In Carnatic music, the dominance of Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Thiruvaiyyaru is such that people tend to forget the other great centres of music. One among these is the area around Mayuram/Mayiladuthurai. This is the heartland of the Nayanmars and the Azhwars. It is also here the Ramaswami Dikshitar, Ghanam Krishna Iyer, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Gopalakrishna Bharathi and Mayuram Vedanayagam Pillai composed.
Central to this historic trail is Mayuram with its grand temple to Abhayamba and Mayuranathaswami. En route to it from Chennai is Chidambaram with its magnificent shrine to Nataraja. On the other side of the river is Vallalar Koil, home to Vadanyeswarar and Gnanambika. A short distance away is Thiruindalur with its temple to Parimala Ranganatha. There is besides a tiny niche of a temple where Muthuswami Dikshitar composed his Kari Kalabha Mukham. Not far from here is Thiruvidaimarudur aka Madhyarjunam with its temple to Mahalingaswami and Brhatsundarakucambika. Waiting at the gate is the Brahmahathi, ready to pounce anybody it takes a fancy to. There is also the crumbling palace of Amarasimha, regent Maharajah of Thanjavur, which once echoed to the music of Ghanam Krishna Iyer.
Come, join historian Sriram V on a tour of this artistic region. To regale us with the music of the area, we have star singer Amritha Murali accompanying us.
Details:
Dates: September 7 to 9, 2018
Travel: By AC Luxury Coach from Chennai
Stay: At Lakshmi Vilas, Chidambaram, and Mantra, Vepathoor (rooms on twin sharing basis)
Fare: Rs 21,000 per person
Payment to be made to the following bank details:
Account Name : Past Forward
Account Type : Current
Bank Name : The Federal Bank Ltd
A/c No : 12820200104237
Branch : Royapettah
IFSC CODE : FDRL0001282
If you still prefer paying the heritage way, do drop in at our office between 9.30 am and 5.30 pm Monday to Friday and pay by cheque (payable to Past Forward) or cash. Address is given below:
c/o HVK Systems,
2&3, Bhattad Tower
30, Westcott Road,
Royapettah, Chennai 600014
Cancellation/Refund: 25% will be forfeited if cancelled by August 15th. No refunds after that date. In the event of the tour being cancelled by us due to unforeseen circumstances, we will refund the full amount.
U r now Starting this new good one like that every district has music tradition so u take every district
Why can’t the music fraternity mobilise funds to restore the ruined palace of Amara simha at Thiruvidaimarudur.? Until then the conducted tours mean very little. Can we start thinking of restoring our Heritage sites?
This is not public property for us to talk of restoration. The owners sold it years back and the present occupant is happy stripping it of what it has. It is only by highlighting such places through conducted tours that we can bring the plight of such places to light.
O.K. What about focussing on public properties?
That we are doing already. You want to read what we do at Madras Musings