Pianist Anil Srinivasan is adjusting his black kurta and cap as singer Sikkil Gurucharan, dressed in white, walks in to help him put it on.
Not far away, singer Aruna Sairam is setting her hair and getting ready.
Aruna Sairam, Padma Subrahmanyam and Sudha Ragunathan at the event | Photo Credit: S Shiva Raj
They are all set — not for a Carnatic musical performance — but instead to walk the ramp. At Marvellous Marghazhi, an evening put together by Lakshmi and Saraswathi of Event Art at Radisson Blu GRT Chennai, the who’s who of the Carnatic fraternity sashayed down the runway in style.
A curtain raiser to the December music season, ‘Marvellous Marghazhi’ got together some of the city’s best musicians under one roof. “You might have seen me behind the piano but to dress up like this was most unusual and colourful,” said Anil Srinivasan.
For once, it was not their ragas and renditions that were discussed among rasikas, but their attire and attitude.
Singer Unnikrishnan his daughter, Uthara Unnikrishnan | Photo Credit: S Shiva Raj
While Mandolin Rajesh made heads turn by striking a pose as if he was holding the instrument, dancers like Gopika Varma and Urmila Sathyanarayanan tried a couple of graceful dance steps as they walked the ramp.
The pick of them all was violin duo Ganesh and Kumaresh; the bald Kumaresh even indulged in a Rajinikanth-like mannerism on stage alluding to the popular ‘mottai boss’ trope. Singer Unnikrishnan, meanwhile, was accompanied by his daughter, Uthara Unnikrishnan. “The time spent with co-musicians during rehearsals and backstage was memorable and something I will cherish for a long time,” said Unnikrishnan, who was showing off his maroon kurta to his friends. The camaraderie went beyond age and stature; as was proved when veteran dancer-actor Vyjayanthimala and octogenarian percussionist Vikku Vinayakram sportingly walked the ramp.
In resplendent attire from Palam Silks and jewellery by GRT, the Carnatic music fraternity indulged in some fun and banter ahead of a busy music season, which will see them dishing out performances at leading sabhas in the city.
Veteran percussionist Vikku Vinayakram walking the ramp | Photo Credit: S Shiva Raj
Aruna Sairam, who is a regular at kutcheris during the season, said, “I have never walked on a ramp before, so I was a bit apprehensive. Also, though I was on stage, I was not performing, so it was a different experience for me.”
Apart from the new fashion-filled experience, it was the time spent conversing with co-musicians, something that artistes rarely get this time of the year, that they all enjoyed. Added Aruna, “This kind of bonding among the musicians’ community is great to see. It fosters a sense of belonging, and will only strengthen the music industry.”
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