Sai Sahana presents a lively mikeless kutcheri

Monsoon rains stayed away. It was a cool morning. The Sun was just on the way up. One could hear the chirping of birds. The Chess Quadrangle at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore was decorated with flowers by 6am.

By 630am on Sunday (5th October 2008) morning, Sai Sahana, a Class 10 student of Kendriya Vidyalaya Ashok Nagar who had impressed the Sundaram Finance audition committee, was all ready for her first mikeless Kutcheri.

One found that many of the morning walkers had switched off their MP3s and audio players as they tuned their ears to the sweet ragas of Sai Sahana.

Other regulars to the Sunday Kutcheri sat around the Chess Square sipping their morning coffee while listening to Vatapi Ganapathim (Hamsadvani, Aadhi Thaalam), Sharavanabhava (Shanmughapriya, Aadhi) and Yengum Un Aruley (Kalyani, Aadhi Thaalam).

Sai Sahana was accompanied on the Violin by B Sudha and on the Mridangam by Mambalam Shekar. Sai Sahana has been learning carnatic music from Mrs. Lalitha Subramaniam.


TT Srinivasaraghavan, Managing Director, Sundaram Finance presented certificates and mementos to the performing artistes.

Morning Ragas from Suvasini at the Nageswara Rao Park

As part of the monthly mikeless ‘Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the Park’, 15 year old B. Suvasini, a student of SBSM Senior Secondary School, West Mambalam presented an hour of carnatic vocal music performance on Sunday morning (4th May 2008) at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore.

Suvasini was accompanied on the violin by Shyam and on the Mridangam by K.R. Narayen.

Some of the songs Suvasini presented were Kamkanapathey Namo Namo (Hamsadvani- Roopaka Thaalam), Karikalaapa Mukam (Saaveri- Thisra Ekam), Thikku Theriyaatha Kaatil (Raagamaaligai- Aathi Thaalam), Unnai Allaal Verey Gathi Illai Amma (Kalyani- Aathi Thaalam) and Thirupugazh (Shanmugapriya-Misra Saabu).

Flute recital at Sunday Kutcheri

It was a Sunday Kutcheri with a difference. For a number of people, for whom the mikeless kutcheri had become a regular feature over the last 12months, there was a pleasant surprise in store when they gathered around the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore at around 615am on the first Sunday of April 2007.

The park walkers too on Sunday morning were drawn towards the chess quadrangle by the sweet tunes emanating from the flute of 10 year old N Visveshwar, a class 6 student of Modern Senior Sec School, Nanganallur, who captivated the audience with a heart rendering flute recital at the Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the Park between 6:30am and 7:30am.

Visveshwar was accompanied by N Ram on the violin, R Santosh Kumar on the Mridangam and Shri Sainath on the Ghatam.

Visveshwar has been learning flute from his Guru - Sri S V Ramaraja.

The aim of the ‘Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the Park’ is to promote budding youngsters showcase their musical talent. Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the Park is open to children aged below 15 years and is organised on the first Sunday of every month between 6:30am and 7:30am.

An audition committee, set up by Sundaram Finance, conducts an audition to finalise the artistes.

An interesting feature of the Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the park is that no mikes and speakers are used.

Those interested in participating in the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park can mail sundaykutcheri@gmail.com

The Hindu Online on the Mikeless Kutcheri

The Hindu Online features an indepth interview with T. T. Srinivasaraghavan, Managing Director, Sundaram Finance on the idea behind the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by the company on the first Sunday of every month at Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore and the reasons for not using mikes and speakers at the Sunday Kutcheri.

The Hindu Online on Sunday Kutcheri

Mikeless Kutcheri - Sree Chitra competes with chirping of birds

In the ninth of the monthly Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the Park', V Sree Chitra, a class-9 student of Jawahar Vidyalaya, Ashok Nagar, enthralled the audience with her sweet voice and korvais of the ragas on Sunday(8th October 2006) morning at the Nageswara Rao Park.

It seemed a perfect setting amidst falling leaves and curious birds, humming around the park. Sree Chitra had to compete with the chirping of birds at that early hour to be heard and yet kept the audience spellbound right till the end. She sang with enthusiasm, ably backed by Prajeeth Kumar's violin and Punish Davay's mridangam.

The open air environment at the park proved to be an ideal setting for the girl to showcase her talent in front of 100-plus music connoisseurs.

Sree Chitra has been learning music from guru Lalitha Subramanian, Rasikapriya School of Music.

Mikeless Kutcheri at Nageswara Rao Park

As part of the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance, 14 year old Darshana Mahadevan, a student of Padma Sarangapani Matriculation Hr. Secondary school, Saligramam captivated the big early morning audience for an hour at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore with a beautiful vocal music performance on Sunday (1st July 2007) morning.

Darshana's songs included Amma Anadha Dhaayani (Gambeera Nattai), Gananathaya Namasthe (Gowla), Sundhara Aara Deham (Panthu Varaali), Thantha Naana((Bowli), Kuzhaloothi(Kamboji) and Nathajana Palini (Nalina Kaandhee).

Darshana has been learning music from Smt. Binni Krishnakumar (disciple of Dr. Balamurali Krishna). She was accompanied by Shri. Ambur Padmanabhan on the Mridangam and Shri. Karthikeyan on the violin.

T.T. Srinivasaraghavan, Managing Director, Sundaram Finance Ltd., was present on the occasion and presented certificates and mementos to the performing artistes.

On the thought process behind the Sunday Kutcheri, Srinivasaraghavan said, "Our idea, when we started the monthly Sunday Kutcheri in February 2006, was to provide a launch pad for budding artistes, under 15 years, to showcase their musical talents."

"The early response to the 'Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the Park' has been encouraging, judging by the enquiries we receive every month, from children across Chennai, to perform at the Sunday Kutcheri. Equally gratifying is the growing response from the community and the large number of music connoisseurs, who gather at the park to encourage and applaud the young artistes."