MY FESTIVAL
The ambience bowled me over
Bombay Jayashree
My first brush with the December Festival was in 1982. My mother, who had grown up on kutcheris of vidwans, wanted me to get a feel of this inimitable utsavam. I had just finished school and she sent me to Madras with a friend's family. I remember it was around four in the morning, when the train rolled into the Central Station. I could hear M.S. Subbulakshmi's "Venkatesa Suprabhatam."
I was bowled over by the ambience. It was like the divine talking to me through the voice. As I drove to my host's (an old woman) house in Besant Nagar, I was excited to see the sunrise. Never before had I watched the beautiful spectacle. It was still quite dark when I reached the house, near the Ashtalakshmi temple, where I was going to stay for the next 10 days. For a person used to Bombay's fast-paced life, Madras — the whiff of the fresh morning air, the fragrance of vibhuti, sandal and flowers, music from temples all around, the aroma of pongal and women clad in pattu saris going to temples — was like a land of leisure and beauty. I loved every moment.
Every day, after a breakfast of pongal, some of it packed for the afternoon too, I would take the first bus to reach the Music Academy to attend lecture-demonstrations and recitals.
There I was, a complete stranger to the city, even to the language (I felt Bombay Tamil sounded very different) sitting somewhere in the last row with a pen and notebook. I was overawed seeing and hearing legends, whose names I had heard from my mother. I would take down every little detail. As my host had instructed me to be back home by 4.40 p.m., I would force myself to leave the hall knowing there was so much more to come. Five years after my first visit, I was here in 1987 to participate in the competitions at the Music Academy and even won some prizes.
Then again in 1989, I came to perform and was fortunate enough to stay back and train under the acclaimed violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman. That was the time I felt it was here that my heart lay. Though people still call me Bombay Jayashree, I am now a complete Chennai-ite (15 years since I shifted base).
Since 1992, concerts have taken over my life and I now savour the Season more as a performer than a listener. It is quite enriching to share your knowledge with people and make them happy through music. But I do miss those stress-free and pressure-free days of travelling by 23C and enjoying the Margazhi musical feast. One reason I don't take up too many concerts — to go around like a rasika and attend music and dance recitals.
(As told to CHITRA SWAMINATHAN)
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