Bairavi Raga as handled by the Music Trinity

I had done no homework for the lecture demonstration (atleast I could have made a list of krithis in Bairavai raga), rather I showed up like Bairavi character (ignorance is bliss) in the movie Sindhu Bairavi, while Gayathri Girish had done all the homework to educate the audience on Bairavi.

Usually artist get on the stage with a sruthi box and bunch of papyrus to present a lecture demonstration, but Smt. Gayathri Girish got to the dais with a laptop apart from the regular aids and paraphernalia during her lecture at Indira Nagar Sangeetha Sabha, Bangalore on Jan 26, 2011. So much of research, wisdom and preparation had been condensed into those 20 slides.

The lecture started like a Chemistry lecture where the professor outlines the physical and chemical property of an element. Gayathri started by sketching the antiquity of Bairavi and she sang Kadhalagi Kasindhu from Thevaram in Bairavi, referred to as Kaushikam Pann. This raga was very much in use even before the Musical Trinity handled of this raga.

Here are a few bullets from that slide.
• Atleast 1500 years old raga
• Janyam of 20th Melakartha Natabairavi
• A Major raga and a Bhasanga raga (higher dhaivatam)
• Referred to as Kaushikam Pann in Sangam poetry
•Sung usually in the later hours of the day

Gayathri had also listed a few “suthras” that described the characteristics of Bairavi (bashanga raga, sampoorna raga, swarams, etc.) and in the slides that followed she listed all Sangeetha Granthas that has reference and reverence to Bairavi.

Bairavai raga has undergone a lot of changes over a period of time to where it is today. The shift from use of smaller to bigger dhaivatam has happened over the years and some composers have beautifully used both dhaivatams.

The last stop Gayathri made before she delved deeper into the Bairavi as handled by Music Trinity was Pacchimirium Sree Aadiappiyer’s Viriboni Bairavi varnam in ata talam.

What is so special about this varnam?
Lot of suddha dhaivatam usages is seen in this varnam and this varnam beautifully show cases Dasavidha gamakas - Kampita, sphurita, tripuscha, pratyaahaata, nokku, etrajaru, erakkajaru, odukkal, orikkai, khandippu. All these gamakas on the ppt would not make sense if not explained by rendering the varnam. Gayathri explained and sang every gamakam used in the krithi.

The pallavi of this varnam is loaded with Shringara rasam and in the Anupallavi there is a special reference to beauty of the Mannargudi Sri Rajagopalan (sarasudau daksina dwāraka sāmi śrī rājagōpāla dēva). To learn this varnam visit - http://www.shivkumar.org/music/varnams/index.html and click on Bairavi.

As the last item Gayathri presented was Kshetragna’s Padam – Rama Rama Pranasakhi before she proceeded to the topic of the day.

By then audience had understood the contours, antiquity and the swara prasthanas of this raga and the foundation was laid to build more. Gayathri listed the Krithis of Thyagaraja (18), Muthuswami Dikshithar (7) and Shyama Sastri (3) and analyzed their Bairavi’s based on speed and starting note.

Gayathri presented the krithis in the above table. She sang every krithi to show the kalapramanam (tempo), the starting note and the sthaye. The Trinity has used various talas to deliver the kalapramanams, varying the starting note and sthayis to bring the beauty of the raga.

Here are a few interesting snippets:
1.Thyagaraja has used Bairavi in main krithis, Utsava sampradaya krithis, divyanama krithis, operas like Nauka Charithiram, Prahlada Baktha Vijayam, and kshetra krithis like Lalgudi Pancharatnam.

2.While Muthuswami Dikshithar’s Balagopala is packed with syllables, the lyrical beauty and swaraksharams and gives little room for nereval. Chintayahmam belongs to the category of Panchabootha krithis of Muthuswami Dikshithar and describes the Somaskanda under the Mango tree in Kancheepuram. In the charanam he shows the raga mudra.

3.Shyama Sastri’s Kamakshi swarajathi starts in mandhara sthayi and every charanam starts at the next higher note. While Paravathi Janani krithi begins in mel “Sa” and all charanams are for the same tune.

During the lec-dem Gayathri spent ten whole minutes presenting the magnam opus Bairavi piece of Shyama Sastri – Amba Kamakshi.

