Carnatic Music
By Smitha K. Prasad Carnatic Music- Readers Questions Answered Dear readers, in my final installment of answering questions for this session, I will address the topic that those of you who have moved to a new city have encountered i.e. how do I find a suitable Carnatic music teacher for my child in a new city where I do not know anybody, or in general how to choose a teacher for my child. While I am addressing this topic in the realm of Carnatic music, it could very well be applied to any of our classical art forms in general. Dear readers, I am answering more questions from readers. It is indeed heartening to note that so many of our readers have a deep-rooted interest in Indian classical music. I am also very happy to hear that many of you read the columns with your children, who learn classical music. In our family, many a time, we have animated dinner-table conversations revolving around some topic or the other pertaining to classical music! Dear readers, as we enter the New Year 2013, I hope that it is filled with peace, prosperity, happiness and music, but of course! Over the past two years or so, we have traced the evolution of Carnatic music, starting with its inception from the Sama Veda; through the centuries, the nature of Carnatic music has undergone changes as it responds to changes in contemporary realities. We examined the Bhakti movement, the influence of the British rule, the influence of Hindusthani music, the role of kings as connoisseurs and composers, the role of women and most recently, the influence of technology. Quite a journey! I trust that you have found this journey both enjoyable and fascinating. Dear readers, over the past few columns we looked at the host of changes that have taken place in Carnatic music. This month, I’d like to look two more such features that have gained popularity- 1) concept of thematic concerts 2) presentation of jugalbandhis, especially Carnatic-Hindusthani juganlbandhis. Dear readers, over the past few columns, we looked at changes in the Carnatic music scene in the post-independence era in India. We examined how the shift in music patronage from royal courts to the general public influenced some changes; in the past two columns we looked at the influence of technology on Carnatic music. This month we look at other changes that have come about in Carnatic music as the years have gone by. Dear readers, last month we looked at the effect of technology in some areas of Carnatic music; this month we continue to explore more changes that have been brought about in Carnatic music due to technological advances. Dear readers, last month we looked at changes in the field of Carantic music in the post-independence era. This month, we will take a look at the changes that technology has brought into the field of Carnatic music. Dear readers, over the past few columns, we looked at the rise of women in the field of Carnatic music. Starting out initially as composers, women became seasoned performers of Carnatic music concerts. This month, our journey in the field of Carnatic music continues as we look at changes that arose in the post-independence era. Dear readers, over the past few columns, we have looked at the contribution of women to the ever evolving field of Carnatic music. Women started off as mainly composers and then with the passage of time, rose to become prominent performers. This month, we look at the last of the trinity of female performers- Smt. D. K. Pattammal. Dear readers, last month we looked at the life of one of Carnatic music’s most famous vocalists- Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi. This month, I would like to introduce one more female vocalist who was part of the trinity of female Carnatic vocalists- Smt. M. L. Vasanthakumari (1928-1990). Dear readers, over the past few columns we looked at the role of women, mainly composers, in Carnatic music. In the next few columns, we will look at the role of women performers in the field of Carnatic music. Dear readers, in last month’s column, we looked at some early women composers and their contributions to the field of music; this month, we will look at the contributions of more contemporary women to the field of Carnatic music. Dear readers, in this month’s column, we continue to look at the role of women, both composers and performers, in Canratic music. This time we focus on two other early women composers - Akka Mahadevi, who was one of the proponents of the 12th century Bhakti movement and Meerabai, another proponent of the Bhakti movement in North India. The Veerashaiva Bhakti movement came into existence around the 12th century to protest the existing social order in Hindu society. Akka Mahadevi was part of this movement that made her an inspiration for women, who were suppressed by society. Her poetry in Kannada called vachanas spoke out against caste system and spoke of social and gender equality. These vachanas (about 400 in number) which are in praise of Lord Shiva are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature. Having renounced her life of luxury, she lived as a wandering poet-saint. Akka Mahadevi, along with the other two Veerashaiva saints Allamaprabu and Basaveshwarah are considered the trinity of the Veerashaiva movement. Another exponent of the Bhakti movement in the northern part of India was the Rajput princess Meera. Despite being born in a royal family, Meera worshipped Lord Krishna, dancing and singing in the streets with gay abandon. For this, she was ill-treated by her in-laws after the death of her husband. Meerabai’s poetry is in simple verse form in the Braj dialect and exudes complete surrender to the Lord. Meera bhajans are also a common inclusion in Carnatic music concerts. The popularity of Meera bhajans among Carnatic musicians soared after the legendary musician M. S. Subbulakshmi portrayed the character of Meera and sang a number of Meera bhajans in the 1945 film “Meera.” Dear readers, in this month’s column, we will look at the role of women in Carnatic music and how that role has undergone a transformation as a result of societal changes. Women, both composers and performers alike, have played a very important role in the history of Carnatic music. Prominent women composers include Aandal, Meerabai, Akka Mahadevi and more recently Ambujam Krishna and Andavan Pichhai. Dear readers, here is wishing you all a very happy, prosperous and musical 2012! We have indeed travelled a long road as we analyzed the evolution of Carnatic music and how it has responded to changes in the socio-political environment as a function of time. Well over a year ago, we started with the Sama Veda being the most likely source of Carnatic music; since then, we have travelled through the centuries tracing the way that Carnatic music despite being a traditional art has a nature dynamic enough to respond and reflect the state of the environment that it is a part of. Dear readers, for this month’s column, I would like to take up the subject of patriotism and the role that Carnatic music and musicians played in India’s quest for independence. Carnatic music and its compositions are for the most part Bhakti (devotional) oriented and even though there are compositions that deal with other themes, devotion has always been the main theme of most Carnatic music compositions. Dear readers, as we continue looking at the evolution of Carnatic music through the years, this month, I will address the format of a Carnatic music concert and the changes that have occurred over time. Dear readers, over the past few columns, we have looked at the influence of royal patronage on Carnatic music. Last month, we looked at the contributions of the Mysore kings to Carnatic music; this month, I would like to discuss the contribution of the famous composer king Maharajah Swathi Thirunal. Dear readers, in last month’s installment, I discussed how royal patronage influenced Carnatic music. This month, I will continue along those lines but delve more into the details of the contributions of the various kings of Mysore to Carnatic music. Dear readers, let’s continue our fascinating journey exploring the evolution of Carnatic music as a result of changes in the social and political landscape in various parts of India. This month I will discuss how royal patronage influenced Carnatic music. Dear readers, as we have seen previously, until the 12th century A.D., only one form of music prevailed all through India. Around this time, the Islamic presence was beginning to be felt in North India. The musical practice there came under the influence of Persian and Arabic cultures and came to be known as Hindustani music. In south India, the original music was preserved and handed down through the ages and is known as Carnatic music. Dear readers, last month, we took a look at one of the most important contributions bequeathed to India by the British viz. the violin and its role in assuming a prominent position in the field of Carnatic music. Dear readers, over the past few months, we have looked at the evolution of Carnatic music and how it has changed and adapted to changes in the social and political environment. Starting from the time of the Vedas, we traced the journey of Carnatic music and looked at the influence of social reformist movements such as the Veerashaiva movement, Bhakti movement, etc. We now reach a point in time when the British established rule in India. It is but natural then to expect that the British Raj would also have influenced the prevailing music system(s) in India. Dear readers, in this month’s column, we will continue to look at the life of the Bhakti saint Kanaka Dasa and examine some of his popular compositions. Dear readers, in this month’s column we will look at yet another of the famous Bhakti saints- Kanakadasa. Along with Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa also belonged to the tradition of the Haridasa movement and became a disciple of Vyasaraya. The exponents of the Haridasa movement believed themselves to be “servants of Hari.” True to the tenets of the Bhakti movement, Kanakadasa also preached a life of simplicity filled with kindness and equanimity. Dear readers, this month we continue to pay homage to Purandara Dasa, one of the great saints of Carnatic music. In last month’s column, we looked at the remarkable transformation of the rich and miserly merchant Srinivasa Nayaka into the wandering bard Purandara Dasa; this month we look at the numerous contributions he made to Carnatic music as well as the various facets of his compositions. Nageyu baruththide yenage, Jagadoliruva manujarella hagarana maduvuda kandu (I laugh (satirical) looking at the confusion of people around me) He goes on to describe various real-life ironic situations, which give an insight into what society may have faced at that point in time. The recurring theme in all his compositions is surrender to Lord Vittala of Pandarapura. Dear readers, at the outset, I would like to wish you all a very happy, prosperous and musical 2011! We begin in the new year by continuing our journey of the evolution of Carnatic music and studying the Bhakti movement in South India. The start of the new year provides an ideal opportunity to pay homage to one of the greatest saints of Carnatic music. Purandara Dasa. In this column we will look at the life of Purandara Dasa; next month we will look at his contributions to Carnatic music. Dear readers, over the next few columns, we will look at the evolution of Carnatic music and how different factors have influenced Carnatic music into the form that we know today. In the last issue, we looked at the Bhakti movement in North India, its impact on Carnatic music and the contributions of the poet-saint Surdas. This week, we will look at more aspects of the Bhakti movement and discuss more about the exponents of the movement. Dear readers, over the next few columns, I will be discussing the evolution of Carnatic music through the ages. In the last issue, we looked at the Veerashaiva movement, which began around the 11th-12th century and its influence on Carnatic music. This week, we will look at the Bhakti movement and the impact of this movement on Carnatic music. Dear readers, over the next few columns, I will be discussing the evolution of Carnatic music through the ages. While Carnatic music is a traditional art form that has survived through the centuries, it has been influenced by various social and political factors. Each of these factors has brought about some change either in the form of contribution to Carnatic music or modifying what previously existed. KaLa beda koLa beda husiya nudiyalu beda, Muniya beda anyarige asahya padabeda Today, especially in Karnataka, vachanas are a popular inclusion in many Carnatic music concerts. Apart from this, concerts consisting entirely of vachanas are often heard as special presentations. Till we meet next time, do try and listen to some vachanas online, many of these have been beautifully tuned to either Carnatic or Hindustani ragas. I find that they make excellent songs to teach younger children because of the simplicity of language. Smitha Prasad is a Carnatic vocalist based in Cary, NC Email: smitha_prasad@hotmail.com
Classification of Ragas
Dear readers, beginning this month, I will be spending a few segments on the various ways that ragas may be classified in Carnatic music. Before we delve further into the classification criterion, a brief recap of ragas, in general, follows.
