CHENNAI: When a documentary film Remembering SKR ‘The Sunaadha Vinodhan’- Part II was screened at Sivagami Pethachi Auditorium, Alwarpet, the audience present there was fully immersed in the world of Tanjore S Kalyanaraman.
Fondly remembered as SKR, the grand event was organised by Shanmukhapriya and Tanjore SKR Trust to commemorate his birth anniversary.
The overwhelming response of the documentary Part I made S B Khanthan, creative director, to come out with the Part II, which compiles the take of legends, maestros and budding vidhwans of Carnatic Music on SKR.
His disciples were all in praise of the vidhwan, who carved a niche for himself in the Carnatic Music. The principal disciple of the legend G N Balasubramaniam, SKR evolved his own Baani and he was a master in laya algorithm as well as swara raga bhaavam.
In the documentary, vocalists Ranjani and Gayathri, V Sanjeev, disciple of Kumari A Kanyakumari, Sanjay Subrahmaniam, Sikkil Shri Gurucharan, Anuradha Sriram among others have shared their experiences with SKR and his evergreen compositions, which evoke admiration and energy among the listeners.
On the occasion, violinist maestro Kumari A Kanyakumari was honoured with SKR’s Award of Excellence by Cleveland V V Sundaram for her service to music in the last four decades.
Since 1994, the SKR Trust has been honouring eminent gurus, performers and musicologists with SKR’s Award of Excellence. Srivatsa S Jayarama Sharma, SKR cousin, recalled his association with the great legend. “He was very mischievious in his childhood.
Even at 10 or 12 years, he used to sing swaras in Bhairavi,” he said.
The event concluded with Ranjani and Gayathri’s concert. Brinda Venkataraman, disciple of SKR and Bhushany Kalyanaraman, wife and disciple of SKR, also spoke on the occasion.
umakannan@epmltd.com
