28th February 2025, 6.30 PM, India International Centre, New Delhi
I sat on the lawns of IIC, holding a seat for my Bengali friend who invited me to join a Carnatic Music concert by the maestro TM Krishna. Me being a Kannadiga, this was a true moment of national integration seeing so much diversity in one place.
He was scheduled to perform a set of songs composed by Sri Narayana Guru, a social reformer from Kerala. Followed by a short intro and interview of the musician the performance by TMK left the audience spellbound.
I was pretty impressed by the organisers because they gave handouts to each person explaining the lyrics and the meaning as many in the audience didn’t know Sri Narayana Guru’s mother tongue (Malayalam).
I followed each line while enjoying the resplendent voice of TMK and had a ball. After coming home, I preserved the handout and planned to write something about that evening. But I kept procrastinating and forgot about it entirely, until I got a chance to watch him perform again with same company.
30 August 2025, 7.30 PM, KD Jadhav Wrestling Stadium, New Delhi
There’s a festival called South Side Story that happens in New Delhi every year where musicians from South India perform every year. I attended the festival last year and savoured the performance by Agam. Unfortunately they were not a part of it this year.
Thankfully, TM Krishna was.
Two of the songs he performed on this day were picked from the IIC concert. And, I remembered the handout again. And I saw these lyrics and the video I recorded yesterday. And I had goosebumps.
Oh the poetry and depth.
The philosophy captured in these verses truly reflect the recklessness of the gods which we somehow attribute to divinity.
It seems like the gods are having fun while we struggle with so many things. And then they give us respite in the form of blessings, peace and wisdom.
But we have no choice but to bow down to the divine will, as described by Sri Narayana Guru. The tune set by TMK for these lyrics highlights how the gods seem to be having fun playing with all of us as if we were toys.
The feeling experienced while listening to this unparalleled.
Sharing this for the benefit of other music lovers and TMK fans.
Kali Natakam
Transliteration
Samasthaprapancam Srujichum Bharichum
mudaa sambharichum rasichum ramichum
kalichum pulachum mahaghoraghoram
vilichum mamananandadeshe vasicchum
thelinjum maranjum thulumbum prapancam
thulanjullilellonramullaayirunnnum
thirinjun pirinjnum mahanandadharaam
chorinjun padambhojabaktharkkaal nityam
varunnoru thumpangalellaamarinjnum
karinjedumaaraarivirathankabeejam
kuranjuruneram ninaykkunna bhakthar-
kkarinjeela mattulla kaivalyaroopam.
Translation of the song
Bringing forth the whole universe
and ruling over it,
destroying them in sport,
tasting, enjoying, playing, writhing,
shouting out frightening cries,
and residing in the realm of my joy;
appearing, disappearing, filling
and spilling out the universe
and permeating it
like oil fills the sesame seed;
remaining as the core,
turning, twisting, pouring out
streams of ever-growing bliss;
knowing the daily troubles
that come to the devotees of Your lotus feet,
and burning out the seed of sorrow;
the enlightened ones who remember You,
even for a short time,
know no other form
of the ultimate state.