Thanjavur is in stupor on the afternoon of Sunday, January 23.

Even the tourist stream seems thin.

But the hotels are full.

Tomorrow will be the annual aradhana held in memory of the saint-composer Thiagaraja at Thiruvaiyaru, a little town 13 kms from Thanjavur. And over 100 Carnatic musicians have descended here.

Everybody in Thanjavur is aware of the aradhana though not all of them may have an in-depth knowledge of it.

A few months ago, I was here to record the tribute that 1000 Bharatanatyam dancers paid at Sri Brihadeswarar Temple to celebrate its 1000 years.

This time, I head to Thiruvaiyaru.

* * *

The house where Thiagaraja lived is on my mind. Every time I have been here in the past, I have visited the place and waited for a rasika to sit down and sing in contemplation.

It was a simple treat.

The house was just a portion of the grand old houses that once lined Thirumanjana Veedhi in Thiruvaiyaru. It was dark and dilapidated but it had a charm of its own.

Then, the Sabha that manages this place and the aradhana tore it down and raised a memorial house.

Ministers Jairam Ramesh and G K Vasan who were here on January 21st to inaugurate the 164th edition of the aradhana also opened the new place.

I am greeted by a street that has been decorated with reams of cloth, shutting out the old houses that line it.

The facade of the memorial is imposing and rich.

Inside, the floor is tiled, the walls sparkle and at the far end is a neat shrine where a small image of the saint-composer sits.

People stream in and priests take turn to perform arti. Some people genuflect. I sit in a corner hoping a rasika will break into a song that Thiagaraja composed. Nobody does.

Many whip out their cellphones or cameras and shoot.

Is there anything of the past here?

Yes, the small well that the composer is said to have used is still there, behind the shrine.

I wait for a few more minutes for music to float in this new place.

It does not.

* * *

Concerts are held at Thiagaraja's samadhi which gets under a huge mantap bathed in floodlights at aradhana time. They start at about 9 in the morning and go up till midnight.

This evening, the loudspeakers bring the music to you as you walk the main road of Thiruvaiyaru.

This small road handles huge volume of lorries, buses, taxis and carts between Kumbakonam and Ariyalur and Thanjavur. Carnatic music mingles with honks, screams and FM radio on Thiruvaiyaru's main road.

As do hundreds of banners, posters and streamers.

Cellphone companies, banks, lifestyle stores and music shops. Their promos are all over. Even in potti kadais and on the arch that greets us at the samadhi campus.

* * *

This Sunday evening, the mantap is overflowing with rasikas. They are very appreciative of the short concerts that the artistes present - two groups quickly take their places side by side on the large stage, facing the samadhi of the saint.

A star artiste is often featured in the evenings. The booklet informs us that Krishnakumar and wife Binny, who also sing for movies and Mahathi, who is a playback singer and a TV show personality will perform this Sunday evening.

To many, the aradhana is a mela. A place to check out on a weekend evening, have some candy, sample a health food and stay on for a few concerts.

But as night falls and we sit at the far end of the maintop, the music has a charm to it as it floats across the Cauvery alongside this campus.

The Rudrapatnam Brothers perform as All India Radio hooks them on to the National network, taking the music live to the corners of India.

* * *

It is aradhana morning on Monday, January 24. The lush fields outside Thiruvaiyaru glisten in the sunlight reflected in the dew. Only parts of the outback are farmed; most have been plotted and sold as new housing colonies.

At the samadhi, the shrine is abuzz at 8 a.m. A group of tufted teens in vests sit around their guru and recite in Sanskrit. Two boys chop tender coconuts and pour its water into vessels, to be used at abhishekam time. Men, women and nomadic devotees crowd around the shrine to join in the rituals and get a close look.

Clarinet maestro A K C Natarajan leads his group at the far end to start the main concert. There must be over 4000 people inside the mantap; over 75% of them women, holding freely distributed booklets of the pancharatna kritis that will be sung soon.

And when the clock shows 9 Sabha secretary Aridwaramangalam A K Palanivel, a wellknown thavil vidwan signals the start of the musical tribute.

Hundreds of musicians, a couple of thousand of rasikas sing in unison. It may not be musical to the ears but the tribute resounds here.

When it is over an hour later, most people are bathed in sweat and are happy.

* * *

People rush out to take a close look at the leading musicians as they stream out of the mantap. Sudha Ragunathan seems to be a huge attraction. Girls whip out cellphones to take pictures of her.

The salesmen at the legion of shops outside the mantap step up their salestalk. The snacks at the food stalls run out fast. But there is curd rice aplenty sold under the tree near the bathing ghat.

A huge queue forms outside the campus and hall dedicated to the saint. Here, there are rooms where artistes can stay and a large community hall. Businessman and arts promoter 'Deccan' Murthy has been arranging lunch and dinner to be served free to thousands every day.

Back on the aradhana stage, youngsters perform. The Sabha does give them time every year. Ten minutes or two songs please. Stage managers gently pat you away if you are tempted to carry on singing!

The sun is out. Must be 31 degrees. Time to enjoy a simple lunch and retire to your room.