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October 1998
Rs. 15
Issue 169
ISSN 0 9 7 0 - 7 8 J 6
India's premier mu
me
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india's premier music and dance magazine
Issue 169
3-6
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I n f o r m a t i o n For R e a d e r s
Sruti
is published monthly and
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NEWS & NOTES
Tenali: Golden Jubilee Of Sree S e e t a Rama Gana Sabha
Delhi: V i s h n u Digambar Jayanti
9
Mumbai: Tuva Nritya Mahotsav
14
Mumbai: Seminar On Tabla
IB
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SPECIAL FEATURE
SUDHARANI RAGHUPATHY
Once A Dancer, Always A Dancer
19
Madurai N. Krishnan: From Vamana To Trivikrama
The Blossoming Of An Artist
31
Sudharani's Dance: Praise Be!
33
The Mind Of Sudharani Raghupathy
37
Sudharani Raghupathy: A Factfile
40
NEWS & NOTES
30
The 12 m o n t h l y i s s u e s of
Sruti
together offer a m i n i m u m of 6 2 4 pages,
with extra pages added now and then.
(Continued)
Delhi: A Rib-Tickling Sendoff For A Diplomat
Virginia: Satyam
October 1998
Sivam
Chennai: Raga—In
Sundaram
Setirch
43
45
Of Femininity
47
Sudharani Raghupathy with Rajiv Gandhi
(19)
OBITUARY
J i w a n Pani
49
Ustad Chhamma Khan
SI
OPINION COLUMN
AIR - T h e n & Now
53
Wanted: Musical Missionaries
BRIEF NOTES
EDITOR'S NOTE
54
55-58
60
FRONT COVER Montage: Sudharani Raghupathy
P h o t o g r a p h y by Usha Kris
All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the Editor-inChief. The e d i t o r s and publisher of SRUTI do their best to verify t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p u b l i s h e d but do not take
responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information.
-Sruti
OCTOBER 1998
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Chittoor Subramania Pillai
It was with great pleasure I read the
special feature on Chittoor Subramania
Pillai (Sruti 168). I came to know about
his music when I was at Chittoor in 1930.
We heard his concert at a marriage. His
Mathura nagarilo was a favourite with
us, as were Ksheera sagara of B.S. Raja
Iyengar, Nagumomu of Musiri and
Nadamadi tirinda of Chembai; and we
learnt to sing such favourites by listening
to records. Yes, I too used to sing, at
our school functions and I even got
prizes.
Most of our Telugu-speaking people
are not interested in our Carnatic
music heritage. They like light music
or drama padyam-s! It is only the
Tamilians who can preserve Carnatic
music and save Tyagaraja for posterity!''
When I was in Vijayawada (1973-83),
I came into contact with Chittoor's
daughter Revathy Ratnaswamy, who
was then teaching music at the GVR
Music College. She expressed happiness
that I knew Chittoor personally. I
arranged a dance programme of her
two daughters under the auspices of
the Rama Krishna Bhajana Sabha (which
Later, whtn I was an Intermediate was replaced by 'Ganapriya' in 1976).
student at Madanapalle, Chittoor's She was a regular visitor to our Sabha
nephew was my classmate. But his programmes.
interest was strangely not in Carnatic
Su.Ra.
music, but in the music of K.L. Saigal,
K.C. Dey, Timir Baran and the like.
Bangalore
I visited Madras for holidays during
1942-44 and my brother-in-law
introduced me to Chittoor, who was then
living in Mylapore. I told him I was a
classmate of his nephew and made bold
to enquire why he was not initiated
into Carnatic music. I still remember
Chittoor's reply: "See, my young friend!
Vedavyas
this performance, he attained the feet
of Lord Muruga from his Appu Mudali
Street premises in Madras. In his
I received music training under memory I have arranged the exhibition
Chittoor Subramania Pillai for 15 years of a life-size photograph of his at the
and it was I who arranged his last Devar Hall in Tiruttani.
performance which took place at the
As a disciple of Chittoor, I was
Tiruttani temple and I gave vocal support immensely pleased to read the feature
to him on the occasion. Three days after on my guru {Sruti 168). Regretfully my
name did not find a place in the article
among his disciples. In an article on
my guru published in The Hindu in
February 1998 I was identified as Vyas
among his disciples. The Tirupati
Tyagaraja Festival in July included a
celebration of my guru's birth centenary
and I am glad to state I was honoured
with a shawl on that occasion as one of
the disciples of my guru. Yet there
was no mention of my name in the
Sruti feature and this has hurt me a bit.
Chittoor - My Guru
Choicest Collection in Town!
RAJA RADIO & ELECTRICALS
I believe someone played mischief to
ensure this omission.
I am writing all this only to place on
record that I am a proud disciple of
Chittoor.
