April CCC, Sunday 2024

Please see the event summary as beautifully written by Apurvaa Anand along with pictures and video from the event below.

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Namaskaram everyone, 

We successfully wrapped up our April CCC event this past Sunday! They say April showers bring May flowers (seems like lots of Amritavarshini is sung during April) but in this case April was a transitional month as we are post Sphatikotsavam and pre Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, Summer Vacation, and senior send offs. 

We had a diverse range of performers this week ranging from intro performances from Varun and Siddharth and graduating seniors Aaroh, Pramiti, and Umesh who performed for the last time before college. Several classics such as Enna Thavam Seithanai, Sabhapathikku, and Koluvamare Gada were presented. While these kritis were presented in different slots such as the intro 10 minute slot or the advanced 20 minute slot, students were still able to showcase the intricacies and nuances of the songs and ragams. That’s my favorite part of CCC, seeing how creative people can get with their allotted time and how students and their gurus optimize it!

There was also no shortage of complex manodharmam, which was neatly packed into 20 minutes or less. We also had a pallavi performed by Nikita Anand in the ragam Ranjani that was tuned by our very own Kasturi Aunty. 

As an alumni it was so nice to see the CCC ecosystem flourish. While it’s been 5 years since I performed in person, it feels like I never left. There were the kuttis in the front row noting ragams (or doodling but you didn’t hear it from me :)), the high school kids on the side doing their homework while supporting their friends, unofficial jam sessions and gossip sessions in the green room. The next generation is in good hands! It is also important to note the dedication of the students, teachers, and parents. While we see a polished 15 minute slot from a student,  behind the scenes there are countless of hours of work with their gurus, multiple trips made by parents, and lots of time put in by students despite their busy academic and extra curricular schedules. Thank you to all the gurus that prepared and supported all the performing artists!

They say it takes a village and CCC really is proof of that. Thank you to all the volunteers who make CCC possible every month. So much goes on behind the scenes to make each event a success. Volunteers are so important to this ecosystem and I am so grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to come and do the easy part of performing or in this case emceeing. Thank you to Padma aunty as well for letting Vaishnavi and I emcee this month. Emceeing is not an easy job and you make it look very easy!

Good luck to everyone competing and performing at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana! Happy Ugadi, Tamizh New Year wishes to all. Also an advanced happy Rama Navami. Our next event is on May 11th at San Jose High School. Please note that this event is on a Saturday and is not at Shirdi Sai Parivar. Hope to see you all there! 

Thanks,

Apurvaa Anand (On behalf of Padma aunty and Vaishnavi)

Photos (Courtesy of our volunteers: official photos from Balaji Lakshminarasimhan with bonus images from Rangaprabhu and Ram, sequenced by Sreelaasya, thank you all)

Video (courtesy of Nithya Ashok who does this month after month and turns it around within a day, grateful to have you Nithya)