Venkat Raman
Lovers of Tamil film music can expect an evening of melody and entertainment at a programme to be held in Auckland later this month.
The New Zealand Tamil Society, which is marking its 26th Anniversary this year, is organising the Programme called, ‘Innisai Malai’ (Melodious Evening) on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 6 pm at Mt Eden War Memorial Hall located at 489 Dominion Road, Mt Eden.
Ravi Muthumanickam, who is endowed with a mellifluous voice and known for his soulful rendition of yesteryear icons such as A M Raja, P B Srinivas, T M Soundararajan and contemporary singers including S P Balasubrahmanyam, Hariharan and Karthik will lead a team of vocalists and instrumentalists at the event being organised in aid of the victims and families of the deceased in the civil war in Sri Lanka.
Tickets for the programme, priced at $30 (Family) and $15 (Adult) are on sale.
For details, please contact New Zealand Tamil Society President Selvavinayakam Sundararajan on 021-1658289.
The Tamil film industry music may not have the same flamboyance as Bollywood but many say that the former has originality (well, mostly) and melody, following traditional values.
Emerging local talent
Over the years, hundreds of Tamil films have become box-office hits mainly because of their lilting music, rendered by singers endowed with rich and mellifluous voice.
While most of them have either passed on or retired, a new breed of singers has emerged, with the promise of quality and ability to carry on the finesse.
Their voices will be represented by Anju, Chandini, Devi, Dhanesh, Dhanya, Ganesh Vasudevan, Gopal, Jayasree Sitaraman, Mary Smith and Sunil, who will hopefully rise up to our expectations along with that of Ravi Muthumanickam.
They will be supported by a popular orchestra comprising Anthony Yempee (Lead Guitar), Ashwin Thomas (Rhythm Pad), Diya Anthony (Rhythm Guitar), Joseph Alexander (Acoustic Drums), Laya Anthony (Keyboard), Madan Kalyan (Violin), Navneel (Tabla), Nevin (Keyboard) and Vishnu Sreekumar (Bass Guitar).
Meaningful Music
Playback singers of the yesteryear Tamil films had a sound knowledge of Carnatic music, with its intricate ragas. This worked as an advantage for lyricists and composers to create music that was meaningful and melodious. From M K Thyagaraja Bhagavadar, S G Kittappa, M S Subbulakshmi and M L Vasanthakumari to Sirgazhi Govindarajan, T M Soundararajan, P B Srinivas, S P Balasubrahmanyam, P Susheela and L R Eswari (to mention a few), it was an uninterrupted flow of quality songs that have remained in memory.
Ravi said that the programme would be a tribute to the innumerable hits composed by highly creative composers in the Tamil film world.
About The New Zealand Tamil Society
Established in 1983 by the late Dr N Rasalingam, Dr M Rasanathan, Dr C Vaithiyanathan and Dr V Tharmapalan, the New Zealand Tamil Society is the oldest association of Tamilians in New Zealand.
It has been instrumental in developing and building the cultural and social fabric of the Tamil Community in Auckland, particularly during its first ten years when the community was relatively smaller.
As well as helping Tamil-speaking people to settle in New Zealand as new migrants, the Society has played a significant part in their education and welfare.
Soceity President Selvavinayakam Sundararajan said that Tamilians today are a large and vital part of multi-ethnic and multicultural New Zealand.
“All of us cherish the colourful nature of our adopted country and Tamilians contribute positively to its richness. Our main objectives are to promote, foster and preserve Tamil Language, Culture, Art, Literature, History, Heritage and Identity,” he said.
Guidance to people
Mr Sundararajan said that the Society assists, supports and provides guidance to people of Tamil origin, while recognising and respecting other ethnic communities and their distinct culture and identity.
“We work to integrate with New Zealand’s mainstream population. As a part of these objectives, we have been running Tamil Schools in Mt Roskill and Pakuranga for more than 25 years. Our members are regular participants in sports activities including Badminton. We also conduct classes in Sewing, Driving and Computing,” he said.
Among its regular activities are promoting Tamil Cultural Festivals and Tamil Language Competitions among Tamil children.
“The forthcoming musical programme on March 30, 2019 will entertain people and help to mobilise funds for Tamil people affected by the civil war in Sri Lanka,” Mr Sundararajan said.
