Saint Thiagaraja
The following post is recovered from google's cache of my earlier blog.
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January 31, 2005
Thiagaraja Aradhana
Last year mid-January, I was travelling to USA on a business trip. When I boarded the connecting flight at Frankfurt, there was an old guy sitting next to me reading some research papers on music. I started conversing with him and came to know his name is Robert Morris, Professor from East Man School of music. I had a wonderful time talking about world music, instruments, musicians, comparisons of styles, variations, compositions, notes,etc. It was a truly enlightening experience. Till then, I have not talked to anyone to that detail in that topic. He was returning from Thiruvaiyaru after attending the "Thyagaraja Aradhanai".
There are carnatic musicians, some of them tour around the world and perform. If not like their 'rock' counterparts, they get quite some money for their performance. You can see such people coming to Thiruvaiyaru for the aradhana, donate money to the sabha and perform in the stage.
The small town of thiruvaiyaru with a few thousand population witnesses lakhs of people during the time of aradhana. And lakhs of people who cant go, remember this and tune in to the radio or TV to watch this program, which nobody advertises to watch. This is not a one time thing like a Tsunami relief fund. This is happening for more than 150 years (158 to be precise).
Who is this Thyagaraja, whose appointment even the VIPs dont miss, even if they are in the other part of the world? Who is this thyagaraja, who has never met any of those VIPs but lived his life as a very common man without even saving food for tomorrow ? Who is this thyagaraja, on whose memory lakhs of people assemble without expecting any personal benefit out of it? This is not a religious crowd of people who take an amarnath yatra, haj yathra. He is not a hero who has saved the life in the earth by pushing a meteor out of its path.
The answer to the above questions is very simple, if you experience it once. Unfortunately, that is the only way to know the answer. Experiencing that is so simple. There is no pre-requisite. You can do it right away. Search for "carnatic music" and if possible get some composed by Thyagaraja. If you get the same song performed by a different artist, dont think you have heard it before. Instead try that also. Finally, if you go to thiruvaiyaru for the next aradhana on your own, you will not remember you read this blog, but you will only think about attending it next year again.
Thyagaraja did not release any album that sold million copies. He did not compose a symphony with several instruments in harmony. His music is as simple as he was.
When I hear someone say "Elvis Lives" or "Punk is still alive", i just smile.
==========
January 31, 2005
Thiagaraja Aradhana
Last year mid-January, I was travelling to USA on a business trip. When I boarded the connecting flight at Frankfurt, there was an old guy sitting next to me reading some research papers on music. I started conversing with him and came to know his name is Robert Morris, Professor from East Man School of music. I had a wonderful time talking about world music, instruments, musicians, comparisons of styles, variations, compositions, notes,etc. It was a truly enlightening experience. Till then, I have not talked to anyone to that detail in that topic. He was returning from Thiruvaiyaru after attending the "Thyagaraja Aradhanai".
There are carnatic musicians, some of them tour around the world and perform. If not like their 'rock' counterparts, they get quite some money for their performance. You can see such people coming to Thiruvaiyaru for the aradhana, donate money to the sabha and perform in the stage.
The small town of thiruvaiyaru with a few thousand population witnesses lakhs of people during the time of aradhana. And lakhs of people who cant go, remember this and tune in to the radio or TV to watch this program, which nobody advertises to watch. This is not a one time thing like a Tsunami relief fund. This is happening for more than 150 years (158 to be precise).
Who is this Thyagaraja, whose appointment even the VIPs dont miss, even if they are in the other part of the world? Who is this thyagaraja, who has never met any of those VIPs but lived his life as a very common man without even saving food for tomorrow ? Who is this thyagaraja, on whose memory lakhs of people assemble without expecting any personal benefit out of it? This is not a religious crowd of people who take an amarnath yatra, haj yathra. He is not a hero who has saved the life in the earth by pushing a meteor out of its path.
The answer to the above questions is very simple, if you experience it once. Unfortunately, that is the only way to know the answer. Experiencing that is so simple. There is no pre-requisite. You can do it right away. Search for "carnatic music" and if possible get some composed by Thyagaraja. If you get the same song performed by a different artist, dont think you have heard it before. Instead try that also. Finally, if you go to thiruvaiyaru for the next aradhana on your own, you will not remember you read this blog, but you will only think about attending it next year again.
Thyagaraja did not release any album that sold million copies. He did not compose a symphony with several instruments in harmony. His music is as simple as he was.
When I hear someone say "Elvis Lives" or "Punk is still alive", i just smile.
posted by ~/rajesh/~ at 11:11 PM
2 Comments:
Good job! :)
All this while, I was refreshing your main blog. Then it occured to me to check your music (this) blog. You have made me forget all about it... :(
Anyway, podhigai tune panni vechurkela?
Be ready when I come there tomorrow morning ;)
thyAgarAjha naada brahma swaroopAya
mama sharanAgatham.
Nice post
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