Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan is a name that changed the scene for Tamil folk songs. In an age when film songs have taken over the music industry, Vijayalakshmi recorded Tamil folk songs on cassettes making it a favourite of Tamil Nadu. Folk songs enjoy popularity only in the places they have sprung out from. In the 1990s, with the release of Vijayalakshmi’s Tamil folk song cassettes, a huge commercial market opened up for Tamil folk songs. Her extraordinary contribution to Tamil folk music gained her the nation’s fourth-highest civilian award, Padma Shri, in 2018. 

Reviving The Spirit of the Past

Compiling folk songs is not an easy task as they arise from a particular region and pass around from one generation to another, without any written recordings. The spirit of folk songs lies in this oral transmission among people. Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan took upon herself the task of researching, reviving and recording the precious gems of Tamil folk art. Years of research went behind her every song of hers, but she was successful in bringing the folk songs heard in remote villages to the lips of the city dwellers. That is where Vijayalakshmi’s research bears fruition. 

Her husband, Navaneethakrishnan played a huge role in her folk art research. They understood each other’s passion for folk music during their days in Madurai Kamarajar University. Together, they brought out several albums of authentic Tamil folk songs. Even after retirement as professors from the Department of Folk Arts and Culture, the couple continued with their efforts to revive Tamil folk art. Connoisseurs and lovers of folk music seek them out to conduct performances. 

Vijayalaksmi Navaneethakrishnan’s Success

With the release of her cassettes, her folk songs became immensely popular in Tamil Nadu. You cannot find Tamilians who haven’t hummed “Thottu kadai orathile” even once. It is not just entertaining lyrics that make her songs popular. It is also the diversity and variations Vijayalakshmi introduces with each song. She could easily digress from talking about food to love in a single song. We see that in “Jothinila pola appam”. Her songs are also packed with information and scientific themes as in “Yettu anu oru immi”. ‘Gummipaattu’ by Vijayalaksmi is also highly favoured by people, without which Amman temple festivities are incomplete. Her songs have made appearances in some movies along with her. 

Vijayalakshmi’s Contribution to Folk Art

Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan would remain a pivotal figure in Tamil folk art as long as it remains. Folk music is an art that we see dying off quietly in today’s age of pop culture. If not for people like Vijayalakshmi and her husband, Navaneethakrishnan, Tamil folk songs would have become a thing of the distant past. They remind us to grab hold of our rich folk heritage, celebrate it and savour it. 

The flute is one of the oldest musical instruments, and the first wind instrument. With the utterance of the word ‘Flute’, one immediately recalls Lord Krishna. It is believed that the world was created through the beautiful sound of Lord Krishna’s flute, and since then Flute has been equated with freedom and love. A flute produces sound by the steady stream of air vibrating through it. The air stream around the holes of the instrument play with the air inside the hollow cavity of the flute, causing vibrations and ultimately producing sounds. No wonder that playing full fledged songs and music on this instrument must require thorough practice and a clear mindset. The presence of the flute and its music is now dominant. It is used in films, orchestras, bands, jazz, classical, folk, etc. 

This versatile instrument requires skillful mastery to perfect the varied musical notes. A flutist not only blows the air but also has to control one’s breathing accordingly. Moreover, the instrument also needs to be held at correct angles. In this light, we bring you some beautiful flutists and their music. 

O Sajna Flute Cover – Varun Kumar

Varun Kumar takes us on a nostalgic ride with his heart touching flute cover of ‘O Sajna’ by Salil Chowdhury and Lata Mangeshkar. Along with the music by Varun’s flute, we also get blends of tabla, sitar and key. Covering a song as beautiful as O Sajna, which was backed by Lata Mangeshkar’s vocals, is no doubt a very difficult task. However, Varun proves everyone wrong, and delivers a soulful cover. The cover has a merriment and calmness to it.

Krishna Theme – Lakhinandan Lahon

Lakhinandan Lahon, through his flute, has the ability to leave his listeners speechless. This Krishna Theme flute composition is just one example. All one can say is that he must be one of the reincarnations of Lord Krishna, to be able to produce this beautiful and hypnotizing flute music. It is divine, refreshing, and soulful. It is quite humanly impossible to not have goosebumps all over your body while listening to it. 

