Born on 23rd April 1991, Aravind Bhargav has finished his Diploma in Audio Engineering with SAE College of Chennai and is currently pursuing his B – Music with Madras University.

 

GURU LINEAGE & CREDENCE
Bhavadhaarini hails from the family of veteran composer Mayuram Vishwanatha Shastry. Born and brought up in a music environ there was a natural environment to learn Carnatic music from the age of 5. Her 20 year long association with her guru, the doyen of Carnatic Music Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt D.K.Pattammal brought out the sensitive musician in her. Bhavadhaarini is today one of the most senior and successful disciple of Smt D.K.P.

Bhavadhaarini Anantharaman

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS
She became a graded artist of All India Radio’ Chennai in 2002 by winning their All India Competition in CARNATIC, DEVOTIONAL AND LIGHT categories .Now she broadcasts regularly for AIR. Recipient of the CCRT fellowship (Center for Cultural Resource and Talent) from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, for a period of 9 years from 1990 and also the recipient of Sterling Holidays Scholarship for Vocal Music for a period of 3 years from 1997.She received the “Sivaji Birudhu” in Feb 2009 in appreciation of her work in the field of Carnatic Music and Devotional Music. Recipient of the Spic Scholarship for 3 years from 2000. She has been given titles like ‘Gaana Vaanee’, ‘Isai Selvi’ ‘KalaikkaLanjium’ and ‘Tamizh Isai Vaani’ at various regional Sabhas.She is also the proud recipient of title ‘SAI BAJAN RATHNA’ from SAI SEVA CHAKRA, 2001 for her excellent soulful renditions of Bhajans and devotional songs. The title “Gaanamrutha Vitthagar” was bestowed on her by Isai Priya, Thiruvarur, Tamilnadu in appreciation for her work in the field of Carnatic Music in 2009

ACADEMIA
Bhavadhaarini is now heading towards her PhD in Indian Music at Bharathidasan University. She has completed her M.Sc in Applied Microbiology from Vaishnav College, Chennai and did her second Masters Degree & M.Phil in Indian Music from Mother Teresa University.
• CSIR UGC NET qualified Lecturer in Indian Music (Dec 2005) and Microbiology (Dec 2004)
• Master of Philosophy in Indian Music – May 2005, University 1st Rank, Mother Teresa University for Women, Kodaikanal, India
• Master of Arts in Indian Music – May 2004, University 1st Rank, Mother Teresa University for Women, Kodaikanal.
• Master of Science with a major in Applied Microbiology – Apr 2002, College 1st Rank, UNIVERSITY OF CHENNAI
• Bachelor of Science in General Microbiology- Apr 2000. College 1st Rank, UNIVERSITY OF CHENNAI

AS AN ACCOMPANYING VOCALIST
She has accompanied two multifaceted professional Bharathanatyam exponents, Smt. Vyjayanthi Mala Bali and Smt Rajeswari Sainath, on stage LIVE performances in Chennai, Nellore, Kakinada, Hyderabad and Bangalore at more than 20 venues. She is the only Vocal artist in the 5 member Panchakshari Fusion Band comprising of Sharreth, B.V.Balasai, D.A.Srinivas and Punya Srinivas. She has also been credited as the only female artist to accompany 7 string violin by Maestro Harikumar on Scale “A” for 3 hour concert organized in Shastry Hall Chennai in 2006. She has also participated in Uma shankarsʼ “Layathathwa”, Vikku Vinayakramʼs fusion band & Guru Karaikudi Maniʼs Fusion performances.

AS A DEDICATED TEACHER
She combines in herself the rare talent and training of rendering classical music maintaining the traditional authenticity and conducts her Music school branch at Anna Nagar called Karpagam Sangeetha Vidyalayam. She also heads Karpagam Bhajana Mandali and conducts Namasankeerthanam and Abhangs Concerts with her team of such trained students. Bhavadhaarini conducts Online Music lessons for many interested enthusiastic students all over the world rightly tapping the advancement of technology. Apart from her concert tours; she also travels to corners of the country and abroad to conduct Lecture Demonstrations and Workshops in Music, Musicology.

Her Complete profile is available here Bhavadhaarini- Carnatic Vocalist

On behalf of all rasikas, we thank Smt.Bhavadhaarini for sharing her melliflous concerts with us.

