Navarathri Kutcheri under the Umbrellas

Muralikrishna produces a spirited performance in the rain

The early morning pre monsoon rains threatened to disrupt the concluding day of the ‘Navarathri Special’ Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore. It may have dampened the spirit of the weak hearted, but not R. Muralikrishna, a student of St. Michael’s Academy, Adyar who was presenting his first mikeless Kutcheri.

Undeterred by the rains, and with umbrellas all around, Muralikrishna, accompanied by Sriram Sridhar on the violin and Thirucherai Kaushik Rajagopal on the Mridangam produced a spirited performance delighting the morning walkers and music connoisseurs who had gathered around the Chess Quadrangle to enjoy the morning ragas.

His presentation of Sri Ganesh (Thilang- Papanasam Sivam), Kaayamalar (Suththa Thanyasi- Periyazhvar Paasuram), Hanumaney(Malayamaarutham- Arunachala Kavirayar) received a special round of applause from the park audience.

V. Kumaraswamy, GM-Sundaram BPO was present on the occasion and presented certificates and mementos to the artistes.

Mrinalini presents 'Navarathri Special' Kutcheri in the Park

It was a cool morning following last evening’s downpour in Madras and the early morning walkers at the Nageswara Rao Park were drawn to the sweet ragas of 12 year old B. Mrinalini, a student of The Hindu Sr. Sec. School, Indra Nagar who presented a solo Kutcheri on the 2nd day of the Navarathri Special Kutcheri in the Park organized by Sundaram Finance.

Accompanied by C. Sarada (who is also doing her CA Course) on the violin and B. Venkataraman on the Mridangam, Mrinalini had the audience tapping in, to her songs.

Her rendition of Maha Ganapathim (Naatai), Broba Baaramma( Bahuthaari), Devi Neeye Thunai
(Keeravaani), Muraleedhara Gopala ( Mandu) and Eru Mayil Eru ( Bhaagyashree) came in for special praise.


Mrinalini’s father was pleased with the first mikeless kutcheri of his daughter and assured her of his fullest encouragement. He said that the Kutcheri in the Park was a nice platform for young children like her and gives them a lot of confidence to present kutcheris in the future.

S. Mahadevan, Head- Personnel & Administration, Sundaram Finance Ltd., was present on the occasion and presented certificates and mementos to the performing artistes.


Navarathri Special Kutcheri continues on Sunday morning. R. Muralikrishna, a student of St. Michael’s Academy, Adyar will present the Navarathri Kutcheri accompanied by Sriram Sridhar on the violin and by Thirucherai Kaushik Rajagopal on the Mridangam.

‘Navarathri Special’ Kutcheri in the Park

Sisters Harini and Aishwarya present their first Mikeless Kutcheri

On the first day of the 3 day ‘Navarathri Special’ Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance, sisters - 12 year old T. Harini & 9 year old T. Aishwarya, both students of DAV Girls School, Gopalapuram presented a lively one hour carnatic vocal music performance this morning at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore. This was the first Kutcheri the two sisters were presenting sans mikes and speakers.

Along side the sisters at the chess quadrangle were S. Sivasubramanian on the Mridangam, R.M. Adithya on the Dolki and by Mannargudi V. Shankarraman on the Harmonium.

Songs the duo presented such as Sri Saraswathi (Aarabhi Raagam), Panchathala (Kamala Manohari raagam), Ramanukku (Intholam), Okapari (Kalavathi), Maamavasadha (Kaanada) and Karpakambike (Bilahari) drew special applause from the early morning park audience who had gathered around the chess square.

On their experience, Harini and Aishwarya said, “ This is our first mikeless Kutcheri and we enjoyed singing in front of the early morning park audience. It was a different kind of experience for us to sing without speakers and mikes.”

Commenting on the performance of her students, Mrs. Prabha Rajaram, the Guru who has been teaching these two sisters for the last 3 years said “ I am quite pleased about the performance of Harini and Aishwarya at their first mikeless kutcheri this morning. The way they presented the songs it did not seem like a mikeless concert. There was absolutely no strain on their voice and in fact the originality was visibly seen.”

S. Sivakumar, Vice President- Operations, Sundaram Finance Ltd., was present on the occasion and presented certificates and mementos to the performing artistes.

Navarathri Special Kutcheri continues on Saturday morning(26th September) with 12 year old B. Mrinalini, a student of The Hindu Senior Secondary school, Indra Nagar presenting the mikeless kutcheri accompanied by C. Sarada on the violin and by B. Venkataraman on the Mridangam.

On Sunday(27th Sept) morning, R. Muralikrishna, a student of St. Michael’s Academy, Adyar will present the Navarathri Kutcheri accompanied by Sriram Sridhar on the violin and by Thirucherai Kaushik Rajagopal on the Mridangam.

The idea behind the Mikeless Kutcheri in the Park is to provide a platform for young children to display their musical talent. Mikes and Speakers are not used at the Kutcheri in the Park.

Sundaram Finance audition committee conducts an audition to select the artistes to perform at the Kutcheri in the Park.

Shravan RP presents Mikeless Sunday Kutcheri

PSBB student at the Sunday Kutcheri at the Park

Notwithstanding the additional noise of the vehicles on the Eastern side of the Nageswara Rao Park (the outer wall of the park has been knocked down for reconstruction work), 12 year old R.P. Shravan, a class VII student of Padma Seshdri Bala Bhavan, T. Nagar presented a stand out carnatic music performance this Sunday morning (6th September 2009) at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore in what was his first ‘mikeless’ kutcheri.

Many of his songs came in for loud applause from the audience as did the performances of the accompanists, R. Shyam on the Violin and Kaushik Rajagopal on the Mridangam, both regulars at the Sunday Kutcheri.

Shravan has been learning music from Kalaimamani Srimushnam Shri. V. Raja Rao for the past 6 years.

Shravan impressed the audience with his rendition of Neelakanda Sivan’s Innamum Irakam(Atana Ragam, Adi Thaalam), Thayagarajar’s Sarasa Sama Dana (Kapi Narayani Ragam, Adi Thaalam), Ongi Ulagalandha-Thiruppavai (Arabhi Ragam, Adi Thaalam) and Sachidananda Swami’s Tripure(Naattai).

TT Srinivasaraghavan, MD, Sundaram Finance handed over certificates and mementos to the performing artistes.


Also present on the occasion was The Hindu Business Line’s Deputy Editor Mr. D. Murali for whom the Nageswara Rao Park has become a regular venue in recent months for his ‘Guest Interviews’.

Sundaram Finance has been organising the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park on the first Sunday of every month for the last 3 ½ years.

The idea behind the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park is to provide a platform for young children below 15 years to display their musical talent. Mikes and Speakers are not used at the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park. Over 250 budding music artistes have presented mikeless kutcheris at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park, many of whom have gone on to the next stage of their career path(in carnatic music).

Sundaram Finance audition committee conducts an audition to select the artistes to perform at the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park.

Sundaram Finance MD with the performing artistes