Teertha Vitthala Kshetra Vitthala | Aruna Sairam | Abhang | Music of India

#darbarfestival | Aruna leads a 5-piece Carnatic group through the ambiguous colours of Teertha Vitthala Kshetra Vitthala, a devotional song recounting a legend of Krishna. Learn more about the music: Teertha Vitthala Kshetra Vitthala recounts a myth where Pundalik, a devotee of Krishna, was visited by the god at his family home. Busy serving his parents food when Krishna arrived, he was torn between respecting his family or turning his attention to the deity. As a mark of respect he placed a brick outside the house for the god to stand on until he had finished attending to his parents. He then went outside to greet Krishna, terrified at the prospect of facing his divine anger. But Krishna was impressed by Pundalik’s loyalty to his parents, and stayed on earth with him to meet his fellow devotees. The word ‘vitthala’ derives from the Marathi word for ‘brick’. Lyrics: Vitthala is a holy body of water, Vitthala is a holy land. Vitthala is God and Vitthala is His worship. Vitthala is my mother and Vitthala is my father. Vitthala is my friend and Vitthala is my clan. Vitthala is my teacher, Vitthala is the teacher of Gods. Vitthala is tranquility, Vitthala is everlasting. Namdev says ‘I have found sanctuary in Vitthala’. ‘Even in this Kali yuga, I can come to no harm!’ Aruna Sairam’s voice brings a husky authority to modern Carnatic music. She first learnt to sing by listening to her mother and is part of a long line of female musicians. The direct teaching lineage stretches back over 200 years, to the singers and dancers of the Tamil court. She is an exponent of ‘pure’ Carnatic singing but also looks outwards, with collaborations ranging from jazz and Sufi to Gregorian chant and film scores. She sings in 12 different languages, and vice-chairs the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India’s premier national music and dance institution. She pulls no punches when it comes to the psychological obstacles faced by female musicians today: “You’re constantly told you’re not good enough…it can be more difficult to be in touch with your inner talents, as society expects women to nourish others first.” Recorded at Darbar Festival 2009, at London’s Southbank Centre -Aruna Sairam (vocal) -Jyotsna Srikanth (violin) -Patri Satish Kumar (mridangam) -RN Prakash (ghatam) -Priya Parkash (tanpura) WATCH HUNDREDS OF FULL-LENGTH VIDEOS on our premium subscription service. You can also get the Darbar App which will let you download content and watch later, this is great for when you are offline or travelling. Please join us and support Indian classical music and artists. Start your free trial at - Here are some links to our most-watched full-length videos. - Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan & Ojas Adhiya (69 minutes) - - Aruna Sairam full concert (108 minutes) - - Percussion Masters concert featuring Satyajit Talwalkar, Sukhwinder Singh Pinky, Sai Giridhar & Giridhar Udupa (108 minutes) - - Churning The Ocean documentary film on the Dhrupad maestro Ustad Bahauddin Dagar (66 minutes) - - Pandit Venkatesh Kumar full concert (93 minutes) - The best thing is that you can experience this amazing music with your family any time from the comfort of your own home. It provides you with the warmth of a live concert experience and gives you access to some of the finest performances by the world’s best musicians playing their favourite ragas. We believe that the cultural education experience for you and your whole family is priceless. You might be asking, why is Darbar giving me a free trial? We are passionate about Indian classical music and have the largest online archive of videos - we want everyone to experience the bliss of Indian classical music. This is one of those things that can’t be put into words, this is something that must be experienced. Even if you decide to leave after this trial, that is perfectly fine. In closing, the best part of your membership is that you can feel 100% confident that you are supporting Indian classical music and musicians through a registered non-profit organisation. Click to start your free no-obligation 3-day trial immediately. You are only one click away - transport yourself into the largest online archive of Indian classical music 😊 Darbar believes in the power of Indian classical arts to stir, thrill and inspire. Through shared experiences and digital connectivity we ensure that one of the world’s finest art forms reaches the widest possible audience. Founded in 2006, we deliver premium quality live events, music education, broadcasts and online engagement through promoting artistic innovation and creative technology. We are also committed to providing a platform for new talent from India and the UK. All Rights Reserved ©2019 Darbar Arts Culture Heritage Trust