We are all very proud! Also about the TRIO'S effort to propagate music in Bangkok!
The Ambassador felt that this concert deserved a larger audience and should be heard again here and in India as well. Tara received a number of phone calls congratulating her. Dolly (Koghar) put it beautifully in her mail and to quote her: hi, last nights programme was fabulous. hats off to you for having organized it.... though the languages were not familiar, but each of you rendered truth and devotion to each of those saints longing and love for the universal god that each soul harbors but is not able to express. thanks to the programme we both came home with a feeling that yes indeed there has to be a God to enable for so much beauty in just simple notes ... that became sounds pouring forth from the soul itself.. .... the backdrop helped make it more tangible.... even though some names were familiar, it was good to be able to relate to their language and their land of birth and time..... and of course needless to add that you sing with tenderness and gentleness that is anyway and always you.....
And Manik Desai had this to say..Now you can add to the blog about the excellent "dream come true" of Tara at the NIST auditorium yesterday. Eager to read about it as well.
..... It is indeed a dream come true for Tara. It is a culmination of many years of yearning to do something for music here in Bangkok.
It is now time to introduce the various artists, I am borrowing plenty from Gayathri's text she used for compering the program! Her compering scaled great heights and contributed highly in enhancing the quality of the program. In fact, it was as soothing as the music she so ably introduced! I also quote from the well made handout (again Gayathri Rao! She is a teacher at RIS.) given along with the Invitation.
Guru Archana Kanhare, a much admired and respected Hindustani classical vocalist from Mumbai, chose a composition, Theeratha vittala, Kshetra bittala, of poet Namdev (c.1270 - c.1350 A.D). His abhangs in Marathi are inspiring in their devotional fervor. This was ably brought out by Archanaji, an honored teacher and artist, and a recepient of many national and international awards and a visiting teacher at the Activity center of the Women's club. It is interesting to note that 'As many as sixty-one of Namdev's hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib'. Aruna Bagga rendered a composition in honor of Guru Nanak, born 20 oct 1469, founder of Sikhism, Nanak Gal Vich Aya. Aruni, always with a ready smile, gave a thoughtful presentation truly reflecting the message of the guru, 'Devotion of thought and excellance of conduct as the first of the duties'. I was impressed that all the artists covered their heads as a mark of respect to the Guru. Audience were requested not to applaud after the song, but those who forgot and applauded, I am sure, will be forgiven as it sounded so good!
“Shabads” are holy hymns that are an integral part of worship in the Gurdwaras. The shabad is in Punjabi and is a composition of Bhai Gurdasji. It reflects the emotion and spirit of a deeply humane, humble, and caring leader and mentor, Guru Nanak Devji, who in his travels all over the country and outside over a period of 27 years, inspired in people the will to live in peace and serenity.
Chandrali R. Choudary, a teacher at the Global Indian International School and Durba Kar combined to give us this unique song from Bengal, Dhoke No Shomironu, compsed by Kazi Nazrul Islam (born 24 May, 1899)– the melody, lyrics, the style of rendering, and the language itself – all the components came together to create an absolute treat, a fusion of Hindustani classical with folk music.
MeeraBai ( born 1577 or 1499 in Rajasthan) is considered the embodiment of selfless devotion and this bhajan, Sakhiri Main Giridhar Ki Rang Rachi , a devotional song in Hindi, is an expression of her surrender to Lord Krishna. Chatarbir Kaur truly evoked the feeling of Meerabai’s dedication through her clear and potent style.All forms of classical music demand perfection and precision from the artists. This piece by Thyagaraaja (Born in 1767) in Telugu, a perfect example of the skill required to address the variations of rhythm, pace, and emotion. Janaki Balaji, who hails from a family of erstwhile Carnatic musicians and her interpretation of this song, Samaja Vara Gamana, demonstrated her expertise in this musical form. Thyagaraaja reknowned as one of the Music Trinity of carnatic music, is known for 'Bhakti' in his compositions; poetic excellence and spritual values.
Manjiri Annachhatre, also a teacher - at the school in the Asian Institute of Technology - , and blessed with a tremendously emotive style, presented this composition in Hindi, Ghat Ghat Mein. Sant Kabir, (born in 1398) a saint in every sense of the word, compiled an incredible number of devotional masterpieces that form the essence of contemporary devotional music programs.
