For years, the cultural landscape of Chennai has been predominantly centered around areas like Mylapore and T. Nagar. These neighborhoods, rich in tradition and cultural heritage, serve as hubs for the city’s prominent cultural institutions known as sabhas, where numerous live performances unfold, captivating audiences with the richness of Indian classical arts. However, this cluster has also sparked frequent complaints from the city’s fringes, where art enthusiasts, or rasikas, residing outside these central locations often face the daunting logistics of participating in these cultural feasts. Now, a significant change is underway.
Kartik Fine Arts, a revered institution in the sabha tradition, has undertaken a pioneering initiative to bridge this cultural divide by reaching out to the burgeoning rasika community spread across the suburbs of Chennai. This marks a bold milestone in expanding the accessibility of classical arts beyond South Chennai’s nucleus to incorporate a larger, more diverse audience.
“There is immense interest and enthusiasm among rasikas residing in the suburbs of Chennai. However, attending performances by eminent artists involves considerable challenges for them,” says S.N. Srikanth, the President of Kartik Fine Arts, shedding light on the necessity of this outreach. He further reveals that this initiative will gradually expand to cover North Chennai and other areas, paving the way for an inclusive cultural movement across the entire city.
The inaugural venture of this outreach effort was held in partnership with Babaji Vidhyashram, Sholinganallur, where the celebrated Carnatic vocalist K. Gayatri dazzled the attendees with her recital. Accompanying her were B. Ananthakrishnan on the violin and Praveen Sparsh on the mridangam, forming a synergistic ensemble that brought the performance to life on the concluding day of Navaratri.
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K. Gayatri took the audience on a musical journey commencing with a lively ragamalika varnam ‘Gananayakane thunai varuvaay’ set in Adi tala, a composition attributed to her guru, Suguna Purushothaman. She smoothly transitioned into a series of five Devi kritis, beginning with Muthiah Bhagavathar’s ‘Amba vaani nannu’ in Keeravani (Adi), which was followed by an impressive niraval and kalpanaswara.
Her musical storytelling continued with a poignant raga exposition in Sriranjani, setting the stage for Papanasam Sivan’s emotional plea, ‘Maatha innum vaadha’, in Adi tala. K. Gayatri’s rendition resonated with profound bhava, or emotion, adeptly capturing the essence of the composition. The program proceeded with Syama Sastri’s ‘Brovavamma taamasamele’, delivered in Maanji-Misra Chapu, an evocative piece that captured the ideal tempo and lyrical maturity.
Liveliness was infused into the proceedings with Periyasami Thooran’s brisk ‘Thaye Tripurasundari’ in Suddha Saveri-Khanda Chapu. This was elevated further by Praveen Sparsh’s dexterous playing, especially during the brisk chittaswaram. The recital’s centerpiece, Swati Tirunal’s ‘Pahi Jagajjanani’ in Vachaspathi set in Adi tala, was performed with finesse and embellished with intricate kalpanaswaras at ‘Mohanadaragaatri’, seamlessly transitioning into an energetic tani section led by Praveen.
The ensemble’s stellar collaboration was evident throughout, with Ananthakrishnan’s violin dialogues seamlessly complementing Gayatri’s vocal expressions. The harmonious overlay of Sriranjani and Vachaspathi raga portrayals mirrored the vocal prowess of Gayatri, while the vibrant two-kalai Adi tala tani by Praveen was both sophisticated and effervescent.
Concluding the recital, Gayatri offered renditions of Tyagaraja’s ‘Hecharikaga rara’ in Yadukula Kambhoji and Veena Seshanna’s Senchurutti thillana, both pieces incorporating ‘Sugunasaandra’—a nod, perhaps, to her virtuous mentor. Remarkably, the concert showcased eight compositions from different composers, celebrating an array of creative legacies.
With this earnest beginning, Kartik Fine Arts has set a precedent of cultural inclusivity, aiming to build a more integrated community of rasikas over time. While the initial turnout might have been modest, the sabha is optimistic that as this initiative gains momentum, the audience will grow, embracing a broader segment of Chennai’s artistic admirers.
