Dhanush presents Sunday Kutcheri in the Park

As part of the monthly open-air Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance, 11year old Dhanush Anantharaman, a class 7 Student of Vidya Mandir Sr Sec School, Mylapore presented a lively mikeless Kutcheri this Sunday (3 Aug) morning at 7am at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore. Dhanush is learning music from Smt. Amritha Murali & Smt. Vijayalakshmi Sivakumar. Accompanied on the Mridangam by R Kishore and on the Violin by Thirucherai Karthik, Dhanush presented compositions that included Dikshithar’s Sri Lakshmi Varaham (Abhogi/Adi) and Sadachale (Bowli/Adi), Thyagarajar’s Nada Sudha Rasam (Arabhi/Rupakam) and Muthu Thandavar’s Arumarundoru (Kambhoji/Rupakam). For audition enquiries, email: sundaramfinance@sundaykutcheri.in

Rohith Rangan presents Sunday Kutcheri

It was a cloudy Sunday morning. There was a drizzle around at 630am. 14 year old Rohith K. Rangan, a Class 9student of DAV Public School, Velachery had an anxious wait as the organisers went about setting up the stage at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore. Thankfully, the rain stayed away and weather cleared as the clock ticked towards 7am and Rohith began his one hour kutcheri on time.

Morning walkers who seemed to stay away from the early morning routine too increased in numbers with the Sun coming out. As usual, the regulars sat on the stools to encourage the budding artiste. A Kid who had been selected for a future kutcheri was present too with her parents to get a sense of the Kutcheri environment. Accompanied on the Mridangam by M. Prabhakaran and on the Violin by Thirucherai Karthik, Rohith presented compositions that included Thyagaraja’s Paramathmudu Velige (Vagadeeshwari/ Aadhi), Papanasam Sivan’s Srinivasa Thiruvenkata ( Hamsanandi/Aadhi) and Mooladhara Murthy (Hamsadwani/Aadhi) and Bharathiyar’s Senthamizh Nadu (Mohana Kalyani/ Aadhi0 Rohith is learning music from Guru Smt. Vasanthi Gopal. G Sundararajan, CFO, Sundaram Home Finance was present on the occasion and handed over certificates and mementos to the artistes.

Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register for the audition, email: SundayKutcheri@sundaramfinance.in

Purnima presents Park Kutcheri

Purnima, a class 9 student of DAV Public School, Velachery presented a lively mikeless Kutcheri this Sunday (June 1) morning as part of the monthly Open-Air Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance at the chess square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore.

Purnima is learning music at Haridos Giri School of Music. Her Gurus include PS Narayana Swamy, RS Jayalakshmi and CR Vaidyanadhan. She was accompanied on the Mridangam by B. Venkatraman and on the Violin by Thirucherai Karthik. Starting with Namintha Yayunchi (Jana Ranjani/Adi), Purnima went on to present compositions that included Papanasam Sivan’s Gajavathana (Shri Rajani/ Adi), Pattanam Dikshithar’s Maravakavea (Sama/Rupakam) and Muthuswami Dikshithar’s Kamakshi (Bilahari/Adi).

C Muralidharan, GM- Operations, Sundaram Finance was present on the occasion and handed over certificates and mementos to the artistes. For audition: email sundaykutcheri@sundaramfinance.in

Amritha’s lively Sunday Kutcheri on Agni Nakshatram

It was a surprising cool morning on day 1 of Agni Nakshatram. The sky was overcast and certain parts of the city had received early morning rains. Thankfully, the rain stayed away from Mylapore for it was to a big moment for the 15year old Amritha Chandramouli, a class 10 student of Chettinad Hari Shree Vidyalayam who was slated to present the Sunday Kutcheri at the Nageswara Rao Park on Sunday morning (4May).

She was there with her parents by 630am. The accompanists R Kishore (Mridangam) and Thirucherai Karthik (Violin) joined her at the chess square just shy of 7am. Amidst falling leaves and curious birds chirping around the chess square of the Nageswara Rao Park and in front of a park audience comprising of Kutcheri regulars and morning walkers, Amritha started off on a confident note. Singing without mikes and speakers was a new experience for Amritha and she seemed to enjoy it. Amritha, who is learning music from Guru Smt Nirmala Sunderarajan and Sri BM Sundaram, presented popular compositions that included Muthuswamy Dishithar’s Mahaganapathim (Naatai/Adhi), Subburaya Sastri’s Ninnu Vina (Kalyani/Adhi), Arunachalagiri’s Ramanukku Manna Mudi (Hindolam/Adhi) and Thyagaraja’s Ramachandra Nee Daya (Shruthi/Adhi).

G Sundararajan, CFO, Sundaram Home Finance who was present along with other senior officials of Sundaram Finance handed over certificates and mementos to the artistes at the end of the one hour Kutcheri The idea behind the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance on the first Sunday of every month is to promote young musical talent aged below 15years and provide them with a launch pad. Over 850 children have presented Kutcheri in the Park over the last 8years. Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register for the audition: email sundaykutcheri@sundaramfinance.in

Ajay presents Sunday Kutcheri

14year old Ajay Parameshwaran, a class 9 student of Vidya Mandir, presented a lively Mikeless Kutcheri this Sunday morning (6 April) at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore.