Readers may remember from initial columns that a basic musical note is called a swara. Similar to other classical music systems, Carnatic music also has seven musical notes or swaras; however the position of these swaras is on a relative scale rather an absolute scale.
The saptaswaras (seven notes) of Carnatic music are sa ri ga ma pa da ni. For a given sruthi (pitch), the sa and pa notes are a constant. The other swaras (ri ga ma da ni) all have variations, which results in the expansion of seven notes into twelve on the musical scale. A combination of swaras strung together in a pattern capable of pleasing the ear constitutes a raga (melody). Depending on the pattern and the swara combinations in the pattern, the resulting raga is different and has a different name.
Perhaps, the most commonly heard classification of ragas is that of melakartha or janaka (parent) ragas and janya (child) ragas. A raga is considered to be a melakartha raga only when it has all the seven notes in its scale and in order, in both the arohanam (ascending scale) and avarohanam (descending scale) and with the same frequency.
The combination of the various swarams thus arranged gives rise to a total of 72 melakartha ragas. Examples of melakartha ragas include Mayamalavagowla, Kalyani, Shankarabharana and Kharaharapriya among others. The raga Bhairavi is not considered as a mela raga, even though it has all seven notes, since it takes one kind of dhaivata (da) swaram in the arohanam and another kind of dhaivatha (da) swaram in the avarohanam.
Any raga which does not conform to the melakartha structure is considered as a janya raga. While the number of melakartha ragas is fixed at 72, given the rules that it has to adhere to, numerous janya ragas are born by varying the ascending and descending scales and by adding or subtracting one or more notes in the ascending or descending scale. Examples of janya ragas include Hamsadhwani, Bilahari, Mohana and Arabhi among others. Each janya raga is ascribed to a melakartha raga- the process of associating a janya raga with a specific melakartha raga merits a separate discussion, which I shall address at a later date.
Till we meet next time, do try and listen to some of the mela ragas and janya ragas that I have mentioned- audio samples for these can easily be found on the Internet.
If your child has been learning Carnatic music previously, consult your current teacher for teachers he or she may know in your new city. If you have friends whose children are learning Carnatic music in your new area, they could possible provide you with a list of names of teachers in the local area. Every big city will more than likely have a classical music and dance society; they will also be a good resource for you to contact and obtain a list of teachers.
Attend performances of musicians in the area so that you get a feel for the style of singing. Keep in mind, however, that good performers do not necessarily make the best teachers and vice-versa. Some of the best teachers are not necessarily very prolific performers.
Once you have obtained a list of teachers, provide the teacher with information on how long your child has been learning, what his/her current lessons are, as this will give the teacher a background to assess your child. Most teachers will ask you to bring your child for an evaluation. In my evaluation, one of the first questions that I ask a student is if they know what sruthi (pitch) they sing in. If your child does not, do find out from your guru. If your child has never learned previously, then this is not an issue as the teacher will determine the pitch best suited for the student’s voice quality. I then typically ask the student to sing anything that they are comfortable with and then move on to other pieces to gauge what a good starting point for lessons is.
As a note to the parents, the guru-shishya (teacher-student) relationship is a special relationship- take some time before enrolling your children with a teacher. Once you have enrolled your child, I encourage you to be patient and let the guru determine the pace of teaching. Switching teachers because someone else’s child is learning faster is not beneficial in the long run.
Finally, a word on practice - any teacher can teach only as much as the student practices. Most children have music lessons once or twice a week. Regular practice is a must if a student (or for that matter any artist) aims to progress well. Your teacher can guide you on the methods of practice but (s)/he cannot practice for you!
One of our readers from Virginia brought up the fact that both Carnatic and Hindustani music have swarams (musical notes) of the same name; yet they refer to different notes on a musical scale. For instance, the note- “Shuddha Ga” means different swarams in Hindustani and Carnatic music. This is because in Hindustani music, the reference scale is “Bilawal” thaat (parent scale) - all the swarams that occur here are classified as Shuddha- the other swarams are either komal (flat) or tivra (sharp) with reference to the “Bilawal” scale.
In Carnatic music, the term Shuddha is used to denote the lowest possible position that a swaram can occupy on the scale. Hence “Shuddha Rishabha,” “Shuddha Gandhara,” “Shuddha Madhyama,” etc. are the lowest possible positions that these swarams can occupy. Conversely, the same swaram on a musical scale has different names in Carnatic and Hindustani music. For instance, “Shuddha Rishabha” (Carnatic) and “Komal Re” (Hindustani) refer to the same note even though they have different names!
On another note, while it is important to know the different swarams on the musical scale, classical music also has the concept of gamakas (oscillations). With regard to Carnatic music, even though many ragas have the same swaram (e.g.: Chatushruthi Rishabha), the way the swaram is rendered in each raga is different since it takes different gamakas in different ragas. The gamakas associated with each ragam unfortunately cannot be derived from notation. One has to be familiar with the gamakas for the particular ragam- this comes by learning from a guru as well as listening to many different renditions of the ragam. Sometimes, there are very subtle variations in the way that the same swaram in a single ragam is sung! That is what makes classical music so challenging!
Till we meet next time, I look forward to more of your questions, comments and suggestions for topics that you would like to see covered through this column.
I would like to begin this year by answering some of the questions that readers have sent me and other questions that I find I am constantly asked.
One of the most common questions that I am asked is to do with the practice that a student has to put in to learn Carnatic music. Carnatic music, like any other art form, has to be regularly and rigorously practiced. Most students have lessons with their teacher once or twice a week; regular practice is a must if a student hopes to benefit from their music lessons. Your guru will be able to guide you in terms of the specifics of practice.
