“Padame Thunai” began K.K. Vignesh on the ninth day of the 40th annual Tamil Isai festival at the Tamil Isai Sangam in Madurai on Friday. Blessed with a pleasant, deep voice, Vignesh’s performance was enlivened by the expert violin play of K.M.S. Meenakshi Sundaram and the mridangam of Thirumurugan.
The singer presented rare compositions of Neelakanda Sivan, Periyasamy Thooran, Ambujam Krishna, Dhandapani Desikar and Gopalakrishna Bharati. He chose to focus on Chidambara Bharati’s “Ennai rakshikka” in Bilahari for an elaborate improvisation and concluded with a thillana by Lalgudi.
The play, ‘Engirundo Vandan,’ touched a chord among the regulars to the hall, who learn or sing hymns at Raja Muthiah Mandram. It revolves around a temple singer, Vaithi, who can heal ailments through the melodic power of hymns.
Saketheraman, a non-resident Indian, comes back in search of his roots and lands up in a lesser known temple of Lord Vaitheeswara in a remote village.
Saketheraman is amazed at Vaithee’s rendering of hymns and resolves to make his powers available to the world outside the tiny village.
Vaithee’s singing helps Bhargavi, the established singer, overcome her depression. Saketheraman persuades her to let Vaithee take the stage during one of her concerts.
Surprisingly, Vaithee has no wish to publicise his miraculous powers. His village is his world, just as the temple tank is his Ganga; and he would cure anyone who seeks his help there.
The listeners were thrilled to hear many hymns from Thevaram , Tiruppugazh and Tiruvasagam sung by Giridharan, the man who played Vaithee, in the play. Stories that go with significant verses were discussed on stage by the characters.
Srivatson, writer, director and actor, tried to show that while the successful westernised Indian is still in search of the meaning in life, a talented but poor village healer wants nothing more than what he already has.
Rajalakshmi Padmanabhan
