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| Edited By: Shali Pinto |Source: DNA |Updated: May 10, 2015, 04:09 PM IST
The name 72/35 Southern Street finds its roots in Carnatic tradition. It refers to the 72 melakarta ragas that form the fundamental set of melodic structures and 35 talams or rhythmic beats—the underlying principles of Carnatic music.
Band member K.G. Vishwanath proclaims, “We are enthusiastic evangelisers of Carnatic music and our street imbibes a sense of belonging by following a culture of developing and propagating this very essence of Carnatic music—but with a difference.”
Interact, entertain and educate
According to Ashutosh Tyagi, Chair-Art and Culture, Harvard Club Mumbai (HCM), “The purpose of the event was to expose the alumni community to Carnatic music in an inclusive and exciting format so that we can appreciate the richness of certain aspects of our Indian culture to which our exposure (so far) might have been limited.”
When catering to such an esteemed member base, the HCM organises events on topics as diverse as business, education, entrepreneurship, skill development, spirituality and more. “Overall, it was a phenomenal experience both as an organiser and as an audience,” enthuses Vibha Kagzi, Founder and CEO, ReachIvy.
Beenu Bawa, Director Good Earth, adds, “Good Earth designs are a celebration of our crafts and culture, so it follows that our events would be centered on the same values and interests. We are always exploring new ways to share our tradition, culture and statements of style with our fans.”
The evangelists
All band members come from varied walks of life, striking different notes but creating perfect harmony. Each band member has the ability to comprehend most genres of music and thereby, execute multiple roles.
B. Anantharaman, aka Ravi, is a software professional and the senior lead violinist and composer. He has been performing in kutcheris, violin solo concerts, jugalbandis, fusion concerts and dance programmes in India and abroad.
To the aviation industry, he is K.G. Vishwanath but to the world of music, he is Sriram Gopalakrishnan. A Chartered Accountant and ex-strategy head of Jet Airways, Sriram is a trained classical musician. When on stage, he is encircled by multiple percussion instruments as he offers vocal support to the band.
Hariharan Subramanian, the co-founder and director of a successful event management company, is equally at ease playing the mridangam or kanjira. In addition to percussion, he also plays keyboard and harmonium.
Shivkumar, a Chartered Accountant by profession, is the band’s lead vocalist. He is adept at handling the Carnatic violin. He is the son of eminent Carnatic Guru Sri Anantharama Bhagavathar.
Shridhar V is the Head-Marketing & Sales at Radisson and also a versatile musician. He adds flavour to the overall sound by managing the electric mandolin and flute.
Vishnu Iyer is the head of the artiste management and NRI initiatives division for Nyka Events Pvt. Ltd. Vishnu takes his place in the band as a guitar player and vocalist.
An S.P. Jain graduate and director of an event management firm, Priya Ramnath is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She takes on the role of a presenter, adding glimpses of song and dance to any performance.
Did you know: The signature Titan ad tune is based on the Shankarabharanam scale, which romped through Mozart’s 29th Symphony.