While on this topic of music education, I’d also like to elaborate on the benefits of listening to Carnatic music on a regular basis. These days, there is no dearth of websites offering streaming of Carnatic music. Apart from this, most big cities in the US have music organizations that organize kutcheris on a regular basis- most of these organizations require either the purchase of a ticket or a membership in the organization to attend concerts. There are also a few organizations that arrange free concerts on a regular basis- any of these listening opportunities always provide valuable experience.
A student of music recently asked me about the importance of Akaara Sadhana- akaara sadhana is the practice of singing the initial exercises (sarali varasai, janta varasai, etc.) using vowel sounds- ‘akaara’, ‘ikaara’, ‘ukaara’, etc. During this practice, the jaws do not move; the only movement is from the throat/vocal chords. Akaara sadhana is typically done early in the morning; however practicing it at any time is better than not practicing at all! Akaara sadhana helps a vocalist develop speed as well as an ease in singing- the speed is built up with regular practice over a period of time.
Till we meet next time, I look forward to more of your questions. Do continue listening to classical music in general; Carnatic music in particular!
Thematic concerts, as the name suggests, are concerts wherein most, if not all, of the compositions presented conform to the theme of the concert or the concert series. Some examples of these are concerts which feature compositions of a particular composer or compositions that are dedicated to a particular deity, etc. These concerts keep up the audience interest and introduce variety on the concert platform. It is also an occasion for musicians to present lesser known compositions on the concert platform if the compositions conform to the concert theme. Other interesting concert themes include concerts that are dedicated to particular ragas or series; one of the interesting thematic concert series that I have previously attended was named “Gowla series”- each day had an artist performing in concert featuring one of the ragas such as “Gowla,” “Mayamalavagowla,” “Reethigowla,” “Kedaragowla,” “Narayanagowla.”
A jugalbandhi concert is a concert that features two equally skilled musicians as partners in the concert presentation. Both performers divide the concert presentation aspects so that the concert comes across as presenting an equal opportunity for both performers to showcase their skills and virtuosity. Jugalbandhi concerts can take place between two artistes in different genres of music (Carnatic - Hindusthani) or two artistes within a genre- e.g.: Pandit Ravi Shankar (sitar) and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod), both Hindusthani musicians on different instruments.
Carnatic-Hindusthani classical jugalbandhis have become quite popular over time. With both of these streams of music originating from a common source before separating out, it is possible to present jugalbandhi concerts which highlight the characteristic of each of these forms in a cohesive presentation. These jugalbandhi concerts widely appeal to audiences since they showcase two different styles of presenting the same raga, and even the same composition at times. It is also an extremely enjoyable experience for the artistes involved as they play off each other’s ideas on an impromptu basis in the concert.
Till we meet next time, do listen to Carnatic-Hindusthani jugalbandhi recordings of Dr. Balamurali Krishna and Pt. Bhimsen Joshi-it is marvelous to see these two highly accomplished musicians in concert- these recordings are easily available on the Internet.
One of the newer formats of presentation today is the “Ghoshti Gayana” or group presentation. In this format, groups of people learn krithis or bhajans and present it in a coordinated effort. Sometimes there are as many as 500 people coming together and singing in a unified presentation with multiple accompanying instrumental artists as well as percussion artists.
We have also previously looked at how the Carnatic music concert format changed with Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar introducing the kutcheri paddhathi (concert format). Not only have Carnatic music concerts undergone a change in the format, but also in the concert duration. Previously concerts would start later in the evening with the audiences having finished their dinner and assembling to listen to the concert.
The concert would last a couple of hours and go on into the wee hours of the morning. Fast forward to today when many concerts are 90 minutes long and the “long” concerts are about 3 hours in length; concerts also usually start earlier in the evening and also wrap up earlier.
Non-conventional instruments such as nadaswaram and jalatarang are now being featured in concerts as audiences not only look for variety but also are more conscious of supporting diverse artists. Even western instruments such as piano, keyboard, saxophone and the like are now popular in Carnatic concerts either as soloists or as accompanying artistes to conventional vocalists or instrumentalists.
As a result, a number of collaborative concerts featuring traditional artists paired with non-traditional instrumental artists have come about. Many of these concerts are excellent examples of how music, in general, transcends various boundaries that are in existence.
Till we meet next time, do listen to Carnatic music recordings of the saxophone artist Sri Kadri Gopalnath- he is a pioneer in the field of Carnatic music on the saxophone. Many of his recordings are easily available on the Internet.
Similar to the invention of the electronic tanpura (late 1970’s by Sri. G. Raj Narayan), other instruments such as the veena and the violin also have their electronic counterparts. These electronic versions are not as popular as their acoustic counterparts and are used by a relatively small percentage of instrumental artists. While the electronic tanpura has become ubiquitous among students as well as performers of Carnatic music, the electronic veena and violin are still relatively less popular among performing artistes. Like the tanpura, acoustic instruments have a tonal quality which radiates a warm feeling as the notes are played; the electronic versions seem colder in comparison. However the electronic instruments do have some advantages- for instance the electronic veena “Sunadavinodini” can actually be dismantled and later reassembled with ease by the vainika (veena player). Today, as musicians travel to various countries across the globe to perform, having compact instruments can indeed be an advantage, given the airline luggage restrictions and the tight spaces in the aircraft.
Perhaps, the Internet has had one of the most singular impacts especially on students of Carnatic music. Traditionally, Carnatic music was learned in gurukulam tradition where the students lived in strict obedience with the guru and learned his lessons.
The gurus typically would not charge the student any fees; instead the students helped out with chores and errands around the house. Lessons were conducted whenever the guru felt like teaching. Fast forward a couple of years and most learning took place with either gurus visiting the student’s house to teach or today when most students visit the gurus house to learn their lesson at a preset time based on the convenience of the guru as well as the student.
With the advent of Skype, teaching of Carnatic music has undergone a revolution. Many students today use Skype sometimes exclusively to learn from their guru; others use it in conjunction with their personal learning sessions from the guru. While it is true that Skype and tele-teaching has made it easier for students in any part of the world to learn from a teacher based in any part of the world, there is something to be said for the benefit of receiving training in the ‘old fashioned’ format of in-person learning. The air of informality and spontaneity, to a certain extent, is missing in these tele-learning sessions.
Technology is also making it easier to listen to Carnatic music concerts. A number of websites offer live streaming of Carnatic music concerts thus making it possible to listen to concerts without leaving the comfort of your house. Again, the atmosphere that is created when listening to a live concert in-person simply cannot be obtained when listening to the same over the Internet. However, it is certainly beneficial to listen to concert streaming and recordings rather than not listen at all!
Till we meet next time. I plan to devote a column answering questions - you can reach me via email or Facebook.
Like other fields, technology has played quite a large role in many aspects of Carnatic music. Many rasikas may remember concerts from the 1940’s and earlier without the use of the microphone. Chamber concerts- concerts that take place in an intimate setting with a reasonably smaller group of people were quite popular and given the smaller scale of the audience and the venue, mikes were not used for the concert. As concerts have moved out of the chamber settings and temples to bigger venues such as theaters and auditoriums, the size and scale of the venue dictates the use of a sound system with mikes used for all the artistes in the performance.
Singers have had to change their tonal quality to accommodate the use of a sound system. Sound balancing is also an important part of ensuring that the concert is heard at its best. Good sound engineers and technicians are now very much sought after, since balancing is best done by technicians who are familiar with Carnatic music concert arrangements. Sound balancing is actively done through the duration of the concert to ensure that the main artistes as well as the accompanying artistes are heard without one overshadowing the other.
Technology has also found its way into traditional instruments. The tanpura, a wooden instrument with strings used to provide sruthi (drone function), is a fundamental staple for all Carnatic classical musicians. Today, it is more common to find the electronic tanpura- an electronic instrument that mimics the drone of the traditional tanpura. There are many reasons for the rising popularity of the electronic tanpura – ease of maintenance, ability to transport over long distances in aircrafts, trains, etc., less expensive than having a person play the tanpura for the pitch – all of these have contributed to the popularity of the electronic tanpura. I must mention though that in terms of sound, the electronic tanpura does not sound as beautiful as the real instrument.
