A New Cultural Platform for All

Sri Sumukhi Rajasekharan Memorial Foundation launched its Special Monthly Programmes as “Kala Poshakam”, on 15th February, 2006, 5.30 pm at Narada Gana Sabha, Mini Hall,
T.T.K. Road, Alwarpet, Chennai – 18. Smt. Leela Shekar – “Chairperson – IDA” inaugurated the programme by lighting the Kuthuvilakku, & Smt. Anitha Guha – Director, Bharathanjali presided over the function. The Doyens appreciated the efforts taken by the Mylapore Trio in perpetuating values & by promoting culture among the younger generation.

“Sathya Kala Poshaka Sundaram” was the title conferred on the Trio by the Bharathanjali Trust recently, for being the youngest promoters of art & culture. According to the Trio “Kala Poshakam” is dedicated for the same cause and it is a platform for children, youth & elders to exhibit their talents not only in Classical Dance, Music & Instrument but also in various other art forms. For the first time in the history of the foundation seniors & elders above the age of 22 are given an opportunity to showcase their talents under the banner of “Kala Poshakam”. Surendranath says that the response has been tremendously good & even artists from other states have registered themselves for the subsequent months.

The Foundation has been identifying and honoring Children & Youth in the Cultural Spectrum and celebrates the Balar Chithirai Kalai Vizha and Margazhi Bala Utsavam and they award titles like Sangeetha Bala Brahamam, Natya Bala Brahamam to deserving children.
Here is what happened at their program this year...

2nd Year - “Visesha Kala Poshakam Utsav

Inauguration - Wednesday - 2 – 1 – 2008

Chief Guest – “Padmashri” Smt. Chitra Visweswaran

“Chidambaram Academy of Performing Arts”.

Time: 5.30pm – “Kutrala Kuravanji” – A Thematic presentation by

Smt. Sasirekha Raammohan, Smt. Radhika Vairavelavan,

Smt. Anjana Anand, Kum. Lavanya,

Kum. Divya & Kum. Nivetha.

Time: 6.30pm – Inauguration

Time: 7.30pm – Special Concert

Bharatanatyam by Kum. V.M. Supriya (Chennai)

Disciple of “Padmashri” Smt. Chitra Visweswaran.

Thursday - 3 – 1 – 2008

Chief Guest – “Kalaimamani” Narthaki Nataraj

“Narthaki Nruthya Kalalaya”.

Time: 5.30pm – “Swati Tirunal Samarpanam” – A Thematic presentation by

Smt. Sujatha Mohan & Smt. Sardha Sethuraman.

Time: 6.00pm – Special Concert

Bharatanatyam by Kum. Nithya S. Ramamurthy (USA)

Disciple of Smt. Sudha Chandrasekhar.

Time: 7.00pm – Special Concert

Bharatanatyam by Kum. J. Janet (Trichy)

Disciple of Smt. Vijaya Mukundan.

Time: 8.00pm – Felicitation Function

Friday - 4 – 1 – 2008

Chief Guest – Smt. Sumathi Sriram

Faculty at “Bharata Kalanjali”.

Time: 5.30pm – Sloka Chanting by Smt. Nalini Ramaprasad & Group

of “Sri Matha Samarpanam”.

Time: 6.00pm – Special Concert

Bharatanatyam by Kum. Malavika Suresh (Botswana)

Disciple of Smt. Hema Rajaraman.

Time: 7.00pm – Special Concert

Bharatanatyam by Kum. Maheetha Bharadwaj (USA)

Disciple of “Padmashri” Adyar K. Lakshman.

Time: 8.00pm – Felicitation Function

Saturday - 5 – 1 – 2008

Chief Guest – “Nrithya Kala Nipuna” Shri. V. Balagurunadhan

Faculty at “Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society”.

Time: 5.00pm – Special Concert

Carnatic Music - Vocal by Chi. A. Arvind (Karaikal)

Disciple of Shri. Thirukannapuram Shankar.

Time: 6.00pm – Special Concert

Bharatanatyam by Kum. K. Niranthary (Chennai)

Disciple of Smt. Vijaya Mukundan.

Time: 7.00pm – Special Concert

Bharatanatyam by Kum. Shraddha Nagaraj (Mumbai)

Disciple of Smt. Lata Rajesh.

Time: 8.00pm – Felicitation Function

Sunday - 6 – 1 – 2008

Chief Guest – Smt. Ambika Buch

Retd. Senior Professor of Dance “Kalakshetra”.

Time: 5.00pm – Special Concert

Keyboard by Kum. Maheetha Bharadwaj (USA)

Disciple of Shri. Vittal Ramamoorthi.

