It was twilight hour on the auspicious day of ‘KARTIGAI’ – the evening of Lamps… I was in Colombo, Sri Lanka for a concert at the invitation of Kamban Kazhagam. This is an organization run by an extremely dedicated group of people in the lovely island of Sri Lanka.

The beginning of the concert coincided with the lighting of the lamps for Kartigai. The Hall was packed with eager Carnatic music enthusiasts from various parts of Sri Lanka.

The three hour concert was a delightful experience for me. I had heard of the quality of audience there from my Guru, but I had the good fortune of seeing and believing it. Their keenness and zest coupled with rare sensitivity and discipline reached out to me and helped me to step into realms of this great art - almost not experienced before.

Here was an audience that was brimming with not only the nuances of Carnatic Music, but also with immense passion and respect for this Great Art.

I feel that this is one of the most enriching experiences I have had so far.