Since his training at Kalakshetra in Chennai he is based in Amsterdam. Thanks to the guidance of several authorities on Carnatic music, he was able to author “The Oxford Illustrated Companion to South Indian Classical Music”. Most prominent among his guides were Vidya Shankar and S Rajam (both 1919 – 2010) for questions pertaining to the application of theory to performance and teaching; and TR Sundaresan (1963) for the intricacies of laya in relation to tala theory.

In 2000 he was presented with the Cross of the Order of Merit conferred by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany “for his outstanding contribution to cultural relations with India”. An active participant in Europe’s dialogue with India, he received the Rabindranath Tagore Cultural Award (Kulturpreis) of the Indo-German Society (DIG) “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the spread of knowledge about India’s spirit and life”.

He continues developing www.carnaticstudent.org, an e-learning programme commissioned by the distance education department of Lueneburg University in Germany in 2001. Since 2002 he has been a visiting lecturer at the departments of indology and music at Wuerzburg University in Germany. He has collaborated with performers and academics affiliated with other European universities. These joint efforts resulted in an ongoing exploration of the intrinsic qualities of Carnatic music; and this in a manner that lends itself to teacher training programmes (www.aiume.org). On these lines he has authored many articles, lectures and workshops such as those hosted during the world conferences of the International Society for Music Education (ISME).

Voleti Venkateswarulu with Lalgudi GJR Krishnan (violin) and Karaikudi Mani (mridangam).
Recorded by Ludwig Pesch at Sittrarangam (Chennai) on 2 October 1987.

This concert by Voleti Venkateswarulu was facilitated by vocalist Dr Rita Rajan and her husband as part of a chamber music series hosted at Sittrarangam. Performances at this venue (The Small Theatre Madras) were part of our joint efforts to bring the subtle nuances of Carnatic music and other traditional art forms to the attention of younger audiences including teachers and music students. A similar series of “mikeless concerts” had earlier been held at the library of the German cultural institute (Max Mueller Bhavan); and this with unexpected success. Under the “Sampradaya” banner, we had featured many senior performers, particularly those whose specialties were rarely if ever presented to the concert going public of Chennai; and also topical concerts focusing on special genres cultivated by scholarly musicians.

It was in this context that I had earlier met “Voleti”, as he is affectionately called by his admirers. I instantly realized that his profound influence on rasikas had its roots in a commitment to spreading good music unconditionally and without any compromise. Not surprisingly, he closed his eyes while singing. Yet there was nothing in his mild and unassuming manners that would betray the greatness that continues to inspire several Carnatic musicians so long after his premature demise.

Having listened to Voleti Venkateswarulu during a Music Academy music season concert, I knew that I was in the presence of a singer for whom complete immersion in music was more than an idea: like my flute teacher Ramachandra Shastry, Voleti was the very embodiment of the musical philosophy expounded by Sri Tyagaraja. In the lyrics of his famous Sankarabharanam kriti “Svararagasudha”, we learn that “devotion associated with the ambrosia of svara and raga is verily paradise and salvation.”

It is a great privilege to share my recording of Voleti’s rendition of this very song with a larger public. Here we feel that Tyagaraja’s universal genius is expressed in the most appropriate manner: we are witness to an intimate exploration of both, the elaboration of one of the most important ragas of Carnatic music, and one of the famous compositions by Tyagaraja. For the saintly poet-composer, being a Nada Yogi was not an end in itself but part of an even greater quest, one that is not limited to the cultural boundaries of southern India.

Finally I would like to point out the the congenial accompaniment by Karaikudi Mani and Lalgudi GJR Krishnan. With the restraint inspired by the personality of Voleti Venkateswarulu, they have contributed to an unforgettable listening experience I encourage listeners to also share with others. In gratitude for their kind permission I share this precious recording with the larger world of music.

— Ludwig Pesch, Amsterdam 17 September 2011

On behalf of all listeners, Sunaada Radio thanks Ludwig for sharing concerts of Voleti Venkateswarulu and Pudukode Krishnamurthy.

However, the first email came from a nonagenerian (91 years) Sri R Thiagarajan who was living in S.S.M residency in outskirts of Chennai. His enthusiasm was no lesser than any teenager and overwhelmed us by his immense contributions of his recordings of great artists including his wife Late Smt. Kamala Thiagarajan. He was very knowledgable about both Carnatic and Hindustani music.

