Neyveli Santhanagopalan's vocal concert in Margazhi Maha Utsavam, Jaya TV, 2013

On 27th Friday 2014, Jaya TV’s major highlight was the Carnatic musical concert (vocal) of Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan. The theme ‘Sa Pa Sa’ was absolutely visible throughout his renditions that he would delineate in specific parts of the song. The concert started with Sri Thyagaraja’s ‘Girirajasutha’ in the raga Bangala of Lord Ganapathy. The meaningful song along-with the matured singing of Sri Santhanagopalan really reflected the theme with a pure Shruti gradient.

His keen answer to the question about some ragas not possessing Panchamam (Pa) part was very impressive. Sri Santhanagopalan affirmed that there will be a ‘Pa’ in all ragas. Taking two Swaras from the scale of raga Abhogi that sound as ‘Sa Pa’ in basic scale correspondingly, he elucidated the presence of ‘Sa Pa’ in a raga.

Before singing the second song, Sri Santhanagopalan sang a small expressive part of the raga and asked the audience if they got any idea. It was ‘Nannu kannathalli’ in the raga Sindhukannada. The humble explanation of each raga before the start of the songs in the concert gave the audience enlightenment into its different aspects to listen with a sizable degree of involvement.

‘Eppadi manam’ in Hussaini raga threw light on Devi Sita’s depressed state for not being considered when Lord Sriram took the decision to leave for forests. Then Sri Santhanagopalan explained the situation at which Sri Tyagaraja sang the song ‘Vina naasakoni yunnanura’. He was asking Lord Rama in the raga Pratapavarali the reason for not been fortunate to witness his marriage with Sita that Sri Bharatha and Anjaneya had.

Sri Santhanagopalan then opened his mind on how freely he was interacting with the audience. Jaya TV was like his own home and he would share his thoughts with the audience before singing there. He emphasized the fact that Sri Tyagaraja had talked to Lord Rama through music.

‘Vinana’ of Sri Tyagaraja in the raga Jingla ended the concert. Sri Tyagaraja was telling Lord Rama that he is an orphan as he is the head of himself through this song. The explanation of the situations as well as ragas very politely and maintaining the rapport with the audience is a veritable quality of this Carnatic Music genius Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan.

Neyveli Santhanagopalan is an acclaimed Carnatic vocalist who respects and follows pure music. He is honored with several awards from music associations and is also a good teacher who educates the different aspects of the elements of Raga or Sruti in certain shows in Jaya TV. His puristic style of elaborating Ragas with creativity preserves the quality of Carnatic music.