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Describe the atmosphere and live music at a local pub, restaurant, festival, church or temple, club night.... inspire other people to check it out!
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Musician: Manickam Yogeswaran
Location: Lewisham, London
Instruments: voice
Music: Indian / Karnatic
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HOW I CAME TO THIS MUSIC听听听听听听听听听听WHERE I PLAY听听听听听听听听听听A FAVOURITE SONG |
  
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 听听Listen (7'11) to an audio feature recorded at the London Shivan Temple in Lewisham, presented by Susheela Raman (broadcast on Radio 3: 20/4/02)
听听Listen (5'15) to 'The Raga Kalyani', performed by Manickam Yogeswaran - vocals, Sri Baluraghuraman - violin, Karaikkudi Krishnamoorthy - mirdangam, Bangalore RR Pratap - ghatam, A. Srinivasan - morsing, Uthayakumar - tampura
 听听Watch (4'05) a video of Tamil New Year in Lewisham, south London, featuring Manickam Yogeswaran
Where I Play:
Here at the Shivan Temple we're celebrating Tamil New Year where I'm leading a concert of classical Indian music in the carnatic tradition. The musical programme is made up of classical ragas honouring the god, Shiva.
These ragas are the core of Karnatic music which is based on a complex system of 'ragam' or melodies and 'thalam' which are rhythms. The raga is essentially the scale but each raga has its own way of moving from note to note and all the ragams are grouped into various modes which we call 'mela'.
Tamil New Year is the most important event in our calendar. Traditionally everyone gets new clothes. It's particularly exciting for young children. We cook special food and have friends and family to visit. Everyone goes to the temple. In preparation for that, we have a bath in a special ayuervedic mixture. It's a time when we bring gifts to the poor and celebrate our good fortune.
 At the temple, like here in the London Shivan temple, offerings or 'puja' are made to the deities, among them Ganesh, Shiva and of course, Natarajah, the dancing God. Then all the sacred statues are blessed and cleaned in a specially energised mixture of water and herbs.
We also have a light 'puja' to inspire us all to bring light into those shadow parts of our characters. The New Year is a good time to pray that those spots dissolve and we open ourselves spiritually.
Even though I travel the world to perform with a range of musicians from Indian classical through to fusion, both on stage and in film, I always take time to return to my root. Tamil New Year celebrations at The Shivan Temple is an event that I don't want to miss. I was born into this Tamil tradition and it's important to me to have it in my life. In fact it's a real honour to be able to perform here.
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