Introduction
A long delayed feature, No excuses could explain, so a big apology to Kiran from the team and a great friend to the blog site and its efforts. Thanks for the great support through this process. A superb singing talent and excellent profile with lots of great singing on Kiran’s Smule profile make it a very compelling reason to bring this great singer to our pages.
Kiran Kakkad is an Ayurvedic Doctor practicing Indian medicine in the great city of Moscow, Russia. Kiran Anand Kakkad is his full name. He is originally from Guruvayoor, a beautiful pilgrimage town in the State of Kerala. A town known for centuries-old, red-roofed Guruvayur Temple, where Hindu devotees make offerings of fruit, spices or coins, often equivalent to their own weight. Growing up around this temple town has a huge influence on Kiran’s interests and the ways of life. Very early itself Kiran had been fortunate to learn classical music. From age six he had been practicing Mridangam (an eastern drum, a big part of south India’s Carnatic music concerts). Kiran who belongs to one of the hereditary priest families of Sri. Guruvayoorappan temple told us more about many traditions and lifestyles he was accustomed to. Kiran belongs to a Kakkattu Mana (a word indicating a group of family of distinction) who performed temple rituals (Othikans – this a traditional Namboodiri cast who performed rituals at the temple). A young Kiran grew up pretty much in a place where poetry and music was a big part. He says his mom loved to write poetry and a sister was a dancer. A young Kiran who saw his mom and sister involved in Arts got very attracted.
Kiran says “I loved poetry and draw pictures very early in my life itself.” A young age went with a lot of arts and music around and unknowingly or not absorbed a lot of Temple related music and arts images in his mind. Kiran’s Schooling was at Guruvayoor Devaswom English medium school. During schooling Kiran showed his excellence in arts by being at the Kerala state Arts Festivals through several years; which is not a small feat to achieve. He won the coveted and highly competed STATE KALAPRATIBHA honor for years in a row (during 1997-1998 1998-99) and at other local arts festivals like SAHODAYA KALAPRATIBHA – 2001,02,03 also this young boy was a winner always. Kiran showed excellence in music, mrudangam, poetry recitation, painting and athletics.
Kiran is highly experimental as far as music and instruments and here is one of his interests in a foreign instruments.
A prominent Career as Ayurveda Ambassador Abroad
Kiran went on to take a Bachelor degree in Ayurvedic Medicine. At college his arts initiatives in Arts were still on with friends. At that level itself Kiran produced couple of album music. Kiran is an Ayurvedic physician graduated from one of the prestigious institutions Arya Vaidya Pharmacy. After graduation he worked in D.V.M Hospital in Mala where he practised Rasa shastra under the guidance of Dr. Gireesh Krishnan. This eventually led to raising his platform to one of the reputed companies named Dhathri Ayurveda. Soon afterwards his expanding expertise in Panchakarma allowed him to take such cases more. In addition to being a Panchakarma expert he can also do music therapy. Kiran had conducted and participated in various seminars regarding special treatment methodologies in panchakarma, music therapy and ayurvedic diet. For past three and half years Kiran has been working in Kerala Center for Ayurveda and Yoga in Moscow; doing Ayurvedic consultations, Panchakarma, seminars propagating Ayurveda and Music therapy. Kiran’s mother’s uncle Sri. C. T. Madhavan Namboodiripad was a great vaidyan (equivalent to a English medical doctor). Kiran took this as his profession as well. He is also an expertise in the field of Pooja,Mantra and Rig Veda.He had attended many workshops regarding the musical rendering of Vedic rhymes and had won the title of Veda pareeksha-in “ANYONYAM” -Program conducted in Kadavallur Sree Rama temple.He had also participated in Sanskrit workshops.
Guru Pranam
Kiran is a modern day youngster who has embraced a lot of traditions that he imbibed from his elders and gurus. He wanted to pay his due respect to all of them by naming each of those here in his feature.
His guru in Rigveda: Brahmasree Naaraayana Mangalath Agnishaman Namboodiri
Gurus in vocal: Smt.Lekha Krishnakumar,Sri.Edamana Vasudevan Namboodiri, Sri.V.R.Dileep Kumar
Gurus in mridangam:Late Sri.S.A.Ramakrishnan & Sri.Sanoj Poongad
He has done Guruvayoorappa devotional album named ‘MALARNIVEDYAM’ with his friend Sri. Raghunath. V. P. Lyrics-Sri. Raghunath.V. P. and Smt. Sarada Anandan (mother)
Music:Kiran Anand Sung by leading playback singers: Sri. P. Jayachandran, Sri. Madhu Balakrishnan, Smt. Gayathri and Smt. Jayasree Kiran has also sung in various albums mainly under his family friend and music director Sri. Sudeep Palanad.
Kiran’s attempt to produce an independent music and its promo is here.
Kiran and his wife Manasi (also an Ayurvedic doctor, singer and dancer) released an album regarding Mantras in Moscow. Please watch them on their Youtube channel HARTT Duos-Health, Art,Travel & Tech. They are known as MusiK Duos. Please find their page also at their Facebook page under the same name.
There is nothing more important than his Smule profile that allowed to take a place in these features. So here are a few selected songs from his profile.
Manasa Nilayil with Binitha Balan
Hrydayathin Madhupathram
Arikil nee undayirunnenkil
Vellai pura ondru
Surmayee Ankhiyon Mein
Unnale Ennalum
Pranasakhi Njan
Ishal then kanam
Uruguthey Maruguthey
His poetry performances from reality show Mampazham on Kairali TV
A multitalented Kiran also sent us some of his pencil caricatures of Hindu gods. The art is very much influenced by the artists growing up and is very evident in these pictures. Here are few samples.
Endnotes
When getting ready with the preparations to write this out, the enthusiasm coming from Kiran was outstanding. He is an ardent lover of arts and music and had multiple sides of his talent to showcase. Hope we were able to bring a sliver of Kiran’s talent to you all. Kiran’s music is as compelling as his other talents and make a great case to be included in the line of featured singers on these pages. Please visit Kiran’s Smule handle here to listen to more of his songs.
