Even if Sri Thyaga Brahmam is upset about me, misusing his world reknown pancharatna kirti, I’m cool but I have to say this. Watching the broadcast of Jaya TV’s Thygaraja Ardhanai Vizha, which was performed in Chennai, was a MahaAnubhava. The true meaning of Endaro Mahanubhavulu Andariki Vandanamulu is, there are many great men and to all my salutations.

On an unassuming sunday morning, I clicked on the archives of Jaya TV[through NUM TV] to find a 2 hour program broadcasted few days back and it read Thyagaraja Aradhanai Vizha. All along I was thinking that the customary Thiruvaiyaaru program was only awarded to Doordarshan. As I expected it turned out to be a program sponsored by Jaya TV in Chennai. It looked like Narda Gana Sabha, where it was performed. For a distanced soul like me, this was by itself a mahanubhava though it didn’t evoke the emotion a yearly broadcast of Thiruvaiyaaru program would.

For starters, Thiruvaiyaaru Thyagaraja Aradhanai Vizha happens in Thiruvaiyaaru where Thyagaraja attained samadhi. Its the kind of function, you would expect to watch it live. Its all about the best carnatic artists of country, coming together and sing along that could give goosebumps.

Jaya TV’s Thyagaraja Aradhanai Vizha seems to be a big hit. The hall was surprisingly full with people sitting on walking spaces. It sure didn’t have all the best carnatic artists but the ensemble was very good. They sang nothing but pancharatna kirtis. Starting from the auspicious Sethulara, the five kirtis followed like gems. Though all of them are the best of keerthanais, my personal favorites are Jagadhananda and Endaro Mahanubhaulu.

Some noted artists who performed in the show were Thavil Maestro A K Palanivel, Umayalpuram Sivaraman, N Ramani, Bombay Sisters, Sowmya, Neyveli Santhanagopalan, Rajkumar Bharathi(as in Bharathiyaar) and Priya Sisters (with ‘kannai parichidum‘ fluorescent green saree). Umayalpuram Sivaraman is one of personal favorites in mridangam. Such a graceful player of the instrument that he makes you drool over an mridangam. Just like how Vikku Vinayakram make me yearn to be a gadam player.

If you wanted to read about what happened in Thiruvaiyaaru this year, Samanth Subramanian has a wonderful column on the festival named, The music man. A must read.