1.Krithi starts in the mandhara sthayi
2.All the 8 charanams are in the swaram-sahityam pattern
3.Each Charanam begins at sequential ascending note
4.1st Charanam ends with Pa-Da-Ni-Sa-Ri
5.2nd Charanam ends with Nee-Gaa-ri and the notes bring out the pleading mood in the lyric
6.3rd Charanam – the usage of the madhyamam and also a swaraksharam
7.4th Charanam – brings out the usage of jaaru and the beautiful glide from Sa to Pa
8.5th and 7th Charanam – lyrics bring out the beauty of the swaram – swaraksharam
9.8th – composer mudhra and raga mudhra in the last charanam and there is also an unusual likn from S to G

As the tail end piece of this presentation, Smt. Gayathri Girish showed the influence of Bairavai compositions of Trinity on 19 century composers like Papanasam Sivan in his Thaaye Ezhaipaal krithi, Patnam Subramanya Iyer’s krithi Ni Padhamula and Elaraadaayene, a Javali.

By the end of the 45 mins lecture demonstration (though audience felt it could have been taken for a long 3 hours) Gayathri had packed the lecture with finer research details of the raga as handled by Trinity. Infact she had covered all kinds of compositions – Varnam, Swarajathi, Geetham, Krithis (Kshetra, Utsava, Divyanama, Nauka Charithiram, Parhlada Baktha vijayam), Padam, Javali that were available in Bairavi.

What could be a better way to spend Jan 26 than listening to the compositions of Trinity? Should we call her as Bairavi Gayathri as praised by HK Venkatram who was the Reporteur for the morning session.

Here is a link that you can refer to educate yourself on various compositions in Bairavi - http://www.shivkumar.org/music/manodharma/index.html#bhairavi

At 61!

The Hindu calendar and custom refers to the 61st birthday as “Sashtiabdhapoorthi” and is considered very auspicious. It gives Hindus an opportunity to seek atonement for sins committed knowingly and unknowingly and also prepares them for their inward journey and spiritual life. Not sure if 61 years make a human being wise and rich, but the 60 years makes them go through the rut of life viz. education, job, marriage, children, and finally gets them the grandparents status. For many this is not a choice, happens as a part of life and social mores.

61 an important milestone for Hindu(stan)!
Leaving Hindus aside, let me now come to our Hindustan! 60 years have gone by since the Indian Constitution of was put together and today marks the 61st birthday of the Republic of India.

And this is what sir Anthony Eden, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom had to say at that time of the emergence of Indian Republic “Of all the experiments in government, which have been attempted since the beginning of time, I believe that the Indian venture into parliamentary government is the most exciting. A vast subcontinent is attempting to apply to its tens and thousands of millions a system of free democracy. It is a brave thing to try to do so. The Indian venture is not a pale imitation of our practice at home, but a magnified and multiplied reproduction on a scale we have never dreamt of. If it succeeds, its influence on Asia is incalculable for good. Whatever the outcome we must honor those who attempt it.”

Has the 60 year journey been exciting? Has it been a free and fair democracy? Have we succeeded as a Republic and a democracy?

Year after year we have walked the road from Rashtrapathi Bhavan to Red Fort via Rajpath and India gate exhibiting our gallantry, pride and culture of our nation, and finally honoring those soldiers and jawans who have sacrificed their life guarding our Motherland along our borders. But do we still feel the sense of pride and the duty to participate and protect our democracy in the banana republic today?

In a few months from now my home state, Tamilnadu will go for elections. Looking at what is happening in the country today – rampant corruption, I am asking if I should really participate in the election process? Is the process of election fair in the Indian democracy where people are paid by political parties to cast vote in favor of their party.

It is sad to know that our political system doesn’t need any qualification/ background checks and don’t need moral rules to win an election/ form a government/ and head a cabinet. We have Union Ministers who can’t make to the Parliament (may be they have taken work from home option?), who can’t converse in Hindi or English and who have no understanding of their portfolio, policy making or functioning of the government. Winter session of Parliament got over with opposition parties staging walkout over 2G scam. And we as citizens elect them, and patiently watch them showcase their incompetency for 5 years. Who should be blamed for the bad crop? Is it the soil or the farmer?

Sadly portfolios are awarded to ministers not based on their understanding/ experience or qualification, but based on satisfying the caste politics and alliance parties. Captains who sit in the helm want Ministers who will listen to them and help them amass wealth and serves the masses. They announce slew free schemes from free motors, free electricity to subsidized loans and seeds to keep them happy. And the process of disbursement is so shoddy and corrupt and continues to keep the population in the bottom of the pyramid poor and hungry, while those on top siphon money away to their Swiss Bank accounts.

Corruption the way of life
From getting birth certificate to death certificate, from government schools to hospitals to offices, it is a greasy journey in India. Grease the wheels, grease the palms and everything is greasy. The educated working class pays taxes to run the country, while politicians and celebrities evade taxes and move money to Swiss Banks. Those who have managed to flee the country in the name of education, career, etc. have escaped, while the rest are helplessly looking up for help. Many have accepted this as a way of life and learnt to live in the system, while some are caught in moral turbulence.