Raghavendra Rao, working at Femina Lace, blessed with a voice that completely lends itself to the dignity and purity of this powerful composition, Yadava Nee Ba, enthralled us. This well-known composition in Kannada is typical of the beauty and simplicity of Purandhara Dasa’s (Born in 1494) style. I was really transported back to the river bank in Hampi where he had resided. I could feel the stillness of the river and the surroundings in his singing!
Rajesh Vasudevan, at the Modern International School of Bangkok joined Tara Srinidhi, a teacher at the New International School of Thailand to sing compositions of Adi Shankara (Born in 686, attained Mahasamadhi in 718) . These masterpieces, Ganesha Pancharatnam, Bhaja Govindam are included in the everyday prayers in homes all over India. Deeply devotional and spiritual poems in Sanskrit are dedicated to Lord Ganesha and Lord Vishnu. The program began with these as traditionally we invoke Lord Ganesha at the begining of any function and this set the tone for the whole evening.Ravinder Kaur gave us this wonderfully enlivening song in Sindhi, that invokes in the listener, the passion and fervour of dedication to an all-encompassing higher entity. Ravinder, a teacher of music at the Indian Women’s Activities Center, with her commanding and expressive voice, took this composition, Lal Meri Path Rakhiyo Balao Jhoole Laalun, to heights that touch the soul.
There are no words that can adequately describe the emotions that are inspired through the stunning lyrics and music associated with the work of Sufi composers. We are truly appreciative of Viji Hashim, who did an extraordinary job of presenting this lovely piece,Yaad Naa Bhikha, in Urdu. It was pure ecstasy as the whole group of singers joined her and so did many in the audience. A sufi is defined as one, who has submitted to the will of god, who lives in union with god and who has devoted himself to god.
The composition of Tulsidas ( born in 1589 or 1532 A.D in Uttar Pradesh) Shri Ramachandra sung with true serenity by Tara helped to calm us down and the program concluded with Buddhist chants that could be considered synonymous with the spirits of the saints whose compositions, created to add meaning to the lives of mortals, we all enjoyed and loved for an hour and a half.
A vital, critical component of this concert were the instrumental accompaniments. And we were truly fortunate to have talented and accomplished musicians to support the vocalists.
The Taar Shenai is a soulful & melodious instrument and Mayya Singhji, a music teacher at the Gurdwara is one a very few artists to have perfected it.
Shripad Rajguru, on the Tabla, is a disciple of Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, the renowned tabla exponent. Shri Shripad teaches at the Indian Women’s Activities Center. The tabla is what provides the rhythm and sets the mood of the music and Shripad Rajguru, an expert on it, had truly contributed to making this evening a special one.
Also on the tabla was Manop Kalra, a young, dedicated, and talented musician.
The harmonium is an extension of the vocalist’s voice, style, and emotion, and in order to ably support the vocalist, in-depth knowledge of every nuance of the raagas and talas, the skill to accompany diverse artists, and a remarkably intense level of concentration become essential facets. We were privileged to have an artist of Dinesh Namjoshi’s calibre in our midst. Dinesh works with the Ikebana company.The Mridangam is the equivalent of the tabla and is usually heard in the Carnatic style of Indian Classical Music. Krishnan, who works with the Six Senses company, is a gifted and versatile artist who is adept at accompanying any form of classical music and a willing contributor.
(We missed Shrinivas Rao and Mukti, who were so much part of our cultural activity.)
We would like to thank two young people who prepared the presentation we saw projected at the back: Sagnik & Vinay.
There are numerous people at the Indian Embassy who have been involved in organizing the event – the logistics of time, place, hand-outs, and so many other big and small details. And to them our grateful thanks.
We are also very grateful to Khun Mehta and Joita Roy, she also sings very well, who worked hard to ensure that the sound and light system functioned without any hitch. Tara tells me that the first rehearsal they had with the sound system was very discouraging! What we heard was so well balanced that it illustrates the real dedication of the people who are not seen!
Sethu: Hi Nidhi, You have really brought that evening to life in your blog. Any encores for the evening in the offing? ( Hope so Sethu, will keep you posted!)
