FRIDAY 30 September 2022 : 5.30 AM
Place: SUNAADALAHIRI
C.P. Ramaswamy Road , RA Puram
Today is the blessed , auspicious first FRIDAY of NAVARAATHRI… the nine days and nights of the year that are dedicated to the worship of Amba, Thaayaar, Piraatti — the divine manifestations of Goddesses Mahalakshmi, Saraswati and Devi Parashakthi !
It’s 5.30 in the morning — the sun is yet to show itself from behind the wispy clouds in the skies. The streets are still wet from last night’s showers. The air is cool and crisp. The whole world seems to me to have been hushed into silent worship as it prepares at dawn to welcome the earthly presence of Ambaal on yet another blessed day of NAVARAATHRI .
Could there be any better or more sacred way to receive the divine Mother into our midst than with music sung in her praise in the small hours of the rising day?
I join a small audience of rasikas and saadhakaas in the small, sylvan garden-auditorium nestled in the backyard of SUNAADALAHIRI. A few dozen bright earthen and metal oil-lit lamps placed on a terraced gallery shed an eerie lustre all around . A few dozen graceful figurines — made of clay and painted in bright, vibrant colours — of various gods and goddesses and avatars are placed upon the serried gallery looking down upon all of us with all-knowing, all-forgiving compassion.
There is an air of serenity suddenly enveloping us … It makes one want to feel that Ambaal herself, our Mother, is certainly amidst us ..
The concert begins … Prarthana Sai Narasimhan sings …. (early disciple of my mother Sangita Kalanidhi Smt. Mani Krishnaswami) .
No accompaniments… just plain devoted music … none of the frills and fuss and airs and pretences that belong to public performances on the kutcheri stage. This music is for pure worship and for pure devotion of all the minds assembled here … It’s “shobillu saptaswara …” resonating at dawn with the Gayatri mantra :
“dhara rksAmAdulalO vara gAyatri hrdayamuna sura bhUsura mAnasa….l”
The audience in attendance is not really the handful of rasikas gathered here … it’s only Ambaal really who sits unseen amongst us — regal, so graceful, ethereal … and yet so very real…
Prarthana sings half a dozen more kritis , all in praise of Devi … We listen in rapt, silent , meditative rapture …
But the crowning piece is truly the haunting, melody that speaks out for the melting pathos of all world-weary human hearts that are perennially in search of redemption … It’s there to be heard and felt and experienced in the opening lines of the pallavi in the famous Kriti of the great vaageyakaara Sri Syama Saastri and in that sombre raagam that goes by the name of “chinthamani” — the legendary gem-stone that is said to fulfil every spiritual aspiration a soul yearns for …
“….dEvI brOva samayamidE ati vEgamE vacci…. nA vetalu dIrci karuNincavE shankari kAmAkSI!” ….
As the song ends … the first few reddish rays of the soft morning sun stream into the sacred space surrounding us. The sky turns into a pale purple…. And one can almost hear Ambaal Kamakshi … in a sweet voice telling us all lovingly and reassuringly “Of course , why else do you think I’ve hastened here at once this morning? I heard you all call out to Me! I did not delay! I’m here , Amma is here now …so don’t worry, I’m here to save you and shower my grace upon everyone of you, my beloved children !”
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The recital ends … The small audience melts away slowly … I am happy to see the renowned Vidushi Smt . Suguna Varadachari (fellow-disciple, along with my mother, of Sangita Kalanidhi Sri Musiri Subramanya Iyer) is there too .. I pay my respects to her and then I convey grateful thanks to Smt. Aishwarya Shankar and her husband Sri Shankar for having helped to start my day this blessed NAVARAATHRI with “SUNAADALAHARI” .
Sudarshan Madabushi