India – The Mother of Scams
We have hundreds of media channels today and they are all busy unearthing scams after scams. From animal food to food grains we haven’t left anything untouched. UP Government officials with the help of Railway ministry successfully siphoned away and sell crores of rupees worth of subsidized grain kept for the poor to neighboring countries. Land allotted for war veterans and widows were sold by politicians and corrupt army officials to larger public and their relatives. In the name of Common Wealth Games our officials painted both their hands black and painted Mother India faces with corruption. We have lost thousand hundred crores in the allotment of the 2G spectrum. What is the use of unearthing scams? Sadly we only have 2 major political parties to choose from, and we use the five years to forget the past and give them another chance. 60 years and 12 Governments have gone by and India is still struggling. And political party that comes to power use all their energy to sue the opposition leader and launder money, more than attend to commoners needs.

How much have we progressed in the 60 years? We have gone to war with all our neighbors, though we may claim we did so in the name of self protection. The growth in India is not as a result of the astuteness of our people or politicians, but the global engine of demand has brought opportunity to our doors. Though many blame the education system that British created and left behind in India, it has helped us gain competitive advantage in the software field. But our educated IFS officers still continue to beat their wife, launder public money, plunder natural resources and misbehave in public and continue to smear the India shinning brand.

Tatkal - a legalized form of corruption
Government has legalized corruption in the name of “Tatkal”. From train tickets to passport, just pay the government little more and you will get it fast. Extra money is paid for the same work! What do you call this other than legalized corruption? Makes me wonder if Government took inspiration from the private school and colleges that take money from parents in the name of donation aka capitation to admit students? Or it took inspiration from temples like TTD that take money to let public visit the almighty?

Peace and not piece
Caste politics and incidents like Rama Janam Bhoomi and Godhra incidents have taken Hindus and Muslims to the boiling point. During the recent judgement on Babri Masjid, public expressed their desire for peace more than piece of land for their belief and religion. Though this was a welcome, but still we have miles to go and heaps of scamfills to clears.

As a result of our lax attitude and corrupted political system companies like Union Carbide have left India without paying for their mistakes. So, should we trust and turn to our judicial system for help and remedy? Judges are busier being a part of commissions and committees to examine scams and corruption and those that are in the courts are anyways corrupt.

Does this all sound like the problem of sixty, like enlarged prostate and menopause? Or is it the unattended problems unhealthy lifestyle from the youth manifesting in a bigger way at 60? Who do we blame for our insatiable glut and greed, double digit inflation and corrupt leadership?

Natural resources, cheap labor and other competitive advantages have all been exploited in the name of globalization. Metros are struggling with increasing population growth and crumbling infrastructure, while farmlands are abandoned, turned fallow and villages have been turned ghost towns with increasing farmer suicides. Nobody wants to be accountable and answerable. We as a nation have lost our values and as a result lost our respect.

And today it makes me wonder if we are really are a Banana Republic? When Sir Anthony Eden made this statement “The Indian venture is not a pale imitation of our practice at home, but a magnified and multiplied reproduction on a scale we have never dreamt of”, was he referring to nepotism and red tape?

At 61 Hinduism offers an opportunity to look back at life, seek atonement and start a new journey. Should we use this opportunity to being a new journey for Hindustan and for its citizens? Or should we continue to be passive and endlessly wait for an incarnation of the almighty to weed out the society like in the Hindu mythology?

Baratha, brother of Lord Rama ruled the kingdom with Rama’s paduka on the throne, Chozha King ran the chariot over his son for killing a calf, and there are many more such tales of honesty and righteousness, but for today we can only look at the past and loathe the present. As I do my sankalp every day – “Baratha varushe Barathakande..” I remind myself and remind the almighty of this country that was once righteous, but for now I am yet another helpless Hindustani and our tricolor flag is soiled.

Let us hope 61 will be a journey of transformation, a turning point in the Indian history.

Netru….Indru….Naalai

Tomorrow is Bahula Panchami (BP), and every year BP in Thai Masam is celebrated as “Saint Thyagaraja’s aradhanai.” He belongs to the last set of composers who saw almighty and composed krithis as he saw him. Some of his krithis are in a commentary style, some in a conversational style, while some contain both. Having come from one of the villages on the banks Cauvery, how could I hold myself not thinking about music today? As musicians gather to render the Pancharatna krithis in a few hours, I could not hold myself from going back to the halcyon days when music was a conversation with almighty and not just an entertainment.

