Is it Call of Music or Simply Sangita Kalanidhi?

I drew up a list of duos from the past and present in the Carnatic field and the recognitions received by them. The list made me ask a few basic questions: Is it lucrative to sing as a duo? Do vocalist command more respect and stand to gain more than instrumentalist? What does the Music Academy statistics say about the success of duos and in particular violinist?

1. Alathoor Brothers

2. Radha Jayalakshmi

3. Bombay Sisters

4. Rudrapatnam Brothers

5. Priya Sisters

6. Hyderabad Sisters

7. Hyderabad Brothers

8. Mambalam Sisters

9. Sattur Sisters

10. Malladi Brothers

11. Rajani & Gayathri

12. Carnatica Brothers

13. Trichur Brothers

14. Akkarai Sisters

Surpassingly, only two from the above list of vocalists made it to the lobby of The Music Academy that too after a gap of 45 years. That gives rise to a logical question, should people perform in pair or separately to win the title? Further, analysis shows that vocalists have a higher probability (42/89) of winning the title, only 10 out of 89 have gone to violinists. 

Is it the case of akkaraikku ikkarai pacchai or it driven my economics and statistics? Leaving statistics aside, we see that Ranjani & Gayathri, Akkarai Sisters who began their journey as successful violinist have transformed themselves into popular vocalists. And more recently, solo violinists, Amritha Murali and KP Nandhini have turned into vocalist. 

Let's not forget that Violin Maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman had a fall out with the Music Academy over his Sangita Kalanidhi and was finally cajoled with a Life Time Acchievement Award towards the end of his life. And we've also heard numerous stories of vocalist staging a walk out over the title.Yes, the Sangita Kalanidhi title does create a lot of heart burn among musicians.

Well, Akkarai Sisters rakthiful interpretation of Chalanaatai followed by Yedhaya Gathi seem to give a hint. Nevertheless, Sangita Kalanidhi statistics also confirms that the only sisters to receive Sangita Kalanidhi among instrumentalists are Sikkil Sisters. May be that explains the wapsi trend among violinist.

Is it a true calling to switch rolls or is to win SK? Only the duos can answer.