Awaaz Do Humko Hum Kho Gaye – Divyansh Shrivastava 

Another cover on an evergreen song, Awaaz Do Humko, by the flutist Divyansh Shrivastava. The music which Divyansh and his flute produce is angelic. It is the perfect instrumental to close your eyes to and listen during a beautiful downpour. The cover for sure has healing properties!

My Heart Will Go on Flute Cover – Rahul Krishnan 

My Heart Will Go on holds a special place in almost everyone’s hearts. It is reminiscent of the famous movie Titanic and the love between Rose and Jack. The song is heavenly and beautiful, and Rahul Krishnan delivers this cover in all its truest essence. The cover is mystical and retains all the emotions attached to the song. An instrumental cover which is definitely one of the ‘on-loop’ covers.

Poetries that seep through the cracked walls of the heart and enlighten the attic therein. The echo that parallels the beats inside the cages, touches it and heals it. The emotions that trickle to lace the lines of the poetries, and wonderfully resemble the submerged feelings of ours. Sometimes the lines make us plunge into the ocean of love, at other times it questions the existing injustices. It never escapes to enchant and spellbind us with its magic. How remarkably we dive into the lines and brimming emotions, enter into the labyrinth of incredibly knitted words that lift our spirits and beep the minds. Sometimes we smile through it, at other times tears dribble through the cheeks. Out of the castles of fantasy, to the stark reality, it wraps all that is within. Here are two exceptional pieces of poetry fully equipped to resonate with the unexpressed emotions underneath the niche of our hearts.  

There is someone for everyone by Sainee Raj: The composition of resplendent verses and the magnificent recitation of it made us swoon over the lines. 

She captured the intangible and intricate feelings in her verses and poured out the spell-working effect onto us. Love, the feeling that gives butterflies in the stomach, that makes the heart skip a beat. The exceptional verses and the majestic recitation made us eulogised. The impeccable use of metaphors to describe the most beautiful feeling spells magic onto us. From the sharing of magpies to losing ourselves in the wonderland the lines lured the fantasies. Be it the love at first sight, or the love after the heartbreak, meeting the right person is always special. Some of us long to meet the person the destiny has designated for us, while some are with the smithereens of heart smeared with hopelessness. Sainee’s verses have an escape for all. There is someone who has been carved for us and is destined to meet us. For the ones who have lost the fond hope, or the ones who are reeling in this abode this poem will relish all the hearts. The poem ends with a smile on our faces and an imprint on our hearts. Sainee has taken us through these topsy-turvy aisles, rekindling the joy, and reawakening the hope of finding our “perfect match’’. As she enthrallingly recited ‘every moon has its sky’ and ‘coming home to someone who is yet to be known’ our utopias leapt and bounced. This poem whispered to the lonesome hearts ‘And there is someone out there, someone for everyone’.

Next Time Ladka Hoga by Divya Chaudhary: The astounding storytelling skills smashing the prevailing misogyny. 

Divya Chaudhary rose to challenge the benchmarks set by patriarchy. Divya highlighted the injustices prevailing in society through the stories, citing her own experiences. How the clutches of patriarchy have been ingrained in the minds, how the family without a male child is considered incomplete. The aspiration for gender equality moans in despair when inequality exhibits itself in every niche. Her story started with an example from the most famous movie ‘Dangal’ and ended with the most famous ‘dialogue’. Rhythmically moving through the verses, she brought forth a crucial segment of injustices and inequalities pertaining which made us rethink the biases. How she has always stood for what is right and has conquered the so-called dogmas of society that give rise to the unequal ambience, she rightly expounds through the lines. Putting forth real-life examples from various sectors, where gender inequality has been pumping itself ostentatiously. This has put up a big question mark on the mindsets and a big hurdle onto the abode of gender-neutrality. Sometimes through satire at other times intrepidly ridiculing it, she has equivocally challenged the mindsets. The closing line ’Gold is gold whether a male earns it or a female’ smashes the patriarchy. 

