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Photo: M. Moorthy

SPECIAL IN MANY WAYS: S. Kasim (left) and his brother S. Babu.

They belong to an illustrious lineage that has been well known for its nagaswaram vidwans for seven generations. They are the grandsons of noted nagaswaram vidwan Sheik Chinna Moulana Saheb. For their part, S. Kasim and S. Babu are doing the village of Karavadi (Prakasam district, A.P.) proud. A striking aspect is that none in the family had taken up the thavil. “Our ancestors had a very good sahithya patantharam of kritis. Sanskrit learning was easier with mother tongue being Telugu. This helped them have a better understanding of kritis and focus on nagaswaram playing. This is the speciality of our tradition,” says S. Kasim with all humility.

Their grandfather had migrated to Tiruchi in the 1960s and settled down in Srirangam. The brothers were under Sheik’s attention right from day one. From rudiments to advanced learning, their tutelage had been under the masterly guidance of their grandfather. The brothers feel that the experience of playing alongside him in concerts for almost 17 years has been holding them in good stead till date. A physics graduate from St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchi, Kasim is happy that he was able to manage time, both for studies and concerts.

After Saheb’s demise in 1999, the brothers have been teaming up for concerts. “Patronage for nagaswaram in Andhra in those days was only from rich Zamins and hence no special padhathi developed there, whereas in Tamil Nadu, nagaswaram playing had been well formatted, like designated Mallaris to suit every occasion — Thaer Mallari, Thaligai Mallari and Theertha Mallari to name a few,” quips Babu the younger of the two. Even before shifting to Tiruchi, their grandfather had learnt the Thanjavur padhathi and many Tamil kritis from Nachiar Koil Rajam-Duraikannu brothers for more than five years, often travelling from Karavadi.

Their practice runs for about three to four hours a day with sessions both in the mornings and evenings on non-concert days. “Nagaswaram does not have any separate provision for half-note and full-note like in a flute. There are seven holes and all the twenty two notes are played by sheer breath control. This is possible only by rigorous, routine practice,” asserts Kasim. Besides, they also manage the ‘Saradha Nadhaswara Sangeetha Ashram’ founded by their grandfather with the primary objective of imparting training to aspiring students. This school which has four students is run on the lines of a gurukulam, totally free of cost. Busy concert schedules have prevented them from taking in more students.

The brothers have formed Dr. Chinnamoulana Memorial Trust with the objective of propagating nagaswaram and its importance, worldwide. Deserving students are being provided with nagaswaram instrument free of cost. Purses are presented to indigent senior artistes one each from the nagaswaram and thavil stream, annually in April to coincide with Sheik Chinnamoulana Saheb’s memorial day.

S.Kasim has the unique honour of being conferred the title, ‘Kala Saraswathy’ by Mother Teresa. Surprisingly, the Tamil Nadu Government’s ‘Kalaimamani’ in the year 2003 came only to S. Kasim and not to Babu. The Kanchi Math has honoured them and the brothers cherish their special concert at Mumbai, to commemorate the Peetarohana Shatabdi Mahotsav of Maha Periyaval when they received the title of ‘Nadhaswara Nadhamani’. At present, they enjoy the status of Special Nagaswaram Artistes of TTD and go to Tirumala to play on festive occasions and are also the Asthana Vidwans of Sharadha Peetam of Sringeri.

Kasim and Babu, both A grade artistes of All India Radio, have toured many countries including the U.S. and Canada, and have also given lecture-demonstrations on three occasions at the Jackson’s State University, Jackson Mississippi. “A lot of sax and oboe players attended our concerts and some of them have taken up learning the instrument. Nagaswaram is welcomed in all our foreign concerts, mainly because of the presence of many wind instruments in those countries such as sax, oboe and clarinet,” says the duo.

They are thrilled on the success of their extempore concerts which they feel is, all due to a strong foundation, and are thankful to the support of all the thavil vidwans who have been accompanying them in their concerts.

Listening to nagaswaram regulary, fertilises the imagination for raga development, the duo believes, for in the nagaswaram you can produce sangatis of all varieties, be it a long karvai, viraladi, spuritamatic, birkha or a gamaka. The long karvais in particular give the vishranti and lay the foundation for good sangathis, they feel.

Both the daughters of Kasim are well trained in vocal music. Of Babu’s two sons, the elder, who, is in college, has already started winning competitions in nagaswaram while the younger one is slowly being groomed into it for the legacy of the duo to continue.

“For ages, the temples have been the base for the art of nagaswaram to proliferate. One cannot think of a temple festival without a battery of nagaswaram and thavil vidwans. It is from these temples, the nagaswaram moved into the society. Today, in Tamil Nadu which is synonymous with temples, many do not have any nagaswaram artiste assigned to them. The Government should take steps to see that good nagaswaram music is heard in all temples,” says a concerned Kasim.

As you sign off, the large, garlanded portrait of Lord Rama, with Seetha, Lakshmana and Hanuman, in their drawing room, seems to smile at you.

For generations the family has been eking out a livelihood, playing the nagaswaram. The ancestors of this duo, were all well versed in classical music. Adam Saheb had mastered Devagandhari. Rasaveripalam Kasim Saheb nicknamed “Cobra” was capable of maintaining the talam while singing a Pallavi using both his hands and feet. He was the court musician of many samasthanams, one of which was Gadwala.

Chinna Moula Saheb and Pedda Moula Saheb of Chilakaluripeta were brothers. Chinna Moula was an expert in Sanskrit epics including the Ramayanam and Amaram and could expound these epics in Telugu.

The Kommur brothers Pentu Saheb and Silar Saheb were equally adept. Pentu was called Kalyani Pentu Saheb, Bilahari Pentu Saheb, Kedharagowla Pentu Saheb - after the ragas which flowed melodiously from his instrument.

Another pair of brothers Chinna Peeru Saheb and Peddha Peeru Saheb of Chilakaluripeta were famous for their proficiency in the ragas Saveri and Abheri. Sheik Adam Saheb of Chilakaluripeta was the guru of Sheik Chinna Moulana.

Sheik Abdulla Saheb (Sheik Chinna Moulana’s grandfather), Sheik Madar Saheb (Sheik Chinna Moulana’s uncle) and Sheik Kasim Sahib (father of Sheik Chinna Moulana) were also geniuses.

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