Siblings Lydian and Amrithavarshini now create tunes for every Thirukkural

Before phones became popular, students had their own way of keeping music close. Lyrics of the latest cinema hits would be scribbled down in the back pages of notebooks, exchanged between benches, and sung in chorus during breaks. Decades may have passed, but the memory of how easily those songs stuck in young minds still lingers. Even now, students can reel off verses from film songs without hesitation, while the lines of classical literature taught in school often feel distant, heavy, and difficult to remember. It is into this very gap that siblings Lydian Nadhaswaram and Amirthavarshini step in with an ambitious dream. Child prodigies in their own right, they have turned their studio into a musical laboratory where rhythm and tradition meet. The space hums with the presence of instruments piano, strings, percussion and the gentle glow of a computer where tunes are constantly being tested, replayed, and perfected. Here, between bursts of laughter and sound, the duo is reimagining Thirukkural as an anthology of 1,330 songs, giving each kural its own melody. In a candid interview with CE , the duo shares about their two-year journey for their latest project, The Thirukural 1330 Kuralisaikkaaviyam. Excerpts follow: How did this project come to be? Lydian: This project was our father Varshans idea which was initiated about ten years ago. He always wanted to see the Thirukkural in a musical form. Back then, my sister was 12 and I was nine she had even composed tunes for 400 kurals . But when it came to sections like Inbathupal, which talks about love and family life, we knew we werent old enough to do justice to the themes. So, we put it on hold. Over the next decade, we immersed ourselves in world music, and I personally learnt many genres of music. In 2023, with that maturity and experience, we finally revived the project. What was your vision when you first worked on it in 2014, and how did it evolve over the decade? Amirthavarshini: At first, I was simply setting the kurals to melody. But as we grew musically, my father suggested we also bring in the porul the meaning alongside the original verses. That way, people could connect beyond just memorising the couplets. We collaborated with Tamil poet and lyricist Shaktivasan, who wrote meanings for all 1,330 kurals in a way that felt contemporary and accessible. That made the project much richer. There are countless interpretations of the Thirukkural . Why did you choose this specifically? Amirthavarshini: Because hes [Thiruvalluvar] both a poet and a lyricist, his phrasing carries a cinematic quality. His language connects easily with people while still preserving depth. We felt it struck the right balance. How are you making the project accessible to non-Tamil audiences? Lydian: We really wanted The Thirukural 1330 to reach beyond just Tamil-speaking audiences, because the messages in the kurals are universal. Thats why we decided to create 1,330 lyrical videos one for each kural. In every video, weve included the original kural in Tamil, followed by its meaning in Tamil, and then a simplified English version. The English renditions are written by my uncle, Vishwas Gaitonde, who is based in the US. He has a deep understanding of both languages and cultures, so his versions arent literal word-for-word translations, but concise interpretations that capture the essence in a way thats easy for anyone to understand. This way, even if someone doesnt know Tamil at all, they can still connect with the depth and beauty of the Thirukkural . Youve involved more than a thousand singers in this project. How did that come about? Amirthavarshini: On September 8, 2023, right after Lydian turned 18, we put out an announcement on YouTube inviting 1,000 singers from across the globe to join us in this journey. Honestly, we werent sure what to expect, but the response was nothing short of overwhelming we received more than 2.7 lakh emails from singers of every age group, from different corners of the world. Each entry was so unique, and it was incredibly moving to see how many people were eager to be part of something connected to the Thirukkural . We personally listened to every submission, paying close attention to both musical ability and, most importantly, good Tamil pronunciation. After a long and careful selection process, we finally chose about 1,000 voices. How did you divide your roles while working on something of this scale? Lydian: From the very beginning, we knew the only way to pull off something as massive as The Thirukural 1330 was to clearly divide our roles. Varshini took on the task of composing all 1,330 melodies she literally gave each kural its own tune that the singers could carry. Beyond that, she also personally guided and managed the recording sessions with every singer, making sure the authenticity of the diction and emotion came through. My role was to build the soundscape around her melodies: I worked on the background arrangements, the