#sanjaysub

[malapkv]

The Sanjay Subrahmanyan paradox

Let me begin like a textbook- The Sanjay Subrahmanyan concert/fan paradox may be defined as an audience state of mind, where you have listened to it all, yet it feels fresh and impressive each time you attend his concerts- where you have spoken about it and tweeted about it, but still want to keep talking about it. You just don't know what to write but all you want to do is, share that last concert experience with common minds. Where you are bashed and mocked for being his die-hard, but that critique only keeps pushing you to be a deeper die-hard!

We the Sanjay Sub fans have not changed- we keep singing his praises. Nothing is new right? But wait, wasn't this all impossible for a whole three years-where we were all masked up and not knowing what the future of music itself was? That tunnel seemed like it had no light. And those of us who progressed to be his fans all started with being curious backbenchers in his overcrowded concerts. Slowly inching ourselves towards the dais-for we wanted to catch his every expression (I miss taking photographs by the way :)) To us Sanjay meant amplified mass energy but paradoxically personalised and customised music. His viruttams would translate to personal philosophies according to each one's situation and struggle in life.

However, truth be told-during the last two plus years sitting amongst some minimal audiences watching this doyen perform some of his signatures was not easy. That was a time I tried controlling tears because I just could not relate to the experience. The fact that a performer like Sanjay was suddenly restricted to a limited audience and all we could do was access him virtually and vice versa was a very hard reality to accept.

Why would that be? Because this man is a man of the masses. He draws his energy from that overwhelmed audience who in turn submerge him in their uproars and ovations. That relationship was real. It could not be boxed into virtuality. A Sanjay concert translated into crowds of energy. Live electricity and human fireworks!

I genuinely missed that exchange of vivacity that a Sanjay concert was. But as all things would pass, that phase is also “hopefully” behind us. Couple of his admirers also fell along the way causing us some deep moments of grief. I have seen Sanjay through their eyes, and I miss that profoundly. All the losses only made me reflect and appreciate whatever is left of life and music, so to say.

After the confinement stage and those moments of melancholy we are in the era of live concerts once again. My own life moves at such a fast pace that each day’s events roll by like a film strip and I wonder where am I in all this cosmos? What’s the role am playing? City hopping and transport jumping - amidst a brash cyclone I land in Chennai for yet another Sanjay concert.

And as I sat there listening to his Mohanam and Kamboji and Varali -suddenly those pieces that kept falling apart started regrouping themselves. At the very least I know I belong here. I have waded through floods in this same city listening to the same Ambigai Jagadambikai for patience through those waters. I know that his music gives me what is needed to wade through this uncertainty called life. Amidst all the changes and losses his music has remained my constant.

And watching him yet again, all over again, in his elements- where he , like a magnet, absorbs the spirit of each person in the large audience and gives it back multifold through his unfeigned renditions was a scene that could not stop me from jumping with joy. His impeccable renditions enhanced by the season’s magic, reawakens my spirit! It makes me dance internally along with his brigas in glee, it makes me admire the way he weaves his own persona into every phrase of the music - when all else fails there is always Sanjay’s music to fall back on.

And for the moment while we are all still alive and kicking, the surety of his large live concerts, all over again being the key phrase, lingers…

Like someone rightly said, his energy is therapy. He is made for a large audience and those overflowing audiences are made for him. In this ephemeral eternity, his concerts are hope!

[m-a-a-l-k-a-u-n-s]

Raga Huseni.

[prasaram-blog]

NadaSurabhi SanjaySub VID29 from Ramprasad Natarajan on Vimeo.

[icsotd]

2013-09-14: Linked by @mohank - Sanjay Subrahmanyan: RTP, behag

[malapkv]

Sanjay vs Sanjay

Disclaimer- Do not follow my example, you may land yourself in trouble

Anyone who knows me for a few years now, would know that attending Sanjay kucheris is an important part of my life. Of course the last two years changed it all. 

My friend would have his birthday and he would submit to the fact that I would not attend because it was in December. Its the same friend who started following Sanjaysub pages out of sheer curiosity (apdi enna than iruku andha kucheri la)and recently made a comment “Hey enna unga artist bayangara corporate level marketing lam panraaru?” He follows him quite closely now..

Its another story that my previous boss, a French lady got super annoyed with me because on December 13, 2019 I refused to stay in Pondi despite her asking and fled to Chennai for the BGS kucheri-She later almost gave me a memo...lol. 

Disappointed another very traditional boss for not attending Saraswati Pooja at office-Because I was in Trivandrum for Navaratri Mandapam

Of course, no new year parties or get togethers the last few years. I was never a party person in the first place and new year mornings were always kucheri mornings. Andha “Wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year” in the same intonation every year kekalena, the year did not dawn for us.

My cousin once disowned me because he found my caller tune boring. I in return disowned him because it was Kanakasaila Viharini by Sanjay, and him calling that boring meant he is out of my life for the rest of my life. #EnnaOruGnanaSoonyam

So I have risked losing jobs and friends and sometimes relatives by attending Sanjay kucheris instead of attending to them...just that it was a happy escape always :P

In this context, today was an unusual Thamizh Puthandu kucheri- that too with an in -built Kalyani so i was in my extreme spirits. I just didn't have a care for this material world outside that kucheri cocoon.