Ballagudda Vedavyas
Chennai
RAJA RADIO &
BfCTRICALS
229, Royapenah High Road
Madras 600 014 Ph : 82*1533
Chittoor - My Guru's Guru
4nH
OCTOBER 1998
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I was happy to see the birth centenary lead dancer in my company in Chennai
feature on Chittoor Subramania Pillai.
in the nineteen fifties (see photo); and
also the wonderful article about our
I learnt Carnatic music in bits and
pieces from several teachers and guru Ellappa Mudaliar. Ellappa was
friends but I had a short steady period one of those rare guru-s who did not
of tuition from Nagaraja Bhagavatar stifle a student with strictures of no
who was a not-so-well known disciple change in the movement he gave. He
of Chittoor. In that sense, I may lay claim allowed any innovation that enhanced
to the Chittoor sishya parampara. I his adavu-s. Long Live Ellappa!
never tried to master laya intricacies,
Laxminarayan's achievements in the
but I got enough control of it to be able
world
of dance in Chennai is something
to compose a variety of items for my
I could have predicted. While he was in
dance-drama-s later.
my dance company, he had that little
Chittoor used to ask Nagaraja extra something that the other members
Bhagavatar to draft his letters in Tamil of the company did not have. He was
from time to time and help him with destined for stardom! He was also a
his travel plans.
great nattuvanar. Whenever our guru
I have attended quite a few of Ellappa had other engagements,
Chittoor's concerts. In particular, I was Laxminarayan filled in as the nattuvanar,
fascinated by his rendering of E Ramuni and then, changing his costume quickly,
and Nadaloludai. I also used to wonder gave a brilliant performance as a
why Vakulabharanam was not chosen dancer. I wish him long life and great
instead of Mayamalavagaula for music prosperity in all his future endeavours.
lessons.
Bhaskar Roy Chowdhury
The only complaint I have heard about
New York City, U.SJV.
Chittoor was that he never 'failed' any
student.
Laya & Tala
Prof. V. Subramaniam
T.R. Subramanyam's observations on
Ottawa, Canada
laya and tala (Sruti 167) prompt me to
recall that the late M.D. Ramanathan was
Udupi Laxminarayan
perfect both in laya and tala. He would
My heart soared when I read the in- leave very long intervals between pallavi/
depth article (Sruti 167) on my friend anupallavi and the charanam segments
Udipi Laxminarayan, who was once a in kriti-s and start exactly at the point
Sarojini, Jayaram, Chandrika and Laxminarayan in Harem Dance presented by Bhaskar
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-Sruti
OCTOBER 1998
even without maintaining the beats in
fingers. Mridanga vidwan Palakkad R.
Raghu, can vouch for this. I have been
fortunate to listen to this great
combination several times at the serene
Navaratri Mandapam in Trivandrum.
I also happened to listen to a rare
recording of one of MDR's concerts
where he had revelled in kalpana
swara-s for Vatapi, often selecting the
eduppu at Ganapatim instead of at
samam.
S. Sivaramakrishnan
ChennaJ
Unconscious Lapse
The small box item on the difference
between Laya and Tala {.Sruti 167) made
interesting reading— except for the
concluding portion namely the
statement: "This is another example of
being perfect in laya but not in tala."
One would like to know whether the
writer was referring to the mridanga
vidwan Ramnad Eswaran or the main
performer Viswanatha Iyer. The former
was in perfect harmony both in laya
and tala; while the latter was not
performing at all— but only keeping
time on his hands and fingers. It seems,
appreciating the fine "tani", Iyer forgot
to put one more dhrutam, that is all. It
was an unconscious lapse only.
Prof. K.R. Rajagopalan
Chennai
An Old Joke
Here is an old joke about tala— a
prospective bride during 'girl-seeing',
when asked to sing, could not render
the kriti with correct tala, leaving
everybody embarrassed. An old lady
came to her rescue saying: 'You
complete the song first and then put
the talam separately'.
S. Sivaramakrishnan
Chennai
Discriminatory Treatment
This
has
reference
to
J.
Vaidyanathan's letter (Sruti 166) and
two other letters published in Sruti
168 regarding hardships faced by
accompanists. I fully agree with the
view expressed by Vaidyanathan and
the other two readers, namely, T.R.
Balakrishnan of Chennai and S.
Vijayalakshmi of Mumbai.
In his letter Balakrishnan has noted
that AIR and DD follow certain norms
and a system for rating— and fixing
the remuneration of performers and
suggests that sabha-s may follow the
same. It is indeed a very good
suggestion! But what we see in practice
is something different.
cultivation in earlier periods. On the
fall of the Sassanids under the impact
of iuwading Arab armies, Persian music
was absorbed by the Arabs. This became
a main formative element in what has
ever since been known as "Islamic
music". For example, Farabi (d.950),
Ebnesina (d.1037), Razi (d.1209), Armavi
In the case of AIR, the rating/ (d.1294), Shirazi (d.1310) and Maraghi
remuneration structure, which is (d.1435) are only a few among the
applicable to musicians, is the same for many Persian musicians who dominated
Harikatha exponents also. And it pays the life of the eastern Muslim empire.
the same remuneration to an 'A' grade
musician and an 'A' grade Harikatha
The 'Golden Age' of Persian
exponent. However sabha-s and other civilisation dawned under the rule of
organisers do not treat Harikatha Safassids (1409 - 1746). Fine arts
exponents on par with the musicians flourished under the rigorous patronof equal standard or grade. If merit is age of royalty. The 20th century
the only yardstick, why should there be witnessed a constitutional movement
differentiated treatment?
