Graha Bedham

Let me first begin by congratulating the noted and accomplished Carnatic musician Sanjay Subrahmanyan for earning the coveted Sangita Kalanidhi from Music Academy Chennai. On January 1, 2016 Sanjay will be inducted into the Carnatic Music Hall of Fame and incidentally he is also one the few Sangita Kalanidhi's who've won this accolade before their 50. Other veterans ahead of him in the hall of fame are Ariyakudi Ramanujam Iyengar, Musiri Subramanya Iyer, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, GN Balasubramaniam, ML Vasanthakumari, and M. Balamuralikrishna (not in the same order). Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/sangita-kalanidhi-title-for-sanjay-subrahmanyam/article7339056.ece

Most youngsters who come into performing Carnatic music set their eyes on this coveted title. Who wouldn't want to see their picture and name inscribed alongside other doyens that adorn the hallway at Music Academy? Sanjay today has become a bigger inspiration for many youngsters who are deciding to take music as a full-time career and to those who've already taken a plunge. He is a good example of what hard work can get you, even if you don't come in the lineage of Sangita Kalanidhis. His discipline and commitment to music is an important lesson to every beginner and staying away from unnecessary limelight and controversy is a good lesson for his peers and juniors.

A few days ago, I read his 4th in the series of articles in The Hindu (http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/carnatic-musician-sanjay-subrahmanyan-talks-about-teaching-and-foray-into-virtual-world/article7329310.ece) and I wrote to a friend questioning the sudden PR exercise and its intent. Given Sanjay's mindset to stay away from media and unnecessary talk, I was surprised to learn so much about him from the newspaper. We have been living in the same apartment for the last 13 years and to get him to smile or socialize. Even at JayaTV's Markazhi Mahautsavam where musicians curate their shows, he keeps his curation to a minimum and let his music do the talk. 

So, it is clear that Music Academy used its media power raised the profile of Sanjay who rarely speaks. Over the last month The Hindu through a series of articles created more than awareness among the educated, elite, musically inclined and his own peers. This is the first time I'm seeing such an exercise by Music Academy before the announcement of its yearly recognition. I could never answer why only for Sanjay, can you?

I'm sure their PR exercise can't seal the mouths of gossip mongers specially given the high density in Mylapore. Though PR may not be a tradition at Music Academy, but fights and controversies amongst musicians when Sangita Kalanidhi is announced is a tradition.

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer wanted to have the title ahead of Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer and he crossed swords with Music Academy. Lalgudi Jayaraman wanted to get the title ahead of Maharajapuram Santhanam andhad a fall out with the establishment and stopped performing under their aegis. So, should we look the the recent articles and announcements made by the noted musician TMKrishna in light of the recent Sangita Kalanidhi announcement by Music Academy? Isn't TMKrishna from parampara of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer? Music comes with its share of controversies. 

We see such reactions in every profession today. Every year when appraisal results are announced we've seen a range of reactions from cribbing, bickering, learning to brown-nose the establishment, to walking out of organizations. From awards, heart burns to infighting everything is a part of tradition at Music Academy and it brings out the best and worst in musicians. So, why should the field of Carnatic music be any different and why should TMKrishna be any different from his guru Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer?

Go back and read all the articles in press from both Sanjay and TMKrishna in the last month and connect the dots. You can definitely hear Gowrimanohari at one end and Natakapriya on the other and the music world calls it Graha bedham. The annual Jupiter transit is just a month away and this year he moves into Simha or Leo.