Post the Kedaragowla and the Kalyani I was getting doped in the Charukesi..it was just past 8 pm when my phone rang. “Sanjay calling”...

My heart skipped a beat. It was this Sanjay at work who is a stakeholder and who was very annoyed I missed his calls last week. Today I just could not take the call so I sent him an sms “I will call you later”

I was relieved.

Around 8.43 pm another call and yet another call at 8.45. My mind started to weave situations and responses and judgements “Its Tamil New years day and why is he calling me well past work hours” “What if it was something urgent” “Well I responded in SMS” “Will I land myself in trouble?”...etc etc UND SO WEITER

After the kucheri I ran out and called him in the parking lot -” He picked the phone and said grimly “This is Sanjay”

I told him I was at a “noisy place” so couldn’t take his calls. And that I was very sorry. And that I sent him an sms.

There was no trouble, he wanted to finish his work since tomorrow is Vishu so he called me today #Phew. I was glad that I was able to successfully cover up my kucheri attendance. After a good conversation (Only I knew how nervous I had gotten)he finally asked.

Hey Mala, what is that song I heard when I called on your other phone?

I literally froze. Here am trying to put the Sanjay kucheri I just attended under cover and now this. 

“Hehe Sanjay, that is a song by someone who has the same name as you” I sheepishly managed. And my mind said unless he has been living under the caves he should know who it is. (What the hell, you cant NOT know my favorite singer/person DAMN)

And I politely asked him “You are not much into Carnatic music are you?” ...he said “No”

Then I said , “That's Sanjay Subrahmanyan” and he said 

“I know”

End of Story

[malapkv]

I do not want to mince words.

But if this man

- Who is a stereotypical South Indian who speaks Tamil and studied Chartered Accountancy and Cost Accountancy

- But didn't stop with wearing white work shirts and a 9-5 routine

- Followed his passion in yet another sterotyped " boring" field of Carnatic Music

- But didn't become the typical " I am an artist so I will wear colored silk kurtas and pose for album covers" and created his own swag + attire+ attitude= brand - only to be emulated and secretly admired

- Has his own global fan following

- But didn't stop reinventing himself

- Is the biggest crowd puller in his niche

- But disrupted the entire way the niche functions through his recent " Sanjay Sabha" ( Read about it- it's case study material)

- Didn't stop functioning during the pandemic but rather used the chance to storm the internet with his recent Avatar.

Is well read, can think ,write on,speak about any topic under the sun with research and conviction

But is still the stereotyped filter coffee drinking man living somewhere in the lanes of good old Madras clad in a veshti and Kurta ..

If this man

Is NOT your icon to follow ( whichever part of the globe you may be)

Is NOT the pride of any South Indian with his head on his shoulders

Is NOT your representation of the best talent, brains and looks of this part of the country

Then you are missing following a PHENOMENON from your times!

This " my- jaw -drops" picture courtesy- K Rajasekaran ( you genius) for Ananda Vikatan

[malapkv]

Joie de Vivre

I often write about a Sanjay Subrahmanyan kucheri after we have attended it en masse – and then I write something which reflects exactly what everyone else in the audience has been thinking.  But that credit will not go to me, it will go to this magic man who gives the same experience to the thousands of people who follow him-almost like magic isn’t it?

When two Sanjay Subrahmanyan fans meet it is almost like some discussion within a secret society- the outsider never gets it, they often think we are crazy. But it’s never the case between two followers of his. Which leads me to almost formulate this fourth law of motion-well not exactly but something like it…