A step further into the world of sruthi has come about with the development of Apple and Android tanpura apps. As these devices are even smaller than the electronic tanpura, quite a few concert musicians use only the tanpura apps or in combination with the traditional/electronic tanpura. Both the Android tanpura app and the iTanpura app from Apple are free apps and can be downloaded to the device of your choice.
Next month, we will take a look at some more effects of technology on Carnatic music. Till we meet next time, I look forward to hearing your questions and comments as I plan to devote a column to answering these.
Recall from past columns, that royal rulers like the Maharajas of Mysore and Maharaja Swathi Tirunal not only were great patrons of music, but also were composers and performers themselves. To a large extent, prior to Indian independence, Carnatic music had always enjoyed royal patronage. As a result, many musicians had the luxury of taking to music full-time without having to worry about making a living.
As India neared and gained independence, Carnatic music also faced democratization. Patronage shifted from Rajas (kings) and zamindars (landlords) to governmental and non-governmental organizations. Musicians also had to face the fact that not all of them could take to music full-time; many musicians had to pursue a professional career in addition to their performing career in music, the combination of which provided them the means to earn a reasonable livelihood. Many present-day professional musicians, if not currently, would at some point of time in their life have straddled a parallel career to their performing career in music.
In the absence of the patronage of the kings, the general public began to play more of a role in determining when, where and if a musician performed. Audience patronage today is perhaps the most important factor in determining a musician’s success since it translates into revenues for the organizers. Today’s audiences are a varied lot and performers have to cater to various audience strata. Audiences consist of people speaking different languages, different age groups, serious students of music, rasikas (knowledgeable listeners) as well as lay listeners. Hence the performer has to have variety in the concert presentation to cater to these various segments.
As travel became easier, musicians frequently performed in various parts of the country. To appeal to the audiences at large, musicians had to tailor the content and format of the concerts. Today, depending on the part of the country that they have to perform in, most musicians make it a point to include a few compositions in the vernacular of that particular state.
As we near the completion of the series documenting the response of a traditional art, like Carnatic music, to contemporary realities, I would like to devote a column (or two!) to answer reader’s questions, comments and thoughts. Till we meet next time, do not hesitate to reach me via email or Facebook. I look forward to hearing from you.
Smt. Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal (1919-2009) was born into an orthodox Brahmin family. Her father, a music enthusiast, inspired her to learn music. Her mother, despite being a talented singer, was not allowed to perform in public; in fact, even singing for family and relatives was not permitted in keeping with the orthodox tradition that Brahmin women were not allowed to perform on stage. As a child, Pattammal attended numerous concerts and on returning home would notate the krithis (musical compositions) that she had heard in the concert.
She then trained under many vidwans to acquire a rich repertoire of compositions. She was a trailblazer in the field of Carnatic music by being the first Brahmin woman to perform publicly. Pattammal was also the first woman to perform complex concert items such as the Ragam Tanam Pallavi in intricate talas (rhythmic cycles).
Pattammal was one of the earliest musicians to sing in films. Readers may remember from previous columns that Smt. Pattammal only sang songs in films if they were either devotional or patriotic.
Several of her films highlighted India’s freedom movement against the British; as a result, they were banned by the British government. Her signature song “Shanti Nilava Vendum” called for world peace reiterating the non-violent ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi. Many people still remember the patriotic songs that she sang over AIR (All India Radio) at the stroke of midnight on August 14, 1947 when India attained freedom from British rule.
Smt. Pattammal, like the other musicians in the trinity of female Carnatic musicians, also received the Sangitha Kalanidhi title (in 1970). Additionally, she received the Padma Vibhushan (India’s second highest civilian honor) in 1998.
Till we meet next time, do listen to one of Smt. Pattammal’s most popular songs “Theeradha Vilayattu Pillai”- you will be able to find clips of her rendition on the Internet, either on YouTube or other similar services.
She also has many recordings that are available from music sellers.
Madras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari or MLV as she was popularly known was born into a musical family. Both her father and mother were musicians; thus MLV was always in an atmosphere filled with music. She came under the tutelage of famed musician G.N. Balasubramaniam, who after hearing her sing, persuaded her parents to place MLV under his tutelage.
MLV developed a style of singing that was replete with brighas (fast phrases). Her pliant voice enabled her to effortlessly travel through different octaves. She could render many difficult ragas with ease. MLV is best known for popularizing Purandara Dasa devaranamas.
Readers may recall from earlier columns that Purandara Dasa was one of the proponents of the Bhakti movement in South India. His compositions which were simple yet meaningful advocated a path of devotion or bhakti to the Lord. MLV’s mother had a wide repertoire of these devaranamas which she handed over to MLV.
Apart from being an exceptional Carnatic musician, MLV was also a playback singer for many movies. For her many contributions to the field of music, MLV was honored with a doctoral degree from Mysore University as well as the Padma Bhushan conferred by the government of India.
In 1977, she became the youngest woman to earn the Sangita Kalanidhi, a prestigious title conferred by the Madras Music Academy.
MLV was a generous teacher and trained several students. Her notable students include popular musicians Smt. Sudha Raghunathan, Sri Trichur Ramachandran and Smt. Charumathi Ramachandran among others.
Till we meet next time, do listen to the Purandara Dasa devaranama ‘Venkatachala Nilayam’ by Smt. M.L. Vasanthakumari. You can find her rendition as well as other wonderful performances on the Internet. She also has many recordings to her credit that can be found on sites that sell Indian classical music.
One of the most famous Carnatic musicians of all times was the renowned vocalist Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi (1916-2004). Along with her contemporaries Smt. M.L. Vasanthakumari and Smt. D. K. Pattammal, they formed the trinity of female Carnatic vocalists; each of these women has made significant contributions to Carnatic music in general and the role of women performers in particular.
M.S. Subbulakshmi was born in 1916 in the city of Madurai. Her mother was a veena player and her grandmother a violinist; thus M.S. grew up in an environment where she was constantly exposed to music and started learning both Carnatic and Hindustani music. From a very young age, M.S. Subbulakshmi performed concerts at a number of prestigious venues, including the Madras Music Academy. She was a trailblazer for women since performance at concerts was, for the most part, reserved for male vocalists. M.S. Subbulakshmi sang compositions in a number of different languages including Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati and Marathi. As a cultural ambassador, M.S. travelled to numerous places around the world exposing various audiences to Carnatic music. Perhaps her most prestigious concert performance was in New York for the UN General Assembly in 1966.
M.S. also acted in a few movies early in her career. Her role of the bhakti saint Meera in the movie titled Meera earned her national recognition. She rendered a number of Meera bhajans in this movie; these days, Meera bhajans are popularly included in a number of Carnatic concerts as tukkadas or lighter pieces. Readers may also remember the discussion from previous columns about M.S.’s rendition of Mahatma Gandhi’s favorite bhajan “Hari Tum Haro.”
M.S. was awarded the Sangitha Kalanidhi award in 1968. She was the first woman recipient of this prestigious title, one of the highest awards in Carnatic music, awarded by the Madras Music Academy. Her other prestigious titles include the Magsaysay award and the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award. M.S. donated most of her award money to charity and even performed a number of charity concerts.
Till we meet next time, do listen to the song “Kurai Ondrum Illai” from M.S’s UN concert on the internet- this is one of the most popular songs rendered in the concert circuit.
Among the contemporary women composers, Smt. Ambujam Krishna is perhaps the most well known. Ambujam Krishna was born in 1917 to a family of music lovers and was also taught music.
Her visit to the Samadhi of the composer saint Thyagaraja inspired her to start composing. She composed in several different languages including Tamil, Kannada and Sanskrit. The lyrical content of her compositions was so rich that several leading musicians tuned a number of her compositions. Smt. Krishna also started a music school in Madurai which is currently a well established college.
Andavan Pichai is another contemporary woman composer who composed in Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit. It is said that her vision of Lord Muruga was the impetus behind her compositions. Of late, many popular musicians have presented her compositions.
