Pioneer among divine composers

WITH THE invocatory rendering of songs from Abhirami Andadi by Tiruvarul Tiruppani Mandram of Shyamala Kumar, the morning session of December 22 commenced at the Music Academy.

Dr. (Sr.) Margaret Bastin, Lecturer in Music, Mother Teresa Women's University, Kodaikanal, spoke on the contribution of Karaikal Ammaiyar, devout Tamil singer-composer of the pre- Tevaram period. The speaker mentioned that the period of Karaikal Ammaiyar should have been 4th or 5th Century as quoted by researchers. The birth and the early life of Ammaiyar, her deep devotion, her married life and the episode describing her transformation into a Siva Gana were explained: it was at this juncture, that Ammaiyar composed the two works - ``Adbhuta Tiru Antadi'' and ``Tiru Rettai Mani Malai''. Various songs from Tiru Antadi were illustrated at certain references. The Rettai Mani Malai - its content and structure were dealt with. The meaning of the Padigams, the musical and dance references therein were mentioned. While analysing the Padigams as the ``forerunner'' to Tevara Moovar, the speaker said that the structure of the Padigam itself, the usage of Kaapu Cheyyul, the structure of Pann, the similar ideas expressed in the Padigams have all been followed by Sambandar and others. Hence, Karaikal Ammaiyar could be aptly described as the forerunner to divine musical composers.

Dr. N. Ramanathan, S. Rajam, B. M. Sundaram gave their comments. Prof. S. R. Janakiraman brought to the notice, the Pratimadhyama raga mentioned as Punitavathi (Sivapriya), original name of Karaikal Ammaiyar, in the 72nd mela ragamalika of Sri Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan. R. Vedavalli referred to similar lofty ideas found in Karaikal Ammaiyar and Andal.

The term tune or Varnamettu as also the scale and raga were defined at first by Dr. S.A.K. Durga, Ethnomusicologist and member, Advisory Committee, while discussing the process of transformation of the tunes in ragas. At the outset, she brought out the characteristic features of tunes.

The two types of ragas - the scale-oriented and tune-oriented and the sanchara-based ragas of the ancient times which contained emotion were dealt with. Dr. Durga chose to present the identity of some ragas that have resulted through different stages of transformation from a folk tune to a form of a classical raga, used in kritis or other musical compositions in Carnatic music.

Similar pattern of transformation from Dhun or tunes of North Indian music and their transformation into classical raga based forms like Dhrupad and Khyal. Dr. Durga gave examples for the above and illustrated suitably.

Dr. M. B. Vedavalli, Dr. V. V. Srivatsa made their observations: S. V. Parthasarathy highlighted the importance of prayoga (methodology) handed through oral tradition, especially in the olden days, in the defining of the raga swaroopa, its special features and the mode of rendering. R. Vedavalli complimented the speaker.

Focus on Arunachalakavi

The morning session of December 23 began with the rendering of compositions of Papanasam Sivan by Nathamuni Bhajan Sangh Group. Under the Nachimuthu Gounder Rukmini Ammal Trust endowment, Smt. Gomathi Vishwanathan, Member of the Advisory Council, presented a lec-dem on Sirkazhi Moovar with the focus on Arunachalakavi. The speaker was assisted by Smt. Sushila Raman, Neeraja Tulasinath and B. Balakrishnan in vocal support.

The speaker said that the songs of Arunachalakavi do not have original Varnamettu; the ragas, as found in different existing musical versions of these compositions suit the different moods of the compositions. The speaker traced the period of Kavirayar (1711-1788), his early life, and other works; it was mentioned that this composer had composed 278 viruttams, 197 darus (song- composition), set in madhyamakala, with different tala structures. The usage of ``Edugai and Monai'' for embellishing the ragas are found in all the works of Arunachalakavi. According to musical format of operas, the first and last daru are set in the same raga. Gomathi Vishwanathan said that Rama Natakam of Arunachalakavi is a forerunner to several other works of similar nature and structure. The musical forms found in this work (Dwipadai, Daru, Venba, Todayam, etc.) were mentioned. The different ragas employed were suitably illustrated.Dr. S.A.K. Durga and B.M. Sundaram presented their comments. R. Vedavalli while complimenting the speaker said that the composition `Yaro Ivar Yaro' is to be sung as ``Aaro Ivar Aaro'' and in Saveri. She pointed out the usage of proverbs, colloquial language, etc. noted in this work.

``The hallmark of a good tradition is its static nature,'' said Sriram Parasuram, vocalist and violinist in both Hindustani and Carnatic systems, while dealing with his topic, ``How Ragas come to be'' in the second part of the morning session. At the outset, the speaker sang a bit of Bilas Todi, of Tansen, to establish the basic idea of the presentation on ``putting together a raga or melody or the process of crafting a raga.'' The principles behind the crafting, Vakra as the base mode, the mental picturisation of the form and development of a raga, its creation and final culmination into a raga in Hindustani, in comparison with the strong theoretical base in Carnatic system with ample scope for improvisation, Venkatamakhin's 72 Mela Karta scheme that paved the way for further combinations which attained the status of the raga later, were all discussed.