At any given point in infinity, any two followers or fans of Sanjay Subrahmanyan are bound to say Aah and ooh- almost at the same time during the concert and will discuss on the same things after the concert, and they will do it after every concert that would span their lives. Yesterday evening- led me to think what should I write when we are MISSING the live kucheris....Almost for a year now. Sanjay Subrahmanyan has been that rare artist who has been releasing free videos almost throughout the pandemic and has also recently introduced the concept of monthly paid viewership for recorded concerts. He has ensured that almost no stone has been left unturned to fill the kucheri void that the pandemic has created. But beyond the music, there are other aspects that bind us to the Sanjay experience... • Part of something bigger-I’ve often felt part of something bigger when I attend his concerts- Some kind of human transformation happens in that place, temporary suspension of reality-which includes troubles and worries, and almost everyone is in sync and in one world. I don’t think the artists on stage are exempt from this either....they draw from the crowd. And most importantly Sanjay himself extracts from the energy of the audience (which he only created by the way) and gives back the experience which leads to a repeat loop...you get the drift..If you don’t, don’t bother...I see the Sanjay fans already nodding in excitement :p • Festivities- Some of us plan months ahead for his concert. This includes applying for leave, it includes train or flight tickets at times, includes what clothes to wear and what accessories- It’s another story that in a hall filled with about 2000 people and overflowing in all pathways ( how much I miss that during Covid) and dimly lit , with flash lights on the performers, nobody even notices what anyone else is wearing. Except of course when we stand in the queue for hours before.( I miss that too) ...for what else is a Sanjay concert than a sheer crowd festival? And everyone wants to devour those couple of hours, looking and feeling their best....those colors all around are sorely missed. • The high- Does everyone feel that life is better after a Sanjay concert? We see the three men in white which is Varadu and Venkatesh and anyone else, we watch them perform, we soak in the music, and then we see heads around us sway....we see the heads and hands shake in sync to the tunes, we sometimes see people lip syncing along or even singing along (yeah!)...sometimes all the old faces, sometimes new ones...so many mobile phone captures and exchanges...and despite this being repeated over years, it never ceases to be fresh....and each time after this team performs, we feel that life is so much better with their live kucheri than without it!!! • The numbers- I think the most important thing we miss about the live kucheris is the large numbers. We all know that he draws unbelievable crowds and in some way, we love to be part of it and it’s an expectation. That crowd brings us a cleansing experience, and somehow once the kucheri starts, despite many differences, we feel one with the whole crowd. We are one soul, one persona really...the more the merrier..and the numbers merge into one!! Before I go on into this metaphysical mode, and ramble away like I always do, well....while all the videos are there for consolation and some of the online music is even better than a live concert, I do miss the human element....the collective whole that a Sanjay Subrahmanyan concert is...and I look forward to a year of vaccines, live kucheris and the much missed joie de vivre!!

[malapkv]

December 2020 for the Sanjay Subrahmanyan fan

This morning, I was planning to write something, since it was December 1st and this time of the year, is very different for us the Season enthusiasts.But since the write up is mainly about Sangita Kalanidhi Shri Sanjay Subrahmanyan and he chose to write something himself this morning, I decided to defer it but nevertheless publish on December 1.

Being a Sanjay Subrahmanyan fan, starts somewhere in life where you attend ONE concert of his. And then slowly you get drawn in, to a few concerts, then becomes ‘entire season’, it then becomes ‘everywhere he sings’..

Sanjay has tens of thousands of fans across the globe. But it is incredible how he is so personal to EACH of his fans and followers of all categories- young, old, man, woman, adolescent...The mind pictures a packed hall of around 1000 odd people, all glued to his live concert and mentally weaving their own story of ‘relating’ to this artist.

This year we miss that overwhelming crowd, the fans from other countries, some of whom we are very eager to meet each year, the frenzy that is created in each of his concerts, the anticipation of the main piece for the day, the missed raga, the reviews and discussions, the people-connect over queues, we miss sitting packed around the dais catching a glimpse of his intermittent glee....with no thought of social distancing (hey that term did not exist a few days back)..welcoming the new year together as the Sanjay brigade, we miss it all....We did not realise that it was possible that one whole year, we would be deprived of these festivities....We miss the men in white and their chemistry, we miss Sanjay Subrahmanyan’s effervescent energy ... and it gives us a lump in the throat...

But, while we can go on lamenting about the loss, here are a few pointers to cheer up and how

This year all concerts are online. What does it mean to Sanjay fans?

1)    There is no seat limit. Of course unless the servers decide to crash ( LOL- which is a likelihood, given his fan following)...Anybody across the globe can access his concerts, some free, some paid. So to answer the question that my Athai asked me yesterday, no the online concerts are NOT for Chennaiites alone, it is for EVERYONE- No need to catch a train or plane to enjoy the Chennai December Season. No need to be jealous of those who are able to attend live, because this year, you can too!!! :P

2)    Which automatically means no standing in queues in each venue, sometimes getting caught in traffic and sometimes missing concerts..Just a little bit of planning, and voila you catch Sanjay online.

3)    Hey, if all COVID protocol permits, one or two of us can gather and watch the concert together- you still can recreate that “togetherness’ in a small way with some coffee. Warning- You are likely to get glued to the screen and forget reality for a few moments

4)    For those who cannot attend concerts due to hectic work schedules and have been living in eternal regret-this is YOUR year. You can simply watch the concert on your phone while you work or commute- And if you are someone like a few hundreds of us who give excuses to run off for a Sanjay concert, this year you can have the cake and eat it too :p

5)    The elders at home who have retired from live kucheri attendance- get to catch up with their lost opportunities-Isn’t that cool?Just ensure you make the necessary light and sound arrangements so they can enjoy to the maximum

6)    And for some of us, our friends and families NEVER understand what this craze about Sanjay Subrahmanyan is-This time,pull them along –at the risk of them becoming your heavy competition for the next season :P

 I understand that artists will be missing the crowd, but this time THEY too will watch their own concert online with their families....something they never got to do ever....and they can rest assured that its a LARGE crowd that's their audience this time-much larger than it usually is, albeit distributed and virtual.

It all depends on how we view it, right?

Soon, this pandemic season will only be a memory. And we will all be back to our social selves and festive kucheri moods. And we sure will get to witness many more Sanjay kucheris in all their grandeur. And this season will be an anticipatory phase for it all, and when it really happens it will be prized as ever. But until then, let’s enjoy a different December season for a change...