Bangalore Nagarathnamma (1878-1952), the daughter of a very successful lawyer could trace her musical lineage to the composer saint Thyagaraja. She not only performed concerts but also gave discourses in Kannada, Tamil and Sanskrit. Nagarathnamma had a dream in which she was charged with the responsibility of building a memorial to the composer saint Thyagaraja in the town of Thiruvaiyaru. In line with this vision, she set aside proceeds from her concerts and built a temple around the Samadhi of saint Thyagaraja. She was also responsible for the unified celebration of Thyagaraja aradhana (homage to Sri Thyagaraja) in Thiruvaiyaru.
This event is now one of national importance; every year, in January, the who’s who of Carnatic music gather at the premises in Thiruvaiyaru and sing the saints famed Pancharathna krithis. The event is now broadcast live on the television as well as over the internet.
It is interesting to note that despite the fact that it was Nagarathnamma’s efforts that led to the development of the shrine for Sri Thyagaraja, she was not allowed to perform during the aradhana since she was a woman! Nagarathnamma then started a women’s faction that performed its festivities separately. This continued till 1940 when women were allowed to perform on stage at the aradhana.
Till we meet next time, do try and listen to Smt. Ambujam Krishna’s popular composition Guruvayoor Appane- you can find many renditions by popular artists on the Internet.
Akka Mahadevi’s vachanas are included as part of a Carnatic music concert, usually in the tukkadas section. Of late, concerts based solely on vacahanas are gaining popularity due to their devotional meaning.
Till we meet next time, do try and listen to vachanas of Akka Mahadevi as well as to renditions of Meera bhajans. The beauty of these compositions lies in their simplicity.
Aandal (also known as Godai) is regarded as the earliest woman composer (around 8th century). She is said to have been discovered by Vishnuchitta under a tulsi (Basil) plant in the temple garden of the town Srivilliputtur. As Godai grew up, her love and devotion toward Lord Krishna continued to increase and she decided that she was going to marry only the Lord. There is a famous legend attributed to Godai- she used to make the garlands that Vishnuchitta delivered to the temple. Unbeknownst to Vishnuchitta, Godai used to wear the flower garlands before they were offered to the Lord, a serious infraction since the scriptures teach that what has been worn by a human being cannot be offered to the Lord. When Vishnuchitta caught Godai in this act, he was extremely upset and ordered her to make a fresh garland which he then took to the temple. Legend has it that the Lord appeared in Vishnuchitta’s dream and told him that He preferred the garlands which had been worn by Aandal rather than the fresh garlands. Aandal is said to have merged with the Lord in Srirangam at the age of fifteen.
Aandal’s most famous work is the Thiruppavai, a collection of 30 Tamil verses in which she assumes the role of a gopi (cowherd girl) and describes how she would serve the Lord for all eternity. These verses describe in detail the ambience of her village, the gathering of her friends to collect flowers, the visit to the temple and conclude by asking that in all of their births they should be in the service of the Lord. Highly devotional in nature, these verses or pashurams are recited in Vaishnava temples and households during the Margazhi month which is mid-December to mid-January.
Perhaps the most famous musical rendition of Aandal’s Thiruppavai is by the musician Smt. M.L. Vasanthakumari. Thiruppavai renditions by other musicians are also available; however MLV’s rendition is considered the gold-standard for Thiruppavai.
Till we meet next time, do listen to the Thiruppavai rendition by Smt. M.L. Vasanthakumari – you can easily find her rendition on the Internet.
Last month, I described the role that Carnatic music and musicians played in India’s quest for independence. No talk of Indian independence is complete without bringing in the “Father of the Nation” - Mahatma Gandhi. This month, we will take a look at Gandhiji’s influence on Carnatic music, a subject that unfailingly elicits raised eyebrows as people wonder how Gandhiji could have influenced Carnatic music!
A number of Carnatic musicians echoed Gandhi’s call for a pacifist movement using the medium of Carnatic music. Prominent among them was Smt. D. K. Pattammal, whose signature song “Shanti Nilava Vendum” calling for world peace reiterated Gandhiji’s message of non-violence and world peace. Another composition rendered by the famous musician Smt. M.L. Vasanthakumari is “Ellorum Gandhi.” This composition, a movie track, called for people of all faiths to live as one, echoing Gandhi’s famous quotation- “I am a Muslim and a Hindu and a Christian and a Jew and so are all of you.”
A number of Gandhiji’s favorite bhajans such as “Vaishnava Jana To” and the Meera bhajan “Hari Tum Haro” are also very popular among Carnatic musicians- they are frequently rendered as tukkadas (lighter pieces) in a concert. There is an interesting anecdote behind the composition “Hari Tum Haro” – when the legendary musician M.S. Subbulakshmi was initially invited to sing this bhajan for Gandhiji’s birthday, she refused saying that she did not know the composition.
Gandhiji is said to have remarked that he would rather hear M.S. “say” the composition than have anyone else sing it! M.S. later had the composition tuned and recorded it for Gandhiji’s birthday. This same recording was played on the radio following the announcement that Gandhiji had been assassinated. Carnatic concerts which are held on Gandhi Jayanthi (Oct. 2nd each year to mark Gandhi’s birthday) will invariably include some of Gandhiji’s favorite bhajans.
Till we meet next time, do listen to the bhajan “Hari Tum Haro” rendered by Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi. You can easily find recordings by M.S. on the internet – the devotion in her voice is unparalleled!
Patriotism, however, emerged as a theme with composers such as Subramanaya Bharathiyar, Periyasamy Thooran among others as India fought for independence from the continuing British rule.
Perhaps, the most famous of patriotic composers was the poet-composer Subramanya Bharatiyar (1882-1921). His compositions emphasized nationalism, unity of India and equality of mankind and appealed to the liberty and strength of people- he sang these compositions at Congress meetings. His writings earned him the title of Mahakavi or great poet while his patriotic songs earned him the title of Desiya Kavi or National Poet.
The government wanted to arrest Bharatiyar for his writings and so he was forced to escape from Madras to Pondicherry (under French rule); there he continued to publish a weekly magazine “India.”
Carnatic musicians also did their part to promote national integration and emphasized the need for freedom. Foremost among these musicians was Smt. D.K. Pattammal (1919-2009), who popularized several patriotic songs of Subramaya Bharatiyar.
She was one of the earliest Carnatic musicians to sing in films and even though she received many offers to sing in films, she accepted to only sing songs that were either devotional or patriotic.
Several of the films in which she sang highlighted the freedom movement and became extremely popular. As a result, both the films as well as the songs sung by Smt. Pattammal were banned by the British government. Her signature song “Shanthi Nilava Vendum” called for peace in the world, reiterating Mahatma Gandhi’s ideologies. Many people still remember the Bharatiyar songs that she sang over AIR (All India Radio) at the stroke of midnight on August 14, 1947 when India attained freedom.
Till we meet next time, do listen to the song “Shanthi Nilavavendum”, in Raga Tilang, by Smt. D.K. Pattammal. You will be able to find a recording on the popular music website www.raaga.com.
The modern day Carnatic music concert format, called kutcheri paddathi, was introduced by one of the stalwarts of Carnatic music- Sri Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar in the 1920’s. Prior to this time, most concerts were unstructured and extremely expansive.
Often times, the first piece in the concert presentation would itself take up several hours. As concerts moved out of the royal courts and temples and more into the mainstream audience, concerts also came under a time constraint to accommodate audience interest and constraints.
Today, most of the Carnatic music concerts follow the format pioneered by Sri Ariyakudi:
Concerts usually commence with a Varnam which serves as a warm up for the singer and the accompanists and sets the pace for the concert. This is then followed by krithis (compositions) rendered in various ragas (melodies) and talas (rhythm cycles). A combination of slow and fast tempo krithis provides variety from the listener’s perspective and keeps the audience engaged in the concert.
The main presentation in a concert is either a krithi with expansive improvisation or ragam-tanam-pallavi which again allows for elaborate improvisation. The main presentation also provides scope for thani avarthanam where the percussionists perform a solo.
