Long Memorable Day in London for November 2013 visit

The day started around 8am in the morning as we had to travel around 120 miles to Birmingham for the concert at Sri Venkateswara Temple with Dr. Achuthan on violin and Sri. Bhavani Sankar on Mrudhangam. An enjoyable happening was that there was a traffic diversiona nd the GPRS in the vehicle took us round and round for some 15 mts and later we decided to follow the divert sign boards and reached our place from inside Swindon centre town in 10 mts!This brought us the memory of Vivek and Vijay going on bike in Chennai and after all traffic diversion they would reach Andra border! Well this was indeed reverse but still thought of sharing!  

It was almost 5-7 all through this day and we actually packed up our jerkins inside and so travelled few places without it and enjoyed the chillness, very hard or never to experience in Chennai for sure!

After this concert we had a god dharshan of Lord Venkateswara and proceeded to Swindon for the next concert. Left at 530 and reached Swindon at 650pm (after the 30 mts thamasa!) 90 miles in almost 1 hour! We had the concert at the New College Swindon Tamil Sangam for their Deepavali festivity. Thanks sincerely to Sri. Thyagarajan, brother of prof. Swaminathan our main sponsor and also to Balu Raguram anna who also insisted to have our concert after our performance on 03 November, 2013!  We had a great respeonce from teh audience including the Mayor who had been there for the celebrations!

We left around 1030 and the clock in the GPRS showed that we would reach our destination by 0003 and yes we did reach a minute early by 0002! It is indeed amazing the way GPRS works here when the roads are not diverted!

Hoping for a clear day today and planned to go to a theatre to watch LION KING and shall share the experience later in the day or after my return!

VISIT TO LORDS - The Cricket Ground and BAPS Swaminarayanan Temple 08.11.2013

It was  dream trip to Lords the Mecca of Cricket and we had a entire tour outside the ground as we were unable to enter the stadium due to maintenance. Thank teh Almighty we had clear weather and had wonderful time in this visit with Puring rain as soon as we got into the car on our drive back home!

We had the opportunity to visit BAPS Swaminarayan Temple, thanks to Prof. Swaminathan and had a good Lunch at the restaurant run by the Temple! Here are the photos which discribes our day November 08, 2013 in London!

Lords Visit 8th November 2013

The Leisure days in London! 6th and 7th November, 2013

After couple of interesting sight seeing days, we decided to stay at home to have some excellent food which made us feel home away from Home! Also we had a good session of playing Shuttle and also visited Mrs Subramaniam, another regular to India for Music Seasons and a very Knowledgeable rasika! It was a nice to have performed, kind of a chamber concert with great interest shown by her to understand the way the nuances are produced on the keyboard! 

Today i had great time watching some of teh good mvies which were in the hard disk of out Host's TV and also great time listening to KBSI Members performing at Chrompet, Chennai. Well it was indeed a nice and kudos to our members for a fabulous performance! Kalakitanga unmyil!

Day 2 of our trip in London!

November 05, 2013 Our Tour around London today

This day we sincerely have to thank Mr. Balachandar, Mrudhangam artiste from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London as he was a great Human and also showed us all the best possible for the day including teh National Museum, Science Museum, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, China Town and many more apart from the great luch and the evening Noodles he got us! The highlight was the wonderful Soup he made for us at a restaurant with just 3 glasses of Hot water with ready made soup powder! Delicious and outstanding indeed! 

Day 1 Sight seeing Experience in London!

After a good concert on the 3rd November, decided to venure out for sight seeing tour on the 4th! Thnaks to our host Mr. Swaminathan who got us Day Pass to travel in Train and bus and also a sightseeing our pass valid for 2 days with a bonus of River Cruise! Here is the link of the photos of our experience!

November 04, 2013 Uk Visit - Part 2

We were fortunate that we were in time for the Change of Guard at the Palace! Yes i believe it happens only on even dates and also only if he weather is good (not wet)! The first good act of Weather God! Later we went to many other sight seeing spots and decided to take the free River Cruise from London Bridge! We had our sandwiches packed up by our host and then went on it followed by the ride on London Eye! What an experience!

After this we went near the Big Ben o look at a close proximity and were so lucky to hear that Ringing Bell! What a Fabulous Sound! After this we met our host and returned back home sweet home and had a wonderful dinner before going to bed! 

Maiden Concert in London 03 November 2013!

I woke up on 3rd November, with a great feeling of going to present my maiden concert in UK and was feeling great! After the Lunch we proceeded for the concert venue little early to ensure sound check to be done and a cooperative Mr. Prabha on the PA was indeed fabulous! 

November 3, 2013 Maiden Concert in London

Here are the photos and video links of my Maiden concert in London Winston Churchill Hall enhanced by Sri. Balu Raguraman on Violin and Sri. M. Balachandar on Mrudhangam. Excellent support by the PA person Sri. Prabha and the Lights director Mr. Andrews as well! A decent turn out in spite of the fact that there were few more programs as well going on in London and the audience gave a great reception to this concert. The Chairman of Orupaanai appreciated and also rewarded me with a cash gift! I was so moved that we as a team could win the hearts of this lovely audience!

Dr. Ambikapathy a regular visitor to December Music Festival was all praise for the elaborate Chadrajothi aalapana Tyagaraja krithi Bagayanaiya, ragamalika kalpanaswarams and an excellent Thani by Mr. M. Balachandar on Mrudhangam!

Reporting from LONDON!

What a turn around of Weather from Chennai to London! Yes enjoying every minute indeed! Landed on the 1st November, 2013 with a surprising Fireworks welcome seen from the Sky, may be for Deepavali and on touch down could feel the change of weather!

We reached indeed our Home away from Home at Mr/s Swaminathan's residence where we had his son Sri. Suresh, daughter in law Smt. Abirami Suresh and also their daughter Ms. Sashwathi welcoming us and had a great dinner as well! Got ourselves accustomed to the local condition on the 2nd with a long walk looking at the city/town of Radlett visiting the Railway station, Jewish Synagogue shopping malls etc. Thanks to Suresh anna for having taken us on this walking tour as well as to his old 400 year old Aldenham School! Here is the link for the first photos!

November 4, 2013, UK visit - pat1