Kum. Aishwarya Lakshmi is scheduled to give a grand vocal concert at the Sri Subha Sidhivinayaka Mandhir, Concert Hall on the 1st of November 2008 (Saturday) at 6:30 PM onwards. This event is cosponsored by the Music Society “Issai Kudumbam” (issaikudumbam@gmail.com). This is part of the forthcoming Skanda Shasti Music Festival. Artists providing accompaniments are Sri. R. Sridhar on the violin and Sri. Lalgudi SriGanesh on the mridangam.
Ms. Aishwarya Lakshmi is indeed a child prodigy from Delhi (India) and for her age has evinced a stunning success not only in her academics but also in her passionate pursuit in the learning and practice of Carnatic music.
Initiated into Carnatic music at the age of 4 years her first solo performance at the age of 7 for 45 minutes at Kalkaji. She has been learning music from Smt. Padmavathi Natesan a very renowned and respected Music Teacher from Delhi.
She has won first prizes in competitions conducted in honor of various great composers like Thyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar by various organizations and several other forums on various occasions. Kum. Lakshmi has given as many as 35 concerts at various places in Delhi & Chennai. This is notwithstanding the stiff demands of the basic academic-schooling responsibilities.
Some of the events covered by her include the inaugural function of Tamil magazine Vadakku Vaasal at Delhi Tamil Sangam on 02.04.06., Brahma Gana Sabha, Chennai, Bala Brahmam programme of Jaya TV produced in association with Issai Mazhalai of Shri Abaswaram Ramjee for the years 2007 (telecast on 26.7.07) . This could be viewed in www.youtube.com/carnaticsangeetham. Please go to Delhi Aishwarya Lakshmi which is in 4 parts. She has also performed for this year 2008 which is yet to be telecast.
Now a few words about the Skanda Shasti Festival:
The perennial and omnipresent theme in all Indian Mythology is that of the Victory of Good over the Evil. Whereas it’s a matter of glory and mercy that we are born as Human beings, fact remains that the Humans weave their own destiny with their built in human potentials. The options are infinite the paths and environments mystic and challenging. Evil crops in as assuredly as the weeds in the garden.
Well, all the Festivals in India focus on the Grand deliverance from the trauma created by the Evil on the humans and how it is the Good that is begot by the karuna of the merciful almighty.
Skanda Sashti, the sixth day in the bright half of the month of Aippasi (Oct 15 – Nov 15), is celebrated in Saivite temples all over Tamilnadu and elsewhere (but now not yet in the Moon as Temples are yet to be built there) and with an extra measure of grandeur in temples dedicated to Subramanya. Skanda Sashti commemorates the destruction of evil by the Supreme General Kartikeya, son of Shiva, and is celebrated with the dramatic enactment of Soora Samhaaram.
Music is a part and parcel of such festivals and all are welcome.
Author: Dr. Saroja Raman
Dr. Saroja Raman is a vocalist who has been pursuing Carnatic music from the age of 7. She has a Doctorate PhD in Music from the Delhi University, India
