Andavan Pichai Bhajan Mandali
Andavan Pichai Bhajan Mandali was formed by Smt. Kamakshi Kuppuswamy, daughter of Sri. Andavan Pichai. With the blessings of her mother, Sri Andavan Pichai, Kamakshi Kuppuswamy started the Andavan Pichai Bhajan Mandali and taught her songs to a loyal group of singers well-versed in Carnatic Music. The melody and appropriate ragas chosen by Kamakshi Kuppuswamy, keeping the mood of the song in mind, have made these songs memorable. She brought out a set of her songs every year for over 3 decades. While her mother did compose tunes for many of her kritis, more than 80% of the songs have been composed by Kamakshi Kuppuswamy. All she sought to do was to bring out the beauty and essence of her mother’s songs. She took painstaking effort to bring out the songs, so that many may sing them for generations to come.
All these songs and many more are being continuously brought out by Kamakshi Kuppuswamy’s daughter Meera Prakash in the form of CDs and on You Tube, which were sung by the Mandali members in various venues. Many of the members have been there from the inception of the Mandali like: Bharati, Raji, Jayanti, Uma, Indra, Nirmala, Meena, and Sumati. Others who were with the Mandali for over 25 years, but have attained Mukti include: Selvam Subramanmiam, Sasikala Shankar, Manorama, Smt. Janaki Rajagopalan and Smt. Vaidehi on the harmonium, Sri Y.G. Sundar on the tabla. Indeed the Mandali would not have succeeded without the support and time devoted by all the Mandali members.
The Mandali has performed at the Thirupadi Devasthanam, Tirutani Devasthanam, Ramanashram, Sivananda Ashram - Rishikesh, Janakaranjani Sabha – Kumbhakonam, Karthik Fine Arts, Mylapore Fine Arts, Nungambakam Cultural Academy, Indian Fine Arts, Music Academi and temples all over south India.
Kamakshi has received accolades from many Sabhas and from listeners all over the world for her compositions. Even at age 85, she had an unmatched tonal quality and clarity. This is simply due to the fact that she was a woman of few words and truly immersed in her art. She was humble and self-effacing. Kamakshi Kuppuswamy is also a well known composer. When she sang her Virutams (slow and delineated rendition of a verse), it was natural to close your eyes and simply absorb her melodious voice, nuances and the emotions coming from the depths of her being. All compositions of Kamakshi Kuppuswamy are unique,. Two of Kamakshi’s compositions: Ayiram Koti Namaskaram Saigiren and Kanda Kanda Kanda yendru take the listener to a sur-real plane. Likewise her rendering of bhajans like ‘Hara Hara Hara Mahadeva’, Bhandugano and He Jag Trata take one closer to the Divine. Her rendition of Kamala Lochana along with her daughter Meera (uploaded on You Tube – Link given below) is melodious and soothing.
It’s been the ardent hope of Smt. Kamakshi Kuppuswamy and the Andavan Pichai Bhajan Mandali members, that young people would take up these songs and propagate them, while maintaining the integrity of the lyrics and the tunes. This would be their tribute to the great soul, Sri Andavan Pichai.
It is also the ardent hope of Smt. Kamakshi Kuppuswamy’s daughters that whoever sings these songs, not only Andavan Pichai Kritis, but also Kamakshi Kuppuswamy’s own compositions, pays tribute to not only Sri Andavan Pichai for the lyrics, but also acknowledges Smt. Kamakshi Kuppuswamy as the one who composed the music.
PLEASE NOTE: All compositions of Sri Andavan Pichai and Kamakshi Kuppuswamy are copyrighted by the family of Sri. Andavan Pichai. All rights are held by Ms. Meera Prakash Grand daughter of Sr. Andavan Pichai and daughter of Smt. Kamakshi Kuppuswamy.