Satyavathi, Kittu: Tara , you are doing a wonderful job. I'm am sure we will be able to see the video script of the entire programme. Thanks for the blog. With regards, yours, .
You sang beautifully. Well done! And in front of all those important people.
Thank you for inviting us.............Simon (Head Master NIST)
I wish to thank Ms. Yuen Wah, Mr. Yafei, Mr. Hak-fan Lau, Mrs. Tara, and Ms. Sophie for the excellent teamwork exhibited for the success of the International day. I wish to also acknowledge the support of all those hands who worked behind the curtain to make this event a great success.
Anandi Venkateswaran ( Attache' and Asst. Permanent Representative to UN-ESCAP, Embassy of India
Shubhendra and Tara had been in correspondence about arranging his sitar concert in Bangkok for a while. As Shubhendra said 'Eeega Samaya Banthu' (The time came now!). Events developed quickly and on Monday last, Tara was at the airport to receive the artists. 
Anyway, I am happy now to write about the concert which Viji sponsored on February 9, 2008 and Gayathri and Tara chipped in with their own special talents in organizing the concert. The Venue was the NIST Auditorium and the Chief Guest was the Ambassador of India to Thailand, H.E. Latha Reddy.
(Viji's mother lighting the lamp.)
Viji and Khalid take pleasure in sponsoring artists from India to perform in Bangkok. This provides us a rare opportunity to hear some very good artists. This year was no exception with a Carnatic music recital by Sangeetha Vidwan Shri K. Saranathan – Vocal, Shri T.V. Parthasarathy – Violin and Shri S. Radhakrishnan - Mridangam.
Vidwan Shri Saranathan is the Asthana Vidhwan of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and the Ahobila mutt. He is awarded the titles of Nadhakkanal, Ganalaya Choodamani and Swararaga Saragner and is a faculty member of Department of fine arts, Annamalai University, Chidambaram. He is the disciple of Sri V.R. Sethurama Iyer (Disciple of Shri Madurai Mani Iyer).
Shri T.V. Parthasarathy, a staff artist of All India Radio, is the disciple of his uncle Shri T. B. Subramaniam and has travelled all over the world with almost all the renowned artists, Dr. Madurai Somu and Sri T.N. Sehsagopalan, just to name a few. Amazingly he has performed non stop for 28 hours before an invited audience.
Shri T. S. Radhakrishnan, disciple of Shri T. Ramachandra Iyer and Shri A. Natesa Iyer is an Asthana Vidwan of Kanchi Kamakoti mutt and has accompanied many stalwarts of carnatic music, Dr.Ramanathan and Mandolin Srinivasan to name a few, for the last forty years. He is also a pharmacist running his own business.
The concert was well attended and was preceded by light refreshments of bonda, uppama and coffee courtesy Viji and Khalid. Very thoughtful of them as many of us come from long distances! The program commenced traditionally with the National anthems of Thailand and India. The variation this time was that the audience sang the Indian National anthem lead by Tara on the mike. It sounded wonderful with so many trained voices in music in the auditorium. Tara did well as a compere as our regular compere Gayathri had lost her voice!
Gayathri had done a wonderful job of introducing Carnatic music to the audience with a very well designed power point presentation. This was continuously on display till the program commenced. I believe that it was also the first time that Bangkok had a concert in the carnatic style organized in such a formal manner and style. The audience was knowledgeable in music and enjoyed the concert immensely, evident from the standing ovation the artists received at the end of the program.
A review I saw on the net should convey to you about the quality of the program. " SADGURU SRI THYAGARAJAR ARADHANAI--Students of the music school and the teachers celebrate Sri. Thyagaraja Aradhanai every year in the month of Jan-Feb corresponding to the month 'Thai' in Tamil calendar. The function consists of singing of the 'Pancharatna Keerthis' as is done in Thiruvaiyaru the birth place of Sri Thyagarajar. On February 4th a team of eminent musicians under the guidance of the stalwart vocalist Sri K.Saranathan gave the rendering in a soul stirring fashion with accompaniments. The other rituals connected with the Aradhana were also performed bringing Thiruvaiyaru in to our School Auditorium."
I add a comment made by the Ambassador while felicitating the artists. She said that most of us in South India grow up learning or listening to carnatic music while we were still little kids and it stays with us all through our life. She also said that carnatic music while known for its spirituality and its sahitya is also very precise and mathematical. She said its design is worthy of a Nobel Prize!
