I’m sorry, I was so tense going into the temple, that I didn’t take any of my usual “surroundings” photographs that I usually do. And then, of course, I handed over the camera to D to take some shots (and I must say, half of the time I was in the temple, I seemed to be eating…the dinner on the 26th evening was Tamizh cuisine, the lunch on the 27th was Andhra cuisine, and dinner that day was Kerala cuisine….I didn’t waste a scrap of food, it all went to waist instead!)

Here’s the “padmam” (lotus) and “chakra yanthram” as it appeared on the laptop of the devotees who were managing the sound systems at the concert hall:

Here I am, singing away (you can see I am really absorbed in the music!) That's Sri Lakshmanan on the mridangam (they could not find a violinist, but I made do without!) My dear friends, Murali and his wife Kousi, as warm and welcoming as ever: This is the Odissi dance performance that followed my concert; the danseuse was excellent! Here are DnA, KTB, and Kousi and Murali, as they pose for me at the entrance to the temple: The song list... 1. varNam...ranjani/roopaka/composed by Jayalakshmi Viswanath(my mother) 2. vAthApi gaNapathi...hamsadhwani/Adi/composed by muthuswAmi dikshitar (my daughter's favourite) 3. nee chitthamu ...dhanyAsi/mishra chApu/thyAgarAja 4. rAja mAthangi....chandrakouns/mishra chApu/ madurai g s maNi 5. sri kAnthimathim....hEmavathi/Adi/muthuswAmi dikshitar 6. saravaNa bhavA ennum....shanmukhapriyA/Adi/pApanAsam sivan 7. rAjEndra kanyE....hamir kalyAN/Adi/ madurai g s maNi 8. krishNA bAro....kApi/Adi/purandara dAsa 9. sri chakra rAja....rAgamAlikai/Adi/I don't know the composer 10. vAyu puthram bhajAmi....madhyamAvathi/mishra chApu/deepa mohan The whole concert was videotaped by the sound management people, and I've asked for a copy, but I don't know if I'll get a CD...I hope I do! I can relive the good moments, and cringe over the (at least) 3 mistakes that I made...

The pyramid that tells us that we are entering Memphis was bidding us adieu now:

But here are my friends Kousi and Murali