Friday, July 16, 2010

Performed at

The Tanjavur Brhadeeshwara temple yesterday. I had visited the town a few weeks ago for another performance and was told to go and visit the Vaaraahi Sannidhi at the temple. I was given to understand that the Chola king always sought her permission before embarking on anything new and also, legend has it that he was cursed to not enter the temple through the main gate and had to use an alternate entrance by which he visited the Goddess first. (Correct me if I am wrong though). I had gone there and the Pujari at the sannidhi said they had looking for my contact details to arrange a concert during Aashad Navaratri. Right then and there the concert was fixed and the said concert happened last evening. Had been looking forward to this and sitting right there in the temple premises and singing was an experience that I will cherish. 
I sang a few Abhangs and Bhajans in addition to a few Tamil compositions and somehow the locals sat through the entire rendition of about 2 1/2 hours +. I did my bit of explaining what the lyrics meant and somehow, I experienced the fact that music really does not know language and the thought is communicated regardless of anything.
I would think of so many things to ask before I went to a temple but once I step in, I forget the list I make. The last time I went there I was given a special darshan of the Gopuram. It just happened somehow. I guess that is where I count my blessings. 
There are times in our lives where, in spite of all the everything that happens in and around us, a sense of nothingness and emptiness does envelop our being. Not in a melancholy sort of a way but I find it hard to explain this. As I went in for the Darshan before the concert yesterday, I got an SMS from a friend who arranges tours in the Himalayan regions of a trip planned and this is the one thing that is still elusive. I yearn to go to the Himalayas and somehow it just does not materialize. Dates clash with professional commitments. And my Himalayan sojourn gets pushed once again. Wonder when the mountain Gods will hear me out.
But for now, I am thankful for the graces bestowed on me.
To you, the reader, I wish for you that you be happy. Truly.

22 comments:

Soma said...

You are really blessed one to offer copule flowers with voice emitted from heart and soule.

Senthilkumar said...

thats absolutely a great place for performance, been there once and watched an arangetram of a two kids and they were excellent, may be it is the place too. In your case it would have been more magical.. great going..:)

Sri (Thanjai Indians) said...

Hi Chinmanyi,

I am a silent reader of your blog since Jan this year.

Happy to read about your visit to my home town and the great Brahatheeswara temple (a.k.a Big Temple, Peruvudaiyaar Temple).

One more fact about Vaaraahi Sannidhi in this temple is that She appears in two armed, usually Vaaraahi appears four armed.

Thanks for sharing.

Sridhar
Pune

Anonymous said...

have you come to tiruvarur(thiyagarajar temple)

valli said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadeeswarar_Temple


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanjavur

Sri Raja Mathangi and Sri Maha Vaarahi

The supreme powers of Sri Raja Mathangi and Sri Maha Vaarahi are less known to the common public since both of them are conducting life course as subtle forces. Now they have come out of the subtleness, The time has come to reveal the true revelations
worldly pursuits of both Sri Raja Mathagi and Sri Maha Vaarahi. we learnt about Matangi before.


Here is an attempt to understand the Divine play of Sri Maha Vaarahi and Sri Raja Mathangi. Varahi shrines at Thanjavur Brahadeeswara temple and Sundararaja Perumal temple (very near the Swamimalai Murugan temple) exist and let us visit these places when we happen to go to swamimalai and take their divine blessings.

Who is Sri Maha Vaarahi?

She is the solemn power of Sri Raja Rajeswari. Sri Raja Rajeswari took the incarnation of Sri Maha Vaarahi to eliminate the cruel demon Pandasura. Pandasura was a great Shiva Bhakta. After thousands of years of penance, shiva appeared before him and the demon requested for a peculiar benediction that he never should be killed by any one, evidently meaning to live for ever. However Lord Shiva had a different opinion on birth and death aspect of humans. He said any one born on this earth must die one day. No one could be above this prime rule of life. Pandasura agreed for this condition with certain stipulations. He did not want to be killed by either human or animal or by natural causes. He could be annihilated only by a woman, not born of another woman and that too by one who had the habit of consuming filth (faeces) as food. How was it possible? However as is the habit of Shiva he gave the benediction to Pandasura.