It was a pity that the concert had to end as planned. The artists were in a mood to sing further and in fact Shri. Saranathan continued to sing a few more songs at home as the table was being set for dinner. I was talking to Viji about her first cousin Shri. Saranathan and learnt that he started singing at the age of twelve along with his elder brother and continued to learn and sing as a serious hobby all through his working life. He is now retired and devotes all his time to music.
It was so good to see the three artists performing together. They combined and complemented each other well. It was also great to see them smiling at each other with genuine friendship, I believe they have been playing together for forty years! Suddenly I was reminded of the program the day before and thought ' My God, they are just like the little champs!'
While the clarity of rendering, the obvious spirituality in their approach to music was enthralling, I think the real sensation for us was the fun they brought in to their music. I had never been to a formal carnatic concert where singing was so joyous! It was wonderful to recognize many familiar ragas and be a part of a ride which Shri. Saranathan and Shri Parthsarathy took us along with such ease, exploring these great ragas and Shri Radhakrishnan was very gentle with his mridangam and embellished the concert with his fine touches. To me to it was a memorable day, adding to those that I have in my psyche, listening to great performers of music live.
I wish the artists well and a long tenure of this great partnership. I also thank Viji and Khalid for giving us this great treat, especially her Mother, who suggested this concert to Viji. Thanks also to Khalid for all the Pictures!
This concert also reassured me about my worries regarding the 'little champs' I saw the day before. I am now certain many of them will turn into 'a little older' champs like the ones we heard at the concert on Saturday.
...............................................................................................
This is Gayathri, filling in for Nidhi and totally honored to be allowed into the realm of the “nidhiramblers" Blog!
So what do a group of people do when they want to organize a Geet, Ghazal Aur Quawalli evening, the main intent being to provide a platform for at least a few of the many talented residents of Bangkok, people who have demonstrated their sincere dedication and interest in music by developing a sound classical music foundation and taking their singing to a greater level of melody and perfection? Well, what they do is meet up for a thali meal and coffee at Sri Ganesh. Seriously. You know how all of the cultural advances in France happened in the little coffee places? Similar. There is something about a truly good cup of coffee and unpretentious environs that brings out the best in people, intellectually and emotionally. So that’s what the three of us, Tara, Viji and I did. Met at Sri Ganesh and planned.
And what a brilliant evening it was, if I say so myself. When you have singers of the caliber of Tara, Viji, Shyamlee, Ashok Khullar, Rakesh, Aruni and Ravinder, instrumental accompaniment by the likes of Ashok Khullar, Aslam Parvez and Shripad Rajguru, the dynamic wit of Ajay Bhatt, a sell out auditorium with an audience all set to have a good time, and a “gopher” like yours truly, you sure have it all made for an absolutely scintillating evening. The major hitch to getting such an event going in all these years has been the lack of a Bangkok based group of accompanists who could provide the instrumental support for such a program. This gap was recently filled by the presence of Ashok Khullar, Aslam Parvez and Sripad Rajguru who are masters on the synthesizer and the tabla.
The evening started off with Kaahe Tarasaye by Tara and Viji, from the movie Chitralekha, a song that was a salute to the brilliant composers and lyricists of a bygone era. Then a fast paced taraana in Raag Janasamohini by Viji, Tara, Aruna, and Ravinder. Aruna’s soulful rendering of Jagjit Singh’s ghazal, Kaun Kehta Hai, was much appreciated. I remember hearing Aruna as a school going teenager.Her voice had that magical quality even then, the sweetness that reaches out to the listener. Gurmeet’s Bahon Mein Chale Aao from Anamika and Lag Ja Gale from Woh Kaun Thi were wonderful. The clarity and reach in her singing is indeed a precious gift from the Almighty and is something to be nurtured. It was a pleasant surprise to meet Rakesh who has not been on the musical radar as we know it! He has this deep voice that lends itself so well to the emotional content of our film music. And how beautifully emotional are our songs, well, at least most of them! He sang Kitna Hasin Chehra and Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar from Diwana.
