Yesterday, 1st January, 2013 - a couple of hours from 10.30 am at Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha listening to some innisai mazhai - awesome music really! - by Mr. Ramjhi's Issai Mazhalai - India's first professional music group featuring children.
Sastriyamum Cinemavum is a programme where a fusion of Carnatic music and raaga-based Thamizh cine music is done quite seamlessly.
The main raagas that were taken up for yesterday's performance were Mohanam, Thodi, Mand and Shanmugapriya.
In Mohanam, after the raaga alapana, the song Giridhara Gopala from MS's Meera was sung by Vidya and Dharini. A superb performance!
Abilash's renditon of Gangai Karai Mannanadi in Thodi raaga from Varusham 16 was really good too.
Tiny tot K. Subrahmanyam stole our hearts by belting out "Ulagham piranthathu enakkaaga" fromPaasam with great gusto!
A song that totally captivated us was Bharat Sundar's rendition of "Oru Naal Podhuma?" fromThiruvilaiyaadal. The raaga was Mand followed by ragamalikaa.
And the song that was taken up for Shanmugapriya was Pazham Neeyappa from Thiruvilaiyaadaloriginally sung by K B Sundarambal. This was followed by a beautiful medley of songs in the same raaga by Vidya and Dharini.
And one song that is still ringing in my ears is Senthamizh Then Mozhiyal by T R Mahalingam from the movie Maalai Itta Mangai. A song that was effortlessly sung yesterday by a very young Harish.
The young accompanying lady artists on the violin and mridangam played their parts very well.
Mr. Ramjhi is doing a fabulous job with the children in his group. Looking forward to more such music from Issai Mazhalai!
Some details of Sastriyamum Cinemavum can be viewed here:
http://issaimazhalai.blogspot.in/2009/05/sastriyamum-cinemavum.html
Geetha