Scriptures and Devotion

Bombay Sisters – Parvathi Ramanavami Concert, 1975

Appreciations from R. Sachi

We bring the rasikas worldwide this time excerpts from a 40 year-old recording of the concert by Bombay Sisters. Vidushis C. Saroja and C. Lalitha were born in Kerala and grew up in Bombay. After their initial musical training they won scholarships to study under the doyens at the Central College of Carnatic Music, Adyar, Chennai. They have been hailed as pure classicists bringing credit to their gurus Musiri Subramanya Iyer and T.K. Govinda Rao. The Bombay Sisters have had a steady run of popularity for nearly 50 years and were conferred the coveted Sangitha Kalanidhi title by the Madras Music Academy in 2010.

In this concert, we find some fine renditions of famous krithis like Evari Mata and Innu Daya Barade. These songs unburden the longing of the devotee for divine grace. The bhakti movement in India has given rise to an extraordinary breadth and depth of devotional outpouring, fully harnessed in the lyrics of Carnatic music. To name a few of the originators of these lyrics: Andal, Annamacharya, Bhadrachala Ramadas, Chaitanya, Meera, Kabir, Tulsidas, Surdas, Purandara Dasa and others of that tradition, Thyagaraja, Shyama Shastri, Swati Tirunal, Papanasam Sivan, Vasudevachar…

“Come to me, please reveal yourself, save me, help me cross the ocean of this wretched existence”: these sentiments and their variations come again and again in impassioned entreaties to the Lord. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Uddhava, a great intellectual, spiritual aspirant, and associate of Krishna, is sent to Gokula to meet Krishna’s family and the gopis. There he encounters the real bhakti of the gopis for Krishna. He is simply swept away. He says to them (quote from Srimad Bhagavatam, The Wisdom of God by Swami Prabhavananda): “How Blessed are you to have surrendered yourselves completely and whole-heartedly to Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the God of Love. Love and devotion grow after one has practiced many austerities, undergone many spiritual disciplines, and meditation. But fortunate indeed are you who were born with all-consuming love and devotion, and have renounced everything for the love of your dear Krishna. O happy ones, who enjoy the bliss of divine love, I am blessed and purified by coming into your presence.”

The song Evari Mata by Thyagaraja is famous and pours out the rasa of Kambhoji incomparably. No wonder it is often taken up in concerts for elaborate treatment. To show the emotive content of the lyrics, we reproduce below the text and translation of the song from The Spiritual Heritage of Thyagaraja:

Come let us enjoy this fine concert by Bombay Sisters!:

Concert Details

Bombay Sisters (Saroja and Lalitha) --------- Vocal
Master Nagaraj (Now Mysore Nagaraj) ---- Violin
P.G.Lakshminarayan ------- Mridangam
M.A.Krishnamurthy --------- Ghatam
on 27-4-1975 at 'Parvathi'.

Excerpts List

01. Ganamurthe- Ganamurthi- Thyagaraja *** 02.Rama Rama –Simhendramadhyama- Swathi Thirunal *** 03. Ramachandram Bhavayami –Vasantha- Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 04. Kambhoji Raga- Evarimata-Thyagaraja *** 05. Innu daya baarade-Kalyana Vasantha- Purandara Dasa *** 06. Shloka - Ab mein naachun-Yaman Kalyani- Surdas *** 07. Tillana-Jinjhuti- Veena Sheshanna

A Popular Sister Act : Vidushis C. Saroja & C. Lalitha

Congratulations to the Vidushis
for winning the "Sangeeta Kalanidhi" award for 2010

Parvathi's inner coterie of Rasikas celebrate 'Ganesha Utsavam'
with The Bombay Sisters in 1974
Accompanying them: Vidwans S, Mahadevappa, P.G. Lakshminarayanan, M.A. Krishnamurthy

"Parvathi" hosted a very popular duo, the Bombay Sisters, in 1974. They had inherited the mantle from Radha Jayalakshmi by then and continued to be prolific performers with a variegated discography for over 4 decades.

