Swathi Sangeethotsavam
Swathi
Sangeethotsavam is an annual classical music festival
celebrated in honour of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama
Varma (1813 - 1846) the great poet king of the erstwhile
Travancore dynasty. This seven day festival is held
annually from January 6 to 12 at the 'Kuthira Malika'
palace at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India where the
king himself composed many of his musical gems.
As one of the famous national music events in India, the
Swathi Sangeethotsavam invites the great maestros of
both Carnatic and Hindustani music to this festival
which highlights Kerala's contribution to Indian
Classical Music. It also aims at developing and
sustaining interest in classical music in the young
budding musical talents of today.
This festival is organised by H.H.Sir Rama Varma
Maharaja of Travancore Trust.
More Details : http://ramavarma.yolasite.com/swathi-sangeethotsavam.php
Prince Rama Varma, Kaudiar Palace, Trivandrum 695003, Kerala, India, E-mail : writetoramavarma@gmail.com
Swathi Sangeethotsavam Videos
Deva Deva Kalayami. Part 1
(Prince Rama Varma sings the famous composition by his ancestor Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma Deva Deva Kalayami during his concert during the Swathi Sangeethotsavam conducted at the Kuthiramalika Palace, Trivandrum)
Deva Deva Kalayami. Part 2
(Prince Rama Varma sings the famous composition by his ancestor Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma Deva Deva Kalayami during his concert during the Swathi Sangeethotsavam conducted at the Kuthiramalika Palace, Trivandrum)
Video Links
* Bhavayami Raghuramam (Ms. Amrutha Venkatesh at Kuthiramalika) - Part 1
Ms.Amrutha Venkatesh comes up with a magnificent rendition of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal's celebrated composition "Bhavayami Raghu Ramam" during her concert at Kuthira Malika during the Swathi Sangeethotsavam, 2011. She is accompanied by Edappally Shri Ajith on the violin, Palghat Shri Mahesh Kumar on the mridangam, Dr.S.Karthick on the Ghatam and Payyannur Shri Govindaprasad on the morsing. This turned out to be one of the best interpretations of this composition I have ever heard, with both the singer as well as the accompanists tuned in completely to the music, the lyrics as well as to each other and the harmony and joy generated is palpable.
*
Bhavayami Raghuramam (Ms. Amrutha Venkatesh at
Kuthiramalika) - Part 2
* Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty Bhairavi Bhajan - Part 1
Pandit Ajoy
Chakrabarty concludes his concert at Kuthiramalika
palace, Trivandrum, Kerala during the Swathi
Sangeethotsavam with the popular Bhajan by Maharaja
Swathi Thirunal in Raag Bhairavi "Ramachandra Prabhu"
spiced up with some fascinating sargams.
* Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty - Bhairavi Bhajan - Part 2
* Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty - Bhairavi Bhajan - Part 3
*
Prince Rama Varma - Pannagendra Shayana. Part 1
Prince Rama
Varma sings the beautiful but rarely sung Padam in eight
ragas composed by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal during the
Swathi Sangeethotsavam, 2008, at Kuthiramalika,
Trivandrum)
*
Prince Rama Varma - Pannagendra Shayana. Part 2
* Sri. B.V. Balasai - Flute Perfomance on Swathi Music Festival
* Sri Sanjay Subrahmanyan on a Swathi composition
*
S.R.Mahadev Sarma and S.R.Rajasree (Swathi
Sangeethotsavam 2011)
Shri S.R.Mahadev Sarma and Smt.S.R.Rajasree, accompanied
by Shri B.Harikumar on the mridangam and by Vaikkom Sri
Gopalakrishnan on the ghatam. Here, they play Maharaja
Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma's composition in Raga
Sarasangi, "Jaya Jaya Padmanabha" with a brilliant set
of swarams afterwards. This was recorded at
Kuthiramalika during the Swathi Sangeethotsavam, 2011.
*
Navarathri Mandapam. Post concert scene with Parasala
Ponnammal.
Golden Girl Prof.Parasala Ponnammal completes yet
another beautiful concert at the Navarathri Mandapam and
pays a courtesy call on my family members before going
for dinner. We fix her concert for the seventh evening
of Navarathri, 2012 and the waiting begins already :-)