So on your mark, get set....it is December 1st. What’s your own reason to enjoy Sanjay kucheris online this year?

[malapkv]

Navaratri Mandapam-Trivandrum- You are missed sorely in 2020!

From 2015 through 2019-, if there was one event I would not miss, it was this. And I would invariably rant about it after coming back. Except for 2017, where the kucheri was just a few days after my father passing away-which I did not miss nevertheless.

This was an  “incountournable”treasure of a concert- for the ambience, for the aura, for everything divine about the place and above all for Sanjay Subrahmanyan of course - who, in 2019 ( if am not mistaken), had to use his left hand for the thaalam owing to an injury.

I remember how in 2016, I had a small tiff with my work managers on my absence for their “Saraswathi Pooja”- My priorities were clearly elsewhere :)

And somehow, if S.Varadarajan is not there, the experience seems incomplete even though the other stalwarts still make the experience out of the world ( As is evident in my write ups below).

I know a lot of things come in the way which make this kucheri difficult to attend -like Navaratri unmissable daily Pooja, work, school holidays, sold out tickets etc. But I never imagined that this year the event itself would not be possible:(

Two whole years seems like too long a wait-hoping we would be able to get back to this Trivandrum haven of ours in 2021.

*           Navaratri Mandapam 2019       *

I think there is an innate urge in all of us to lean on the past... on heritage...from time to time. We all would like to run away from the perils of the modern world into the safety of time tested tradition- it gives us comfort and peace. It is probably in search of this musical comfort that I attended the kucheri of ShriSanjay Subrahmanyan

at the Navaratri Mandapam for the 5th consecutive year. If I am not mistaken it was Saveri, Naatakurinji, Thodi, Kalyani and this year/today Sankarabharanam. Writing about Shri Sanjay could be considered a cliché . But then, the brilliance of his Shankarabharabam today - those manoeuvres of the raagam that blended with the soft lights of those oil lamps and the serenity in the heads of everyone who listened , some with eyes closed and some  as still as those flowers.... Shri Sanjay remains a mystic both in his usual “Effervescence -is -my -middle -name”  avatar and in a venue like this, with his “Rishi -like “ looks and that magic wand of tranquility he waves through his music

And it’s important to celebrate this mag/mus-ician, each time he conjures up his mus/mag-icFor the careful listener, lyrics are sacrosanct. And while Maharaja Swati Thirunal ( whose Navaratri Kritis are sung on these 9 days at the Navaratri Mandapam) composed in Sanskrit, his compositions are clearly different from other Sankrit compositions, for example those of Dikshitar. And these subtleties cannot be brought out any better than by a seasoned knowledgeable and dedicated performer like Shri Sanjay.... whose Devi Jagajjanani today will be on the list of his Shankarabaranesque signatures such as Buddhi Raadhu or Muthukumarayyane or Akshaya Linga Vibho.....

Anyone who screams internally with ecstasy at the Sanjay+Sankarabharanam combo would have had his/ her feast day tonight! Also, as a  Kathakali Rasika, I often dream of Shri Sanjay singing Kathakali padhams. His Aandolika Vaahane in Anandha Bhairavi was sort of a consolation for me... he singing in Malayalam plus the rhythmic singing which closely resembled a Kathakali padham. The heart saying “ Idhu mathiyallo”

Beyond the specifics of the music and musical brilliance, the personalities seated there including Shri Sanjay,Avaneeswaram S R Vinu( Violin)Nanjil Shri Arul( Mridangam) , Alathur Shri Rajaganesh ( Kanjira) the audience , the temple authorities, the window behind us through which the Raja used to watch the concert... it all seemed like we were re- playing an experience of a few centuries... almost like the DNAs of everyone- our ancestors who composed and performed such music, the kings who were patrons of our culture and everyone present to listen... the DNAs of them  in us were reactivated to completely relive the experience of the past.

It felt like we were our own ancestors from many centuries ago! Our time in this earth is but a speck of eternity. And it is up to us to choose how we would spend that time. For me, atleast one day in a year will be spent in this mellifluously mystical experience- with the feminine motifs of the Devi all over, with those ample flower decorations, with the soft sounds of the drizzle as the background ( like today) , with those completely engrossed rasikas in the traditional mundu, and with Shri Sanjay’s voice encompassing it all... those soft lamps and their lights, as I saw it, swayed to the Sankarabharanam today...In a venue where applause is prohibited ( because the music is considered an offering to the Divine) when  lit again and again, they will incessantly applaud and tell tales of one of the best Carnatic musicians ever, to the generations to come...