Pandasura, incidentally was a great warrior and having attained this special position as a result of his penance, he went into the dangerous game of massacre of humans to reign supreme. He utilized his ill-gotten strength-that he could never be destroyed by any one except the one born by the earlier descriptio-to annihilate everyone including devas. When his torture exceeded the limits, they approached Lord Shiva seeking his intervention to save them from this cruel ruler. But Lord Shiva expressed his inability in this matter since he has given this benediction and asked them to approach the Divine Mother Sri Raja Rajeshwari for a solution. Besides, the destroyer had to be a woman and Divine Mother could find a solution to their worries. Therefore they approached the Mother with their woes and pains.

valli said...

http://www.templepages.com/bigtemple.html


http://divyadarisanams.blogspot.com/2010/03/big-temple-also-known-as-brahadeeswara.html

http://rohanrrao.wordpress.com/2007/03/06/bragatheeswarar-temple-the-big-temple-tanjore/

http://www.whatisindia.com/opinion/2006/03/wis20060331_the_great_god_of_rajeshwaram.html

Madhumitha said...

Maybe the goddess that came in your dreams, about which you once blogged about, is varahi! The connect seems plausible!

Sumi said...

Very nice to hear that you performed for Varahi in Brahadeeshwar temple. I am from Thanjavur, and my life depends on Varahi. She really is so powerful, and Ashada Navratri celebrations over there is a must see one. My mother was there for your vocal performance, and she said she got a chance to pat congradulate you. She said you sang very well, and was all praises for you. I am sure Varahi will continue to bestow your graces upon you, and many more laurels to come. God bless, way to go !

Sumi

Chaitanya` said...

Did you by any chance get to go on top of the brahadeshwara temple gopuram ? If you didnt.. next time you should probably try it out.. Archeological Dept of India could help you out :)

Vignesh said...

Nice! Must be truly blessed to have gotten the opportunity to sing for the great Brihadeeshwara! :)

Anonymous said...

hi, when you meant "special darshan of the gopuram" - did you get to go into the interiors of the Gopuram ? there is a special staircase that leads into the Gopuram's interior about the garbha graham, the interior has exotic and intricately carved dance postures, these have been replicated as plaster-of-paris dolls and kept inside a museum within the temple premisis..if you had the chance to witness them within the gopuram - then that's divine !

Sathiya said...

Hearing your rendition at temple....wow! Lucky people. Hope mountain God will hear you soon and you visit Himalayas, the most wonderful place:)

wishwa said...

hi chinmayi
how are you? i am your fan and like your songs and your anchor style in vijay airtel super singer, today i read in newspaper that you and rohini going to startone social service... great keep it up

cheers
vishwa

Webby said...

Brihadeshwara Temple is one good example showcasing the pure form of the Dravida type of temple architecture.

(the link inside the post is not working, see if you can fix it)

Ramya said...

Oh thats simply great Chinmayi! Performing in the temple is sumthing beyond everything, tat too Tanjore temple, Awesome! Post sum audio clips if u happened to record it. Absolutely agree with the emptiness u mentioned, have felt it at times too. And gud luck for ur himalayas trip:)

JayV said...

Brahadeeswara Temple is a marvel and to perform in that temple is something to be treasured through out your lifetime..Chinmayi, may Almighty bestow much more showers on you like this! God bless!!

Samuel George said...

I remember after Tanjore show on 30th may, somewhere you wrote "God gave me the talent to sing and I always sing at him". May god bless you. Congrats and wishes too.

Sadanand said...

ya its true, and i always felt peace when i enter any temple, forgetting all my tensions and stress. there is some kind of magic which can be felt,& i feel music is also a god it releavs us from stress.......

By the way i would say tat u visit himalayas when it snow falls.

Vinod said...

Could you pls give the url of your frined who is organisisng the himalayan trek ?

Tamil mani said...

Hi Chinmayi,actually am great of you,your extreme talent,voice modulation and so more...Sorry i couldn’t contact you through twitter..I'm following your blog in recent times and i want to tell you what i wanted to tell..I don't know this is the right place but anyway :)
Really ,I have never seen a singer like this.. Being mad of cine songs , i easily identify which singer is singing this song but you..In each and every song,your voice sounding different and according to the mood of the song..I don't know any singer doing this..In tamil music now ,really you and Shreya Ghosal just blowing me away..Really how could a singer produce that much feelings and emotions in a song without knowing the language and her sweet voice too..Hats off to Shreya Ghosal...With a competitive world in singing field,She just grabbed four national awards at just 26..She is gonna catch up the best Chitra's six soon..But i feel,being able to sing even very tough songs like oru deivam thanthapoove,maya maya with elegance, grace and making it look simple ,You deserve a national award.. you will get it :)..Shreya Ghosal or Chinmayi ?? I'll go with both Thank you...

தமிழனின் கனவுகள் said...

nice to see u in my home town.

Anitha D said...

Wow Chinmayee! The experience at this temple must have been amazing! Hope all your dreams come true! Your fan + well-wisher,
~Anitha~