Time: 6.00pm – Special Concert

Bharatanatyam by Kum. Srividvatha Sridhar (New Delhi)

Disciple of Smt. Saroja Vaidyanathan.

Time: 7.00pm – Special Concert

Bharatanatyam by Kum. Pooja Kumar (USA)

Disciple of Shri. A. Lakshman.

Time: 8.00pm – Felicitation Function

Audience to all Mylapore trios programs are welcome in Indian Traditional Attire…

S.Surendranath, S.Amarnath, S.Aparna & Members of the Foundation…

Address for communication:

New No. 5, Old No. 3, 1st Floor, Third Trust Link Street,

Mandavelipakkam, Chennai – 600028. Tamilnadu. India.

Ph.: 9382698811 / 9381038385 / +91-44-24935521

Upcoming Contests and Events

6th Year - MARGAZHI BALA UTSAVAM

Competitions & Participation - Registration from 25th December, 2007 onwards

SRI SUMUKHI RAJASEKHARAN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

The “ MYLAPORE TRIO ” proudly presents the Mylapore Tradition & Culture.

Calling all Individuals, Groups, Organisations & Institutions to showcase their talents in this festival.

Age Category: (Sub.Jr. / Jr. & Sr. – has been divided as two Categories each, as Section A & Section B)

(Sub.Jr. – UKG, I Std. Sec. – A & II, III Std. Sec. - B), (Jr. – IV, V Std. Sec. – A & VI, VII Std. Sec. – B),

(Sr. – VIII, IX Std. Sec. – A & X, XI Std. Sec. – B), (Sup. Sr. – XII to UG, Sec. – A)

Selection tests only for Bharatanatyam, Keerthanai & Instrument, at the Foundation Premises

on 30th Dec. 2007, & 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 14th & 16th Jan. 08 ( Time: 10 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. ) (Choose your Date)

Registration for other Competitions begins from 25th Dec. 2007.

1. COMPETITION :-

a) Solo :- * Keerthanai * Thirupaavai * Thiruvempaavai * Bhajan * Bharatanatyam

* Maa Kolam * Flower Kolam * Junk Art * Mehandi * Hand Writing

Common Topic for the following :– “Pancha Bhoothas”

* Painting (5 elements of Nature) * Eassy Writing (Religious, Scientific, Ecological aspects etc…)

* Oratorical (Uses & Hazards) * Story Telling (Sthala Puranas) * Fancy Dress (History & Mythology)

b) Group :- * Devotional Music (Min. 5 to Max 10 Participants, including Two Instruments)

2. PARTICIPATION :- (Solo / Group) * Slokam * Instrument * Music Cutchery

3. PRIZES :-

* Mementos for all Participants / The best 3 & Consolation prizes with Certificates only for the Winners.

4. SPECIAL PRIZES :-

* Multi Talent / Talent Prize for the best Boy & Girl who bags the maximum number of Prizes

under each Age Category, for this, one must take part in atleast 5 Competitions to win this Special Prize.

5. TITLES & AWARDS – Bushan / Vibushan & Brahmam :- (for Balas, Yuvas & Guru) :-

Talented children & youth will be conferred Titles in the field of Dance, Music & Instumental. *Conditions Apply.

ROLLING TROPHY (Gold Coated “Swarna Kalas”- Temple Golden Kalasam) :-

* Is awarded to the institution whose students get selected for the Final Event (Participation & Competition)

in large numbers. ‘Smt. R. Nagammal “SWARNA KALAS” Rolling Trophy”. *Conditions Apply.

Competition Dates – 19th, 20th, 26th & 27th Jan.’08 at Lady Sivaswamy Girls Hr. Sec. School, Mylapore.

Prize distribution & Award Function on 2nd Feb.’08 – Sri Dakshinamurthy Auditorium, Mylapore.

A Registration Fee of Rs. 50/- is charged per individual, for the Final Event in each category (Solo & Group)

for both Competition & Participation. (Selection Test - No Entry Fee)

Contact:- S. Surendranath, Ph: 9382698811 / 9381038385 / 24935521. Website: www.srimylaporetrio.in

New No.5, Old No.3, (Ist Floor)Third Trust Link Street, Mandavelipakkam, Chennai – 600 028.

(Near HDFC Bank, Santhome High Road) EMail: sri_srmf@yahoo.com , srimylaporetrio@gmail.com

Visit: www.narthaki.com , www.kutcheribuzz.com/ebrochures/sumukhi

P.N: Traditional Attire is mandatory on all days, for all Participants & Others – for Prelims, Finals & Valediction…

Boys: Kurtha, Pyjama, Dhoti, Shirt. (No Shorts, Pants, Jeans, T. Shirt)

Girls: No sleeveless - (Sub.Jr./Jr.) – Paavaadai, Chokka. (Sr./Sup.Sr.) – Paavaadai, Dhaavani, Saree.