Carnatic Music – An extension of Bakthi Movement
Carnatic Music was an extension of Bakthi movement in South India. Though Carnatic Music didn’t enjoy the “Court Music” status in every kingdom unlike Hindustani Music, it still managed to find Kings who patronized, but nevertheless remained a part of the Brahminical household. Such is the power of Carnatic music, it first takes you a listener, then depending on your interest and commitment turns you into a patron, composer, performer, etc. Among the Kings who patronized Carnatic Music, Maharaja Swati Thirunaal and Mysore Jayachamarendra Wodeyar were more than just patrons, they were composers who took music beyond the boundaries of science and math and showed it can be a self realization tool.

At the start of the 19thcentury, the Kings were dethroned and Kingdoms were disbanded. As a result, art, music, and dance lost patronage and took a back seat. Carnatic music saw a major setback ever since responsibility fell in the hands of a few individuals to protect and nurture on their own and with their little savings. Some of those individuals lived in the brink of poverty, but still had the courage and commitment to protect and propagate music. Music was taken back to the treasure chest in brahminical households and almost guarded like treasure. But with the arrival on the Trinities music once again was brought out of the treasure chest and started to root firmly in the banks of Cauvery.

From Cauvery to Coovam:
Post trinity era saw carnatic music move from the Cauvery belt to the Coovam belt. It found place in movies and musicians like MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and KB Sundarambal took Carnatic music to the masses. Carnatic Music also played a major role in India’s Independence. Composers like Subramanya Barathi, Mayuram Viswanatha Sastri wrote powerful lyrics and artist like DK Pattamal sang their compositions and stirred and seeded the spirit of satyagraha, freedom and non-violence in the hearts and minds of common man. From bakthi to bravado, Sadhus to juntas, Carnatic music had the power and purpose to unite the masses. Carnatic music also kept it gates open to western instruments when it moved to cities. Instruments like violin were made a part of the concert platform then and today more western instruments like Mandolin, Saxaphone etc. have taken the center of the stage rendering Trinity krithis retaining their bhavam and bakthi.

Carnatic Music a part of the Brahmin DNA:Carnatic Music is a part of every Brahmin DNA. I am not trying to claim unnecessary credits, or take single ownership of Carnatic Music, but this is true. Post Independence many Brahmin families were behind Government jobs and were moving from villages to cities. Along with them Carnatic music moved from villages to cities. But the music that moved along with them continued to stay among the Brahmin community. There was a Brahmin stamp attached to Carnatic music at that time since they were treasurers at that time. So whose responsibility is it to protect, patronize and propagate arts, culture, and music?

It was at that point a few music connoisseurs came together to start Sabhas in big cities and put their marketing brains to create a concert platform, to record and to broadcast this languishing art and take it to the global audience. The next 50 years saw meteoric rise of doyens and many women took to concert platform vanquishing the male dominated music world. Till the late 1980s Carnatic music remained a hobby and pastime more than a profession.

Carnatic Music : Skype classes, Carnatic Music idols and Church Concerts
But what about Carnatic Music today? The art that was taught through gurukula system is taught over Skype. A music that was a dialogue between an individual and god has been turned into a profession. We have 50 plus Sabhas in the city of Chennai , every tiny space from mandapams to parks have turned into musical venues, we conduct Thyagaraja Aradhanai’s at Cleaveland and Sydney, we unearth new talents through shows such as “Carnatic Music Idol”, singing venues has moved from temples to United Nations to Churches. When IITs were worried about brain drain, NRI youth from Brazil to Brisbane come by the dozens and queue to perform in Chennai. Multiple dozen awards at State level and National level and a few compete with the Oscars are showered on musicians today. And finally Carnatic Musicians have learned to dialogue with Harrys, and Jefforys of the world and taking the music to the global audience and singing with them in Churches.

Carnatic music: State of Commercialized
At one time Carnatic Music was a pastime of the wealthy, like how Golf and Tennis is today. But today some youngsters have taken Carnatic music as a profession, while some toggle between a day job and evening concert, singing in films and concerts. Senior Musicians have moved up the value chain and Maslow’s pyramid, they have horizontally integrated having their own lables and recording companies. While some senior musicians are giving back to the society through their NGOs, some are charging their students in lakhs to get them to the arangetram level and they prefer dollar to rupees.

Every aspect of music has been commercialized and turned into a revenue earning proposition. Any art, when it reaches the point of commercialization (when artist, audience and sabhas are in thousands) the inward dialogue is turned outward between the artist and the global audience. There is nothing wrong in commercializing art, taking it seriously and making money from it, but all these come with a set of responsibilities, business rules for the artist and sabhas. Payback is higher where risks are higher. Remember rules of bakthi are very different from rules of business.