(1906) and a period of dynamic growth
and modernisation under the Pahlavi
Asked about this, the Secretary of one dynasty (since 1925). Necessarily
of the sabha-s explained that the modernisation resulted in indiscrimidisparity was due to the fact that, while nate acceptance of all incoming
in the case of a music concert of a trends. This historical fact raises the
particular artist his expenses are limited question: "What is Persian classical
to one evening, a Harikatha series music?"
lasting a week involves more expense.
This is not a convincing explanation,
A body of pieces known as 'radif of
even though it sounds reasonable. In Persian music are generically called
any case, it does not explain why, even 'gushe'. Each gushe has a specific title.
when a Harikatha programme is Gushe-s are classified under seven
arranged for just one day, the disparity 'dastgah' and five sub-dastgah or 'awaz'.
in payment is significant. Even though The gushe-s represent model, melodic
a Harikatha exponent has to work much and occasionally rhythmic, skeletal
harder than a musician, considering this formulae. Though limited in number
art is a multi-faceted one, he seldom (about 250 gushe-s) the radif of Persian
gets a four-figure remuneration. Perhaps music presents an infinite source of
this type of step-motherly treatment, musical expression. The improvisatory
added to the fact that performance freedom is such that a piece played
opportunities are limited, prevents more twice by the same performer at the
people from taking to this ancient art- same sitting will be different in melodic
form.
composition, form, duration and
emotional impact.
R. Aravamudan
As recognised by the classical
Tanjavur
tradition, the seven dastgah-s are:
Mahur, Shur, Segah, Chahargah,
Music Of Iran
Homayun, Nava and Rast-Panjgah. Four
The Persian government's 1935 of the five awaz— Abu-Ata, Bayat-e
request that the proper name of the Tork, Afshari and Dashti— are taken as
country be used formally by foreign derivatives of Shur. The fifth, Bayat-e
nations, caused confusion. Experience Esfahan, is traditionally accepted as a
shows that the word 'Persia' suggests sub-dastgah of Homayun. Considering
the land and its background far more such facts, we may say, that both
individual mode and distinctive
accurately than the name 'Iran'.
cadential patterns are essential to the
Of the musical culture of Persian composition of a dastgah. Well, if we
civilisations, before the last century of reduce the entire gamut of Persian
the Sassanid Period (224-642 AD) little music to the range of an octave (all
concrete evidence remains. Under the modes constructed with ' C as tonic)
rule of Khosro II (590-628), we have we will need fifteen tones within
numerous documented traces of the octave to represent the music.
sophisticated musical culture. This However, within each mode, there are
points to a high degree of musical fundamentally only seven tones to the
-3ruH
OCTOBER 1998
octave. No quarter tones, no augmented VUasini Natyam was presented at the
seconds, and no enharmonic or even Tata Theatre some years ago! It was
chromatic progressions are to be found. great. It was only after reading your
article on Dr. Arudra that we have come
Vimala Sarma had given a fairly
to realise what intense research had
admissible account of accompanying
gone into it. Sruti is indeed a great
instruments in the article Music Of
eye-opener for us.
Iran {Sruti 167). Because of its
improvisatory nature, large ensembles
S. Vijayalakshmi
are not practicable. Every section of a
Mumbai
dastgah (with the exception of pishdaramad, chararmezrab and reng) can Is Blessed
be performed instrumentally or
Sruti is blessed to have Dr. S.K.
vocally. In ensembles, the tombak
player is present but joins the group Saxena writing for it since this benefits
only in the metrically strict movements. several readers world over. I have been
touring the USA for the past several
Rhythmically, the majority of the weeks and I see Sruti in the residences
gushe-s are flexible and free and cannot of most of the Indians interested in
be assigned to a stable metric order. classical Indian dance and music. Dr.
But in every dastgah, there are a Saxena's reports and articles should
number of metrically regulated help further dispel the impression that
gushe-s which are played among the Sruti covers only Carnatic music.
free-meter pieces in order to provide
Dr. Sunil Kothari
periodic variety in rhythmic effects
(six/eight and two/four are common).
(Camp) Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Asymmetric meters are rare in classical
music.
Confusing
Persian music as a whole appears
unconcerned with isolated expressions.
Perhaps, the lucid adjective 'mystic' may
be used to describe the essence of
Persian (Iranian) music.
Please keep the Window On The
World wide open to save us from being
proverbial 'Frogs In The Well'.
T.V. Kuppuswami
Delhi
Sruti As Bridge
We who live in Mumbai do not know
much about what is going on in
Chennai. It is here that Sruti builds
a bridge to connect us to Chennai. It
revealed to us the greatness of the
late Dr. Arudra. Swapnasundari's
in the inlay card of P. Unnikrishnan's
audio cassette, Purandaradasa has been
mentioned as the composer of this song.
All this is quite confusing and one finds
it difficult to judge who is right. Please
enlighten me as to who is the composer
of this song? [It is Vyasaraya —Editor].
Saradha's
suggestion
to
use
expressions found in regional languages
or Sanskrit and to use reference material
like the Sangeeta Sudha by Govinda
Dikshitar in preparing reviews or
announcements is an excellent one.
But, which reviewer has the time and
patience to spare for all this intellectual
exercise?
N. Saraswathy
Lucknow
Kaushal Bhargava - RIP
Kaushal Bhargava, an important
person in the field of performing arts
in Rajasthan, passed away in February
this year in Jaipur. He was the Chairman
of the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak
Apropos of S. Saradha's
Useful Akademi, and a major cultural organiser
Reference For Reviewers {Sruti 164), I in Rajasthan.
would like to mention that a reviewer
For decades, Bhargava was Secretary
has wrongly mentioned Narayana
of
Sruti Mandal, which presented
Teertha as the composer of Manasa
sanchararey, while this song was famous musicians and dancers to
composed by Sadasiva Brahmendra, enthusiastic large audiences. He also
whose mudra Paramahamsa is found encouraged young musicians and
dancers, of whom many have since
in the song.
become prominent. And he produced
I would like to cite another example and toured the multi-media programme
Dhoran
Ri, a cultural
here. In a Bharatanatyam programme Dharti
presented by K.I. Sarasa on tv, the extravaganza on Rajasthan's arts and
composer of Krishna nee beganey baro culture. His photographs were widely
was mentioned as Vyasaraya. But in the published and appreciated, in India and
Swarna Samaroh concert telecast from abroad.
Delhi on 15 August 1997, when Palakkad
Sunil Kothari
K.V. Narayanaswamy sang this song, I
heard it attributed to Kanakadasa; while
Travelling in the West
CARNATIC CLASSICALS
3, 24th Cross St., Indira Nagar
Chennai 600 020. * 4417196
T h e First Ever Biographical Dictionary of Carnatic Composers, M u s i c i a n s & M u s i c o l o g i s t s ,
under the 'GARLAND' series, covering about 1 4 0 0 lives along w i t h facts &. figures,
anecdotes, etc. is before the public. A few Full sets of the four volumes are
available at a discount as a Deepavali offer.
The last/fifth book is to be brought out soon. M u s i c i a n s , composers, musicologists are
requested to participate in this non-commercial Yajna dedication by furnishing full details.
GARLAND
4ratt
OCTOBER 1998
N.
RAJAGOPALAN
GOLDEN JUBILEE OF SREE SEETA RAMA GANA SABHA
A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF TENALI SUBBA RAO
a
thousand
music
programmes. Reportedly,
many stalwarts of Carnatic
music have given recitals
at the Sabha more often
than anywhere else in
Andhra. Stalwarts who have
performed for the Sabha
more than once include:
Mudicondan Venkatarama
Iyer (9); Maharajapuram
Viswanatha Iyer, Musiri
Subrahmania Iyer and
Chittoor Subramania Pillai
M
emories of Narumanchi Subba Rao
enveloped the celebration of
its golden jubilee by Sree
Seeta Rama Gana Sabha of
Tenali in the last week of
August.
Subba Rao had established the Sabha actually
51 years ago, on 29 August
1947. He had named the
Sabha after his father
Seetharamaiah, a musician
reckoned as a master of
varnam-singing. Seetharamaiah had received training in music for 14 years
from Narumanchi Janakiramaiah, his paternal uncle.
Janakiramaiah was the first
Telugu musician to receive
extended training in Tamil
Nadu and he was credited
with conveying to the
Telugu country the glory of
the Tanjavur bani.
Subba Rao made Sree
Seeta Rama Gana Sabha a
centre for presenting and
propagating classical music
of high quality. Virtually all
the leading musicians
performed for the Sabha.
The Sabha still follows the
guidelines he fashioned and
implemented. The music
presented should be as an
offering to god and serve
as a means of promoting
spiritual fulfilment; there
is no place for music as mere
entertainment.
Pada-s,
javali-s and film songs are
a no-no, as are dance and
drama. In these repects, the
Sabha is indeed unique.
The Sabha has so
far presented more than
P.V.V. Gopalaswamy
Sudhanmi
Narumanchi Subba Rao: Music His First Love
N
cooperation
of
leading
musicians. They came and
performed at h i s mere
request, without stipulating
any terms. And they were not
put off by his insistence that
the music performed should
go beyond e n t e r t a i n m e n t
and seek to offer spiritual
fulfilment.
arumanchi Subba Rao,
also known as Tenali
Subba Rao, was a legend in
his own lifetime. FounderSecretary of Sri Seeta Rama
Gana Sabha in T e n a l i , he
was passionately dedicated
to the self-ordained task of
promoting Carnatic classical
music. To adapt a popular tv
commercial: 'He ate music,
d r a n k m u s i c and d r e a m t
music'.
Sree Seeta Rama Gana
Sabha's high stature and its
successful t e n u r e over a
period of 50 years offer
testimony not only to Subba
R a o ' s d e d i c a t i o n to the
cause of m u s i c but also
to his institution-building
capabilities.
Rao's case, music was his first
love. Unlike his father, neither
did he learn music nor could he
sing, but music was a passion
and path of devotion for him.
T h i s passion it was t h a t
prompted him to organise the
Sabha in 1947 and arrange
concerts.
Born in 1902 in a village
named Tsundur in Guntur
district, Subba Rao attended
school in Tenali and college
for his two degrees in Madras.
After
o b t a i n i n g a law
degree from the Madras Law
College, he enrolled as an
advocate and set up practice
in Tenali in 1925.
Subba Rao was active in
conducting the affairs of the
Sabha till he breathed his last
on 22 August 1987 (see Sruti
15 & 37/38). He did not believe
in "selling" music, although he
accepted d o n a t i o n s ; in the
circumstances, he used his own
money for m a i n t a i n i n g t h e
financial
viability
of
the Sabha.
It is said t h a t law is a
jealous mistress, but in Subba
Subba Rao's dedication made
it possible for him to get the
4mtt
OCTOBER 1998
Subba Rao's passion for
propagating music prompted
him also to w r i t e
books
on famous m u s i c i a n s and
composers. One of t h e m ,
tided
Telugu
Saageeta
Vidwamsulu,
recapitulated
t h e lives and careers of
m u s i c i a n s . Another, titled
Saageeta
Maharshulu,
s k e t c h e d t h e lives of 25
famous vaggeyakara-s.
Subba Rao was honoured
many t i m e s for his four
decades of service to the
cause of C a r n a t i c m u s i c .
Twice at least he was given
titles. While the music lovers
of Tenali gave him the title
of Sangeeta Seva R a t n a ,
Sri Rama N a m a Yagna
Mandali, Chennai, bestowed
on bim the title of Sangeeta
Vidya Ratna.
memory of its founder
Subba Rao, coinciding with
his vardhanti.
T.K. Govinda Rao, T. Lokanadha Sarnia, M. Sadasiva Sastry, K. Shivarao & others participating in the Tyagaraja
jayanti in 1987
Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Peri Sriramamurthy (violin) & Dandamudi Ramamoban Rao (mridanga) in 1988
(6 to 7 each); Semmangudi
Srinivasa Iyer (5); Flute T.R.
Mahalingam
(4); D.K.
Pattammal (3); and M.S.
Subbulakshmi and
M.
Balamuralikrishna (2 each).
Palakkad Mani Iyer helped
embellish five performances
with his participation as
mridanga
accompanist.
Almost all the musical
elite of Andhra, like Hari
Nagabhushanam, Piratla
Sankara Sastri, Tadigadapa
Seshaiah,
Parupalli
Ramakrishnayya Pantulu,
Chilakalapudi Venkateswara
Sarma and Parvataneni
Veeriah Choudhry gave
performances under the
auspices of the Sabha.
An outstanding feature of
the Sabha is its celebration
of the birth anniversaries of
great vaggeyakara-s. Unlike
most other sabha-s in the
South, this Sabha has been
celebrating
Tyagaraja's
jayanti rather than his
vardhanti. From 1953
8
onwards, the Sabha has
been
celebrating
the
birth anniversaries of both
Tyagaraja and Syama Sastry,
in the month of Vaisakha
every year, with about 10
concerts each time.
The office-bearers of
the Sabha continue to
believe, as its founder
did, that everyone should
have access to music
programmes organised by
it without having to pay for
it. The late Subba Rao used
to say: "A gana sabha is a
dhyana sabha, not a dhana
sabha." However, the Sabha
accepts voluntary donations
and the music lovers of
Tenali have been generous
contributors. The Sabha
has built up a corpus of
more than 100,000 rupees
through such donations.
M.S. Subbulakshmi once
helped raise 25,000 rupees
by giving a
benefit
performance.
The Sabha has no
premises of its own
and there is also no
regular paying membership.
The office-bearers and
the working committee
members used to be
nominated by the FounderSecretary. Since his demise,
Narumanchi Rama Prasad,
his eldest son, has been
functioning as Hereditary
Secretary and nominating
the committee from term
to term.
Presently, the President
of the Sabha is P.V.V.
Gopalaswamy and its VicePresident is Tatavarthi
Raja Syamala. It has two
Secretaries: one is Rama
Prasad; the other is
T.P. Sastry, an advocate
of law. Another lawyer,
Kasinadhuni
Sivarao,
Since its inception, the handles the money.
Sabha has been extending
The Sabha celebrated its
encouragement to young
golden
jubliee with a
talent.
festival spanning 16-29
Significantly, the Sabha August. The festival featured
has not confined its veteran as well as young
activities to Tenali. It has musicians. The list of perT.V.
as well organised concerts formers included
Sankaranarayanan,
T.
in other places, like
Lokanadha
Sarma,
Mani
Bhadrachalam,
Guntur,
Hyderabad, Narasapur and Krishnaswamy, Nirmala
Manda
Vijayawada in Andhra Sundararajan,
Pradesh and
Chennai, Sudharani, Vijayalakshmi
Tanjavur, Tiruvarur and Subramaniam, Saraswati
Tiruvaiyaru in Tamil Nadu. Vidyardhi, T.V. Sundaravalli
In all, it has conducted and Shankar Srinivas (all
about 250 concerts at these vocal), as well as R.K.
places.
Suryanarayana, Jayanthi
Kiran and Y.V.S. Padmavathy
of Tirupati (all veena).
The Sabha celebrated
In
keeping
with the Sabha's
its silver jubilee in 1973
policy,
a
number
of up-andunder the chairmanship of
coming
Andhra
musicians
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer,
were
also
included
in the
the renowned musician.
list. On the day of the
Since 1988, the Sabha has sabha's birth anniversary
been organising a weeklong the Carnatic musician
music festival in the month featured was Neyveli R.
©
of August every year in Santanagopalan.
-Jrutt
OCTOBER 1998
VISHNU DIGAMBAR JAYANTI IN NEW DELHI
et another Vishnu
Digambar Jayanti has
come and gone (16-18
August), but not without
leaving memories of some
excellent music. I could not
listen to Pandit Jasraj 's vocal
recital which provided the
finale; but out of the other
half a dozen performances
that I could manage to
attend, I am inclined to pick
two for special mention:
Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan's
violin recital which opened
the evening session on
16 August, and Neeladri
Kumar's sitar recital which
was presented as the second
item on the final evening.
The order in which I put
these two instrumentalists
is deliberate for, though the
sitarist, still quite young and
full of promise, was brilliant,
I found it difficult to prefer
him overall to Krishnan. If I
am yet going to write more
about the sitar item, it will
only be because I am less
likely to commit mistakes in
commenting on Hindustani
music.
slightest suggestion of loss
of colour at any point, not
even in passages of meteoric
fluency. My South Indian
friends assure me that it
was an eloquent essay in
the authentic Lalgudi style.
But what I can say, on the
basis of my own judgement,
is that, in addition to the
excellences I have already
mentioned, Krishnan was
all along focussing on
his music, and never seemed
to aim at eliciting applause
from us, the listeners.
This is one clear feature
that distinguished his
performance from that of
the young and impetuous
Neeladri Kumar, though, I
repeat, Kumar is brilliant
already. And this is also
what I mean by calling the
violin-playing disciplined.
All disciplined activity
wears a look of self-control,
though it does not seek to
appear so. Two other
features of the violin recital
which struck me, and which
I can recall even now, are:
parallel
phrases
and
passages in different octaves
The organisers of this and an adroit punctuation
festival have for long of fluent patterns with
followed the commendable momentary pauses. The
practice of presenting a one makes for a look of
recital of Carnatic music
as well; and their choice, G.J.R. Krishnan
this year, was a very
happy one. Krishnan, son
of the famous violinist
Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, is
an immaculately trained
musician;
and
the
disciplined artistry which
he revealed on this occasion
was both quite winsome
and
impressive.
The
central piece of his
performance was the ragamtanam-pallavi in raga
Shanmukhapriya. I do not
claim to be conversant with
the subtleties of Carnatic
music, but I could surely see
it that the alapa was very
detailed and without the
Y
compactness, because we
naturally tend to group
similars— and so prevents
the alapa from appearing
merely extensional; and the
other quietly conduces to a
little closer attention to the
music by impelling us to
look forward to what is to
come next, specially if what
precedes the instant of quiet
is coercive as a flowing
design.
Krishnan, I am told, is
the latest link in a long
and illustrious sishya
parampara traceable to
Tyagaraja. This is by itself
qualification enough, but
his claim to recognition
lies in his own prowess too.
On this occasion, however,
not a little of the charm of
his total recital was due to
the competent, yet never
obtrusive accompaniment
by Chandrasekharan (mridanga) and Purushothaman
(khanjira). The trio surely
make an excellent team. I
may add that, though my
own sense of aesthetic
pace is not very feeble,
Krishnan's handling of
rhythm was, at places, a bit
too adroit for me; but it is
of course a joy to bow at
•arufi
OCTOBER 1998
AAKRITI
the sight of excellence. I
have also a word of praise
for the lilting tillana in
Mand, a composition of
Lalgudi Jayaraman, with
which Krishnan ended his
recital.
Neeladri Kumar began by
honestly admitting his
delight and gratitude on
getting a chance—which, he
said, he had been longing
for— to perform at this
prestigious festival, and
on being provided the
assistance
of such a
seasoned tabla-player as his
chacha, Shafaat Ahmad
Khan; and then set out to
play with aplomb a raga
which is not an easy choice
for sitar players, namely,
Sree. Due emphasis was
put in alapa (as also in its
following stages) on the
salient swara-s namely,
ri, dha, pa. Repeated
projection of komal ri,
at times very daintily;
remarkable fluency along
with pearly clarity of
daana (or discreteness) of
individual notes, and
without any tonal blemish;
a deft and very pleasing
punctuation of pacy taan-s
with a gently elongated ri;
and a manifest assurance of
manner— these were the
more striking features of
what the sitarist did before
gat-playing began. But
what here surprised me,
very agreeably, was the fact
that, at times, Neeladri
seemed to savour the
sensations of his swara-s
in utter tranquility— an
attunement which not only
belied his tender years, but
evoked an impressive look
of contemplation during
the very course of creation.
Such moments of poise also
serve as a welcome balance
against the flurry of fluent
taan-s and save us from the
misconception that all that
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■■■i
HH The range is unlimited
is needed for a successful
concert is prior preparation
and a prefixed plan. The
impulse of the moment
is also here vital; but, be
it noted, this impulse is
not an abrupt or freakish
emergence. It rather arises
from the interplay of at least
two considerations: how
exactly a swara or swarasamooha sounds in the
present hall with its specific
acoustics; and what the
melodic element
just
produced itself demands as
the next step, by virtue of its
own tonal colour, and not
merely because of the
overall constraint of the
grammar of the raga.
Swara-s do not appear to
relax or gallop in the raga's
notational scheme; but here,
in actual music, they do; and
it is this, their positive,
sensory character, which
determines the details of the
run of gayan or vadan. To
illustrate, if in an exposition
of raga Sree the komal ri is
(duly) elongated,
but
daintily say, as a slender
beam, the sitarist may be
tempted to mark the pa (at
first) quite as gently, but as
a mere sprinkle, so to say.