Following the main presentation, the concert consists of “lighter” items popularly known as tukkadas. Tukkadas include slokas, bhajans, patriotic songs, compositions which are not very technical in nature. The concert usually ends with a rhythmic thillana and mangalam (concluding piece). The mangalam is usually completed in the raga Madhyamavathi as it is known to impart tranquility to the listener.
Carnatic music concerts have usually been about 2 ½ hours long; again these days with concerts being televised, keeping in mind the audience attention, etc. it is also quite common to find concerts that are an hour or an hour and a half in duration- a far cry from when concerts used to start late in the night (past 9pm) and carry on into the sunrise on the following day!
Till we meet next time, do try and attend a live Carnatic music concert. Many local organizations host Carnatic music kutcheris; you may actually find some concerts which are free and open to the public.
Sri Swathi Thirunal (1813-1846) was the ruler of the state of Travancore, now a part of Kerala state. He came from a family well versed in music and started his formal education at a young age. Sri Swathi Thirunal was adept in multiple languages such as Malayalam, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and even English and Persian. He had a deep love for music right from the beginning and showed keen interest and insight in both music and literature.
It was this reputation as a great patron of the arts that led a number of musicians, dancers and writers from all over to take residence at his court. The court musician Eraimman Thampi was a great composer and he composed what is perhaps the most famous Malayalam lullaby Omanathingal Kidavo. The Tanjore quartet, consisting of four brothers, were experts in multiple areas of music and dance were also part of Sri Swathi Thirunal’s court.
One of the four brothers was Vadivelu. Many readers may remember that he is one of the people credited with the introduction of the violin into Carnatic music. (Refer Saathee magazine issue May 2011) It was the patronage and support that musicians received from rulers such as Sri Swathi Thirunal that made possible multiple advances in Carnatic music.
The Maharaja also had great appreciation for Hindustani music and many Hindustani artists received patronage at his court.
As a composer, Sri Swathi Thirunal composed over 400 compositions in multiple languages. Some of his famous compositions include Deva deva Kalayami te in the Raga Mayamalavagowla and Sarasaksha Paripalaya Mamayi in Raga Pantuvarali. The famous thillana Gita dhuniku taka dhim in Raga Dhanashri is a popular presentation not only on the concert platform but also for classical dance (Bharatanatyam) presentations. He used the ankita (signature) Padmanabha (and other variations of this signature) in his compositions.
Till we meet next time, do listen to the composition Bhavayaami Raghuramam. Originally composed in the Raga Saveri, it has been tuned to a Ragamalika (multiple ragas) by the legendary musician Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer- this is now the most popular way of presenting this composition. You can listen to a beautiful rendition by M.S. Subbulakshmi on the Internet.
The kingdom of Mysore initially served as a vassal state to the Vijayanagar Empire and later as a subsidiary alliance to the British until Indian independence.
The Mysore kings were accomplished exponents of fine arts, be it literature or music and their enthusiastic patronage led to both preservation as well as new developments in various arts. The musicians in these courts received plenty of support from the kings and this enabled them to dedicate their entire life to music.
The Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV (1884-1940) was a connoisseur of both Hindustani and Carnatic music. Many Hindustani and Carnatic musicians were frequent guests of the maharaja. A number of Carnatic music composers – Veena Sheshanna, Muthiah Bhagavathar, and Mysore Vasudevacharya were among those who received patronage in his court.
The last Maharaja of the princely state of Mysore was Jayachamaraja Wodeyar (1919-1974). He was also a connoisseur of Carantic music as well as western music and had aspired to become a concert pianist. After becoming Maharaja, he was introduced to Carnatic music and learned to play the veena. A number of musicians also received patronage at his court including veteran composer Mysore Vasudevacharya, who was the ‘asthana vidwan’ or chief court musician.
Jayachamaraja Wodeyar composed a number of krithis (close to one hundred) in various ragas; perhaps his most popular composition is Sri Mahaganapathim Bhajeham in raga Athana. In recent years, there have been attempts made to popularize all of his krithis by bringing out music albums, notations for krithis, etc.
Till we meet next time, do listen to the composition Sri Mahaganapathim Bhajeham. This composition has been rendered by many artists and can easily be found on the Internet.
In the pre-independence era, Carnatic music was almost always patronized in the royal courts in south India. The Thanjavur royal rulers, the Mysore Maharajas and Maharaja Sri Swathi Tirunal were among those royals who supported Carnatic music, patronized musicians and encouraged exchanges of thoughts and ideas, often in the form of lively debates in their courts. Many of these rulers also had resident court musicians or “ashtana vidwans.” Apart from being patrons of music, a number of kings were also prolific composers.
Perhaps the most famous of the composer kings was Maharaja Swathi Tirunal of the Travancore kingdom, who is credited with over 400 compositions. The Mysore Maharaja Sri Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar also has a number of beautiful compositions to his credit. In the coming issues, I will discuss more about these royal composers and their contributions to Carnatic music.
The kings by virtue of their wealth and position also unwittingly led to a number of beautiful compositions on this subject. Perhaps the most famous composition that refers to wealth is the Thygaraja krithi “Nidhi Chala Sukhama.” Sri Thyagaraja (1767-1847) is one of the Trinity of Carnatic music composers – his compositions mainly extol devotion to Lord Sri Rama. Upon learning of Thyagaraja’s genius, the king of Thanjavur sent an invitation, along with numerous gifts, to Thyagaraja to attend the royal court. Thyagaraja rejected the invitation and composed the masterpiece in Raga Kalyani-
Nidhi Chaala Sukhama Ramuni Sannidhi Seva Sukhama
Does wealth bring happiness or is it service to Sri Rama that brings happiness?
Similarly Sri Purandara Dasa, the Sangita Pitamaha (Father of Carnatic music), was not enamored by the wealth of the Vijayanagar rulers and in his krithi “Antarangadalli Hariya Kaanadava,” he says:
Narara Sevisa bedavo yendendigu
(Stay in the service of the Lord) do not stay in the service of man (referring to the king)
Till we meet next time, do listen to the composition Nidhi Chaala Sukhama. The lyrics and meaning as well as many renditions of this composition by various artists can be found on the Internet.
With these two streams of music having had a common origin, it is interesting to look at the influence of Hindustani music on its Carnatic counterpart. The Carnatic composer Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar was exposed to Hindustani music during his travels in North India. That he was greatly influenced by Hindustani music is evident in a number of his compositions, both in terms of the ragas as well as the style of the composition. Dikshitar showed his creativity and his ability to incorporate the best aspects of both systems of music in ragas like Dwijavanthi, Hamir Kalyani and Yaman Kalyani among others. Apart from Dikshitar’s compositions, we also have a number of compositions in ragas derived from Hindustani music. Popular compositions include Krishna Nee Begane Baaro (Yaman Kalyani), Rama Namame (Desh) as well as numerous compositions in raga Sindhu Bhairavi.
Folk music is another form of music that is believed to have influenced the structure of Carnatic music. Even though folk music is more a spontaneous presentation as compared to Carnatic music which has strict definitions, ragas like Punnagavarali, Anandabhairavi and Yadukulakambhoji are among those that can be correlated to folk tunes.
In last month’s column, we had also looked at the influence of the British Raj on Carnatic music both in terms of development of new ragas like Kadanakutuhlam and the incorporation of western instruments such as violin, saxophone, etc. into Carnatic music.
It is obvious from all these influences that Carnatic music, despite it’s strict adherence to tradition, is not immune to changes in the surroundings; rather it has the ability to incorporate the best of these influences and evolve as a traditional art form.
Till we meet next time, do listen to the Carnatic compositions Krishna Nee Begane Baaro as well as Raama Namame – they are both beautiful compositions and bring out the essence of their ragas.
While Carnatic music has retained its pristine nature over the ages, at the same time, it has also imbibed the influence of cultures from all over the country as well as other parts of the world.
This month we take a look at some of the other influences of the British Raj on Carnatic music. Instruments such as the piano and saxophone were among others popularized by the British though none of these instruments became as ubiquitous as the violin in Carnatic music.