Smt. Saroja and Smt. Lalitha, also known as the Bombay Sisters, hail from Palghat area and spent their formative years in Bombay- hence the eponym. The sisters had their initiation into Carnatic Music from their elder sister, Smt. Sethu Mahadevan and later learnt from Shri. Chellamani Baghavathar. Further on, the Government of India Cultural Scholarship brought them to Madras for higher studies in Carnatic Music at the Central College of Carnatic Music, Adyar, under the direct tutelage of late Shri. Musiri Subramania Iyer. They continued their training in Carnatic Music from Shri. T.K. Govinda Rao, the primary disciple of Shri. Musiri Iyer.

The Bombay Sisters won the Sangeetha Rathna T. Chowdiah Memorial Award in 1996.

In this featured concert, the sisters have regaled the Parvathi rasikas with a wide repertoire of songs not often heard in Carnatic music. The Purandara Dasa songs shine in a new light in the different ragas. The ashtapadi in Darbari Kanada is brilliant. The violin and mridangam accompaniment rise to the occasion very well. Another rich feast indeed.

Concert Details

Bombay Sisters (C.Saroja and C. Lalitha) ---Vocal
S.Mahadevappa -------Violin
P.G.Lakshminarayan ---Mridangam
M.A.Krishnamurthy ----Ghatam
on September 20, 1974 at Parvathi during Ganesha Festival.



[ 01. Geetavadya-Natakapriya-Tanjavur Sankara Iyer***02. Srirama Padama- Amrithavahini – Thyagaraja*** 03.Meevalla –Kapi – Thyagaraja *** 04. Yadava Nee Baa –Shanmukhapriya- Purandara dasa *** 05. Akhilandeshwari- Dwijavanti- Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 06. Kaliyugavaradan- Brindavana saranga – Periyasami Thooran*** 07. Innudayabarade – Kalyanavasantha – Purandara Dasa*** 08. Narajanma Bandaga –Kharaharapriya – Purandara dasa *** 09. Acharavillada Nalige – Shahana-Purandara dasa *** 10. Hari Chitta – Jonpuri-Purandara Dasa*** 11. Baro Krishnayya – Ragamalika – Kanaka Dasa*** 12. Nandananda – Ragamailka – Narayana Thirtha*** 13. Ab Mein Nacho – Yaman – Surdas*** 14. Beet Gaye Din – Yaman – Kabir*** 15. Payoji Maine – Piloo – Meera Bai*** 16. Saa Virahe – Darbari Kanada – Jayadeva*** 17. Rati Sukha Saare – Madhuvanti – Jayadeva*** 18. Thillana – Jinjhuti – Mysore Veene Sheshanna*** ]

Musings from the Past
(From the music magazine Sruthi August 2003)

The Percussive Arts Center (PAC) 22nd annual Thaalavadyothsava from May 27-31 2003 in Bangalore

Rani Satish, Minister for Culture, Karnataka Govt presenting the
Palghat Mani-K.Puttu Rao Award to "Vikku" Vinayakram in 2003.
Also seen are Dr.A.H. Rama Rao (President,National Education Society) and Dr. V.V. Srivatsa, Chennai Musicologist

“The valedictory function on the 31st was marked by the presentation of the K. Puttu Rao Memorial Palghat Mani Award and the title of Sangeetha Kalaa Shiromani to Ghata maestro T.H. Vinayakram. He received a citation and the award which comprises of 10,000 rupees, from Rani Satish, Minister for Kannada & Culture, Govt. of Karnataka, who lauded the services of the Percussive Arts Center in the promotion of percussive arts and artists.

She recalled the services of K. Puttu Rao as a legal luminary and the contribution of K.K. Murthy in shaping the monumental Chowdiah Memorial Hall.

Dr. V.V. Srivatsa, scholar from Chennai, delivered the valedictory address. He also presented certificates and prizes to the winners of the competitions held in percussion instruments. The award function was followed by a music ensemble led by ‘Vikku’ Vinayakram. The participants included Sukanya Ramgopal, V. Umashankar, D.V. Venkatasubramanian (all ghata), N. Rajraman (ghata and gettu vadyam), A. Ganeshan (morsing) and Umamahesh Vinayakram (vocal support)”

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