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!
Well written.
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