Navaratri Mandapam Concert 2018 of Shri Sanjay Subrahmanyan

The word Kalyani in Sanskrit means many things. It means “ beautiful, lovely, auspicious”. It also directly refers to the Goddess ( Parvati or Shakti) Today was a Kalyani evening, in every sense of the term. Kalyani ( beautiful) was the ambience. Soft oil lamps, ample flower decorations, the feeling of melting sand under the foot, leading to the Mandapam. Everyone dressed traditionally. Everyone transported to a bygone era , everyone trying to relive those days where light meant ONLY oil lamps. One could argue with me but something about the traditional set up including traditional clothes goes very well with traditional music - even if you are an agnostic,with this kind of a set up, you can feel an element of musical divinity pervading the atmosphere. Which cannot be found even in the best of performance auditoriums. In that sense the Navaratri Mandapam ambience is always pure “ Kalyani”. Kalyani ( auspicious) was the event. Day 2 of Navaratri. Shri Sanjay being accompanied by Trivandrum Shri Sampath on the violin. Nanjil Shri Arul on the Mridangam. And Vazhappally Shri Krishnakumar on the Ghatam. An unexpected team. Some new beginnings. Kalyani was the main raagam of the evening. Pahimam Shri Vaageeshwari being the Swati Thirunal Kriti. Shri Sanjay to us , is no more an individual whose music we will analyse. He is a phenomenon, whose magnificence is well beyond established- left only to be discovered. This “phenomenon “ensured that the raagam Kalyani flowed through the spaces which were left unfulfilled by the decorations in the Navaratri Mandapam. His Kalyani took many forms. The form of a Sampoorna raagam with all notes, with the capability to provide all nuances to the compulsive musical analyst.To a divinity struck soul, the music brought Kalyani,the Goddess to air. She could be felt not just as a Vigraham but as a force somewhere around the artists. And somewhere around us. A force which responded to us, which was compelled to be present there simply by the beauty of the Raagam that was being sung.Kalyani ( Goddess Parvati) was the evening. And finally Kalyani ( lovely) was this team.  Each player complemented the other and it was lovely to hear an unusual team together. Sometimes ( actually always) Kalyani is Shri Sanjay’s demeanour during a concert. While transporting everyone to a world of serious music, he sprinkles a bit of his cheer by connecting and converging with his audience - his electric smiles igniting more electric smiles in that quiet atmosphere, however never failing the solemnity. Auspiciously beautiful, and to linger forever- blessed by the Goddess and “touch wood”( literally and figuratively for Kerala temples mean a lot of wood  ) to all concerned- That Kalyani evening was formidably Kalyani - all the way!

Navaratri Mandapam Concert-  by Shri Sanjay Subrahmanyan

Mala Pkv·Tuesday, 11 October 2016·

Reading time: 5 minutes 632 reads

So what is this Navaratri Mandapam concert? It is an annual concert series that is held at the Navaratri Mandapam adjacent to the Padmanabhaswami temple in Trivandrum. This has been a 100 plus- year old festival where great musicians and stalwarts have performed. What’s so different about this concert from the others? I hear you ask. This is not a regular concert but one that happens as a “samarpanam” to the Goddess. So everyone including the artists and audience are expected to be adhering to norms- The gentlemen are to be in veshti/mundu and the women in sarees- the concert happens in front of the “Devi”’s sannadhi and no artifical lighting allowed. Tall oil lamps will light the concert platform that is  decorated elaborately with flowers. Nobody is allowed to clap or get up and leave half way through the concert-everyone leaves after the concert finishes and the rituals are complete for the deity. A tradition that is rigidly followed , and when adhered to, gives oneself and the air-a complete aura of divinity and that blissful feeling of traveling back in time.

Shri Sanjay Subrahmanyan, for those who do not know, is a South Indian classical vocalist, of the Carnatic tradition. He is a stalwart of the current times and regularly sings at the Navaratri Mandapam festival- At this festival, the songs sung are the compositions of Maharaja Shri Swati Thirunal- Who had composed many kritis- and specifically nine Kritis (songs)for the nine days of Navaratri.

 This year Shri Sanjay elaborated on the raaga Naatakurinji and the kriti was Pahi Janani.With that introduction to the novice, let me get into what this year meant to me. I am now part of a group of people that regularly attends Shri Sanjay’s concerts -we make schedules, form groups, have conference calls and hop cities, just to listen to him . Coming to think of it, its become sort of a cliche and one could easily wonder what’s so special about these experiences. What makes us want to do it over and over again?If I have to frame it in one line its that feeling of experiencing something “Larger Than Life”. Shri Sanjay Subrahmanyan is that wondrous artist, who NEVER takes his audience for granted. In tangible terms, it could be the choice of kritis, the work that goes into it, the audience-sensitive approach, the rare combination of genius+reach. But beyond all this, there is something larger than life to it. Something that makes the listener break down internally, all the elements merging into his music that fills the air. That sense of self- blurring in that “collective” atmosphere. That connect which just can’t be put in words or explained in alpha and beta terms. Something that makes you feel you have been extremely fortunate and handpicked to be part of that experience..Which is why, personally to me as a rasika, a Sanjay concert cannot be just a list of songs-

