A Magic Beyond All We Do In Our Lives...
Tharangini, the river of joy, is an arts & culture group registered as a non-profit society in Hong Kong. It comprises keen culture enthusiasts from all parts of India, truly representing the diversity of the Indian diaspora in Hong Kong.
Tharangini, conceptualized and created by R. P. Jairam, features a unique Indian choir group, formed in mid-2002. What began as an impromptu session of five singers has moved on to become a 30+ member group of enthusiastic and talented singers. This unique group - now a one of a kind in the Asia-Pacific region - has members who are predominantly Indians based in Hong Kong, coming from diverse professions and occupations, and even more diverse age groups. The common factor binding our singer-members together is a deep and enduring love of music, and especially a love of singing, with a strong attraction to singing music rooted in Indian classical forms, both North Indian and South Indian (Carnatic).
The choir present mostly original compositions, and primarily in Indian languages. We are also building up our repertoire in non-Indian languages. Members get ample opportunity and avenues to display their creative talent. As a music composer/vocalist, Jairam does most of the song-writing, composing and recording of the choir. Some members chip in with their poetry, theatrical suggestions, and other ideas. Others work out our costumes and banners and take care of make-up – one of our erstwhile members was a fashion designer!! Tharangini has truly evolved into a forum for mutual exchange of all things good in life.
We have performed at 6 events so far, every event being a function organized by a community or cultural group. Each of these programs has required each member volunteering an enormous amount of their time, energy and effort, and this collective contribution, duly enabled and guided by the drive of the Choir Director, Jairam Parameswaran, has enabled each program to be performed to standing ovation and extremely positive feedback from audiences.
A Household Name In HK... And A Creative Fountainhead
Since our conception in 2003, we have performed at several events, and have had the honour of opening major shows in Hong Kong for almost every major community and/or cultural group. Each of these programs has required each member volunteering an enormous amount of their time, energy and effort. This collective contribution has seen each program performed to standing ovations and extremely positive feedback from audiences.
Performing For Charity & Spreading The Joy Of Music...
One of Tharangini’s primary objectives is to donate surplus collections generated from our shows to charity. For instance, from our debut production ‘Pallavi’ (in November 2005), we were able to donate HK$ 65,000 to the Indian Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for earthquake victims. In May 2008, we donated HK$ 75,000 to the China earthquake victims and another HK$ 75,000 to Ekal Vidyalaya in India, which runs elementary-level schools in remote Indian villages. The members of Tharangini plan to nurture and sustain this model. This requires all members contributing their time and energy, to prepare for, program and conduct concerts on an ongoing basis.
Ticket sales for each program will be used to cover direct program costs, and all of the remaining funds are given to charity. We see this as an emotionally satisfying way of putting our love of singing to good use to provide enjoyment to our listeners, while giving something back to the society that nurtured us.