The festival of Prakrit Foundation took place in a notable series launched by Cultural catalyst Ranveer Shah, 12th in Tanjavur and Thirupugalore in this February. Festivals of holy music are now pop up on all: Fez, an impressive annual one in Morocco; Another on the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea; And an international festival of music and art in Rome.
There is anything in India, including the Sacred Spirit Festival which takes place in Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur in March; Bangalore Fireflies Festival of Sacred Music; And the holy river festival in Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh. Some of these have their own unknown definitions of what the meaning of “holy” means; Some have integrated subjects – ecological, social, meditation, mysterious, and so on.
In this expansion and diverse scenario, the thiruvayaru festival of Prakrit is excellent. Displays are fantastic and wider, artists are fantastic; Music texts come mainly (but not only by any way) from the list of classical Karnataka demonstrations.
Overcome the talent of the past
During the 2025 festival, day and night overlap in a gentle symbiosis – a balanced evening performance with the thrill of the evening. Ended with a trip to Darsuram and Swamimili Veena Recurrence in siddar Cuckoo (Temple) in Thirupugalore, from the temple where Tevaram Kavita merged with Lord Shiva forever.
Sikkil Gurcharan Performance
Three days, a morning walk on West Main Street in Tajavur extended us from the Bangaru Kambakshi temple, whose goddess Shyama Shastri dedicated many of her music compositions. The same evening in Thiruvayaru, Sikkil Gurcharan sang for Bangaru Kamakshi. I was taken beyond words.
For a moment, I felt that I saw both poet Muttuswamy Dixit and Shastri walking together, singing, just ahead of us on the road where they lived at the same time at the same time. Imagine the creative coincidence of those days in Thanjavur in the Royal Court, temples and music salons. Obviously, these amazing talents are still very alive.
Intimate settings
The first night of the performance, Shruti Veena Vishwanath, whose work celebrated the intersection of classical and folk forms, sang a medley of drugs Gratitude (Devotional poems), along with Shutendra Katgade Tabla And on babu DotaraMarathi Gratitude – Dramatic, highly individual, emotional and sometimes entinomian – so far the Karnataka concerts are the inner part of the canon, as is only correct.
Shruti Veena Vishwanath in the celebration of holy music
Vishwanath performed him, and described him as fiery texts of oppression of oppression, prejudice and self-darling ego, thus in line with our current movements of feminism, after colonialism, and the discovery of authentic subaltern voices. I could see him, but soon I was just taken by music to his bold, delightful incompatibility and recurrent moments of unexpected end. His English translation from Marathi texts was a gift: Like a puppet on a string/ You make me your understanding and swing/ tinted/ My senses come aliveThe 17th -century Marathi saint and poet Tuka.
On the second night, in Thirupapugalur, the versatile master of many instruments and music forms, Thirwetkkudi C. Saravanan led him Veena Nine dress Padam And other styles by various musicians, including Purandara Das, Othukkadu Venkat Subbier, and my favorite, Muthu Thanhwar. He is one of the most creative, and is now forgotten on a large scale, Tamil musicians in the beginning of the 16th century Padam And KirtanisI think Lord Agniswara-Siva was listening greatly to the three-way temple tank. Carnatic music meant only for such intimate performance for a receptive, attached audience in such a setting.
Exercise
The Dawanwara ruins of Maratha Palace at Thiruvaiyaru were still illuminated by oil lamps at every level of the 18th century Dowcot when Gurcharan made his debut Katki At night three. He sung Tyagaraja wisely Eve AnnaruIn MalwashreeOn Lord Panchnadea, the lord of the five rivers. Composer Samadhi Only one stone was thrown on the edge of Kaveri. Before the demonstration started, we had privilege Visit In that evening, in the thiruvayaru temple when pilgrims sing Tevaram The verses, the moon, is still almost full, and drivers are playing. That persecution moment “holy” fit. So was the exciting rendering of the main composition of Koruiture that night, Shyama Shastri’s long Ninu NamminanuIn Kalyani raga,
We live in divisive times. At the highest level, music can offer hope and some kind of consolation. People can complain about an alleged erosion of taste and the lost art of listening to classical music, but in my view Karnataka music is never flourishing as before. A new group of young, deeply talented musicians exist already. GatheringSome are experimenting with forms and vision that deepen our awareness and enrich our experience. Holy Music Festival, such as The Annual One by Procrity, is an important role for playing in this vibrant scene.
The author is an indologist and poet.
Published – May 29, 2025 09:54 pm IST
