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News Round Up March 21, 2009
Musical tribute at Tirupoonthuruthi in Tamil Nadu
Report and photos by Revathi R.
 



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The brindavanam or samadhi of the music scholar and saint composer Narayana Tirtha comes alive twice a year.

On the aradhana day (death anniversary) and the Krishna Janmashtami as this devotee of Lord Krishna composed the beautiful verses of Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini. This composition in Sanskrit begins with the birth of Krishna and ends with his marriage to Rukmini.

The local people call the brindavanam as 'samiyar madam'. On the aradhana day they carry paal kudams (milk pots) and pay their homage similar to the rituals held for Pushpavaneswarar, the presiding deity of the village Tirupoonthuruthi. The musicians who love the saint's literary and musical work offer tribute through music. This year the aradhana was held from March 2 to 4.

'Cleveland' Sundaram inaugurated the three day fest and Dr. V. Vijayaraghavacharyulu, secretary of Dharma Paripalana Parishad of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanan came all the way from Tirupati to be the chief guest. He connected well with the homage to the saint as Narayana Tirtha hailed from Andhra Pradesh. Apart from music concerts presenting the tarangams, nama sankeerthanam is also an important part of this celebrations. This is because, many of the tarangams in praise of Lord Krishna are sung in the 'Radha Kalyanam' and nama sankeerthana gatherings.

Well known vocalist O. S. Thiagarajan performed on the first day. Popular TV personality Solomon Pappaiah kept the audience so much in awe throughout his talk on Krishnan thoothu (messenger role-play by Lord Krishna) in Tamil that the public were heard talking about this till the last day of the celebrations!

Senior vocalist Prema Rangarajan, Srinivasan on the veena and Sikkil Gurucharan performed on day 2.

On the aradhana day, unchavriti begins early morning. The visiting guests from Andhra took this unchavriti procession to the river Kudamurutti this year, which normally goes through the agraharam and gets back to the brindavanam. The kudamurutti river, as the river Cauvery is called at this part wasn't flowing full and deep. A streak of water mostly still is the scene now. It flows to the brim during the monsoon though.

The artistes take a break and go for a walk till the river bank. The plantain thoppu and the betel leaf creepers on the way to the riverside is refreshing. But needs a lot of cleaning up to be done.

At the brindavanam, the young music students from Taranga Vidya Shala, Thanjavur sing in groups. Tirupoonthuruthi Venkatesan, secretary of the Aradhana committee tells us that this music school is supported by Sangeet Natak Akademy and run by the aradhana committee is into its 31st year and has trained over 2000 students in tarangams!

In the evening Sirugudi sisters Rema and Geetha presented tarangams followed by Gayatri Venkataraghavan.

A jayanthi festival or birth anniversary of Narayana Tirtha is celebrated every year in Chennai. Since the last two years, a group of enthusiasts from Kaza, a village in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh and the birth place of Narayana Tirth also celebrate the day at the village. This falls on the sukla ekadasi of Ashada or the Tamil month Adi (July - August).

For details of the celebrations and schedules contact Tirupoonthuruthi V. Venkatesan at 044 - 2493 6671

Related articles:

Remembering Narayana Tirtha:
http://www.kutcheribuzz.com/news/20070413/tirthafest.asp
Senior fellowship for artiste Venkatesan:
http://www.kutcheribuzz.com/news/20060616/venkatesan.asp

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