Geetha Raja's Students Kutcheri in the Park

Students of Smt. Geetha Raja presented a lively Kutcheri in the Park sans mikes and speakers on the second morning of the Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival at the Nageswara Rao Park.

The students presented compositions that included Papanasam Sivan’s Kapali (Mohanam/Adi), Thyagarajar’s Tulasamma (Devagandhari/Adi), Mayuram Viswanatha Sastri’s Kanthamam (Sindhubhairavi/Ekam(Tisra gati)) and Paramacharya Shri Chandrasekhara Saraswathi’s Maitreem Bhajatha     (Ragamalika  / Adi).

 TT Srinivasaraghavan, MD, Sundaram Finance presented certificates to the artistes.

Sivaswami Kalalaya Mikeless Kutcheri in the Park

38 Students from Sir Sivaswami Kalalaya Sr. Sec School, Mylapore presented a lively group Mikeless Kutcheri this morning between 7am and 8am at the Nageswara Rao Park to kick off the 17^th Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival. No Mikes and speakers are used at the Kutcheri in the Park.

Accompanied by Shriya Desikan on the Violin and R Ramakrishnan on the Mridangam, the students presented songs that included Bharathiyar’s Paarukulley Nalla Naadu (Jompuri/Adi), Muthuswamy Dikshithar’s Mahaganapathim (Nattai/Ekam), Shri Saraswathi (Aarabhi /Rupakam) and Kamalaasana Vandita (Sankarabaranam/Ekam), Thyagarajar’s Vidajaladura (Jana Ranjani / Adi) and Gandhamu Puyyaruga ( Punnaaga Varali/Adi) and Papanasam Sivan’s Devi Neeye Thunai ( Keeravani / Adi). 

P Viswanathan, Company Secretary, Sundaram Finance Ltd., presented certificates to the artistes and a memento to the Music teacher H Sujatha.

The idea of the Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance is to provide opportunities to young budding talent aged below 15 years to present in front of an informal park audience amidst chirping birds and falling leaves. Over 1200 children have presented the Mikeless Kutcheri to-date since the launch in February 2006.  Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes.