Karnatic musicians & AzhwAr's poetry

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri TatAchAr : Thanks for your kind note .

I am a dabbler in hearing/appreciating Karnatic music.

I am a Gaana Praathamic and wish I were a VisAradhA

in truly appreciating or practicing Karnatic music

( the DakshiN Bharat Hindi PrachAr terminology) .

At one time , our family friend Sangeetha Kalanidhi

Sri KVN asked me to stay with him for six months so

that he can instruct me on the finer aspects of Carnatic music.

Although I was flattered by his kindness , I knew my

limits and begged off.

 

I have however some observations on Your comments

for further discussions on the of the lack ofDivya Prabhandhams

being tuned and sung by our musicians, past and present.

>From Nada Muni's time when the Paasurams were set to

music and TaaLam , a dwindling population of Arayars have

carried on the tradition at selected divya Desams . It appears

that the tradition of leaving out sacred music from the scene

of kaccheri music for display of artistry (Voice control, raga lakshaNa

Jnaanam, Laya Knowledge, Manodharmam ) has kept the

two traditions apart. Except for the succssful efforts of Ariyakudi

in tuning Thiruppaavai and Bombay sisters( songs on KrishNa) ,

Srimathi MaNi KrishNaswAmy ( AzhwAr Paadalgal including AmalanAdhi pirAn,

PaLLIezucchi, NeerAttam in a casette ) , Dr. M.S. Subbalakshmi's

soul-stirrig rendering of Vandinamuralum solai in Thodi ,Dr. Salem Jayalakshmi's

 

LP , there has been a consistent tradition to relegate Divya

Prabhandham to viruttam section of the concerts. A case in point is the

recent inclusion of the famous AhalahillEn paasuram of NammazhwAr

on ThiruvenkatamudAyAn by Sri TVS in his current US Concerts.

 

My sister( Smt Padma Veeraraghavan ) has

tuned many of theAzhwAr Paasurams and

Swami Desika's Prabhandhams , Pillai Lokaacharya's

works .She has specialized in tuning and teaching

NaacchiyAr Thirumozhi. Usually these have been taught to " Iyengar

Ammamis " , who in this case have gone recently around the towns of

Tamil Naadu and Tamil communities in Andhra Pradesh, New Delhi

to raise significant sums for Oppiliappan RatnAngi Kaimkaryam,

Sri Villiputthur AandAL's Mutthu Kondai Kaimkaryam

and other Kaimkaryams. Thus , the sacred nature of the

AruLiccheyals have not lent themselves to music that

is generally considered relevant for the public platform.

The regimes of E.V.Ramaswamy Naaicker and their "sacred"

successors in DMK and ADMK did not help much either except

lip service to the Literature aspect of the Divya Prabhandhams and

ThEvaaram ..

 

Saint Thyagaraja and host of other Nada SiddhAnthis adapted

their bhakthi laden krithis, Divya Naamas for proppagating Nada

SiddhAntham and blended the two traditons . Even in their time

and until the early part of the century, muscians and their art

was suspect by Vaidhik Brahmins . There is a saying or a practice

in Tamil Naadu that a man of Vedic training and AnushtAnam

should keep his distance from the muscians for fear of the

sensual aspects of the music ( Gandharva Ghaanam )

corrupting their spiritual pursuits and developing Raajasic and Taamasic

tendencies .It was a pity . They went their own ways until

the music nourished by Isai VeLALars began to be picked up

seriously by many stalwarts coming from Brahmin families

in the villages of Cauveri delta like the musical trinity .With Sri Dikshitar's

disciples of a great Bharata Natyam dancer and the temple musician,

Suddha MattaLam Tambhiappaa of Thiruvaarur,, the circle came to a full

turn .

 

The classic case of the Bharata Natyam becoming an art form of

serious study by Brahmin girls instad of being the propreitary treasure

of " Deva Daasi " families is another of these instances , where

conservatism bent and benefitted.all of us . The pioneering

efforts of E.Krishna Iyer and Arundel RukmiNi of Kalaa

Kshetram in the thirties helped to expand the reach of

Bharata Natyam to a wider set of artists. The world of Audio and Video

caseetes and the efforts of Tamil Isai sangham is helping a little.

 

Regarding Azhwaars being " systematically incorporated in one

sect " , the preservation of the tradition of ThevAram songs of

JnAna Sambhandhar , Appar ,and Sundarar by OdhuvArs of the temples

and Matams as well as by the research society of Tamil Isai sangham

is instructional. The old PaNNs and their relation to the different

ragas are being studied and preserved by Dharma puram and

other Saivite Mutts.That reaches a number of sects , although

still this art form is grouped under temple music.

 

In summary , I think that the twin twains of Concert based sangeetham and

paasurams arising from the intenses bhakthi of Azhwaars will go their

separate ways and will occasionaly meet in the viruttham section

of the concert . The efforts of the disciple of late Sri V.V. Sadagopan

at Melkote are commendable starts since it seems to be the first serious

attempt to tune the Paasurams of AzhwArs and teach them to willing

students .

 

V.Sadagopan

[Guest guest]

V. Sadagopan said:

> I have however some observations on Your comments

> for further discussions on the of the lack ofDivya Prabhandhams

> being tuned and sung by our musicians, past and present.

.....

>

> In summary , I think that the twin twains of Concert based sangeetham and

> paasurams arising from the intenses bhakthi of Azhwaars will go their

> separate ways and will occasionaly meet in the viruttham section

> of the concert . The efforts of the disciple of late Sri V.V. Sadagopan

> at Melkote are commendable starts since it seems to be the first serious

> attempt to tune the Paasurams of AzhwArs and teach them to willing

> students .

 

The Tamizh Isai Mandram in Madras, in its annual music festival during

December, organizes concerts (though in the non-prime slots) to encourage

"Prabhandam isai". I recall Prof. Vasudha Narayanan was very interested in

this (the setting to music of the Naalayiram Divya Prabandham). Maybe, she

can share some of her thoughts with us. Personally, I have some cassettes

of the Divya Prabhandam verses, set to music by Sri. Venkata Varadan, and

have found them a delight to hear. I would be happy to send a copy of my

tapes to anyone who is interested.

 

-- Partha

 

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Parthasarathy Ranganathan Graduate Student

Dept of ECE, MS 366 Office: A211 Abercrombie

Rice University email : parthas

Houston TX 77251-1892 Phone : 713-527-8101 x3222

Webpage : http://www-ece.rice.edu/~parthas

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