By M.Rajini
The Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival in the US, in its 45th year, is an annual event claiming to have the widest audience of Carnatic Music in the world. It is a musical homage to the saint-composer Sri.Thyagaraja, an attempt to reflect his consummate skill in compositions, inspired by his devotion to Lord Rama. Very similar to Chennai’s Margazhi Utsavam in structure, this festival was initiated by the visionary Cleveland V.V. Sundaram, a resident of Besant Nagar. The festival (April 16 – 27) had representatives from 140 nations, and from the length and breadth of the US. There was a footfall of 5000 people this year, they say; it is an amazing feat to conduct such a humongous event, with meticulous precision; the whole event being fuelled by volunteers.
Cultural relationships are the way to economic harmony between nations. I had the good fortune to attend the event and witness the truth in the above statement. From the Americans at the hotel lobby to the cab drivers, from diverse nations, all seemed to be familiar with this annual music extravaganza. They wished us a happy time at the concerts. At the halls at the Cleveland State University campus, where the concerts and the competitions were happening, American officials and technicians were working shoulder to shoulder with Indian artistes and choreographers, in setting up the stage and the Acoustics.
I could hear ‘Senthamizh’ and ‘Sundara Telugu’ all around. A small bit of South India was transported here. Boys and girls in traditional dresses and American accents could be heard meeting and greeting each other, probably meeting after a year. Dazzling coloured half saris or pavadais in silk were a feast to the eye. Half saris are a lost tradition in India these days. Boys in kurtas and pyjamas or veshtis had the sacred ash or chandan on their foreheads. It was such an ethnic scene and a prelude to the divine experience of our tradition and culture elevated to an international audience.
The Thyagaraja Aradhana in the early hours of April 19 was an awesome experience for the rasikas gathered at the Wolstein Centre, an indoor stadium at the University campus. The singing of the Pancharathna Krithis, his 5 greatest compositions, was led by the idol of Carnatic music, Sangeetha Rathnakara Sudha Raghunathan. Standing at the extreme left of the stage was Sangeetha Rathnakara Narthaki Nataraj, the veteran Bharatanatyam dancer. She was performing Ahinayas and Mudras for the Krithis sung by the ensemble of eminent musicians and instrumentalists. The stage was star-studded and a splendid feast to the eyes. The rendition of the five famous Krithis of Saint Thyagaraja ended with the finale song ‘Entharo Mahanubava’ amidst thunderous claps of joy from the audience. It was a momentous takeaway for every person in the hall. The Sishyakulam Epic Choir, conceptualised by Sangeetha Rathnakara Neyveli R.Santhanagopalan, the grandest stage event in Carnatic music, was held later in the day.
On April 20, at the Waetjen Auditorium, more programmes like Carnatic Harmony presented by Carnatica and ‘Aadum Chidambaramo’, conceptualised by Sangeetha Rathnakara Papanasam Ashok Ramani, and prize prize-giving ceremony for various competitions were held. Many more ticketed performances of popular artistes from Chennai were also being held at various halls during the festival.
The kritis resonated in my ears for a long time.