Here, the effect is bound to
be very pleasing because of
the simultaneous working of
two principles: contrast in
respect of duration, and
similitude in respect of
softness. But such a
regulation of details is
possible only if the
individual character of
swara-s (as they actually
sound) is patiently attended
to; hence the necessity of
what I have spoken of as
moments of contemplation
in the very course of musicmaking. If it be objected
here that, in a raga like Sree,
the note pa has got to figure
prominently and should
never be played as a mere
hint, my answer would be
that aesthetic clarity is
perfectly compatible with
almost as soon as it appears;
and which the rasika yet
registers unmistakably. The
traditional definition of
swara as that which reigns
or charms by itself, swameva
raajatey, should not be
taken to imply that, to
appear winsome, a note has
necessarily to proclaim
itself, so to say. The
rishabha of raga Puriya does
not seem to tarry; but no
rasika fails to notice it, partly
because he looks for such a
ri in accordance with his
knowledge of the raga.
Niladri
Kumar
To turn again to Kumar's
sitar
recital, the gatkaari (in
>
S Jhap tala), which followed
| alapa, jor, and jhala, was
* marked by a clear and
£ patient projection of the
I form of the gat in the
> beginning; and later by
some brilliant patterns, both
rhythmic and melodic. I
could say the same of
the Tritala madhya laya
composition. But in all this
musical trellis work in
different tala-s, the attitude
of the sitarist was, at times,
quite different from that
of tabla player Shafaat
Shafaat Ahmad Khan
Ahmad Khan. The former
(occasionally) seemed a bit
AAKRITI
Pratap Narayan
too keen to win applause
from the audience; the
latter, on the other hand,
concentrated simply on
being helpful to the sitarist.
I could see it clearly that
even where Shafaat Ahmad
resorted to one or two spells
of lipatneki-sangat— that is,
accompaniment not as the
rhythmic reproduction of
the sitarist's patterns a little
behind them, but directly
along with them, as a kind
of intertwining {lipatna)—
he took care to keep them
within manageable limits, so
as not to cause any
inconvenience to the main
minuscule extent. Our performer. And, of course,
veena music is often Shafaat Ahmad's theka was
distinguished by ascending all along crisp and steady,
passages the final note of revealing a perfect balancing
which seems to vanish of the right drum with the
left one. All in all, the two
artists played with perfect
mutual understanding, and
so delighted the audience
with their music. But, I must
add, the closing extrafluent
patterns of the sitarist were
a bit too loud and emphatic
to be pleasing to the ear.
Self-assurance has to be
kept off brashness. Niladri
does not see it; Krishnan
does.
But an utter lack of life in
music is far more unlikeable.
Yet this was precisely
the defect in Anand
Murdeshwar's vilambit gat
in raga Behag at least in its
opening stages. The vilambit
idiom is, of course, essential
for a classical recital. For the
sake of deeper effects, it may
even be preferred to the drut
manner. But every gat worth
its name should evince some
gati or movement; and this
end is attained not merely
by having to play to a theka
which articulates laya or
even pace, but by creating
an inner dynamics of
passages going upwards or
oppositely. Murdeshwar, on
the other hand, appeared
to be hemmed in by the
slowness of the pace chosen
for his opening gat in
raga Behag, and tarried a bit
too much at individual
swara-s. The result was a
look of inertness and lack of
colour in the music.
A veteran, on the other
hand, vocalist
Pratap
Narayan of Mewati gharana
provided pretty lively
music, and did not fail to
make an impression, in spite
of two inhibiting factors: his
own ripe age, and the fact
of being presented between
two instrumentalists of
acknowledged
ability,
Krishnan, the violinist and
Buddhaditya Mukherjee,
one of our better known sitar
players. The reason is that
Panditji is a very mature
vocalist and a teacher of
11
OCTOBER 1998
considerable experience.
The list of his pupils
includes his younger brother
Pandit Jasraj; his daughters
Sulakshana Pandit and
Vijayta Pandit; Hridayanath
Mangeshkar; and Kankana
Banerji and A. Kanan. He
has also served as the
Rajgayak of Raigarh and
Rewa States. I did not care
for all this information
provided by the compere
before
the
recital
commenced,
but
the
moment Panditji began
singing, I could see his class.
Nearly
instantaneous
projection of the nature
of the raga (Suddha Kalyan);
a mellow and such an
effortless and disciplined
gayaki that the occasional,
literal hoarseness of voice
did nothing to ruffle our
relish of the music— these
features of the vocalist's
artistry struck me at once.
And it was not out of mere
reverence for his age that
I found the opening of
Panditji's recital a little more
readily likeable than that of
his illustrious brother, Jasraj,
though the latter took pains
to preface his Behag with the
musical recitation of a sloka
with an eye to evoking an
atmosphere of classical
Iqbal
Ahmed Khan
dignity. A little later, the
veteran surprised me with
his ability to negotiate some
pretty intricate taan-s
articulately. But, of course,
when he switched over
to the quicker Tritala
composition, he had often
to resort to easy-paced
sargam-s in place of drut
taan-s in pure akara.
Suhas Vyas, who provided
the opening item on the
concluding day, sang less
acceptably than the arti8t I
have just commented on.