instrumentation, the layering, and finally the mixing and mastering, so that every kural felt both timeless and contemporary. It wasnt easy this wasnt a project that could be done in fragments or as a side effort. We pretty much cut ourselves off from the outside world for nearly two years, dedicating ourselves completely to this work. Did you ever have creative disagreements? Lydian: Not really. It was seamless. Since the project spans more than 200 musical genres, there were moments when one of us wasnt sure how to approach a kural say, in rap or Mongolian throat singing but wed sit together and work it out. It was always collaborative, never combative. What guided your choice of genre for each kural? Lydian: The genre experiments were mostly in the kurals sung by me, Varshini, and my dad, because I had complete freedom to record and make changes in real time. With other singers, I usually got just one clean vocal file after the session, so while I did experiment, the scope was a little more limited. My process, overall, was very spontaneous. Varshini would send me folders of 15-20 kurals without me knowing what she had composed or what the singers had done. Id open a track, drop it into my project, and then just let ideas flow. Whatever came to me in that moment became the final arrangement. That approach gave the project a lot of freshness. Sometimes, in a single kural , Id end up blending three or four genres just because thats where the music naturally led me. I feel staying free-flowing like that kept the sound organic and allowed each kural to find its own unique voice. Why release the album in ten volumes, and in a shuffled order? Amirthavarshini: Splitting The Thirukural 1330 into 10 volumes was important, both practically and creatively. Releasing all 1,330 couplets in one stretch over 20 hours of music would have been overwhelming for audiences. Breaking it down makes it easier to absorb, like chapters of a book. It also allowed us to celebrate the global nature of this project. We had singers from 25+ countries, most of whom recorded remotely, so by releasing volumes in different countries, we can honour them locally and finally meet many of them in person. Lydian: Musically, too, dividing it into volumes gave us more freedom. Thirukural has 133 chapters on themes like love, effort, rain, and fate, and we wanted the albums to reflect that variety. Just as a film album has different moods a love song, a motivational track, an emotional piece each volume offers a mix. Sometimes we even shuffled the order to keep things musically engaging. The first launch was on September 6 at Valluvar Kottam, which felt like a blessing since the monument had just reopened after renovations. Next, were taking it to Jaffna, then Melbourne, London, the US, and more. Initially, we planned monthly launches, but since many singers are eager to hear their kurals, were moving faster. And finally, were deeply grateful while over 2.7 lakh singers applied, we could only include about 1,000. We want to thank everyone who sent their voices, because their support gave this project its true global spirit. Has working on the project changed how you see Thirukkural personally? Amirthavarshini: Definitely. Earlier, it was just about the tune. Now, with the meaning, we see how applicable it is to everyday life. Lydian: We practically know every kural by heart now. Even at home, if theres a small argument, someone will quote a kural and everyone bursts out laughing. It has become a part of our daily lives. Do you have a favourite kural you now turn to? Lydian: Its hard to pick, because it depends on the situation. But on the top of my mind is Anpirkum Undo Ataikkundhaal Aarvalar Punkaneer Poosal Tharum. What was the most rewarding compliment you received after the project launched? Lydian: Many. One that stays with us is women who said their families hadnt allowed them to sing after marriage but since this was for the Thirukkural, they were permitted. Some left our studio in tears of joy. Teachers have told us they now teach the kural with meaning and song, which makes us happiest. Thats exactly why we did this. What do you think younger audiences can gain from engaging with the Thirukkural through music? Lydian: Music is the quickest way to absorb wisdom. Just like we remember Twinkle Twinkle forever, a child can now remember the kurals with their meanings. Its not just about Tamil its about instilling virtues, morals, and life lessons. Do you believe future generations will still turn to classical texts? Lydian: Absolutely. If it has survived 2,000 years, it will survive further. Our work is just to make it more accessible by putting it into every genre from R&B to Western classical to rap. Theres something for everyone. With AI entering the creative space, whats your view on its role in music? Lydian: AI can assist like a helping hand fetching tools but it shouldnt replace human creativity. If you had to describe Thirukkural 1330 in three words? Both: Listen. Learn. Live. (Ketka. Karka. Vazhga.)