Artists and listeners explore music in diversely unique ways. There are a plethora of genres for us to discover and listen to. There can never be enough music compositions, or enough songs, or enough lyrics produced. Indie Musicians and Artists are rising to the same stage as the mainstream music industry, and this has nothing to do with wins or losses, but the unique musical art and new talent being discovered and explored by the audience.

Production of a song, from its lyricism to composition, it is surely a tedious task. However, with passion and determination, all beautiful things rise and reach people’s hearts. A music lover is often on the lookout for either the instrumentals or the lyrics, or maybe both. Therefore, in this light, we would like to drop the spotlight on indie musicians Girish Nakod and Aakritti Mehra, and their originals, offering both the pleasures of lyricism and music.

Girish Nakod – Pyaar Ya Khata

Call it absurd, but what is the human race if not continued attempts at loving each other? Our very human essence is ‘love’. Girish Nakod, a lyricist, a composer and a singer, serves the very beautiful single ‘Pyaar Ya Khata’. Narrating the poetic lyrics surrounding the bewitching and exquisite waves of emotions of falling in love, it questions this blissful and too good to be true feelings as love or sin. The lyrics are quite simple, yet with a depth that heightens the listening experience. You’d want to physically absorb the words. This song will be a perfect dedication to someone who’s your ‘my person’.

Aakritti Mehra – Saiyaan Mora Beyimaan 

This soulful original music by Aakritti is a heavenly composition of enthralling vocals, calming fusion of instruments and lyrics. The song begins with an Indian classic touch instrumental, which seems to be a blend of tabla and flute. The stretched instrumental music before Aakritti’s heavenly voice takes over will already make you mesmerized by its soothing and rousing weight. Aakritti’s sweet vocals dreamily synchronize with the rhythms of the music. Saiyaan Mora Beyimaan should definitely be in the playlists of all Indian Classical Music enthusiasts!

The passion, emotions and ardor groove out from the heart to disguise themselves in the dance moves. Dance is a treat for the eyes and soup for the soul. Eyes glued, heart reverberating and feet syncing with the steps, it makes us lose into a different denizen. Sometimes tickling the fantasies at other times fuelling us with passion, dance never escapes catering for the heart. Here are these extremely gifted kids, who make us astounded with their steps. From semi-classical to Bollywood, they have resplendently unfolded their talents. These juveniles showing up on stage will make our chests imbibe the pride, and the enchantment will seep through the heart. Please welcome them with a big round of applause! 

Nainika and Thanaya

The energetic steps of Nainika and Thanaya made us stand in awe. The moves synced with the beats and the expression up to the mark. Their grooves on the Telugu song Saami Saami from the album Pushpa-The Rise has set the stage on fire. Their impeccable makeover and the background have further added to the effect. The synchronization with the beats and coordination with each other is stupendous. They have captured the intricate steps flawlessly. They will undoubtedly make you jump off your seats in admiration.  Hats Off to these incredible pieces of talent! Head towards this absolute masterpiece. 

Ishanvi Hegde

The team Laasya presented to us another package of knacks, Ishanvi Hegde. Ishanvi has astounded us with her remarkable performance on the track Kanha Soja Zara from Bahubali-2. She has performed semi-classical Bollywood style impeccably. The captivating countenance and the flawless performance has made our eyes glued to her. The exuberant skills at the age of 4, is unbelievable! Her traditional attire has further adorned the ambience. She has a plethora of talent! It indeed is a commendable performance. She will make your jaws drop in awe. What are you waiting for? Give a treat to your eyes, head on to a wonderful performance.

Aditri

Here is another epitome of brilliance, Aditri. The tiny bundle of excellence, her dainty steps on 52 Gaj ka Daman has woven us with awe. The touch of tradition in her attire and props has enhanced the effect. The cinematography and choreography have also reached the heights of perfection. Energetic moves, flawless grooves and adorable expressions, she is a complete package! You won’t be able to take your eyes off her. All you would be able to say after the performance is ‘’Once More’’. Move on to watch this incredible talent.