Sri R.Thiagarajan, 92 years, Retd Director, Geological Survey of India, Son of Sri. V.Rathakrishna Iyer , passed away suddenly on Feb 11, 2011, 10.00pm at SSM Residency/Hindu Mission Hospital Tambaram.

Sunaada Radio team is very fortunate to have known and corresponded with him although for short period of 8 months. On behalf of all listeners, we thank Sri R Thiagarajan for his contributions.

Goddess Neelayadakshi graced and blessed me to write at least one song every year.  I got them printed and arranged for distribution to devotees during Adi Puram function in the temple through friends.

-Sri V Ramaswamy

Sri. V Ramaswamy

While he was in Mumbai, he was suggested by an elderly woman, to worship Goddess Neelayadakshi during Navratri festival keeping the Deity’s picture on a swing (joola or Oonjal in Tamil).  Since that year 1981, Mother Neelayadakshi’s picture is kept on a home-made decorated Joola inviting devotees on Vijayadasami Day  to worship and seek Her blessings

It is nothing but Her Grace that I get the lyrics in praise of the Deity a few months before the Adipuram festival.

- Sri V Ramaswamy

V Ramaswamy’s compositions were tuned to carnatic ragas by Chennai Violinist Mullaivasal Chandramouliji and sung by his troupe. His son Sri Padmanab Sridhar funded the project to bring out the CD.

Sunaada Radio thanks Sri V Ramaswamy and Sri Padmanab Sridhar for sharing the wonderful compositions on Ambal Neelayadakshi with all our listeners.

My father, Veena L Raja Rao was a man of multi-dimensional achievements. The more I study my Father’s life and works, the more I am in awe of the range and depth of his creativity.  From a very early age, he had begun to evole not just as a visionary but a pioneer as well.  As a visionary, he had promoted Kannada Sangeeta and in this effort, he set to tune and published notations for the rich lyrics of Haridasas and Shivasharanas. As a pioneer, he saw a need for Sangeeta Shastra texts in Kannada language, and took the initiative to write and publish text books.

I have attempted here to briefly highlight the multiple areas in which Raja Rao’s creativity had flourished.

- Sreenivasa Rajarao

Vainika, Gayaka

Mysore L. Raja Rao belonged to a lineage of vainika-s patronised by the Odeyar dynasty. Raja Rao’s Father Veene Lakshminaranappa (1878 – 1934), also recognized as Bhairavi Lakshminaranappa, was a Fourth generation vainika, gayaka and a vaggeyakara.

In his earlier years, Raja Rao was a consummate vainika and a gayaka.  As a vocalist, he was highly influenced by Tiger Varadachar.  However, Mysore Vasudevacharya was his idol, and young Raja Rao had accompanied the master in many performances.

Beginning in the 1930s, Raja Rao and younger brother Gopala Rao, performing together had achieved fame as Mysore Brothers.  They had performed frequently in Madras, Trichy, Poona, Bombay and other places and were featured in over a hundred radio broadcasts.  It was during this time (approx. 1937) that Columbia Records brought out a Gramophone Record  - the brothers have rendered Mysore Vasudevacharya’s pranatarthi haramahm in Junjhoti raga.

Sunaada Radio is grateful to Sri Sreenivas RajaRao and RajaRao foundation for generously sharing  albums of his compositions  for the benefit of all rasikas. Please contact rajaraofoundation AT gmail DOT com for audio albums.

Sukanya continued her studies at Fine Arts College Mysore from University Of Mysore ,where she opted carnatic  Classical Vocal as her main subject . She passed her graduation and post Graduation from the same college in distinction during the years 1971and1973 respectively.

During her college days , Sukanya had advanced studies in music by Profs. V. Ramarathnam and Smt GowriKuppuswamy. Later after college  days she undertook special guidance from Vidushi Nagarathna Sadashiva  for few years.

Sukanya continued higher research studies  in music on  the subject “Contributions of Sri Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar to Karnatac Music” A study – Under the guidance of Prof B.S. VijayaRaghavan and Vidwan V. Nanjundaswamy.  She submitted a voluminous thesis work to University of Mysore for the award of Doctorate degree. As a next step of her reseach works Sukanya did an elaborate study on the subject –Rare  musical instruments in Mysore Palace -and submitted a detailed reporte to the Govt of India which had granted a senior fellowship to this research work.