Ajay, who is learning music from Guru Smt. Jayasree Jayaraaj, was accompanied on the Mridangam by R. Kishore and on the Violin by Parur Ananthalakshmi. Ajay’s compositions included Mahaganapthim (Naattai), Swaminathena (Brindavana Saranga), Mani Uoopura Dhari ( Neelambari)and Jaalandhara (Valajji). The idea behind the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park is to promote young musical talent aged below 15years and to provide them with a launch pad. The focus has been on developing this as a platform for young ‘unsung’ children and to help them shed their inhibitions and give them the confidence to move up to the next level. Started in February 2006, over 850 children have presented Kutcheri in the Park in the last eight years. Mikes and Speakers are not used in the Sunday Kutcheri as the belief has been that it would bring out the best in the children if they performed without the help of mikes and speakers. Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register for the audition: email sundaykutcheri@gmail.com

Meenakshi presents Sunday Kutcheri

As part of the monthly Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance, 14year old Meenakshi Viswanathan, a class X student of Sir Sivaswami Kalalaya Senior Secondary School, present a lively Kutcheri sans mikes and speakers this Sunday (2 March) morning at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore.

Meenakshi, who is learning music from Guru Smt. Saraswathi Thyagarajan, was accompanied on the Mridangam by K. Sai Prasad and on the Violin by Thirucherai Karthik. Meenakshi’s compositions included Mahaganapthim (Naatai), Manasa Etulo (Malayamarutham), Ananda Natana Prakasham (Kedaram), Kathaya Kathaya (Kalyani), Enna Solli Azhaithal (Kannada) and Vagaladi (Javali). Hari Krishnan, Head- Karnataka, Sundaram Finance presented certificates and mementos to the artistes. The idea behind the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance is to promote young musical talent aged below 15years and provide them with a launch pad. Over 850 children have presented Kutcheri in the Park over the last 8years. Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register for the audition: email, sundaykutcheri@gmail.com

Kids, park & kutcheris

KT Jagannathan of The Hindu writes on Sunday Kutcheri in the Park Sunday Park Kutcheri is much more than a normal CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiative. For Sundaram Finance, it is a way to stay connected with its neighbour, and remain rooted to the tradition. This one has name, as well reputation. A revered institution, it stands tall in an industry, which has, time and again, seen a huge churn. Sundaram Finance Ltd., a well-known non-banking finance company from the TVS Group, has earned respect and admiration from many, especially the middle-class investors, for the honesty of purpose and sincerity in approach while conducting its business. Whenever it does something, it keeps the society interest upfront. Like the morning filter coffee and The Hindu newspaper, this too has been an integral part of people in this part of the world. Way back in February 2006, Sundaram Finance embarked upon an innovative initiative on the Carnatic music front. It began organising concerts on the morning of every first Sunday of a month. What’s so unique about it? Concerts are dime a dozen in a city like Chennai, which is considered the Mecca of Carnatic music. The difference here is that these concerts are for kids below 15 years, and are held at the popular Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore. These are held in a natural surrounding. Moreover, no electrical gadgets are used to amplify the music. Probably it began as a pilot exercise. It has, however, transformed into a laudable noble initiative. The Sunday Kutcheri in the Park has now entered the 9th year. The first Sunday of February 2006 saw 15 students from Vishwa Vidyalaya at Vandalur on the outskirts of Chennai present the maiden Sunday Kutcheri in the Park at 6.30 a.m. Prior to 2006, for two years, kutcheris used to be organised at the Nageswara Rao Park annually during the 4-day Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival. From February 2006 onwards, this has became a monthly feature - 1st Sunday of every month between 6.30 a.m. and 7.30 a.m. Last year, however, the timing was shifted to 7 a.m. In 2009, the organisers encountered a happy problem. Due to a significant rise in applicants, there was a huge backlog in terms of providing opportunities to children. To address this – at least partially, Sundaram Finance launched a three-day Navarathri Special Kutcheri in the Park in September 2009. Since then, the Navarathri Special Kutcheri in the Park has been an annual feature. In addition to monthly and Navarathri kutcheris, Sundaram Finance has also been organising group concerts during the annual 4-day Mylapore Festival every year in January. Over 850 kids have so far participated at the Sunday Park Kutcheri. The Sunday Park Kutcheri has seen eight summers. In the eight years, it has not only gained stature but also visibility within and without. That it survived this long and has been growing in strength speaks volume for the visionary management of Sundaram Finance. For them, Sunday Park Kutcheri is much more than a normal CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiative. For them, it is a way to stay connected with their neighbour, and remain rooted to the tradition. T.T. Srinivasaraghavan, Managing Director of Sundaram Finance, said: ``To us, the first Sunday of every month is their (kids) day. The young children are the stars of the show. Hence, we are clearly focussed on developing this as a platform for young unsung children.’’ As he suggested sometime ago to this writer, the Park Kutcheri concept deserves to be replicated all across the city by other corporate houses. It is time India Inc looked at CSR from the prism of Indian tradition as well.