Yesterday evening I heard that Carnatic vocalist Radha Vishwanathan was no more. In the melee of Margazhi, not many even noticed it. My childhood was incomplete without Bhajan Govindam and Vishnu Sahasranamam in the voice of MS Subbulakshmi. Several south Indian homes had this cassette next to their tape recorder all the time. On some... Continue Reading →
Krishna Ragam – The music of Unnikrishnan
Usually an interaction done over phone is less enchanting than a face-to-face interview. But not this one. How many times have you been on a call to be treated to a gem like Narumugaye from the other end out of the blue. It's bliss. Serendipity has its way of working with our lives. It was... Continue Reading →
The box-office cracker
This story was published in The Times of India in 2013 On a busy junction on the Mount Road, in Chennai, Shanti Theater is gearing up for the upcoming festive season. K Bhaskar, the cinema operator of Shanti Cinemas, is quite used to activities happening at a frenetic pace at this time of the year.... Continue Reading →
Guru Mantram – an interaction with Sikkil Gurucharan
The evenings in temples and concert halls are a lot busier. It is festival time and music is an integral part of the celebrations. The months leading to Margazhi set the tempo for the music season. The series of concerts that happen in Tamil Nadu during Navratri is a precursor to what is in store... Continue Reading →