Musical Rendezvous: Celebrating Tyagaraja In Paris

Tyagaraja Aradhana is the annual aradhana of Carnatic composer Saint Tyagaraja. Tyagaraja Aradhana needs no introduction to students, practitioners, and patrons of carnatic music. The aradhana is observed on Pushya Bahula Panchami day when the saint attained samadhi. Aradhana is celebrated across the globe at different points in time.

For last three years, Carnatic Conservatory of Paris (CCP) has been organizing annual “Paris Tyagaraja Aradhana” Festivals. This year, it was a feather in the cap for CCP and for Paris Tyagaraja Aradhana, as it was conferred “High Patronage from Embassy of India in France”. The event was successfully conducted on 30th May 2019 at Maison De L’Inde (MDL), Paris, France, in partnership with MDL. About 250 music lovers took part in this festival.

Around 35 musicians contributed to the aradhana through vocals, instruments, and dance. This was one of the largest Carnatic Music festival organised across Europe, and was the largest carnatic music festival in France. The event saw Carnatic music artists from across Europe. The event also brought together people from diverse backgrounds. The event was quite global in nature. One could see an Indian, an European, and a Srilankan sitting together to cherish an Australian, or a Taiwanese present Carnatic Music, in France.

“It is very nice to see that Carnatic Conservatory of Paris is bringing together all lovers of Indian culture onto the same stage. Its contribution to society is much appreciated. We wish Bhavana, and Pradyumna more success. We assure them of our continued support”, said Vijay Pandey, 3rd Secretary at Embassy of India in France, in his address to the audience. Vasundhara Kavali-Filliozat, a noted author, historian, and an archeologist introduced the audience to a brief history of Carnatic Music (Karnataka Sangeeta), and of saint Purandara dasa. “As an establishment dedicated to promoting peace by fostering cultural and academic exchanges between peoples and countries, the Maison de l'Inde, part of the prestigious and unique Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, was very happy to host the "Tyagaraja Aradhana" organised by the Carnatic Conservatory of Paris, with the High Patronage of the Embassy of India in France.

The hall overflowing with Indian and non-Indian families and students was ample evidence of the attraction of this pure effusion of Carnatic music. We hope that this act of devotion and appreciation towards one of the greatest composers of Indian classical music will continue to grace our hall for years to come.” said Sowmyalakshmi RASIKA, Director of the Maison de l'Inde

Bhavana Pradyumna- Founder President of the Carnatic Conservatory of Paris (CCP), Paris, France, and Pradyumna Kandadai- Founder Secretary of the CCP has been enthusiastically spreading the joy of Indian Carnatic Music, across Europe. Bhavana is also the founder/promoter of two of the most popular fb pages (Indian Carnatic music in paris and Carnatic Conservatory of Paris) serving Indian music and dance.

CCP conducts two flagship annual events “Paris Tyagaraja Aaradhana” and “Nritya Naada”. These two events are leveraged to provide a platform for all Carnatic music lovers and Indian Classical dance lovers to come together and celebrate Carnatic music and Indian classical dance.

In the past 4 years, CCP has conducted seven events across two countries and has provided an opportunity to more than thirty artists, across seven different nationalities, to perform at these flagship events. CCP provides scholarships for students to gain access to high quality Carnatic music learning. Through such endeavors, Bhavana Pradyumna aims to embody CCP’s objective “To Promote Diversity and Harmony through Music and Dance”. Earlier, CCP was blessed to celebrate “Saint Tyagaraja’s (one of the Trinities of Carnatic Music) 250th year birth anniversary”, and to pay tribute to “Bharat Ratna MS Subbulakshmi”, on her centenary birth anniversary.

Bhavana Pradyumna teaches Carnatic music to many students in Paris through Individual, Group, and SKYPE classes. To further spread the beauty of Carnatic music, CCP aspires to create more platforms where Students, Touring artists, and Senior artists from across the globe could present highest quality of blissful Indian Carnatic music, and Indian dance forms, to European audience.