As a music festival, Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru’s USP is its’ platform that’s open to all budding artists.
What started with 22,000 rasikas has grown to 500 artistes performing to one lakh people in a month.
CHENNAI: December may mean many things but with the exception of last year’s floods and this year’s Vardah, for most Chennaiites, it’s a time to be merry, soak in great music, food and art. One of the best places for traditional music lovers is Lakshman Sruthi’s Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru, which is back with its 12th season. City Express chats with V Lakshman, founder, Lakshman Sruthi, about the sought-after traditional gala, its beginnings, evolution and more.
Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru traces its roots to a humble beginning in 2005, two years after the establishment of Lakshman Sruthi Musicals began. “When we started the festival, it was very small. But, it was the audience and other patrons who took it to the next level!” gushes Lakshman. “After the Musicals who set up, a lot of light music artistes used to visit us to buy instruments and so on. But, we wanted to bring Carnatic artists too. We wanted to bring everyone together.”
To unite the music families in the city, the troupe decided to conduct a Margazhi kutcheri at the same time. “The first season of Chennayil…was for five days, had close to 22,000 listeners and 20 shows,” he recalls. Today, Chennayil... is a famous festival that’s visited by over one lakh audience every year to catch a glimpse of their favourite artistes performing.
“It has grown to an eight-day festival with 60 shows and that’s a milestone for us,” smiles Lakshman. “There was a season where rasikas flocked backstage after a concert by Aruna Sairam.”
Talking about the story behind the name, he explains, “During every such festival, it’s mandatory for a senior artist to give his/her blessings and inaugurate the event. That’s exactly what we did. But since it’s a music festival, we started it with the Thyagaraja keerthanai, just like how they do in Thiruvaiyaru. Since we did this in Chennai, it became Chennayil Thiruvaiyaru!” he avers.
Today, the name has crossed borders and is being celebrated in different parts of the country and the world. Just two years after Chennayil…, there was a Salemil Thiruvaiyaru and Americavil Thiruvaiyaru. It’s USP is to give a platform for budding artistes along with legends in the industry. “It’s hard for aspirants to get a platform to sing during this music season and we strive to provide them that. I have struggled for chances when I started out as a stage artiste and we will make sure this generation artistes don’t.”
Over 500 artistes will be performing in the 12th edition and Lakshman guarantees a festival that will make everyone happy. “Music calms your soul and an hour of it can change the way you think. I believe that without music a person turns into a beast. Music makes a difference and it has been proved time and again.”
(Chennayil Thiruvaiyaru will be held until Dec 25 at Kamarajar Arangam, Anna Salai, 7 am to 10 pm.
For details, call: 44412345)