Yes we go there for the kritis, we love the raagams, we would love to delve deep into his swarams -and specifically in the Navaratri mandapam concert, his Bhaavam rules. You open your eyes, you can hear his voice provide perfect backdrop to that darkness lit by oil lamps. You close your eyes, you feel the bhaavam in his music which touches the innermost chamber of your soul....and you travel somewhere beyond Shri Sanjay’s mortal presence and  your mortal presence in that mandapam.  And in that realm, the details fade. It doesn’t matter whether he sings an unfamiliar raagam (Bhavapriya) or whether he sings something as familiar as Mamava Sadha Janani. With Shri Sanjay, it doesn’t matter!! For it all merges into ONE experience.:)))

HAVING SAID THAT I write this note because, I also received requests of details of the concert so here they are : Sarasijanabha - Khambodi Ada thala Varnam Mamava Sada - Kanada Palaya Sada - Nalinakanti Mamava Asrita - Bhavapriya Pahi Janani - Natakurinji Bhavaye - Punnagavarali Karuna Nidhan - Charukesi Reena Madaanuta - Behag

And what musicians, we are fortunate to listen to along with Shri Sanjay. Shri Varadarajan Santhanam whose excellence seems to be peaking with each passing concert-He takes the  experience to whole new levels, as the regular listener can easily gage. Shri Varadu is not just that stalwart violinist, he is also that rasika, who along with us completely enjoys the experience, and he always speaks like a rasika too. Do not be surprised when you hear “The concert was awesome” from him after the concert-For its that essential rasika in him that speaks :) Nanjil Shri Arul and Shri Sudheer on the mridangam and ghatam respectively,those undertones that were sheer suddha shruthi to the ears. And in that lamp -lit darkness, the tone-perfect percussion provided the perfect balance to the bhaavam emerging from the vocals and the violin.

And our favorite Vidwan Neyveli B Venkatesh sir, had also joined us as a rasika, we all sat in silence as this larger than life experience unfolded in those couple of hours. I would recommend this experience to any rasika of pure music, and particularly every fan of Shri Sanjay and his team. This experience is worth leaving behind your kolus for a few hours, whereas it would be a major regret if you don’t have the experience even once in your lifetime :) And as I reminisce on last year’s Devi Paavane in Saveri, and this year’s Pahi Janani in Naatakurinji, I know my drives and waits and spaces in time would be filled by the recordings of these, discussions and debates with fans from everywhere and particularly God’s Own Country- for the next 365 days... And I await more precious raagams and renditions from this team in the years to come. And we will continue to form friendships, make memories and travel for, by and of Shri Sanjay’s music.....And continue to break down in uncontrollable tears like I did for his beautiful Bhavapriya 48 hours back...

Navratri Mandapam concert of Shri Sanjay Subrahmanyan :2015

First of all no snaps are allowed to be shot  here - so let me try to " paint a picture " using words  Imagine a vintage mandapam adjacent to the Padmanabhaswami temple. Complete with the ancient Kerala style sloped tiles -and the " old world" feel maintained. The only trace of modernity being the detector which detects if you are carrying anything unwanted or prohibited inside the premises. Before you enter you are required to deposit your bags in the cloak room, change to traditional wear - sarees for women and dhotis for the men. The menfolk are not allowed to wear shirts so they can be seen clad in the vasthrams - the traditional way. So even as you enter ,your mind is tuned to the " times that were"  and you stand in a queue to reach the sannadhi of Devi.

The gabled roof as you can see is decorated with flowers- you see tall traditional lamps at all corners - and you walk past , go to the sannadhi of Devi , get Her Dharshan walk around again across the floor covered with pure sand. Go around again and take your seats on the floor right opposite a wall with a painting a of the Devi and her lion. A space of about 3 feet between the audience and the performers. Lights just enough to ensure the artists are seated and then the lights are off. One is back to the ancient times of the world - softly lit by oil lamps . T

There is a certain effect when the entire concert by Shri Sanjay is listened to, in this ambience - whether you believe in the Divine or not, you will feel a sure and certain sense of divinity slowly crawling beneath your veins and finally overwhelming you. The team was Shri Varadarajan on the violin, Shri Harikumar on the Mridangam and Shri Rajaganesh on the Kanjira. There was also a Ghatam artist who looked like he regularly played exclusively at that venue. ( Shri P.L Sudheer )With that tone for the concert set, imagine Shri Sanjay's priceless Kalyani, Anandha Bhairavi, Natakurinji, Khamas, Kapi, Surati, ( to name a few)flowing one after the other with Maharaja Swati Thirunaal's lyrical beauty.

With the RTP being in Saveri as already published. Shri Sanjay did not change the way he usually presents. The same pot pourri of elegance, alternation of pace between super fast and slow chowkam, the same demeanour of joy that he usually exudes and the same eye contact with his audience despite the low lights.But somehow, the oil lamps, the soft natural lighting, the painting of the Goddess which is the background for the performers and the near- darkness enhances the concentration and therefore the sounds of the voices and the instruments sound like something is being played in our sub conscious brains, somewhere in a state of meditation. Thoughts and observations stay out of the mind, the mind is tuned to a meditative state and therefore Shri Sanjay's singing takes a " viswaroopam" and it sounds ten times more pleasing than it normally would.

