Sudha Raghunathan – A Worthy Inheritor and a Shining Star

Padma Bhushan Vid. Sudha Raghunathan - Sri Ramanavami 2005

The mantle of the MLV bani sits lightly on the most successful lady musician on the Carnatic scene of the past 30 years. Vid. Sudha Ragunathan has performed at the Madras Music Season every year since 1990, the very year in which her Guru Dr. ML Vasanthakumari breathed her last. 

In 2013 she was awarded the Sangita Kalanidhi of the Madras Music Academy. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honour, in January 2015. 

Her charities are very well known, carried out by her trust. Her musical collaborations, from performing with Dr. Balamuralikrishna to joining groups that created world music, are prolific and fascinating.

Vid. Sudha’s energy, charm and creativity were on full display during the Covid lockdown. She conducted a number of exciting sessions with musicians and other personalities of all ages in a warm tête-à-tête style. She even had live cooking sessions on her YouTube channel, where she sang and cooked at the same time!

We have featured several concerts of Vid. Sudha Raghunathan in the Parvathi blog already. She has been a regular in our festivals and a much acclaimed star for the Parvathi audiences.

In this 2005 concert, Vid. Sudha presents a rich bouquet of songs from many composers. Her easy style of reaching top octave notes is on display early in the concert. . All the accompanists are established names from Karnataka. Her essay of Todi and the song Chesinadella are captivating. Behind her ease in negotiating the high notes and an easy fluidity characteristic of her music lies hidden her lifelong Sadhana in a successful journey prophesied by none other than Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba.

Concert Details

 Sudha Raghunathan - Vocal

 Mysore V. Srikanth - Violin 

 C. Cheluvaraj - Mridangam 

 M.A. Krishnamurthy - Ghatam 

 Date 21 April 2005 

 Sri Ramanavami Festival conducted at the home of "Parvathi"

Song List

1. Viriboni – Bhairavi Atatala Varnam – Pachimiriyam Adiyappayya
2. Gajavadana Beduve – Hamsadhvani – Purandara Dasa 
3. Ramanatham Bhajeyam – Pantuvarali – Muthuswami Dikshitar 
4. Mokshamu Galada – Saramathi – Thyagaraja 
5. Bhavayami Raghuramam – Ragamalika – Swathi Thirunal 
6. Dayarani – Mohana – Thyagaraja 
7. Akhilandeshwari – Dwijavanthi – Muthuswami Dikshitar 
8. Vidajaladura – Janaranjani – Thyagaraja
9. Jesinadella Marachitivo – Todi – Thyagaraja 
10. Kurai Onrum Illai – Ragamalika – C. Rajagopalachari 
11. Maneyinda Santhosha – Ugabhoga – Yamuna Kalyani – Sripadaraja 
12. Hari Smarane Mado –Yamuna Kalyani – Purandara Dasa 
13. Brahmam Okate – Bowli - Annamacharya 
14. Mangalam

ಉಗಾಭೋಗದ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ: 

ಮನೆಯಿಂದ ಸಂತೋಷ ಕೆಲವರಿಗೆ ಲೋಕದಲಿ 

ಧನದಿಂದ ಸಂತೋಷ ಕೆಲವರಿಗೆ ಲೋಕದಲಿ 

ವನಿತೆಯಿಂದ ಸಂತೋಷ ಕೆಲವರಿಗೆ ಲೋಕದಲಿ 

ತನಯನಿಂದ ಸಂತೋಷ ಕೆಲವರಿಗೆ ಲೋಕದಲಿ 

ಇನಿತು ಸಂತೋಷ ಅವರವರಿಗಾಗಲಿ ನಿನ್ನ ನೆನೆವೋ ಸಂತೋಷ ಎನಗಾಗಲಿ ನಮ್ಮ ರಂಗವಿಠ್ಠಲ ॥