Commercialization has not just taken away the quality of music, but it has left artist, wannabe artist, sabhas, patrons and rasikas with their long set of complains from pay packages, performance slots, to quality of music. Each of them have a complain list against each other.

Carnatic Music: For Monetary gain and moksha sadhanam
People have used Carnatic music for both monetary gain and moksha sadhanam. Poets and musicians in kingdoms sang in praise of their kings and earned gold, while trinities used it as a moksha sadhanam. Nobody can take away the seed of bakthi in Carnatic music. You can make money out of it today, but eventually Carnatic Music will turn both the listener and performer inwards and give away all they gained. The last part of the journey of life is giving away all that you earned. A teacher gives away the knowledge to the student and a wealthy man gives away his wealth.

Carnatic Music: Tomorrow
I am not Steven Spielberg to create glamorous landscapes of tomorrow with technology and at the same time I am not Narada to paint pessimistic picture of Kali Yuga.

As we move into the next decade, how do we continue to growth of the art? How do we continue to replenish the supply rasikas and artist? How do we keep everyone in the Carnatic Music ecosystem happy? How do we keep the music alive, fresh and traditional for the next few centuries? It is time to sow the seeds for the next harvest. Where should we start sowing the seeds of Carnatic Music? Is it on the banks of Cauvery or on the banks of Coovam or in Cleaveland? I leave it to you…

But for now let us salute all the Musicians, Saints, Composers, Patrons and Rasikas – Entharomahanubavulu andariki vandanamulu!

Isolated music showers in Bangalore

You dont need a Meterological department to forecast this, just a visit to KP Jayan's blog is enough to make forecast and schedule.

After getting soaked in Markazhi festival in Chennai here is another opportunity to get soaked in Bangalore. But sadly I have to forgo some concerts that fall on weekdays and some artist because there are multiple concerts at the same venue.

Here is my plan:


Have you made your plans? Remember Ramanavami festival is not too far. Enjoy!

A weekend in (weakened) Bangalore

I moved my curtains this morning and I could see a group of men tenaciously clinging onto the scaffoldings like Spider Man and working day and night to get another building ready in this Mall City, an erstwhile Garden City. Yesterday I was in my friend’s apartment on the tenth floor overseeing the Agara Lake and I could see another fresh patch of land on the other side of the lake being cleared for another gated, multistoried community.

Again last evening when we drove around Indira Nagar and what I saw was shocking and appalling. 7 years ago I lived in the same city, the same CMH road and Indira Nagar’s 80 feet and 100 feet road was busy, commercial, but I could see the sky and there independent houses and lots of trees on either side of the road, but today these roads have turned narrow, independent homes and trees have vanished and when I look up it the metro rail tracks and concrete structure that filled my eyes. Why am I living in a fast expanding metro and complaining about development?

OMG! OMG! OMG! This is what I shouted while driving through the ruined city. My friend, a native from Bangalore said he helplessly saw Bangalore being ruined. I have read in history about Muslim rulers invading cities, plundering wealth and breaking down places of worship, but today it is not Muslims or not much in the name of religion, but in the name of greed and comfort both common man and politicians were ruining the eco health of the city.

I get to the newspaper and I saw an ad from Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) on TOI was enticing buyers with waiver on loan processing fee, and builders were enticing buyers with a waiver on apartment maintenance deposit welcomed buyers them to a property fair in Jayanagar. Yesterday there was an Ad from Lavasa trying recover their lost brand image (Minister Jairam Ramesh recently stayed their project near Pune) by showcasing their green projects (afforestation and seeding efforts) along the Western Ghats. It is not Akbars or his predecessors plundering and ruining the cities, but our politicians, public, banks and builders.

My television set was ON at the same time while I was reading the newspaper. But what came on the TV made me put down the newspaper and think. Isha Yoga had done a commercial on vanishing green cover, melting glaciers, rising sea level and rapidly changing ecological pyramids and finally the ad closes with a child begging public to save the earth.

Is it happening just in Bangalore? No, this is the fate of every growing City in India. A walk on CMH Road or GN Chetty Road is pretty much brings out the same reaction – appalling! Industrialization, commercialization and mass migration to the city in search of prosperity and hope has eventually turned the city into a rubble, rat hole and ruin.

But how do western cities cope up with such every growing population and their insatiable greed. Do they tear down their heritage buildings and alter and ruin the architecture of the city? Paris has passed an ordinance in their Parliament banning demolition of existing buildings and altering the existing architecture in the city. And they have successfully removed all ugly, dangling overhead cables and found place for them in the sewer passages. When will our cities be clean, green, aesthetic appealing, clutter free, and open to sky? Should I secretly nurse the hope or nip it in the bud? Sadly, but truly India is one country (democratic in every sense - everybody is involved) where laws are not obeyed. Be it Bangalore Metropolitan Development Authority or Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, there is always money that can be paid to turn wrongs into rights and regularize your mistakes.