The speaker referred to the Kritis of Saint Tyagaraja in which one can find the crystallisation of a Raga form. Sriram quoted that from the Vedic times a definite structural basis (Poorvanga and Utharaanga) has existed; the musical idea, the role of the human mind in assimilating, the features and principles behind, causes the formation of a raga. The importance of the principle of Vakra was discussed; the speaker demonstrated a few ragas like Navarasa Kanada, Bahudari and Malavi, Kuntalavarali, lesser known ones like Eesa Manohari which are resultant form arising out of omissions in the melodic scale of Harikambhoji, thereby explaining the principle of Vakra. Also, the transition or a foreign note with vakra usage was pointed out (eg. Jayantasri). The aspect of the hidden swara, due to Vakra usage (Saranga) was referred.

The Hindustani system, Sriram said, was based on the principle of Mishra where ragas with common features are combined. The Pagad or Chalan technique that determines the raga identity was mentioned. Certain ragas which have to be dealt with separately, Vasant Kedar - which remain as separate entities, giving the desired effect and the introduction of Anyaswara were highlighted. In the free style (Manodharma), the fusion takes place tactfully to please the ears.

The speaker said that fusion was successful if it was well within the traditional framework. This crafting of a raga has lent dynamism to our tradition aided by the genius of the individual in creating new ragas born out of combinations. He referred to raag Sivabhogi (credited to his teacher Pandit C.R. Vyas), a combination of Sivaranjani, Abhogi, Dhanakoni Kalyan (avoidance of Daivata from Kalyani) and Swaanandi which have no scale concept and Misra (mixing) is the method. References to Ghanta and Dwijavanthi were also touched upon under this category.

K. N. Srinivasan, while giving his comments on the lecture said, that in recent times Muthiah Bhagavatar, G.N. Balasubramaniam and others have introduced new ragas. S.V. Parthasarathy observed that the base for the formation of all ragas is the seven swaras and it is in the prayoga (usage) and transferring through oral tradition that the real form is achieved.

Tyagaraja and Gita

After the rendering of Tiruvempavai songs by Kamalapriya group of Revathi Subramanian, the first presentation, an analysis of Saint Tyagaraja's songs with relevance to the Bhagavad Gita, was given by I. Kameswara Rao, musician and musicologist. Smt. Sulochana Pattabhiraman, musician and member, Advisory Council, who has been selected for the Bodhaka Award endowed by Sri G. N. Dandapani in memory of his mentor Sri T. S. Sabesa Iyer for the best teacher, presented rare compositions of the Trinity in vocal rendering by Shyamala Venkateswaran, Prema Rangarajan, Bhagyalakshmi Suresh, Rekha Prasad, Hema Venkatraman, Sudha Rajah and Nirmala Vaidyanathan.

The session on December 25 commenced with the devotional rendering of songs from Ram Charit Manas and Hanuman Chalisa. B. M. Sundaram, member, Advisory Council presented a lecture on the contribution of women musicians in Tamil Nadu. The speaker traced the origin of concert presentation in the last 300 years and cited Sri Raghava Iyer as the first concert artiste. Although there is no proper record, Sundaram submitted his efforts in identifying 516 women musicians. He made a mention of their vocal recordings in 78 rpm discs. Among with well known singers, Coimbatore Thayi, Kancheepuram Dhanakoti, Kamakshi, Karaikkal Sundara Kamakshi (mother of Indira Rajan - Bharatanatyam teacher), Yenadi Sisters, Bangalore Nagaratnammal, Rajamani Ammal (mother of dancer Swarna Saraswati), Tiruvarur Peria Kamala Muthammal (disciple of Muthuswami Dikshitar), Gnanam, Rajayi, Pandanallur Rajayi (mother of Pandanallur Jayalakshmi), Thanjavur Kamakshi and her illustrious descendants Veena Dhanammal, her sister Rupavati, Dhanammal's daughter T. Jayammal, and her daughter T. Balasaraswati, Rajalakshmi (Peria kutty) and Lakshmi Ratnam (Chinna kutty), Lalitangai (mother of M.L.V.) and mother Madurai Shanmukhavadivu (mother of M. S. Subbulakshmi) were mentioned. Several other well known names like N. C. Vasantakokilam, M.L.V., instrumentalists like Kiranur Silk papa (mother Kiranur Govindaraja Pillai), Vaaladi Rukmini T. Abhiramasundari (violin), Tirugokarnam Ranganayaki (mridangam), Thanjavur Pakkiri Ammal (Tavil) and Bani Bai (Harikatha) were mentioned.

At the end of the lecture, Dr. T. Vishwanathan of Wesleyan University, made a request for compiling such accounts for future reference. The name of K. B. Sundarambal was brought to notice by a rasika. R. Vedavalli while complimenting the speaker, pointed out the name of Savitri Ganesan, who was a prominent vocalist in her times.

Dr. Kausalya, Principal, Tamil Nadu Government Music College, Tiruvaiyaru, gave a talk on the music of the Bhagavata Mela Natakam. She was assisted by Tiruvaiyaru Brothers, Narasimhan and Venkatesan of the Sri Lakshmi Nrusimha Swami Jayanthi Bhagavata Mela Nataka Sangam of Sri Natarajan of Melattur, Sri Srinivasan and Ramadas of the Saliyamangalam tradition for providing the demonstration part.

The speaker stressed music as the back bone of this ritualistic dance tradition. In her talk, she discussed the musical set-up of different musical forms, the ragas employed, the embellishment of the bhava through music in this, the tala structures, the sama raga used in different contexts to bring out that particular mood (Anandabhairavi) in both the traditions, rare ragas (Ghana and Ahiri), usage of folk tunes, lyrical beauties and rare musical forms like Teya Daru. Specific pieces were demonstrated by the troupe.

NANDINI RAMANI

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