Ravinder and Ashok Khullar’s Ude Jab Jab Julfein from Naya Daur was a treat and brought on some nostalgia for the innocence of the time where love was portrayed with a measure of awe and wonder. Shyamlee is a very accomplished artist with a stage presence to match. Her easy and confident Mere Mehboob Na Ja from Noor Mahal and Pyaar Do Pyaar Lo from JaanBaaz were so easy on the ear and heart. Viji and Ravinder’s Tum Ko Piya from Shikari was vibrant and got the audience going. Tara’s melodious and soft voice was just perfect for Hum Pyaar Mein Jalne Walon Ko from Jailer and Tere Sur Aur Mere Geet from Goonj Uti Shehnai. Seene Mein Jalan, a song from the movie Gaman, was sung by Askok Khullar. The depth of his voice and style of singing enhanced the quality of this meaningful and profound song. So also with Sanso Ko Sanso that he performed with Aruna, from the movie Hum Tum. Kajra Mohabbat Wala is a such a romantic song full of lovely nuances and subtle suggestions, that it brings on an immediate smile. Viji and Ravinder added the joie de vivre required in the projection of this song from Kismet as also Babuji Dheere Chalna from Aar Paar, sung by Viji. The quawali, Nigahein Milane Ko from Dil Hi to Hai is a brilliant composition that energizes and Viji, Tara, Aruna, Gurmeet and Ravinder did just that.
The grand finale was a fast-paced medley with all the singers on stage. The selections ranging from Aajkal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche to Aaj Ki Raat from Don were beautifully rendered with precision and fun.
The evening’s program was made particularly enjoyable due to the presence of Ajay Bhatt, a witty and humorous resident of Bangkok. He had the audience in splits with his apt poetry and fun-filled comments.
The artists of the evening appeared in scintillating costumes that added a dimension of glamour that Hindi cinema is always associated with.
It is truly amazing to see the varied talents that exist within this community of the so-called NRIs. It is such a sad statement that we get labeled “Non Residents” when our thoughts of home and everything associated with it, including the Bollywood factor, resides within each of us.
What has to be appreciated is the spontaneous response of friends and family and music–loving community who came and supported the event. The Ambassador of India to Thailand, Her Excellency Madam Latha Reddy, The Ambassador of Pakistan to Thailand, His Excellency Mr. Mir Hussain Bakhsh Bangulzai and Madam Ambassador graciously attended the occasion and their presence was a true encouragement to the organizers and artists. It takes many hours of logistical organization and practice sessions for such an event to take concrete shape. But what makes it all worthwhile is the oneness that music brings with it, the feeling of comfort that these tunes bring with them, the sense of being distanced from the rigors of daily schedules, and the warmth that thoughts of times spent in the movie theaters back home bring with them. The families of the people involved in this program have been just wonderful in offering the affectionate support and confidence in the abilities and talents of their dear ones. And for this we express our heartfelt appreciation, each and every one of us.
Khun Kong Mangkornkarn who loves Indian music and attends our programs regularly has kindly shared the pictures he has taken of the days event. Please log onto the web site below:
http://web.mac.com/kongm/Bharat_Sangeet/Events/Events.html to see the slide show.
He says:
The pictures below are coursey: Khalid.
( It is great that you are given a 'short and crisp' coverage of the event very ably by Gayathri! I hope this will be a permanent feature in the future! Thanks Gayathri, I am equally honored!)
