Krishna Jayanthi Special - alaipayude" on nadaswaram rendered by the Sembanar Kovil Maestros

The month of August marks an important transition in India's festival calendar for it brings with it a long line up of festivals and religious and secular holidays. In this context, coming up today is the annual celebration of Krishna Janmashtami.

Krishna, Achyuta, Keshava, Madhava, Mukunda, Janardhana, Damodara, Govinda, Murari, Guruvayoorappa...innumerable names that adorn that Supreme Being, revered, adored and celebrated by celestial, sages and mortals alike.

The tales of Krishna never cease to enthrall no matter how many times one reads or listens to them. What then needs to be said when Krishna, the Hero of the Bhagavatha Mahapurana is verily brought before our very eyes through the works of talented artistes across different genres?

Kalakendra is very happy to bring to you an exciting array of sloka-s, poetry, music, dance, and story-telling to commemorate this Krishna Jayanthi.

We bring to you on this special day:

a simple and elegant rendition of the Narayanopanisat by renowned yoga master, TKV Desikachar
Oothukadu's immortal, "alaipayude" on nadaswaram rendered by the Sembanar Kovil Maestros
a delightful musical discourse by U Ve. Dushyant Sridhar that transports you to the holy shrine of Guruvayoor and brings before you the vision of Krishna experienced by Narayana Bhattadri
choice excerpts from Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam's master piece, "Krishnaya Tubhyam Namah"
"Mathurya Murali, " an exposition of the traditional Tarangam in the Kuchupudi format by leading danseuse, Uma Muralikrishna
A stirring flute rendition of Thyagaraja's Ganamurthe by Flautist Jayaprada Ramamurthi
Tukaram's Sundarathe Dhyan in the golden voice of O S Arun
Madhuram -- an excerpt from the collaborative works of the hugely successful duo, Classical Pianist Anil Srinivasan and Classical Vocalist, Sikkil Gurucharan