Sisters present Sunday Kutcheri in the Park

6year and 8 year old sisters surprise the Sunday Kutcheri audience with a sparkling performance

Two young little children were the cynosure of all eyes on Sunday (6th August 2006) morning at the Nageswara Rao Park.

Reason - Sisters R. Deepika (eight years) and R. Aparna (six years), studying in the Srimathi Sundaravalli Memorial Higher Secondary School, Chromepet, were presenting a memorable vocal carnatic music performance, as part of the Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the Park.

If there was any apprehension, before Sunday morning, about their capability to present a full fledged kutcheri, sans mike and speakers, none existed after 730am for the two little kids stunned a packed park audience with their sweet presentation. Through the one hour, the sisters were full of energy and drew applause after every song.

Almost all the morning park walkers cut short their walk to watch the sisters, enthusiastically and without any inhibitions, present one full hour of carnatic music songs.

They were accompanied by B N Sivakumar on the Violin and by K Ramasubramanian on the Mridangam

Deepika and Aparna have been learning vocal music from Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan

Sunday Kutcheri on You Tube

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=pitstop4performers&view=videos&query=srinivasaraghavan
Sundaram Finance Managing Director T.T.Srinivasaraghavan talks about the concept of the 'Sunday Kutcheri in the Park' on You Tube

The Hindu on 'Events at the Nageswara Rao Park'

The Hindu Metro Plus features an extensive piece on the Nageswara Rao Park (maintained by Sundaram Finance)in Mylapore and the Sunday Kutcheri organised there every month by Sundaram Finance.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2007/10/10/stories/2007101050030100.htm

Sunday Kutcheri in the rain

Arul Priya performs under the Umbrella

An unusually cloudy August morning, a slight drizzle and a big crowd of well over 100 carnatic music enthusiasts welcomed the first overseas music artiste at the ‘Sunday Kutcheri in the Park' organized by Sundaram Finance at the Nageswara Rao Park on 5th August 2007.

Braving the drizzle and with an umbrella on top (held by the organizers), 13 year old Arul Priya Manickavasakan from Dubai, accompanied by G. Krithivasan on the Mridangam and by R. Priyamvadaa on the Violin, enthralled the audience to an hour of melodious Carnatic music.

Her rendition of Muthuswami Deekshithar's Mathangi, Thyagarajar's Pandu Reeti, Ambujam Krishna's Enna Solli and Thiruvarur Ramaswamy Pillai's Jagadheeshwari drew rapturous applause from the audience.

Immediately after the Sunday Kutcheri, Arul Priya said, "This was the first time I performed in an open air Park Kutcheri without a mike and speaker. I really enjoyed this unique experience. I had to put in a lot more effort at this 'mikeless' Kutcheri. I was really surprised by the big crowd that was present and their encouragement really motivated me to perform even better."

The Sunday morning rain made good footage for the TV cameras with NDTV featuring Arul Priya’s Sunday Kutcheri on their national network.

Chennai Times on Sunday Kutcheri in the Park

A Feature in Chennai Times on city parks turning as cultural hubs.

Times of India on Sunday Kutcheri

TOI, Madras features a piece on the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park
and recommends the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore
as the place to be in on the first Sunday of every month

December Sunday Kutcheri in the Park

Morning walkers stay back to listen to Sharmiley

Winter was setting in. The early morning breeze was turning chilly. Thankfully, the monsoon rains stayed away from the December edition of the Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the Park.

Amidst the chirping birds and the buzz of the early morning walkers at the park, R. Sharmiley, a student of NSN Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chromepet presented an hour of lively carnatic music performance at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore on Sunday morning (7th December 2008).

Sharmiley was accompanied by N Ram on the Violin and by Santhosh Kumar on the Mridangam.

Beginning sharp at 630am, Sharmiley presented with flair popular songs such as Vathapi Ganapathi (Hamsadvini), Kurai Onrum Illai (Raagamaaliga), Sive Pahimam (Kalyani), and Prasanna Vadhani (Brindavani). Many in the park stayed back after their walk to listen to the sweet music by this young artiste.