And finally what made me write to you was an interview with Charles Correa that appeared on today’s Bangalore’s Daily Mirror, a tabloid newspaper. I didn’t know who this guy was, and I put the newspaper aside and googled him. He is India’s foremost architect, he had submitted plans to keep Bangalore clean, green, healthy and clutter free, but the Government turned down his proposal. He has recently published a book titled “A Place in the Shade” encompassing all his talks and writings covering a variety topics from urban planning, public transportation, art, education, films to Mahatma Gandhi.

Click here to read his interview that appeared on the Daily Mirror
Click here to see his interview that appeared on Bloomberg Television
Click here to read a synopsis from A Place in the Shade

There is nothing much we can do to the cities now, but still this book may come in handy to save those burgeoning tier 2 cities. Finally before you think about your place in the shade read Dean Martin’s lyrics – A Place in the Shade

Now some folks play the whole day long
They think they got it made
But they won't get a thrill the way that I live
When I find me a place in the shade
A poor man word is never learned still I wouldn't trade
All the world and its gold all the treasures untold
I want a little place in the shade
Too late to bed and early to rise
Makes a man weary and cuts him down the size
They come and they go and their worlds fall apart
But I'm gonna cling to the dreams in my heart
Cause someday I know the years gonna come
When all my debts are paid
When my work is all done I'll smile at the sun
And find me a place in the shade
When the work is all done I'll smile at the sun
And find me a place in the shade

Pearls from the Pigeon - Math, Economics, Physics, Geography and Biology of Music and Sabhas

It is interesting to see artist, guest of honors, Sabha secretaries give those long and patronising speeches year after year. Their ideas to improve the quality of music, make it global and accessible seem all grand and garrulous. But there seeems not much action beyond the stage. Here are a few more to that list. I wish atleast one Sabha Secretary will read this and start thinking this way. Definitely Music Academy can think of implementing many of these after receiving 1 Crore donation from Shiv Nadar.

1.Since Carnatic music has gone the money route today, it is not a bad idea to get feedback from consumers. Why can't artist/sabhas survey rasikas to understand who they like and what kind of music they like and more. It could be an online survey and anonymous. Let us improve the quality of music when you make us pay for it.

2.Sabhas (atleast Music Academy that has its own full-fledged auditorium) should create a separate corner where seats are equipped with headphone (with background noise cancellation) so that rasikas can enjoy music better. There are a few artists and voices that I love to hear with noise cancelling headphones. I am willing to pay premium for such seats. Are there glasses that will cancel the gesticulations that singers make on-stage? That would be a big welcome!

3.Why not sabhas do an online telecast of concerts and lec- dems for a fee to benefit people who live all over the world? For people coming to India from overseas, air fares to India this time of the year are unaffordable. There are so many older people who find it difficult to get out of their homes and acoustics in most of the Sabhas are bad and seats are not comfortable. So why not the online telecast route and sell ad space online. Sabhas, make hay when sun shines!

4.Why not sabhas set aside tickets that can be booked online rather than ask rasikas to queue up outside their sabha at 7 am? This will help sabhas monitor the crowd and take up proactive promotional activities, media interaction, etc. to fill the seats. Did you see Chennaiyil Tiruvaiyaru? Run a business like a business!

5.Sabhas are printing way too many leaflets and phamplets with concert details, instead why don’t they sell concert schedule booklet covering all Sabhas for 10 Rs that people can buy. When sold for a small amount people keep the book carefully, when given free they litter the venue continuously. Teach the value of paper (money too!)

6.Why not sabhas do ask public to vote for their favorite artist in various categories vocal, instrument, percussionist, non-percussionist and give away popular musician awards at junior and senior level? That would make it transparent and fair. It is those who are popular who help Sabhas make dough.

7.Attend the afternoon slot 12 noon to 4 PM and then you will know the quality of the music talent in Chennai. DB Ashwin, Sriranjani Santhanagopalan, Abhishek Raghuram, Ranjith Warrier, Vidya Kalayanraman, Saketharaman, etc. Let them learn more krithis and perform in this slot for another 5 years before getting promoted. We don't get promoted in the corporate world every year. Learning seems inversely proportional to the time slots later in the day.

8.Last but not the least, why not sabhas seriously consider holding their festival at a different time rather than holding all of them in December. There are 50+ sabhas in the city and if each of them picks a week in a year, we will enjoy concerts all through the year than have an overdose in December. Most of the sabhas don’t have their own venue and hence make shift arrangements with bad acoustics can be avoided. Artist will also find it easier to manage their concerts and throat. Rasikas will be able to attend concerts all through the year. Spread the joy!

