Yesterday, we finally managed to attend a “kutcheri” (music concert) during the Chennai December season. For the past several years, Chennai has developed the concept of having concerts during the month of Margazhi which usually falls around mid December. Many budding artists debut during this time and ofcourse the established maestros give concerts too. One of the reasons for us to be in Chennai during this time was to attend some of the concerts as we had heard so much about them.
With the floods happening on Dec 2nd, there was a doubt if any concert would be held. Several concerts got cancelled and the season did start, a little late. Yesterday we went to the Sri YGP auditorium which is part of the Padma Seshadri school complex to see U. Rajesh perform. We reached early and managed to also hear the veteran Gnana Kala Bharati Sri. T.V. Shankaranarayanan. Amazing voice and his son too has a great voice .. So his lineage is safe. :).
At 7.30 Mandolin U. Rajesh started his performance and before that in his introduction, Madhuvanti said that every Dec 19th for the past 25 years, the late Mandolin U. Srinivas would perform at this venue… She said it beautifully – “we won’t mourn his death, but celebrate his life and his music”. U. Rajesh’s performance was fantastic … Especially “Entharo Mahanu Bhavulu” – it’s my most favourite Pancharatna kriti and it sounded heavenly on the Mandolin.
What a genius the late U. Srinivas was …. I don’t think many people in India knew of the Mandolina and he made it his own, so much so, that he is known as Mandolin Srinivas. I wrote this blog last Sept 19th when he passed away – A string less… His left a vacuum that is still felt. So glad that we could be at the venue where he played every year for 25 years.
The seats were empty, but wish more people come out for these concerts – yes, we lost much during the floods, but these artists are also our treasure and they need to be heard and treasured !
Today we go and watch a play by Crazy Mohan, another master of his craft. #ChennaiDecemberSeason