. 'His elder brother advised him to visit a temple and listen to concerts. That is how he first discovered the great music of Mr. Sivaraman,' he said.
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
M.A. Baby Urges Bharat Ratna for Umayalpuram Sivaraman, Highlights Neglect of Percussion Artists in India
CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby, a lifelong connoisseur of Carnatic music, argues that Indian percussionists deserve the nation's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna. In a conversation with legendary mridangam maestro Umayalpuram Sivaraman at The Hindu office, Mr. Baby highlights why artists like Kishan Maharaj, Alla Rakha, Zakir Hussain, and Samta Prasad have yet to receive this recognition. He calls on institutions like the Music Academy and The Hindu to champion this overdue honour and criticises the Government of India for ignoring calls from the music fraternity. The event also revisits stories of friendship, artistry, and the philosophy of embracing both tradition and innovation in music. Watch to understand why the campaign for Bharat Ratna for percussionists matters and why it's time India recognised its great maestros. Video: Johan Sathyadas, Thamodaran B, Shivaraj S Editing: Shivaraj S
