In commemoration of Guru Aradhana Day and the 75th anniversary of Chinmaya Mission, the Chennai chapter of the organisation presented a distinctive musical and visual interpretation of ‘Versification of the Bhagavad Gita in Tamil’. Held at the Chinmaya Heritage Centre in Chetpet, this Sunday evening was a blend of sacred ritual, artistic innovation, and spiritual homage to Swami Chinmayananda’s legacy.
The programme opened with a traditional puja and the chanting of Sanskrit shlokas, setting a reverent tone. Among the audience were devotees, artists, dignitaries, and members of the Chinmaya Vidyalaya community — including faculty, students, and parents — all gathered to witness the felicitation of the team behind the initiative. Politician Ram Mahadev was also present at the event. Spearheaded by Swami Mitrananda, the Tamil versification was released a week earlier by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
The project was undertaken by a team of seven to eight Tamil language teachers from various branches of Chinmaya Vidyalaya. “Even I used to chant all the verses earlier during pujas and whenever Swami would recite them,” said Gayathri, one of the Tamil teachers who was part of the team. “But I didn’t fully grasp the meaning or retain them. This Tamil versification brought us closer to the essence of the Gita. That connection is what kept us going even after more than a year, without stepping back. You can feel the Muthamizh in this rendition — where Iyal (verse), Isai (music), and Nadagam (visuals) come together in harmony.”
Swami Mitrananda shared how the collaboration with composer Ilaiyaraaja was conceived. “It began during the G20 summit at Mahabalipuram,” he recalled. “We were reminiscing about Thiruvasagam when I said, ‘Sir, we should do something for the Bhagavad Gita.’” From there, the idea grew gradually, with translated verses being handed to Ilaiyaraaja over time. “He [Ilayaraaja] usually finishes a film album in three days — but for this, he took over a month,” Swami Mitrananda said, underlining the depth of spiritual engagement the maestro brought to the work.
Ilaiyaraaja himself called his involvement “a blessing and a beautiful coincidence,” adding, “When I received the verses, I felt a deep connection — it was not just music, but a spiritual journey.” The maestro also sang a few verses from his compositions during the event, further enriching the atmosphere with his soulful voice.
Swami Mitrananda also recounted a moment when Sanskrit teachers raised concerns about a particular Tamil verse. Ilaiyaraaja’s quiet response to the dilemma was “Who is this meant for?” This helped steer the team’s focus. “That one question,” said Swami Mitrananda, “anchored our approach — to make the verses resonate with Tamil audiences while remaining faithful to the Gita’s spirit.”
The evening culminated in a premiere screening of Ilaiyaraaja’s original compositions, paired with animated visuals depicting scenes from the Kurukshetra war. The fusion of music and visuals brought the verses to life, adding emotional depth to the sacred text.
“This will captivate the minds of people who couldn’t follow it in Sanskrit or English,” said OV Nambiar, president and zonal director, Chinmaya Mission. “That was our intent — to make the Gita accessible and relatable without losing its soul.”