kartoons

Re-recorded audio

If you'd heard the lessons and couldn't hear them all (keezhstaayi in particular), never fear. They've been re-recorded and should be better now. If you can't sing that low, just remember, practice makes perfect!
Beginner Lessons

Survey
Once again, I ask you to fill out the survey. It takes 5-10 minutes or less. And it does a world of good! And just think, I'll stop asking!
Survey

Little new stuff

Check out the quote of the month at the top of each newsletter. Updates have been make in Links, individual songs, and compositions lists. Links
Updated song
Lyrics

Featured Links

P. Unnikrishnan
You've heard him. This is his very own personal site. Read bios, awards, and listen to some classical and light songs!

Nithyasree Mahadevan
This is this popular singer's personal, official site. Read bios, awards, and listen to 4 Carnatic songs!

Nithyasree Mahadevan
A fan site with reviews, profiles, awards, cassette lists, and more.

If you missed the latest additions or last month's issue, don't worry. All our new stuff is on the site. If you still haven't posted something in our message forum or added a listing to the calendar (now updated), go do it now!

What's new page

NEW Last month, the Priya Sisters regaled you with naadasudha. This month, another very popular singer brings you another Tyagaraja song! Only for newsletter subscribers (that's you) as a special. Listen to the song, read the lyrics, ponder the meaning, all at once.

Also, check out the raga info on naayaki by clicking the name of the raga, or find out more about the composer by clicking on his name! You can find out the difference between naayaki and darbaar at the close ragas page (and read the funny joke Chitravina Ravikiran has to tell about it!)

This month's song is nee bhajana in naayaki, sung by Sudha Raghunathan. Click to read and listen!

Last month, Prof. Ganapathi Subramanian began a journey into the Tyagaraja aradhana of 2002. This month, he completes his commentary, with full translations of the 5 pancaratnams and their introductory song. More details of the glory of Tyagaraja, his music, and the aradhana are given as well. Send us your thoughts on this article, or discuss it in the forum. Click to go to the article.

Trivia answers:
1) Guruvaayur Dorai adapted many new patterns from North Indian music to the South Indian mridangam.

2) Purandara Dasa's first kriti was Mosahodenallo in aThaaNaa

3) This year's Tyagaraja festival is the 156th annual festival at Tiruvaiyaru. (see this month's article!)

And here are few more trivia for you to puzzle over until next time:

a. Who set the tune for the karnaranjani song "Om namO nArAyana"?

b. The ghatam artist Alangudi Ramachandran was very particular about music. What peculiarity did he have with respect to his instrument??