Renounce war, renounce competition, renounce wrongful aggression – Maithreem Bhajatha is a call for universal friendship.
“Yuddham thyajatha, spardhaam tyajata, thyajatha pareshu akramamaakramanam”
When Bharat Ratna M.S. Subbulakshmi debuted the song during a historic concert at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on October 23, 1966, she received a standing ovation. Ever since, the composition has been iconic – she included it in many of her concerts subsequently. Composed in Sanskrit by Jagadguru Shri Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi and set to a Ragamalika by music director Vasant Desai, the song is as pertinent in today’s day and age as it was when it was first rendered.
September 16 is the birth anniversary of M.S. Subbulakshmi and September 21 is World Peace Day – a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of worldwide peace. In an effort to pay tribute to the legend and spread hope and joy, a Chennai-based Carnatic singer, Nandhini Chari, has performed an a cappella version of Maithreem Bhajatha.
The song is accompanied by a music video and combines the beauty of the original Carnatic composition with a soulful contemporary track. It is an attempt to preserve the song’s charming originality, as effortlessly rendered by M.S. Subbulakshmi, while also calling for peace, hope and friendship among youngsters in a world burdened with war, violence and grief.
Watch the video here:
Nandhini Chari is a marketing professional in The Hindu, one of India’s leading newspapers, by day. Her passion for music, coupled with a melodious voice, drives her musical experiments and ventures. She runs Atman, a Carnatic school for children in Chennai. She believes that the best thing she can share with the world is her love for music. You can follow her here.
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