As I was listening to Khwaja instrumental, I was so lost in the music that I didn’t realize that my music system had started playing the next CD in it – Sanjay Subrahmanyan’s ‘Kshetra Chidambaram’. On hearing Sanjay’s Kedaram sloka, I didn’t have the heart to go back to Jodha Akbar even though that’s what I wanted to do! Dikshitar’s Anandanatana Prakasham in Kedaram – the first song in the CD – is my most favourite in it. I love Sanjay’s neraval at the line, Sangeeta vaadya vinoda taandava jaata bahutara bheda chodhyam in this song. Arun Prakash’s mridangam & Shriramkumar’s violin for this is excellent! This one is a must listen!
Even as I am listening to the neraval now, to put an end to the confusions in my mind as to whether I should listen to Sanjay’s Kedaram or Rahman’s Jodha Akbar, I am now off to sleep. Good Night!
Ananda Natana Prakasham and Kedaram nowadays only brings to mind Semmangudi Mama, V Subrahmanyam and Sowmya and of course the Hindu 🙂
Sathej
I love Kanavendamo 🙂 and the Natarajar Pattu before Tillai Sthalam – can’t get enough of!
Sathej,
LOL yes 🙂
Niveditha,
KaaNavendaamo is my other fav in this CD too 🙂
I have not tried this particular CD, but when I hear about the song “Ananda Natana Prakasam”, it reminds me of Jayashri’s “Pancha Bhutams” CD. As the name implies, it contains Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshitar’s compositions on five lingas representing five elements. I am sure most of you would have listened to that CD. It is one of my favourites. If any of you have not listened to it, kindly do yourself a favour by listening to it. You can find it in musicindiaonline as well.
Abheripriya,
I haven’t listened to that CD. Will listen to it sometime. Btw you try listening to Kshetra Chidambaram CD too. 🙂
I listened to “Ananda Natana Prakasam” from Kshetra Chidambaram from the internet yesterday (http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/carnatic_vocal/s/album.80/). It was very nice. Thanks for the recommendation and sharing the reviews.
Also wanted to provide the links for Jayashri’s CD I mentioned in my earlier reply. One may or may not like this, but it is certainly worth a try. I liked this album, and still consider this to be one of the best in my CD list. The following URL has all the songs of the album Panchabhutams.
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/carnatic_vocal/s/album.2308/
Especially the following ones on Sri Kalahasthi (Vayu) and Kanchipuram Ekambareshwarar (Prithvi) are my favourites. The following links may work directly upon clicking on them
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/eJy2IDOjgS.As1NMvHdW/
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/eqy2VOlugt.As1NMvHdW/
And here is Ananda Natana Prakasam:
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/p/x/cJy2tSX23t.As1NMvHdW/
Abheripriya,
Oh great. I am yet to listen to Jayashri’s CD. Will listen tonight. Thanks for the links 🙂
Not sure if you had a chance to listen to the songs. If you noticed, modern musical instruments are used for background in all of them. This is not at all like those “remix” ones that distort the whole song, but this in fact involves a very nice coordination of the modern musical instruments in the background, while still preserving the melody and the “flavour” of a typical carnatic style composition.
One thing I observe with carnatic musicians is some of them are fixed on a traditional setup. This includes not only the choice of the accompanying musical instruments, but also the costumes and stage setup etc. I have heard some of them talking about preserving all the traditional aspects of carnatic music. I am not against the traditional way of singing carnatic music, nor am I averse to traditional costumes, stage setup etc. However, I am a bit uncomfortable at the thought of what appears like confining music within artificial boundaries. Today we do use instruments like sax, mandolin, and violin in carnatic music, which were once seen as western instruments. I seem to think that music grows when we try new techniques, which in this case includes the choice of musical instruments (and I neither imply, nor a fan of singing or listening to carnatic music in pop style). Of course carnatic music with traditional instruments has, and will continue to have, its own charm, but that doesn’t justify reservation towards “non traditional” music instruments. My perception may be wrong here, but I have heard and sensed this kind of reservation towards modern musical instruments with some people, and I always wondered about the reason.
This album by Jayashri is a clear example of how nicely one can mix various instruments while preserving the melody of carnatic composition. Like I said in my earlier posting, some people may not like this, but in my observation, everyone to whom I introduced this album, immediately ended up liking it. Try it if you have not already done so, and forgive me for any spelling errors or broken sentences in this posting. This is intended to be a very quick comment.
Abheripriya,
I listened to Ananda natana and Jambupate alone. I liked it. Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂 Yeah those instruments used were nice.
I am not against the use of modern instruments for Carnatic music either. To me the only important thing is I should like and enjoy what I hear. That’s all. I don’t think too much about preserving the traditional aspects and all those stuff. But at the same time, trying to do something new just for the heck of it is something that I don’t like.
I am glad that you had a chance to listen to a couple of songs in the album and liked them too. If you have time, also try the last one “Chintayama”. This is on Lord Ekambareshwarar in Kanchipuram. You will find it mesmerizing !!!!
It really gives me a great deal of peace and bliss when I hear the lines “Mangalakara MandahAsa Vadanam” .. It instantly reminds me of the smiling face of Lord Ekambareshwarar sitting with Mother Kamakshi in the main sannidhi. How does one translate such a nice Sanskrit phrase? The word “Mangalakara” doesn’t have an equivalent word in English that conveys the same feelings. The nearest word I can think of is, “auspicious”, but that still doesn’t produce the same effect of the Sanskrit word. One way of translating that would be “Auspicious and smiling / charming / pleasant face”? I don’t think I am doing a very good job of it, or may be there is no way of saying it in any other language as beautifully as Muthuswami Diskshitar composed it in Sanskrit.
Jayashri has presented this so well, and I kept listening to it again and again when I first came in contact with this CD over three years ago. Try it out if you have some time. If you have not seen Lord Ekambareshwarar in the temple, you would really want to see him after listening to this song. And once you see him you will never forget his face & form !!!
Abheripriya,
Am listening to Chintayama right now 🙂 It’s very nice. Paid special attention to the line, ‘mangaLakara mandahAsa vadanam’ after reading your comment.
I have only recently developed an interest in learning the meaning of Dikshitar’s kritis. They are indeed very beautiful!
I have seen Lord Ekambareshwarar but the next time I visit the temple, I am sure I will remember this song.
Sanjay’s? The best version of this magnificent krithi was sung by the late M D Ramanathan. If you like I can send you a copy of that version. Sanjay’s is a good effort but when it comes to bhava-laden singing, MDR was in a class of his own.