A very relevant report in the Kutcheribuzz website titled "Season in the Suburbs" prompted us to write this post. Thrimoorthy Sangeetha Sabha in Pozhichalur, Chennai, hosts its music season in the middle of November every year. The Secretary of the Sabha Sri R Krishnamurthy and most of the members of the audience have about 40-50 years of Carnatic Music concert listening experience. They do not stir out until the concert is over. We played our concert for them on November 12th with Mannarkoil Balaji on the Mridangam and Adambakkam Shankar on the Ghatam. The RTP that we chose to play was in Bhairavi with the words "Thyagarajaya Guruguhaya Syamakrishnaya Namaste, Sangeetha Trimoorthyai Namaste," the theme in keeping with the name of the sabha. The members of the audience know their music, are involved with the proceedings and are very appreciative.
It is one of those venues which has an old world charm of its own. Sri Thanjavur Ramadoss who had played mridangam for us here on a previous occasion, remarked "enga vadyarukku intha madri kottagai potta edam-na romba pudikkum," indicating that the great Palghat Mani Iyer used to enjoy playing in surroundings like this. The rasikas here connect like long lost friends; after the concert is over, you can overhear comments like "antha kalathile namma ellam GNB-na appdiye surrender, illaya?" It is a great feeling to be in the midst of such a crowd.
