Jai Shri Ram!

The Sangeetha Upanyasam (my first in Hosur, 3rd overall) on “SUNDARA KAANDAM” at the Muneeshwar nagar Vijaya Vinayagar Sathsangam was a huge success.

There were so many old and knowledgeable people who were well versed in the scriptures and a couple of them were vidwans and vidushis themselves.

A topic like Sundarakaandam is usually reserved for such an audience. More importantly, this also elevates the expectations on the speaker. This being the first concert in Hosur, more so the first without the physical presence of my father, I was shaking the moment I got on stage. But surprisingly, I felt reassured and the same feeling of contentment (characteristic of those times I spent with dad) arose in me…. I would quote one of my friends “Physically he was not there, yet I could feel his permanent presence”

There were so many people who enjoyed the concert, who applauded the effort, who asked for more such programmes, but this post would not end if I do not thank the three people who made this possible

1. Ramanathan @ RAM: I could not have asked for a better gift from existence. I met this man 3 years ago in a satsang at home. We felt we had always been there for each other for lifetimes .An amazing singer, his very presence on the stage next to me was so uplifting that I simply cannot describe it.

2. Srinivasamurthy: A very senior violin vidwan, I am really grateful to. While telling a story, the most important aspect is to feel the sannidhyam (the event) in any particular situation. Only then will the story teller really get into the groove. This was effortlessly created by the violinist.

3. Venkata @ Venkatasubramanian : A firecracker of a mridangist (both of us learned from the same guru. He is fortunate to still be with our sir, Sri Srimushnam Raja Rao). His presence was really inspiring and he seamlessly aided us to lift the concert to a higher level with each song! I am always grateful to him to have accepted to come and also to have brought the violinist along

The best part is we have been requested to do a 2/3 day Sangeetha Upanyasam on “Krishna Leela” . More details soon! Keep in touch and God Bless!!!

Anil