Susheela Raman in Mauritius
The world famous rock carnatic singer, Susheela Raman arrived in Mauritius last week for her first live performance on the island. The popular album, Vel featuring her signature tracks Ennapane and Paal have been receive critical acclaim the world over.
She arose, across the decade, as one of the most creative minds of her generation. Gifted singer, her audience and still growing fan base have surrendered to the grace of her compositions and the stupendous intensity of her Indian traditional music performances, Susheela’s musical ground-base. Her music is a soundscape of colourful waves, European, Asian and African scents surfed by exquisitely intoxicating indian chanting and born on the constructs of Rock, Blues and Soul. World Music is a realm where she has been lauded for her creatively powerful music! Astonishing shows on stages around the world have lead to glorious appraisals from the public, as well as her peers.
After a 26 hour journey to Mauritius, organizers of the show advised Raman that due to pressure from Tamil minority groups, she had two options. She was to either cancel her performance or not perform the two popular tracks, Ennapane and Paal.
Raman posted this on her Fan page on Facebook soon after officials shared this disappointing news.
“VERRY HAPPY and privileged to be in beautiful Maritius to play but VERY UNHAPPY to be told on arrival that we a cannot play the Murugan-related songs ‘Paal’ or ‘Ennapane’, which are centrepieces of both the album VEL and our live show, because some minority ultra-conservatives within the Tamil minority are upset by them. We have been give a choice, after a 26 hour journey: either agree not play the songs or cancel the show, which has been sold out/much anticipated. Hrrmph.”
Fans of Raman around the world were is dismay at the ultimatum given, enraged Mauritians who are fans of her music shared her disappointment.
She does things that purists do not like, it brings emotion, a new e blown in Carnatic music which dates back several hundred years . “Jay Kumaren Iyassamy confesses,” these songs are not very attractive to young, but she manages to transform them.” The young man also had the opportunity to see her on stage. It was in Chennai in 2010.
Clyde Vacher, Communication & Public Affairs Manager of Sun Resorts, who admires Susheela Raman recent years, will have the opportunity to know her during her stay with us. “When Dinesh Burrenchobay approached us to host the artist at Long Beach, the most contemporary of Maurice, we said yes immediately”.
He added: “During her stay, we hope that Susheela Raman can meet local artists. We approached the group ETAE for this purpose. The contemporary dance company of Long Beach is also preparing a little surprise for Susheela Raman choreography when she is in the facility.”
Clyde remembers Vacher discovered the artist “rather late”. The first time in the film A Namesake (The Namesake) Mira Nair in 2007 with the song The same song, from the album Music for Crocodiles. “Susheela Raman embodies, in my view, this evolution of world music that promotes interaction between different cultures that influence an individual in our contemporary world, where miscegenation has become an integral part of all of us . “He believes that Susheela Raman has shown a real commitment to promote music “fusion” by embellishing his already rich style of funk, rock and classical Dravidian.
“I loved her album 33 1/3 – maybe a little wink to the famous album of George Harrison? – With times of very personal songs like Like a Rolling Stone of the great Bob Dylan and especially Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix. A fantastic recovery that flirts with jazz and Carnatic singing mesmerizing. This is an artist who can give a lot of emotion and sensitivity that reached maturity in a tense, “says Clyde Vacher.
Read more here of what Raman’s fans had to say about her concert in Mauritius >> http://www.facebook.com/susheelaramanofficial
Some user shared clips of the Mauritius concert….
Short URL: http://www.indianspice.co.za/?p=3404
Susheela can be acclaimed by I don’t know who ,she must know the difference between lifestyle and culture ,in Mauritius ennappane and muruga has a lot of significance in our Tamil community ,if she is a great artist she should have composed her original songs instead of taking Tamil prayers and put some beat and percussions to please some who get pleasure from madness and noise
this is rock music not so much of carnatic its sad it changes your view of these people and their cultural etics hm i was so excited to hear them muruga songs and wanted to download but was shock ed i think we south africans appreciate our culture more then the india nites over my years of visiting and meeting people from india i discovered these people dont put their heart and soul to the way we pray and do stuff here in south africa
on a lighter note sneha and prasana got married recently and their wedding was beautifull just thought i would share that thank you have a fab day
It is a very sad day for the performing arts industry. I hosted Susheela Raman in Pietermaritzburg a few years ago. She was excellent. Her style of music appeals to the youth. If she can sing devotional songs in praise of Lord Muruga in this unique style than she can be lauded for contributing to the renaissance of Hinduism. The Hindu fundamentalists in Mauritius will be missing out on a golden opportunity to attract the youth who are very much swayed by Western rock.
I’m from Mtius, the artist was not asked either to not sing to 2songs or cancel the show as reported. She was put into the current context of Vaigasi Visakham celebration currently in full swing and asked to not perform these songs during her concert. Muruga has a special place in the Tamil community here – seeing the way the holy songs were performed by her in bars – was upsetting – Ramani Ammal deserved better treatment than this. Having said that SR is a great artist and I thoroughly enjoyed the show last Saturday even without these 2 pieces. She showed her pride and asked for a minute of silence – which is understandable for a foreign artist. She is gone – but the tremors are going to stay. The fragile tissues of the Mauritius rainbow had to be preserved.
how sad for her i dont have a problem with her singing i was the first time i heard her muruga songs are beautifull when sang in the right tune and style this was demeanin and defeats the purpose of culture totally i cant see myself listening to pop divive hahahaha anyway that must have being a wakeup call for her shame i felt sorry for her she thought she was making a difference to music it backfired and burned her butt hahahah have a great weekend and thanks for the info