She is an A grade artist of All India Radio & Doordarshan . She has rendered her concerts in Radio National hook up programmes, Radio Sangeet Sammelan, and National programme of Doordarshan. She has directed and presented many music feature programmes for All India Radio, especially  on Mahila Haridasas. She is also in the audition board of AIR.

Sukanya has perfomed in almost all prestigious sabhas around the country. To mention a few, prestigious The Madras Music Academy (where she was adjudjed as best artist twice in her category),  Bengaluru  Gayana Samaja, Mysore Durbar Hall Concerts during dussherra festivals, Mysore Music Association Mumbai, and many other sabhas at Chennai , Hyderabad , Trivendrum etc.

Sukanya has founded a music instituition Surabhi Gana Kalamandira at Mysore with a branch at Bengaluru through which she is teaching aspirants of music .  She has developed a special skill in conducting music workshops on various Vaggeyakar`s and  Haridasa`s rare compositions which have become very popular.

Apart from her singing talent Sukanya is also a good columnist . She is also a publisher of her own quarterly music magazine “Surabhi Sinchana” since past four years, containing articles on purely music oriented subjects written by music scholars and musicologists as well as students .

Number of audio cassets and Cds have been released in her melodious voice by reputed  music companies like Sangeetha, Lahari,  Bharathiya vidyabhavan Bangalore and others.

Sukanya is receipent of number of prestigious awards and titles to her credit.To name a few: Best junior artist award in the Madrsa Music Academy festivities during the years 1984 and 1986.

Gana kala shree-title  by Bangalore Gana Kala Parishath during the year 1994.

Gana Saraswathi-title by Avni Sringeri Shankar Mutt during  the year 1994.

Prestigious  Karnataka Rajyotsava award  from Govt Of Karnataka during the year 2005 .

Gaanavaridhi-title by Sri M.A. Narasimhachar Music Foundation

Sangeetha Saraswathi- title by Bhakthi Bharathee Prathisthana .

Prestigious Aryabhata International Award-2009 by Aryabhata Cultural Organisation

Hoysala Prashasthi -2010  by Hoysala Kannada Sangha  Mysore   and  many more.

On behalf of all rasikas, Sunaada Radio thanks Dr.Sukanya Prabhakar for generously sharing her invaluable kutcheri recordings with us for the benefit of all rasikas.

Listen to Smt.Sukanya Prabhakar’s  concerts in Kutcheri on Sunaada Radio.

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In the year  1915 when he was only thirty five years of age he noticed the accretions that had crept into Shankara Siddhantha,  by the commentators and he felt the need to rediscover the real  Shankara free from these accretions.
He strove single handedly to propagate and popularize  parishuddha shankara vEdanta siddhAnta.  Age and ailments did not deter him. His works born out of intuitive experience are characterized by vast and deep scholarship, clear and precise perception.  His  authentic interpretation of Shankara has been greatly recognized in the East and the West.  He was not just a rare and accomplished individual but a mighty and magnificent institution.

His sayings based on real Shankara are universal in appeal.  For example -

1. Vedanta is a Science of Reality.

2. Anyone who is eager to know the true nature of the self can understand the teachings of Vedaanta.

3. Vedaanta is a positive science founded  on reason, intuition and universal experience, etc..

He was initiated in to Vedaata by the then pontiff of ShringEri  Sri Shivaabhinava Nrisimha  Bharathi Swamiji, at  Kaaladi and he had come under the influence  of saintly scholars such as Brahma Chaitanya Maharaj of Gondavali and Kurthukoti Mahabhagavatar.
The Karyaalaya founded by revered Swamiji in his former Ashrama is registered public charitable institution. His Highness Sri Jayachamarajendra Odeyar Bahaddur of Mysore was the Paripalaka of the Karyalaya.  Their Holinesses The Shankaracharyas of ShringEri, Dwaraka and Kanchi encouraged the institution by graciously granting some monetary help as a token of their recognition of the activities of the Karyalaya.

