Tamil land to Toronto
Deva
It has been a fabulous Tamil New Year gift for Deva. When he left for Canada to attend the release of his devotional album, `Durgeswaram,' on the Goddess at Sri Durgeswaram, Toronto, little did he expect the honour bestowed on him by the Government of Canada. "I was taken aback when my name was announced," laughs Deva.
There's a humility about the composer as he dwells on the experience. Signed Maria Minna, P. C., MP, Beaches-East York, the citation presented to him in Toronto begins with describing Mangadu Chockalingam Dhevanesan (Deva) from Chennai, India, as Music Director Extraordinaire and touches upon the `universal appeal' of his music.
"I may have worked in many films but working on the devotional album was a soul-stirring experience," says Deva. It has been 18 years since he last created religious melodies. Tyagaraja Gurukkal had come down all the way from Toronto to get an album from Deva and 12 songs were composed with Piraichoodan as the lyricist. "Tyagaraja Gurukkal and I have also sung a song each," Deva tells you. "I was surprised when hundreds of CDs got sold at the temple, the venue of the function, within minutes of the release," he says. Actually Deva had gone only to take part in the CD launch at Sri Durgeswaram on April 14. There he was invited to a function organised by the Government of Canada. When the name `Deva from South India' was announced it was a bolt from out of the blue for him.
"It is God's grace and nothing else," he says.
As of now the CDs are available only in Canada and the U. S. But more important is the fact that `Durgeswaram' has made Deva think seriously about devoting time to devotionals once again.
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
