Mysterious Duality and Veenai Jayanthi
Until I accidentally listened to a fusion album of Ganesh Kumaresh, I had not listened to any instrumental music other than Veenai at large. I was averse to violin and Nadaswaram was indeed forced as my father loved the Sheikh playing it. Growing up listening to veenai everyday (my elder brother learnt it from childhood), I naturally loved the nadham from the soft instrument and was very much biased in favor of it. Few people in my family played and taught veenai and it was and still is the preferred instrument even in the extended families at Srirangam. Veenai is also the preferred vathiyam at the Srirangam Temple (Ekantha Veenai played by Veenai Sri. Rengarajan family-line). Now, though I listen to a variety, the nadham of saraswati veenai is still my first choice and Chitti Babu, and Doraiswamy Iyengar my favorites. When it comes to contemporary artistes, veenai is almost always synonymous with veenai Gayatri. While listening to a particular instrumental piece, Youtube su