The famous Carnatic composers Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar as well as Sri Thyagaraja were both inspired by music of the western orchestra. Dikshitar was requested by the collector of Madras to compose Sanskrit texts for the famous European Airs. These compositions include “Santatam Pahimam” based on the tune of the British National anthem God Save the Queen and “Shakti Sahitha Gaapathim.”
Dikshitar also composed several other verses in the Western C-major scale, which corresponds to the Carnatic raga Shankarabharana. These compositions all clearly have a western feel to the notes.
Similarly Thyagaraja also has compositions like “Vara Leela Gana Lola” that were clearly inspired by Western brass band tunes. Patnam Subramaya Iyer, a composer who lived in Madras (now Chennai) created the raga Kadanakutuhalam also inspired by British marching bands.
His composition “Raghuvamsa Sudha” in this raga is a favorite among instrumentalists as well as audiences for its lively and upbeat notes. Several other Carnatic composers also have compositions that praised King George V as well as the Queen Mary.
Till we meet next time, do listen to the composition “Raghuvamsa Sudha” on the Internet. You will hear the Western influence in this composition as well as realize why this composition is so popular with instrumentalists. The veteran vocalist Sri Maharajapuram Santhanam has also rendered this composition in all its majestic beauty.
Search for some of these compositions on YouTube or other streaming websites.
It is said that after the Railways, the violin is the most important contribution bequeathed to India by the British. The violin owes its origin to Europe- specifically Italy and Germany somewhere around the 16th century. The Indian stringed instruments included primarily the veena, the sarangi, etc. The sarangi was mainly used for Hindusthani music and was not a very good match for Carnatic music. Around the 18th century, the violin was introduced in India and since then, it has become an inseparable element of Carnatic music.
There are three people who are credited with the introduction of the violin in India. The first was Balaswami Dikshitar, brother of the famous Carnatic composer- Muthuswamy Dikshitar. Balaswami was introduced to western music at a performance by a European orchestra attached to the East India Company. He was fascinated by the violin and trained on it for some years before adapting it to Carnatic music.
Varahappa Iyer, another musician was very close to the British governor in Madras. Among all the instruments in the governor’s band, he realized that the violin could be best adapted to Carnatic music because of its ability to mimic the tonal variations in the human voice.
The person largely responsible for violin becoming an accepted instrument in Carnatic music was Vadivelu- a resident musician of the composer king Swathi Tirunal. His encouragement and patronage of this instrument led to the violin becoming the prime accompaniment for a vocal musician. As the violin became more integrated with Carnatic music, the violin playing techniques also changed to suit the needs of Carnatic music. Today, the violin is regarded as the best possible accompaniment for vocal concerts due to its ability to sustain continued notes, which provides a lot of support and stability to the concert.
Till we meet next time, do listen to any recordings that you can find of Carnatic music. More often than not, the violin will be the accompanying instrument. You can then get an idea of the important role that violin plays in today’s Carnatic concerts.
Kanaka Dasa, like Purandara Dasa, was a disciple of Guru Vyasaraya. Having been born as part of the Kuruba community, Kanaka Dasa’s compositions often spoke against the social practice of caste system, which favored Brahmins. He made extreme efforts to reform the disadvantaged communities using the medium of music. His composition “Kula kula vendu hodedaada dhiri” tells people not to fight amongst themselves on the basis of caste.
Kanaka Dasa worshipped the deity Adikeshava of the Kaginele village in Karnataka; all of his music compositions have the ankita (musical signature) Kaginele Adikeshava. Kanaka Dasa composed about 200 songs and five major literary works. Some of his compositions like Baaro Krishnayya and Yadava Raaya have been beautifully tuned and popularized by singers such as the late M.L. Vasanthakumari.
Among the interesting anecdotes attributed to Kanaka dasa is the story of the famous Kanakana kindi (Kanaka’s window). Kanaka Dasa was a follower of guru Vyasaraya and at the behest of his guru he went to Udupi, which is home to the Sri Krishna mutt (temple). Being a non-brahmin, Kanaka dasa was not allowed into the temple to have a darshan (glimpse) of Lord Krishna. Kanaka Dasa is then said to have sung his famous composition outside the temple:
“Baagilanu Teredu Seveyanu kodu hariye” (O Lord, open the door and accept my services)
According to popular belief, an opening appeared in the wall of the temple so that Kanaka Dasa could have a darshan of Sri Krishna.
This opening came to be known as Kanakana kindi. To this day, the tradition of looking at Lord Sri Krishna through this window before entering the main shrine persists as a tribute to Kanaka Dasa.
Till we meet next time, do listen to some devaranamas composed by Kanaka Dasa. You can find renditions of Yadava raya, Baro Krishnayya and his other compositions by many Carnatic vocalists online.
Kanaka Dasa (1509-1609) was born as part of the Kuruba community. The story goes that at some point of time, he gave up being a warrior and devoted his life to composing songs and philosophical works. He advocated doing away with the practice of caste distinction and instead advised a path of Bhakti or devotion to God. Like Purandara Dasa, Kanakadasa’s compositions were in Kannada since the main intent of the Haridasa movement and the Bhakti movement in general was to take devotional philosophy to the common man.
There are a number of interesting stories involving Kanakadasa. On one occasion, guru Vyasaraya held a debate to discuss who could attain Moksha (salvation). A number of learned pundits present answered that someone who was a Brahmin or someone who had learned the Vedas would attain moksha. When asked the same question, Kanakadasa replied that none of the assembled people would attain salvation; instead he uttered the famous phrase:
“Naanu hodare hodenu”
Literally translated, this means, “I will attain salvation.” This angered all the assembled pundits who mocked Kanakadasa for his ignorance; others mocked his ego. Kanakadasa then explained that only one who had lost the “Self” (ego) was capable of attaining salvation. The pundits thus realized that despite his simplistic appearance, Kanakadasa was extremely scholarly.
There is a beautiful film in Kannada titled Bhakta Kanakadasa in which Dr. Rajkumar plays the lead role of Kanakadasa. The film highlights the life and famous compositions of Kanakadasa. Despite the film being black and white, Dr. Rajkumar has exquisitely portrayed the various emotions and challenges faced by Kanakadasa.
Till we meet next time, do watch some clips of the movie Bhakta Kanakadasa on Youtube. Many of the clips have English subtitles, which should help you understand the situation.
Purandara Dasa was one of the most famous exponents of the Haridasa movement, which was a part of the larger Bhakti movement. The Bhakti movement advocated doing away with the practices of caste system and ritualistic worship and instead advocated a life of devotion to God in a simple manner. In line with this thought, the Bhakti saints, including Purandara Dasa, composed verses, which were simple enough to be understood by the common man. Often in colloquial languages, the public easily understood these songs even if they had not had any formal education.
Purandara Dasa composed numerous devaranamas in Kannada. While many of the krithis were devotional in nature and exuded Bhakti (devotion), other krithis exuded common sense and a philosophical approach to life. Yet other krithis were satirical in nature and commented (or lamented!) on the state of society at that point in time. One of his compositions reads:
Purandara Dasa is regarded as ‘Sangeetha Pitamaha’ or Father of Carnatic music. Besides his various compositions (close to 500,000) he also systematized the way Carnatic music was taught to students with a series of exercises that are followed to this day. These exercises introduced basic concepts and showcased more advanced concepts as the students progressed. The late musician M. L. Vasanthakumari (MLV) popularized Purandara Dasa devaranamas and these were often mainstays in her concert presentations.
Till we meet next time, do listen to Purandara Dasa devaranamas; you can find many beautiful renditions by MLV and other vocalists online.
Purandara Dasa (1484-1564) was one of the most famous proponents of the Haridasa movement. He is regarded as “Sangita Pitamaha” or the Father of Carnatic music for his invaluable contributions. Purandara Dasa was born as Srinivasa Nayaka into a wealthy merchant family. After losing his parents, Srinivasa Nayaka inherited his father’s business and became very rich; unfortunately he was also very miserly. In contrast, his wife was an extremely pious and generous lady. One of the most famous stories associated with Srinivasa Nayaka is his transformation from a person who loved material wealth to a dasa (literally a slave to the Lord).