Vedantic classes and lectures of prasthAnatrAyee are regular daily routine.  Swamiji has constructed a Digvijaya  Rama  Temple at Holenarasipur to which daily services are rendered even today. Thus the institution is spreading  the essence of  Vedanta to all human beings  which is irrespective of caste, creed, sex, nationality, age, etc.. which is every ones birthright to know the real self  or mOksha as stated by the great Shankara-

anubhavaavasThaanatvaatbhUtavastu viShayatvaaachcha Brahmajnaanasya

The sole purpose of his life was to spread the real tradition  - Shaankara  Sampradaaya – of Vedanta  i.e. AdhyArOpa apavAda prakriya as  pointed / recognized by Shankara  in Bhagavadgeeta Bhaasya. Swamiji is the first person to notice & discover this in Bhagavadgeeta Shaankara Bhaashya. He explained its significance and importance in understanding the messages of prasthAnatrAyee. His approach to the subject is analytical.  He made a comprehensive and comparitative study of all the Vedantic thinkers who lived prior to Shankara as also those who lived after Shankara.  Even to-day his sayings are vibrant  and living which are being spread through his lectures in English, Sanskrit and Kannada by his direct and intimate disciple Bramharshi  Adhyaatma Vidyaa Praveena Mahamahopadhyaya .Sri K.G.  Subbaraya Sharmaji, an equally energetic  vibrant pundit who travelled in U.S. also in 1995 to spread unique teachings of Vedaanta & Shankara.

His sole aim is to spread the messages in  Shaankara  Bhaashya  and keep alive the sacred memory of the revered  Swamiji  through lectures, books etc. He was also the editor of the popular Kannada trimonthly magazine – Shankara Bhaskara. He has also written ShAnkara saMvatsara, vEdanta saMvatsara  , Bhagavatgeetha saMvatsara  prabOdha chintAmaNi  which has been published in Kannada,  Samskrutam, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Oriya, Urdu, Marathi, Malayalam, English and also several books in Kannada  .

Swamiji lived a full life engrossed in vedantic thoughts , always right from morning till he slept and till he shuffled off his mortal coil, in accordance with the saying AsupterAmruteh kAlamnayed vEdanta chintaya quoted by H.H. Paramaachaarya  of Kaanchi mutt  in 1945.

Sunaada feels  blessed to share some of his compositions . Sunaada conveys its sincere thanks to Sri. Sanjeeva Murthy for sharing it with us. By the blessings of  Shankara  and  Swamiji let us also live our life fully in the same way, so that we can enjoy the everlasting  bliss of Aatman.

You can listen to Swamiji’s compositions on themes including upanishads, ShankarAcharya, bhagavadgeetha in nAdOpAsanaa on Sunaada Radio.

She has completed the Certificate Course in Veena with Honours In 1991  and has  obtained Diploma in Music (Veena) with First Class in 1995  . She has also  passed Teachers Training Course in Carnatic Music in 1997 Currently B-High Grade artist (Veena) at All India Radio, Chennai.

Sujana has won the First Prize (in Preliminaries) in the 12th Yuva Sangeet Nritya Mahotsav (organised by  The South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur) held at Shimoga, Karnataka in 1998.

Sujana has won the Second Prize (in Finals) in the 12th Yuva Sangeet Nritya Mahotsav (organised by The South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur) held at Vijayanagaram, Andhra Pradesh in 1999.  Best State Youth Musician Award from the Department of Youth Services, Government of Andhra Pradesh. This award was presented by Sri. N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh on 1-7-1999. She secured  Gold Medal in Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi competitions in Veena conducted by Yoga Ganapathi Music Circle, Visakhapatnam on 21-2-1999 and was awarded Talent Puraskar by Sri Vagdevi Talent Search Academy, Vijayawada on 28-2-1999.

She has got First Prize in the 9th State Level College Festival in 1999.

Smt.Sujana has performed many veena concerts for cultural associations Abinava Arts, Swarajhari, N.C.V. Parishad, Rasa Tarangani, Sangeet Sanmandali, Kanaka Durga Kala Samithi, IIT Madras Music Club Mudhra (as part of Veenotsav 2010) and Veena Navarathri festival 2010. She also gave concerts in Germany and USA. Currently gives regular concerts in All India Radio, Chennai.

Smt. Sujana hails from a family rich in music/art tradition. Her grand fathers were Nataratna Parupalli Subba Rao and Gayaka Sarvabhouma Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu garu, who is the guru of renowned musician Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna.

Listen to Smt.Sujana Vadlamani’s concerts in vAdya vAividhya on Sunaada Radio. On behalf of all rasikas Sunaada Radio thanks Smt. Sujana Vadlamani for sharing her music with us.