The whole evening was unexpected. I did not know I would be meeting Maestro Zakir Hussain and shake hands with him. The only thing I could think of saying at that moment was 'I was fortunate to hear your father in the sixties...' and before I could complete my sentence he said ' And still you came... ( to hear me!) ' with a smile. I had no quick response for that! I did not tell him that I almost did not come. The program was titled 'Masters of Percussion'. I was not really sure about a program of this nature. I had heard him in India and was mesmerised by his exuberance and the sheer enjoyment he showed while accompanying on the tabla. I felt that it was better to keep my old memories intact. The concert was held at the 'M' theatre. I suppose 'M' meant modest. We waited at the lobby tucked in between 'Starbucks' in the front and the car park at the rear! As we went up to the theater, the stairs reminded me of the fire escape. Probably it was so. I do not know about others, but we were directed to the auditorium from the rear! As I entered the auditorium, I thought Ty will have a real challenge here optimising the sound system. Some of you will remember Ty Burhoe who was here last year with Shubendra Rao. A disciple of Zakir Hussain, he also works as an arranger backstage. Soon the theatre lights dimmed and the magical evening began, surprisingly with our Ambassador Latha Reddy walking towards the audience as the spotlight picked her. It set the tone of the evening as she was there sans any formality and introduced the artists briefly and the program commenced. She was her usual charming self in spite of this lack of protocol. No wonder she is our favourite Ambassador and we all admire her a lot! (Moreover, she later reminded me that I had enough material for one more blog now! It is a nice feeling when one speaks about my blog!) As we drove back home, Khalid expressed a sentiment we all felt, that this concert should have been held at the 'Thailand Cultural Centre'. While I agreed, I also felt that the artists had succeeded in overcoming all the deficiencies of the stage, the theatre and possibly the equipment and had given us a memorable evening of music and rhythm: full of innovation, exuberance and comradeship. They transported us to a different world; they truly were the masters of their art. Their energy and obvious enjoyment they showed performing individually and together made it an unforgettable experience. After the concert, we went behind the stage to meet Ty Burhoe and Nanda Sethi who is one of the organisers invited us to join the artists at an informal dinner at the theatre itself. It is nice that Tara, Viji and Gayathri are recognised for their contribution to music here in Bangkok. We were with the artists and the organisers for the dinner. I enjoyed speaking with Niladri Kumar the Sitar master and V. Selvaganesh the Kanjira master. The atmosphere of easy camaraderie which I noticed at the concert continued to be there and it was clear that it was not just put on for the benefit of the audience during the concert. While it was obvious that they all revered Zakir Hussain and he was their leader, I had a feeling that they all felt equal at the same time. They were truly masters in their chosen medium, obvious by the way they performed at the concert. I wondered about this sense of equality that they seemed to enjoy, definitely unique among Indian artists where 'Respect' needs to be shown and is expected. I think it is entirely due to the personality of Zakir. The way he spoke of Krishna mischievously with a sparkle in his eyes, explaining a piece he played at the concert, gave me the clue. I think he could be a reincarnation of Krishna! He was really the 'Gopala' amongst them. While they were his equals, you could see that they also respected him. If you were at the concert you would have seen this in reality. There were many moments of brilliance from each of the performers as the concert continued to enthrall the audience time and again. They built on each others strength and seemed to climb on the shoulders of others, so to speak, to reach the peak reminiscent of the Dahi Handi during Janmashtami. 
Sarangi master,Khalid, Niladri Kumar, Shivaganesh, Ambassador, Viji and Zakir (Others not in the picture: Khete Khan master of Khartal, Navin Sharma master of Dholak, Abbos Kosimov master of Doyra and Meiti Pung Cholom masters of Manipuri.) 
The Artists with M.L Poomchai and Mr. Abid Pittalwala ( M.L Poomchai: A person of great knowledge, amazing talent, and immense humor and modesty, M.L.Poomchai is recognized for his work on Royal Projects and his efforts at preserving the Thai architecture and heritage. His home is a true reflection of his efforts at maintaining the essence of Thai materials of construction and design. Years of collecting antique building materials from all over the country came to fruition with the building of his home that is an absolutely gorgeous fusion of wood, water, air, flora and color. M.L. Poomchai is also the owner and brains behind one of Bangkok’s most visited teashop called Akaliko. It serves the best teas and pastries and is set in a portion of his garden area. When asked how he would like to be introduced at this event, his response was “Tell them I am a friend of India and a gardener as well”. ) 
The Trio with the Chief Guest and their admirers.
Thanks to Gayathri for the blog write up and Khalid for the pictures and also Thanks to Aditi Rao for the Poster Design . Thanks also to the very knowledgeable audience for their 'Understanding'. Tara was so keen to present a Duet performance of Saskia and Shubendra instead of two Divine solo performances that I asked Shubendra if there was a video clip we could add to the blog. Here is a link to a clip which will give those interested an idea of what they missed! (I have heard them perform beautifully in a concert in Vancouver!).... Nidhi Link to the Video Clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmnXYT3oM78
Comments
Thanks for documenting the event for us. Congrats to amma & all the participants. Sounds like we missed a wonderful event...I wish we could get a video recording of it!