A unique concert experience titled Jyotirgamaya, presented by Live4You and SciArtsRUs, transformed the historic Museum Theatre in Chennai into a haven of music and serenity. Featuring a blend of emerging and established artists, the four-day series sought to create an ambience of stillness and reflection through candlelight and curated performances.

“Generally, concerts happen in a typical auditorium. We wanted to do it in a different venue, and the Museum Theatre is more like an opera hall. The concerts had ambient lighting with candles and diyas,” shared RSV Prakash, founder and chairperson of Live4You.

The stage was lit with soft glow of candles—became the perfect setting for music that radiated warmth and tranquillity.

Early evenings highlighted promising collaborations among young artists, followed by late evening performances from established and acclaimed masters.

Day One

The first concert of this unique four-day  Jyothirgamaya festival was by keyboard artist Adithya Venkatesh, well supported by Sunil Kumar on khanjira. Adithya charmed the audience with his soulful renditions of popular and melodious numbers.The highlight was the presentation of Nalinakanti raga with Tyagaraja kriti Manavyalakinchara.Aditya also presented two ragapravahams one in Nata Bhairavi and the other in Sindhu Bhairavi both composed by vidwan Kumaresh Rajagopalan.

One got a feeling that strings can sing too. Mandolin artist Viswas Hari and vainika Charulatha Chandrasekar gave an outstanding concert. The gamaka of veena, a native South Indian vadhyam and the melody of  mandolin, an Italian origin instrument was a perfect combination that engaged the audience through the entire length of the concert. The duo brought out the tranquility by playing Hemavathi, the 58th melakarta raga. As expected, Sri Kanthimathim by Muthuswami Dikshitar was rendered with finesse, followed by well-structured swaraprastharams. Percussion support by Kaushik Sridhar and Vidwan Hari Kishore on the khanjira complemented the main artists perfectly. The duo also presented the kritis Deva Deva Kalayamite – Mayamalavagowla and Pahimam Sree Rajarajeshwari – Janaranjani with aplomb.

Eminent duo Ranjani and Gayatri opened the festival in the evening with a concert that beautifully reflected the theme of light. They began with Karunanidhiye in Bauli—a raga associated with sunrise—by Papanasam Sivan. The line “arunodayam kandal aghalum pani iruLpol” (as the morning sun dispels mist and darkness) served as a symbolic invocation of illumination in the candle-lit setting.

The sisters maintained a serene mood with ragas such as Sahana and Brindavana Saranga. A highlight of the evening was their self-composed pallavi in Jyothiswaroopini—Irule Illada Arul Tha Amma Jyothiswaroopini Agathil—aptly echoing the festival’s motif of light overcoming darkness. L. Ramakrishnan’s violin accompaniment was outstanding—subtle yet deeply expressive—while Sai Giridhar on mridangam and Ghatam Krishna provided balanced rhythmic support that complemented the tranquil atmosphere.

Day Two

Nanditha Kannan and Shakthi Muralidharan opened the concert with a Tyagaraja kriti Bala kanakamaya in Athana raga, followed by Dikshitar's Mohana raga kriti Narasimha aagacha. Saranga raga kriti Arunachala natham of Muthuswami Dikshitar was rendered beautifully in the apt kala pramanam. An elaborate Todi raga alapana followed by Papanasam Sivan's master piece Kartikeya gangeya was rendered with sahitya bhavam and the swara kalpana was well sung.Violinist M Vijay's matured support enhanced the quality of this concert. Impressive percussion support was given by Pazhani Balaji.

The next concert by duo Shruthi Shankar Kumar and Madhuri Kaushik was dedicated to vidushi M.S. Subbulakshmi  on her birth anniversary. The duo began their recital with a brisk Varanamukha Va by Koteeswara Iyer in Hamsadhwani, followed by Janani Ninnu Vina by Subbaraya Sastri in Reetigaula and Tyagaraja’s Shambho Mahadeva in Pantuvarali. They then presented a ragam–tanam–pallavi in Bhairavi, featuring an impressive alapana by both vocalists and violinist Srimaya Mantha. The pallavi line, Amba Madurai Meenakshi Mam Pahi Devi, was rendered with poise, camaraderie, and finesse. Mridanga vidwan Aduthurai Guruprasad provided sensitive and steady support throughout. The concert concluded with Bhaja Govindam by Adi Sankara.