Common for all Girls - Hair Style: Single Plait (no lose hair). No Fancy Bindhis.

Pottu – only in Red colour / Min. Size: 8mm Round or Thilakam.

Parents, Relatives, Friends & Rasikas will be entertained only in Traditional Attire – both for Prelims & Finals.

(Women – Only in Saree / Men – Only in Dhoti, Pant, Shirt, Pyjama, Kurtha - No Jeans, T. Shirt)

5th Foundation Anniversary

To commemorate the occasion, Aacharya Awards presented to Stalwarts in Dance & Music.

& Thyagarajar's Pancharatna Kritis are rendered, on 3rd February 2008.

Login to our website to know more about us: www.srimylaporetrio.in
· Visit us at www.narthaki.com / www.kutcheribuzz.com/ebrochures/sumukhi
· Email: sri_srmf@yahoo.com / srimylaporetrio@yahoo.com

Mailing Address:
S. Surendranath, New No. 5, Old No. 3, Third Trust Link Street,
1st Floor, Mandavelipakkam, Chennai – 600028. Tamilnadu. India.
For more Details contact us at 9382698811 / 9381038385 / +91-44-24935521

Bharatanatyam guru Chitra Visweswaran is honoured

Small stage, big lineup!

That is what Bharat Kalachar's opening evening always is.

It was on Dec. 14. About 20 artistes received awards.
There was another standing ovation led by the number of sishyas, when Bharatanatyam guru Chitra Visweswaran was honoured. Chitra who lost her husband recently, has been keeping a low profile.

Lalgudi Jayaraman was the chief guest. Speakers said he was a pithamaha after Semmangudi. Madhuvanthi and Sudha Mahendran, the sabha's office bearers compered the event and Y. G. Mahendra chipped in with his witty comments.

Source: Kutcheribuzz

Guru Radha and Shobana receive titles in Krishna Gana Sabha

Pondy Bazaar looks like Jaffna's suburbs. Like a bombed neighbourhood.
With the neon lights and banners of the jewellery and clothes stores, the scene is stark.
And with the intermittent rains, it gets starker.
Civic works to construct a flyover in this maddening shopping area is now on.

A scene which greeted all the people who headed to Sri Krishna Gana Sabha for its opening evening-December 5.

The hall was one-fourth full. Never seen such a scene at KGS' opening evening. Was it because of the wet weather? Or because there were other events at other sabhas featuring well known dancers?

The dance community turn up in finery and fiesty spirit for the opening evening here. It is in many ways a dancers' celebration with two awards for a dancer and a guru. But this evening was rather pale. And the paleness rubbed in with the delay in the arrival of the chief guest of the evening, Swami Dayananda Saraswathi.

It wasn't an upbeat event.

ne man who has always taken his seat in the front row at all the inaugurals at KGS is the violin maestro Lalgudi Jayaram. He was there. As was Kamala ('Baby' Kamala) to cheer for her sister Rhadha, the guru to be honoured with the 'Aacharya Choodamani' title.
The other awardee, Shobana ( given the 'Nritya Choodamani' title) , was fidgety and somewhat tense. Butterflies on an evening to remember?

The swamiji hit the philosophical phrases often in his speech but wandered. Opening evenings need to be rousing affairs. This wasn't.

Writer and arts consultant Sujatha Vijayaraghavan, a guest on stage, mined guru Rhadha's career and her character. "She is at her class from 9 am to 9pm with a break for lunch," said Sujatha. "And she gives so much time to freshers because she wants them to have a good foundation."

Shobana is used to responding to titles at such functions. She has done them more often at the National awards for cinema.

She recalled her first recital 20 years ago at the sabha, at a time when people turned a nose at film stars who also performed classical dance. And she had warm words for her students and well-wishers who had helped her realise a project - have her own dance studio in the city.

The Shobana sishyas and fan club was in full strength this evening. And when it was all over on stage, they had gifts and flowers for their guru.

Rhada had all the well known dance gurus around her - Padma Subrahmanyam, Prof. C. V. Chandrasekar, Sarada Hoffman, Prof. Jayalakshmi.

Dancer Bharathi Shivaji, the convenor of this year's Natya Kala Conference, presented the programme themed 'Sangeetham in Dance', a subject she said she chose when she began to explore it in the dance forms of Kerala.

The hall emptied after the function. Three dozen rasikas sat back to watch Poornima Ashok Kumar, sishya of Anandha Shankar Jayant, perform on stage.

P. S. : The khicchidi at the canteen here is great. The supervisor promises more goodies once the fest warms up.

Source: Kutcheribuzz.com