“For some one who had dreams of becoming a child psychologist, I never thought I'd become a musician. The turning point of my life, musically and otherwise, was my meeting with guru Chitravina Ravikiran while I was still a college student in Delhi. It took only two sessions with him for me to make up my mind. After graduation, I decided to make Chennai my home, packed my bags and left Delhi for good. Those two meetings with him remain fresh in my mind even now.
I have heard K.V. Narayanaswamy many times. But there's one show that has really stayed with me. Even now, I can visualise it lucidly. He sang the Manji kriti ‘Varugalemo.' His eyes were closed and it was as if he was singing only for himself, oblivious to the world around him. He seemed completely lost in his music. In fact, after the song when he heard the applause, he seemed a little startled, as if he had been woken up. It was a sedate, powerful, poignant moment.
A concert by T.V. Gopalakrishnan is also dear to me for exactly the opposite reasons. He was a picture of exuberance and joy. His singing left me tapping my feet, as if I was ready to dance! He's a genius.
The vocalist spoke to Savita Gautam