The story goes that Srinivasa Nayaka was a moneylender and a greedy one at that. The Lord appeared before him in the form of a poor Brahmin and requested money to perform his son’s thread ceremony. After ignoring the Brahmin for six months, Nayaka gave him some useless coins to get rid of him. The Brahmin went to Nayaka’s wife, recounted the incident to her and asked her to lend him some money. She gave him her diamond nose-ring which had been given to her by her parents and for which she did not require her husband’s permission. The Brahmin went back to Nayaka and sold him the nose-ring! Nayaka recognized the nose-ring as belonging to his wife; so he hurried home and asked her for it. His wife knew that Nayaka would punish her if she told him the truth; instead she decided to kill herself by drinking poison in front of the idol of Lord Krishna. At that instant, the nose-ring dropped into the bowl of poison and she took it back to her husband. Nayaka ran back to the store and found that the locked box in which he had placed the Brahmin’s nose-ring was now empty! Nayaka realized then that the Brahmin was none other than the Lord. He gave away all his riches and started the life of a wandering saint composing devotional songs. At some point of time, he became a disciple of the sage Vyasaraya who bestowed on him the name Purandara Dasa.
Till next time, listen to devaranamas of the different Bhakti saints such as Purandara Dasa and Vyasaraya, among others.
Dear readers, over the past few columns, we have been looking at the evolution of Carnatic music and how different social factors have influenced Carnatic music into the form that we know today. Having discussed the Bhakti movement in North India and its influence on Carnatic music, this time, we will look at the Bhakti movement in South India.
The Bhakti movement in South India was characterized by devotion centered on either of the Gods- Vishnu or Shiva. The main proponents of this movement were the Haridasas, many of whom were wandering bards and considered themselves ‘slaves’ to the Lord. Of these saints, Purandara Dasa is perhaps the most famous of the bhaktas. He is regarded as ‘Sangita Pitamaha’ or the father of Carnatic music for his numerous invaluable contributions. Purandara Dasa laid the foundation for systematic leaning in Carnatic music- students of Carnatic music to this day follow the structure that he set up.
The composer saints Sripadaraya, Vyasaraya, Vadiraja, Purandaradasa, Kanakadasa, Vijayadasa, Gopaladasa and Jagannathadasa were among those who spearheaded the Bhakti movement. They composed numerous songs or devaranamas in Kannnada that were easy for the common man to understand. While their compositions expounded the philosophy of devotion, at other times, the compositions were satirical in nature mocking the state of society at that time. In essence, they tried to reform society through the medium of music. Devaranamas are widely included in Carnatic music concerts; while some devaranamas are sung as ‘filler’ presentations, at other times a devaranama is the main presentation in a concert, complete with the aspects of manodharma (improvisation). In Karnataka, deveranama concerts are popularly presented on many concert platforms.
Vyasaraya (1460-1539) was a highly accomplished scholar and very influential in the Vijayanagar empire of Sri Krishnadevaraya. He composed many beautiful devaranamas in Kannada. Both of the most well known Bhakti saints Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa were disciples of Vyasaraya. By accepting Kanaka Dasa, who belonged to a lower-caste, as his disciple, Vyasaraya showed his disregard for the practice of caste system.
Till we meet next time, do try and listen to some devaranamas online. Perhaps the famous composition of Vyasaraya is “Krishna Nee Begane Baaro” sung in Raga Yaman Kalyani- almost every professional singer has presented this beautiful song on the concert platform.
Here’s wishing you all a Happy 2011!
The Bhakti movement, essentially founded in South India, spread to North India during the late medieval period (14th-17th c.) when North India was under Muslim domination. The movement was spontaneous and consisted of a loose group of saints whose main ideals were devotion of God in a simple way. Saints like Surdas, Meerabai, Namdev and others spearheaded the Bhakti movement in the North while saints like Purandara Dasa led the movement in the South.
Meera (16th century), a Rajput princess, was one of the foremost exponents of the Bhakti movement. She was born into a royal family in Rajasthan and from a very young age professed deep love for Lord Krishna. Married at a young age of 14, Meera continued her worship and sought the company of saints and poor bhaktas, dancing and singing the praises of Krishna with abandon. She is said to have been ill treated by her in-laws after the death of her husband but each time, Krishna intervened and protected Meera. She seems to have spent her last days as a devotee in Dwarka- a version of her life history describes her as merging with the idol of Krishna inside a temple.
Meera’s poetry is in simple verse form- they are composed in Braj, a dialect of Hindi, spoken at that point of time. Her poetry is a form of Prema Bhakti and exudes complete surrender to Lord Krishna. The legendary musician M.S. Subbalakshmi popularized Meera bhajans in Carnatic music- her name is almost synonymous with these bhajans. She also essayed the role of Meera in the 1945 movie “Meera.” Meera bhajans are now popularly included in Carnatic concerts in the tukkadas section because of their beauty and simplicity. Mahatma Gandhi once requested M.S. Subbalakshmi to render his favorite Meera bhajan- Hari Tum Haro. M.S., who did not know the bhajan, made a special recording and had it sent to Gandhiji. To this day, recordings of Hari Tum Haro sung by M.S. are played on the air on Gandhi Jayanthi.
Till we meet next time, do try and listen to some Meera bhajans online; you will find many of these rendered in Carnatic style by M.S. Subbalakshmi and other vocalists.
The Bhakti movement spread in central and north India between the 14th and the 17th century. This movement was initiated by a loosely associated group of sants (saints) whose main teachings focused on Bhakti or devotion to God. The music associated with these saints laid more emphasis on maatu (lyrics and their meaning). Their main teachings included the casting away of rituals and caste and the expression of love for their God in a ‘simple’ manner. In North India devotion centered mainly on the gods Rama and Krishna.
The Bhakti saints composed numerous bhajans that were characterized by simplicity. They were sung in simple tunes, which enabled the common man, with no musical training to understand and repeat them. Some of the most famous Bhakti saints include Surdas, Meerabai, Kabir, Tulsidas and Namdev. While the Bhakti movement in the South had more influence on Carnatic music, the contributions by the Bhakti saints of North India and their subsequent incorporation into Carnatic music cannot be ignored.
Surdas, the deeply influential bhakti poet-saint was born blind. As a young boy, he left his family to join a group of traveling devotional singers. The mighty emperor Akbar was a patron of Surdas and his music. In the absence of authentic records, there is little information available about the many aspects of Surdas’s life. Sur-Sagar, which is considered as one of Surdas’s greatest works originally consisted of over 100,000 poems, of which about 8000 have survived.
One of Surdas’s bhajans popularly sung in Carnatic music concerts is ‘Hey Govinda Hey Gopala’, tuned to raga Desh. These bhajans are typically presented in the latter half of a Carnatic music concert and come under the category of Tukkadas (lighter pieces).
Listen to some Surdas bhajans online; you may not find many of these sung in Carnatic style; however the meaning behind the bhajans is simply beautiful irrespective of the style that it is rendered in.
As I had mentioned in the very first column, the origin of Carnatic music can be traced to the Vedas (a large body of text originating in ancient India). Around the 11th-12th century, a new religious faith called Veerashaivism came into existence to protest the existing social order in Hindu society. The practice of caste system allowed people born in a higher caste to ill-treat and persecute people of a lower caste. Women had no religious rights and were unfairly treated. It was in this state of society that that the Veerashaiva movement gained momentum and found a number of willing followers.
The Veerashaiva saints created awareness about caste system, fought against rituals and caste and envisioned an egalitarian social order. This was done through simple poetic compositions in Kannada language called vachanas. Basavanna, Allamma Prabhu and Akka Mahadevi are few of the most respected and well-known Veerashaiva saints. Their poetry, though simple, was filled with meaning and encouraged people to lead a good life- abstain from lying and stealing and instead spend time working and associating with learned people. Here are a few lines from one of my favorite vachanas composed by Sri. Basavanna. The vachana serves a wonderful lesson in the philosophy of life-
Do not steal, do not kill, do not lie
Do not lose your temper, do not hate other people.
Sponsored Links
