February CCC, Sunday 2024

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Namaskaram all,

Our final event before our 15th anniversary celebration went off wonderfully well. We had countless debut performers and multiple graduating seniors. They, along with their families, gurus, and the entire audience, braved inclement weather on Sunday–which made roads more dangerous and took out power lines in many areas (Geeta and I both temporarily lost power to our homes)–to attend CCC; I was truly glad to be emceeing to a full house, heartened by the dedication everyone showed to this sacred art form.

Our performers sang with bhakti and bhaavam, and even as a member of CCC’s first graduating class, as old as any alumnus, I find great inspiration in the children, who carry on our traditions in music, academics and culture. Chinmayi, who is only in third grade, and debuted on the CCC stage with Saveri varnam, also memorized the entire 700+ verses of the Gita. Lasya, who will be graduating this Spring, and who performed a wonderful Reetigowlai, also recently completed her Bharathanatyam arangetram.

We had myriad debuts–Sanjitha and Laalithya on vocal; Janani on veena; Amulya on violin; and Abhay and Krishna on mrudangam. And several graduating seniors–Akshay and Laasya on vocal; Sanika on veena; and Umesh and Vaibhav on mrudangam. We wish the former a long, musical journey with CCC, and the latter the best of luck in college, and a long musical life.

Thank you to each of the gurus in preparing and supporting all the performing students, namely–Sri. Hari, Smt. Akila, Smt. Kasthuri, Smt. Hamsa, Smt. Sandhya, Sri. Natarajan, Sri. Srinath, Sri. Ashwin, Sri Srikanth, Sri. Gopi and all others–in the Bay Area, in the US, and in India.

Finally, I would like to heartily thank the volunteers without whom CCC would not be possible. I’ve witnessed their unwavering dedication from the organization’s inception. Padma aunty has really assembled a dream team. I know I am, and we are, richer for their efforts.

Geeta and I are fortunate to have emceed fifteen years, to the month, after we first performed on the CCC stage, together, in February of 2009. I never fail to feel invigorated by the entire act of Carnatic performance, from start to finish–the practices, the lugging of instruments from room to room; the frantic tuning and revising backstage; the beautiful kurthas, pavadais, podavais worn; the nervous energy of parents and the camaraderie of performers; and the result of all the dedication and devotion shown on the stage. It’s a feeling, of awe and of bhakti, that has not gone away these fifteen years, and I look forward to celebrating those years of family and community with you all in just another week.

Our next monthly event will be on the 17th of March at 2pm at the Shirdi Sai Parivaar venue. But before then, we will see you at Sphatikotsavam on the 18th.

Thank you,
Chinmai Raman (on behalf of Padma aunty & Geeta Shankar)

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