9.Every musician on the dais say they want to take Carnatic Music global, but how can they have a wider audience if they are not letting people from the outside perform in Chennai? Patronage starts with performance. Relationships are symbiotic and not parasitic!

10.There are musicians in other states who find it difficult to get a break or even perform in Chennai, a city that is considered the Mecca of Carnatic Music. Why not host festivals that would encourage classical musicians from other States perform? Hamsadwani conducts NRI festival (but also ask NRI to pay for performing) may be similar festival can be conducted for out of station musicians. Recruit rasikas by recognizing musicians.

More Pigeon Tales from Music Academy

May be the winged creature spotted me buying tickets on Dec 28th after Parasala Ponnammal’s concert at Academy? I didn’t notice him, but seemed to have noticed me from the high balconys’ of Music Academy. I ran into him a day later at Mylapore Fine Arts while I was waiting to hear Trichur Brothers. So I asked him, “what’s up and who are you pooping on at Music Academy?” He was annoyed with my questions and flew from the canteen towards the green room area at MFA. I thought he must gathering gossip at the Green room and I chased him there. He again flew back to the canteen.

“What’s wrong Mr. Pigeon? Why you are you avoiding me?” I am not avoiding you, I am annoyed when you ask my pooping targets”. He folded his wings and said, “I don’t target people, I praise good music and express my concerns music and musicians go wrong. Well, I am a pigeon, symbol of peace, but you turn me into a symbol of poop and controversy.

After hear him play defensive, I had no choice but to go easy on him and put out an invite for a snack and coffee, but he immediately declined!

I asked him, “So how was Sudha’s and Saketharaman’s concert at Music Academy?” I had no clue that this guy saw me at Academy that evening. He retorted quickly, “I saw you at their concerts, so why are you asking me?” “Well I want to exchange notes with you and moreover you are a Music Academy pigeon, and you are trained listener while I am just a nomad rasika.” Finally I sang Maithree Bhajata and made peace with my feathered friend.

“Sudha’s Reethigowlai and Shankarabharanam were lackluster and she tried to load the kalapanaswarams upfront on that Shankarabaranam krithi, Sarojadalanetri just to show off her vidwat rather than gradually ascend and descend. There was a slight lag (1/2 edam) in the speed of the krithi and reviewer from The Hindu gave her full marks for her mistakes. The pallavi she sang was very difficult exercise and she needs appreciation for that, but she was constantly looking at the notebook in front of her”. Why are reviewers afraid to point out mistakes? Or is it that they are not qualified to pick up such mistakes and write about it?”
After an unbiased review I had to get him one of those delicious Badhushahs at MFA canteen. The Badhushah was fully cooked and sugar syrup had made it through the layers of maida, like Saketharaman’s Music Academy concert.

Then I asked his frank opinion about Saketharaman’s concert at MA. He batted his eyelids and there was an excitement in his voice. “Saketharaman’s singing is methodical and melodic, but could have avoided singing too many composition of Thyagaraja and brought in more variety in his concert. He also needs to slow down the pace of his singing, there is so much of sowkyam when the pace is slowed down, may be that will come with age. Infact he had done a lot of homework on the RTP, kudos to Saketh. Today’s youth knows how to manage both profession and passion.”

I thought he was done with the comments, but he started after a pause, “Sabhas and musicians need to learn from Saketharaman’s concert”. I got curious and I jumped in before he could complete the sentence. I asked him what should they learn?”

“Wait, you were there at his concert, tell me how many times did Sangita Kalanidhi Umayalpuram Sivaraman let ghatam play along with the violin? Usually mridhangist plays along with the singer and the ghatam plays along with the violinist. But that day Umayalpuram Sivaraman dominated the show and kept the ghatam idle most part of the concert.

As a Sangita Kalanidhi, he has had his share of fame, reward and recognition and shouldn’t he guide youngsters in his sunset years rather than steal their time and show? Is this how a Sangita Kalanindhi must behave on stage? Sabhas must think twice next time they have a senior accompanist play for a junior musician.”

I had to agree with Mr. Pigeon, it was Tiruvarur Bakthavatsalam who played a similar trick while accompanying Saketharaman at Parthasarathy Swami Sabha. Can the musician do something about it or should the Sabha do something about it?

He had no answer to my question and said he was rushing to hear Sikkil Gurucharan at Brahma Gana Sabha. We will catch him somewhere very soon. This seemed like a very wise pigeon!