Shri Varadarajan's violin sounding like how music would sound in Heaven and one could even clearly hear the Shruthi or the tone to which the percussion piece is being performed by the superlative percussionists.Without the distraction of lights , scenes that unfold due to lights, thoughts that take over due to the scenes that unfold,and all the noise that follows in the mind-All that one could see,was focused " lost in time and space" listeners - and the entire atmosphere being tuned to Shri Sanjay's musical depth.And for us -the mad chennai listeners, we were so tempted to applaud loud after each piece but here is a place where no applause is allowed since the rendition is for the Goddess- another unique feature!

Pure meditative listening with the music sounding enhanced by divinity -this is an experience that no fan of Shri Sanjay and his team should ever miss - even if it means you got to travel several miles across the globe- The saveri will linger to eternity just as any other raagam that he sang will. And finally, if an event can be included in the wonders of the world, this would be IT!

[malapkv]

Sanjay Subrahmanyan- Powered by Android

Those technology embracers who would have owned a smart TV since the 1980s itself- may please pardon my lack of savoir-faire and ignore this primitive post. The others may read on..

I do not watch much of TV –especially in the last few years so the choice of TV equipment was left to the seniors at home. Since they are a bit wary of technology and since they equated throwing away old stuff to being extravagant, I had no choice except to retain the old Samsung TV we had- Along with a huge shelf that was able to fit in this huge TV. It was an old model, and no -it did not even have a USB drive, so it was quite difficult to play anything except “Dish TV”. Sometimes even DVDs in a certain format would not connect.

So most of the time, including most part of this lockdown, my refuge was my mobile and sometimes laptop for Netflix and all other flicks.

But a few days back I decided to de-clutter and part of this process- was throwing away that huge shelf- And I decided to invest in a “smart” TV. No, this is no rich man’s game-Since some smart TVs are even cheaper than smart phones these days.

To demonstrate the “youtube” experience to my mother, the very first thing I played on this TV was the rare “ Ganapati Rayan”- by Sanjay Subrahmanyan

My mother is someone who has limited mobility in the last few years-and she stopped attending the few kucheris she used to attend earlier- So watching Sanjay and team on “such a large screen” was a back-to-life moment for her-And finally she stopped lamenting about my mindless “throwing away “of stuff (the old TV, shelf)that were bought with “so much hard work”.

And even for me, sitting in my living room and enjoying these daily “releases” on a huge screen was a feast- I kept alternating between old and new videos-And I particularly liked the “First Edition Arts” videos-brilliant cinematography – completely aesthetic and sensible capture of the essence of this art form.

I am ‘partial to” the Ata Taala varnam in Kalyani that Sanjay renders- whenever he does-When he inimitably begins with the  “ Aaa....Vanajakshi” and when this is tastefully shot and presented ( First Edition Arts), it all seems like even the Corona Virus ( which made these moments possible) has its own subtle charm :P.

 It felt like I play one piece, and youtube almost picks up my taste and it plays “ Kallu Sakkare” followed by “Ellam Arivaen” , curated personalised list or what, me thinks... And I am addicted to this new living room experience of mine..Often finding myself euphorically reacting like I would in a real kucheri- Completely flabbergasted by this musician’s command over whatever he is singing and his ability to sweep attention, albeit through glass screens ...

The highlight of this experience was however, this interview –Which I have seen before, but watching it again in calm was almost like being there at the moment and sitting right in front of the two people.

I am an admitted fan of Sanjay Subrahmanyan of course- so you could have watched/watch and could decide for yourself... But I could see that the interviewer, in the course of the interview –It almost feels like after Sanjay “ takes over” with his own natural flow she keeps her planned questions aside and simply sits in awe, unable to control her smiles of admiration of this person who is equally catchy while he speaks, as while  he sings.

I was surprised to see the conversation drift towards whether he was a singer/a performer- the subject of my thought and tweet not too long ago..  was left astonished by the global  interconnectedness of thoughts and observations and likewise by  Sanjay’s honest response of how it is equally important to be a performer even if you are a genius artist..the element of audience sensitivity and concert presentability that forms the core of his substance....even though he is perfectly capable of presenting  “genius and genius only” pieces and concerts..

 And this virtual experience has taught me something else. When it comes to Carnatic music, we may look for genius or entertainment or both, but we also tend to look for “ a positive presence”- our subconscious minds would not allow anyone with a negative aura to dominate our screens and mind space for a long time – So yes, Sanjay Subrahmanyan is a singer, a performer but he is also “positively”, categorically much more than all of this..

He humorously states in the interview “ I read all tweets on me, beware”. I laughed but thought to myself- There is no need to “ beware” for Sanjay who is a great , a legend -someone at a pedestal, is also someone positive, and endearing-personally or impersonally....invokes  a sense of total respect and affection from the audience...not just for his music and hard work but also his persona. Which is why some people /forums  are better off not directing baseless ( read dumb) questions at him, and this is why some venomous sarcasm on his stage mannerisms or style of singing are so superficial and come from a complete lack of understanding of his core.