The second day evening featured Sikkil Gurucharan (vocal), Anil Srinivasan (piano), and Sumesh Narayan (mridangam). Their presentation traversed diverse soundscapes—beginning in Carnatic music and crossing into Hindustani, Western classical, folk, Bengali, and Rabindra Sangeet. Familiar strains evoked nostalgic responses from the audience, recalling voices such as Saigal, Ilayaraja, and A.R. Rahman alongside the verses of Irayaman Thampi and Jayadeva. Gurucharan’s voice was in fine form—resonant and fluid—while Anil’s piano created an elegant counterpoint, each instrument enhancing the other. Sumesh’s understated rhythm lent quiet strength to the duo’s contemplative flow.

Day Three

Deepika and Nandhika Venkatraman opened the concert with the Athana raga varnam Ambikayin mahimai of vidwan Neyveli Santhanagopalan. The highlight of the evening was an impressive Varali raga alapana by the duo accompanied ably by the young violinist Siva Teja Mallajosyula. Karuna Jooda vama that followed was rendered very well. Mridangam artist Kishore Ramesh's anticipation with soft strokes enhanced the quality of the concert. The duo sang a tillana in Mand raga to conclude their segment.

Vocalists Prithvi Harish and Niranjan Dindodi displayed remarkable synchronisation, which was the highlight of their collaboration. After presenting compositions in Mayamalavagowla and Begada, the duo rendered the rarely heard Padavini of Tyagaraja in Salakabhairavi with assurance. The pièce de résistance was Sankarabharanam, where their open-throated singing brought out the raga’s essence and nuances beautifully, leading into Syama Sastry’s immortal kriti Sarojadalanetri. Co-artists M. Vijay on violin and Kaushik Sridhar on mridangam provided strong, empathetic support, earning well-deserved applause along with the main performers.

Vidwan Ramakrishnan Murthy’s concert on the third day evening carried a thematic hue—red—marking both Tuesday, the day of Angaraka, and the 250th birth anniversary of Nada Jyoti Muthuswami Dikshitar. His selection of compositions—Sree Dhum Durge in Sri Ranjani and Sadachaleswaram in Bhoopalam—was devotional and resonant with the spirit of the day. L. Ramakrishnan once again impressed with his sensitive bowing, while N.C. Bharadwaj (mridangam) and Sunil Kumar (khanjira) provided precise and aesthetic rhythmic support.

The dance performances

Day Four

Mahati Kannan and Ramya Venkataraman’s Bharatanrityam recital opened with pushpanjali, a composition of vidwan. M. Balamuralikrishna, featuring thatthakara composed by Bharatanrityam exponent and their Padma Subrahmanyam, in Aarabhi and Adi tala, praising Lord Ganesa, Hanuman, and Krishna. This was followed by Aadikondar by Muthuthandavar in Mayamalavagaula, also a choreography of Padma Subrahmanyam.

Ramya presented the javali Sandarpam Ariyamal in Behag (Adi), portraying Lord Muruga as the Nayaka, while Mahati performed Poguvaduchitave by Purandaradasa in Natakurinji, with choreography and music by Padma Subrahmanyam. The recital concluded with a Durga Lakshmi Saraswati vandanam, featuring verses of Adi Sankara in praise of the divine Saktis, symbolising protection, prosperity, and knowledge.

The final day evening featured Anitha Guha’s Bharathanjali, presenting Parishvanga Pattabhishekam, a Bharatanatyam dance-drama inspired by the Kishkindha and Sundara Kandas of the Ramayana. The production traced the tender moment of Rama’s embrace of Hanuman—an act symbolising devotion fulfilled and service sanctified.

With choreography by Anitha Guha and music and lyrics by Neyveli Santhanagopalan, the performance unfolded with elegance and clarity. The dancers brought alive the moods and transitions—from the earthy tones of Kishkindha to the vibrant splendour of Lanka—through well-knit choreography and expressive abhinaya. Hanuman’s leaps, the crossing to Lanka, and the final reunion were portrayed with grace and restraint, making for a fitting conclusion to the candlelit celebration of light and spirit.

By

Narayanan Vedantham & Sukanya Sankar