The pigeon also has some fantastic ideas on how to notch up Carnatic Music concerts and Markazhi Festival.Come back for more between the pea brain and pigeon brain.

New Year Bash at Music Academy

From a Prince to a pauper everybody wishes to start the New Year on a high note and striking the right chord. For the 8th consecutive year Carnatica's New Year bash at Music Academy started on a high note for rasikas, eminent and popular musicians.

Having soaked themselves in Kambodi, Todi, Kalyani, Sankarabharanam, etc. carnatic music aficionados and musicians were not tired and wanted more Carnatic Music to welcome 2011. Such is Carnatic music, it never tires or retires and so are musicians.

The night started with a venugaanam by Sangita Kalanidhi N. Ramani and team. They mellifluously rendered Thyagaraja’s “Darini thelisikonti” in Suddha Saveri and followed it up with Sadho Sadho in Ahir Bairavi. Ramani was brilliant on the flute, and he appeared like a little boy who just discovered the flute and his fingers went running on the bamboo. Quick sangathis in both the songs made rasikas swing, sway and sing together.

Dr. Pantulu Rama and team came on stage next to welcome the New Year with 2 krithis in Navaroz and both the krithis presented different facets of Navaroz. Muthuswami Dikshithar’s Hasthivadanaya and Thyagaraja’s Divya Nama Keerthanai “Navaneetha chora” was rendered with clarity and brevity. Gayathri Venkatraghavan next appeared on stage wearing a bright pink saree and a pleasant smile. She rendered Narayana Theerthar’s Tharangam “Re Re Manasa” in Brindavani. Moving from one musician to another, one raga to another, one composer to another, it felt like a musical relay.

The next half hour excitement was put together by Subashree Thanikachalam and team. Gayathri Venkatraghavan, Saindhavi, Barath Sundar, along with Ganesh on the Chitraveena presented a few lines popular film song and a carnatic song in the same raga. The program was aptly titled “ragamalika” but there it was talamalika too. The program started in chatusram beat with songs in Hamsadwani, Sriranjani, Kambodhi, Mayamalavagowlai, Desh and then moved to Tisram with songs in Shanmukhapriya, Charukesi, Lalitha, and Reethigowlai,. Audience sent it request and artist on the stage performed songs in Karaharapriya, Nalinakanthi, and Kalyani. The half hour program concluded with artist rendering delectable swarams in Kalyani.

There is just 15 mins left to midnight and Srimushnam Raja Rao, a well know percussionist ascended the dais, but this time as a vocalist and presented two quick songs. The first one was Deva Deva in Mayamalavagowali and second was his own composition, a thillana in Sindhu Bairavi. To hear a percussionist sing, with perfect alignment to Shruthi and filling the air with colorful swara fireworks brought 2010 to an end.

At the stroke of midnight, a few musicians has morphed into different avatars (remember the Cindrella story?) Abhishek Raghuram, a popular upcoming vocalist, let his fingers speak on the Kanjira, while Srimushnam Raja Rao returned to his mridhangam. While all musicians led by Malladi Brothers rendered a Thyagaraja Pancharatnam, Maithreem Bhajata and Siva Ashtotharam, the faces of the 5 feet brass lamp were lit by Dr. Pantulu Rama and Smt. Vasundara Rajagopal. 2011 was born in an air bakthi, reverence and carnatic music. Can there be a better way to start the New Year?

2011 is born!

Soon Gundeccha Brothers welcomed 2011 with a short bhajan on Shiva and passed the mantle to Ghatam Karthik for some Carnatic humor. This time he ascended the stage with not with a piece of cooked clay, but a piece of cooked papyrus. Karthik is always good on stage, be it shaking his ghatam, or making people shake their ghatam (ghatam to be read as tummy). He shared a dozen plus jokes on Carnatic music, on popular musicians and presented a humorous sangeetha piece between Sangita Kalanidhi M. Balamuralikrishna and Sangita Kalanidhi TN Seshagopalan. Isn’t it good to start the year in good humor?

While many of our youth ape the western way of welcoming the New Year, there were a dozen foreigners who joined us in a safe, satwick and soulful way of welcoming 2011.

By then Sangeetha Foods was ready to feed the rasikas with Tamarind rice, kesari, chutney and tea. When we came back Sengottai Hari and party were ready on the stage to show us Namasamkirthana way of bakthi. At 15 minutes past two in the morning the bash came to an end. In another 7 hours from now TM Krishna will be presenting a concert on the same stage and another 15 hours from now Bombay Sisters will be conferred Sangita Kalanidhi on the same stage.

Music, memories and moments, what a journey into 2011!

You can watch snippets of the all the fun we had that night - http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/article1025230.ece