A special shout out to Aarthi Sanjay, who painstakingly shot these videos concert after concert, venue after venue, to give us the “Virtual Sanjay” during a time of no-live concerts. I quite like the virtual experience and am actually looking forward to a bit of it maybe this December.

And lastly, in the interview he states earnestly “ I used to sing in abandon-for to me, my audience is family”

Don’t we fully reciprocate!?

[malapkv]

Two songs and a Thanks.

I make reference here to the lyrics of two songs

The first is by Abba which goes

So I say

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty

What would life be?

Without a song or a dance, what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me

I know I am reflecting the thoughts of all in Sastri hall yesterday when I tweak these lyrics and say “Thank you for the (Sanjaysub) live Kucheri, for giving it BACK to me” And you can change the rest of it as you wish J

 Once Sanjay“settles into his ZONE” after that, there is no looking back. He drives on with no break and no mercy for the audience either. When I was just about to revel in the kingly Divakara Tanujam embellished with Swara appropriations, landed the queenly Bhairavi in a nanosecond. For me personally it is not just Yadhukulakamboji or Bhairavi.It is Dikshitar’s Divakara Tanujam and the way Sanjay phrases the “Maha Tripura Sundari” The careful diction and the ardour added to the Sahityam almost paints the picture of the Goddess as synonymous with the Universe. At that surreal moment the Bhairavi and  Mahatripura Sundari become one and the same. And that makes all the difference. Atleast to me!

 Whenever I search for a rendition of any popular Kriti I naturally start with searching for Sanjay’s rendition. And there are a few kritis for which I don’t see his version online and have to settle for other versions. Divakara Tanujam was one of them-I searched hard but did not find it- Am so grateful and am filled with boundless joy that I now have his version with that signature style-An endearing composition-and I am going to say why, and SUCH an ENDEARING  presentation.

So that evidently brings me to the second song reference- Dikshitar’s Divakara Tanujam.

 For any person raised with a dose of religiosity, Lord Shaneeswaran spells danger. He is used as a synonym for misfortune, sometimes also a swear word. This is popular culture. But it took the genius and compassion of Dikshitar to almost embrace Shani Bhagavan with personal affection.

  He does highlight the “malefic’ effects of the planet Saturn, but at the same time balances it out- by saying he is also an ocean of mercy.

  Bhayankaram Athi Krura Phaladaam

 He causes fear (“bhayankaram”)  in people plunged (“nimagna”) in the ocean of worldly life (“bhavam”) and is the harbinger of bad effects (“atikrura phaladam”) of one’s life.

 Dayaa Sudhaa Saagaram

 He is an ocean (“saagaram”) of nectar (“sudha”) of compassion (“dayaa”)

 The way the composer embraces the Lord is sentimental on the one hand, and for the non religious, it is pure  practicality-Embrace the downs as much as you would cherish the ups.

At the end of it all, life is a mix and a balance. After a dark pandemic, DOES resurface the live kucheri ..And doesn’t it give a million more times the joy now than it ever gave before?

So I say, a MILLION thanks for bringing the live kucheri back. Thanks for the hope it brings. And like one mami was heard saying loud “Ppah manushaala paathu evlo naalachu” !!

[malapkv]

Bhajare Re Chitta- by Sanjay Subrahmanyan

There is something intriguing and endearing about Dikshitar's kritis especially on Ambal. If there is no golu in your house this year, or if you have not had any time to celebrate this Navaratri.

All you should do is just listen to this Dikshitar Navaratri capsule so brilliantly rendered. Doesn't Dikshitar have an uncanny way of knitting an entire sentiment towards a Deity into a few lyrical threads - laced with mastery over language / expression and the purest of Bhakti? It's almost like a nine day Navaratri sentiment is just presented in a Bhajare Re Chitta. Or a Kamalambam Bhajare..

There is an older Sanjaysub version of this which was my go-to version of this kriti for a very long time.

But when I got to listen to this live last year it was a whole new level of exhilaration altogether.

And if the choice of this kriti is already ecstatic, Sanjay takes us to a new high from 10.52- with his signature swara play.

For many reasons including covid this navaratri is not the same as every year. I particularly miss the Navaratri Mandapam concerts at Trivandrum- which has been an exclusive never-to-be missed Navratri ritual for me over the years - Of course I attend the one by Sanjay of course but from the ambience I can tell that each concert there is special thanks to the very aura of the place.

But listening to this one piece sort of makes up for everything missed! 🙏🙏🙏

[prasaram-blog]

SanjaySub P4090096 from Ramprasad Natarajan on Vimeo.

[prasaram-blog]

NadaSurabhi Sanjay Subrahmanyam VID25 from Ramprasad Natarajan on Vimeo.

NadaSurabhi SanjaySub VID25

[prasaram-blog]

NadaSurabhi SanjaySub VID26 from Ramprasad Natarajan on Vimeo.

[icsotd]

2013-09-11: Linked by @mohank - Sanjay Subrahmanyan: RTP, todi