Third December - A song on the 1984 Bhopal Gas Disaster

This is a song I composed in Hindi in Raga Shubha-panthuvarali for the 30th year of the struggle for justice for survivors of the Bhopal Gas disaster of 1984.

Click here to read more about what happened and here to learn how you can support the international campagin for justice in Bhopal.

A translation of the song:

Third December – A day of black clouds in Bhopal.

Eyes like red chillies, ears filled with screams, chest burning,

Young and old, they run desperately to escape all misery. 

Thirty years have passed,

The atrocities they have lived with (are unimaginable).

Listen to the voices of injustice.

The land is poisoned, the water is poisoned.

The people are poisoned, at birth and death. 

‘We are flames, not flowers’ exclaim the sisters of Bhopal.

Let us lend our ears to their demand for justice. 

Third December – A day to remember.

EPP

That's my acronym for 'Enakku Piditha Padal', a tamil song from the movie 'Julie Ganapathy' by the maestro Ilayaraja. I had the chance to record this for a television show in Singapore. I present my first recording experience in 2003.

http://www.box.net/shared/dk9jr6m8rv

Priyam Venkatesam: A Carnatic Album

In 2004, in a laidback recording studio in Vadapalani, Chennai, India I encountered my second experience with professional recording, and my first with an album production. Needless to say, it was a fantastic experience.

This album presents traditional pieces from the Carnatic music repertoire, all composed by various historical and contemporary composers in praise of the Indian god Vishnu (Venkatesa). Performing with me on the mridangam (drum) and the violin are Sri and Smt. Jayakumar.

Priyam Venkatesam:
http://www.box.net/shared/ryxyqg9kb8

My Musical Biography

Priya Raghav began her musical journey in Singapore, learning carnatic vocal from many established gurus, namely Smt. Shobha Sekhar, Smt. Vijaya Murthy, Smt. Leelavathy Gopalakrishnan, Sri NR Prashanth and Smt.Gowri Gokul, who are disciples of the legendary DK Pattammal, Musiri Subramania Iyer, TM Thyagarajan and Thitai Krishna Iyengar. She feels fortunate to be able to continue her training with Smt. Meera Krishna in Seattle. 

Priya has performed concerts in Seattle, Singapore and India (Chennai). She released a Carnatic album titled 'Priyam Venkatesam' through Kalavardhani's in Chennai in 2004. She has also lent her voice to a classical fusion piece for a Walt Disney production, 'The Legends of the Ring of Fire'.

Priya also enjoys learning through teaching and finds joy in cultivating the love of carnatic music amongst eager students.