JOIN USA celebration of the fierce
The season of veneration of one of the most enigmatic gods in the Hindu pantheon is upon us. Maha Shivaratri is round the corner and the Shiva Tandava Stotram, already a big favourite with Lounge and Trance music fans, is reverberating in the air. The stotram is intrinsically powerful and addictive; with its innate ‘laya’ that radiates energy and magnificence, it is a virtual magnet for experimentation. Little wonder then that the stotram has now been employed as a background for everything from snakes feeling wronged in Ekta Kapoor’s Naagin series to Baahubali impressing his awed mother with his weightlifting skills.
That said, Gandiva, an indo-classical dance-music fusion band still manages to give the stotram a contemporary twist, while retaining its essential power and beauty. Sung by Sai Vignesh and danced to by Kavya Muralidharan, the beautifully-produced video presents the stotram visually — the pitch-perfect singing quite in tandem with the traditional Bharatanatyam interpretation by Kavya. The highlight of this version is the veena flourishes by Kalaimamani Rajhesh Vaidhya, which somehow manages to make the track feel modern and traditional at the same time. (The video is available on YouTube.)
Play By Ear showcases a potential earworm for you, the discerning listener, who is on the hunt for some musical serendipity.