The compere introduced
him as an able teacher and
performer. I have no idea
of his teaching ability; but
his performance on this
not quite ignored by Iqbal
Ahmed Khan. His opening
number, a khayal in raga
Anandsree, was in fact
noticeably true not only to
the vilambit idiom, but to
the emotive import of the
text of the composition:
Raakho moree laaj. The
requisite measure of repose
was unmistakably there in
the very way of singing.
Notes and phrases like ni
in the mandra and ga, ri, sa
in the madhya saptak
seemed truly at peace with
themselves, though the
phrase was a little overdone.
Nor was there any lack of
clarity in projecting the
pancham in the two saptaks.
Further, the first utterance
of the word, 'kartaar', itself
seemed to pray for relief. But
what here struck me even
more was the fact that the
needed inner singleness of
sthayi was provided not
only by passages of pure
(half-open) akara, but by
the look that the maestro's
very sargam-s seemed to
wear; they flew, though
articulately, in the way of a
longing. In other words, the
unity was not merely formal,
but of virtual feeling; I could
see
a near perfect blend
Luckily, the principle I
of
decorative
turns and
have just adverted to was
occasion was hardly ever
euphonious. The two
nishada-s of raga Mian-kiMalhar
were
surely
projected at the very outset;
but the voice was gruff, that
is, not merely deep but
rough. In the mandra it even
seemed to buzz a little. The
defect also showed up in the
vocalist's very first touch at
the upper tonic. I know that
the raga chosen aims at
making us visualise dark,
gathering clouds and peals
of thunder; but though
gamak-ang
taan-s
of
regulated power are here
perfectly in order, a robust
akara that tends to spill over
the bounds of melody is
nowhere an asset in music.
But what disturbed me
specially was a wanton
outrage of the aesthetic
principle of sound-sense
harmony. My reference,
here, is to the point where,
in the closing drut Ektala
composition, noticeably
vigorous taan-s were made
to follow, instantly, words of
such tender import as
'awakening of love' ('preet
jaagi') and 'lovelorn longing
for reunion with the beloved
('tumre milan ki aas').
Vidyaa Peetam
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invites applications from young aspirants in Carnatic music (vocal and instrumental) to participate
in the 15th annual International Festival of Music and Arts for Peace, Integration and Harmony
scheduled to be held from 23 to 27 December 1998 in Chennai. Each aspirant will be given 30
minutes to 1 hour according to his or her talent. Applications may be made, with details of training,
prior performance experience, etc., through post, e-mail or fax.
Address: 20-8th Cross Street, Indira Nagar, Adyar, Chennai 600 020
E-mail address: [email protected]
Fax: (044) 491 5434
12
3ruti
OCTOBER 1998
Students of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya rendering bhajan-s (R to L): Shambhunath Bhattachariee (tabla), Rita Bokil, Subhadra Desai, Shivani
Singhal, Srabari Bahuguna, Devika Bezboruah, Sukriti Sen & Sudhanshu Bahuguna (harmonium)
(reverse) twists (ulti marorh)
and of evenly flowing
passages with the surpassing
need for expressiveness
suchwise that the emotive
import of the text, Raakho
moree laaj, was brought out
not by any single device,
such as the sudden use of
gamaka to suggest the
billowing of thunderclouds,
but by the overall manner
of singing or gayaki. It is
indeed in such singing that
the total form appears as the
locus of expressiveness. This
is not to suggest that the
recital was deficient in
winsome details. I was
fascinated, in particular, by
Iqbal Ahmed's occasional
recourse to a fluent,
undulated avaroha taan
where I expected a direct
attainment of sama; for it
served as a welcome
variation from the set way.
Yet, on the whole, the
singing (I regret to say) was
not quite euphonic. The
voice lacked juiciness, so to
say; and it is as much the
expressly analytic as the
purely aesthetic attitude
that one needed to see the
excellences I have referred
to. A pervasive hoarseness
all along detracted from
overall appeal.
character of our culture that
Iqbal Ahmed Khan is
admired by numberless
rasika-s, all over North
India, for his soulful singing
of bhajan-s of quite a few
Hindu saints. But, on this
particular occasion, he
introduced so much of vocal
acrobatics in presenting the
bhajan that its essential
spirit was apparent only
fitfully. He must avoid
showing off how much he
can do. Yet, I hasten to add,
it was precisely the bhajan
which drew the loudest
Iqbal Ahmed has a very applause from the listeners.
well trained and pliable
However, it is not the
voice; it can take any turn,
musicians
alone
who
any time. But he would do
well to abstain from trying deserve credit for the
the brief but very quick festival's success. The
patterns, resembling the organisers too did their bit.
flutter of a bird's wings, Almost every session began
which Bade Ghulam Ali on time; and, in perfect
Khan could accomplish with accordance with Vishnu
immaculate ease. The all- Digambarji's emphasis on
time great had a majestic devotional music, every
and glowing akara; the session was made to open
quickies would serve as a with some bhajan-s. I also
welcome relief; Iqbal Ahmed admire the practice of
giving the Gandharva
is not so blessed, vocally.
Mahavidyalaya's
own
The Peelu composition students a chance to sing
which succeeded Pooriya these bhajan-s; for it teaches
Dhanasree
was
quite them how to face audiences.
pleasing. And so was the I could not listen to all these
Surdas bhajan in raga Sohni, compositions; but out of the
in its early stages. It is a ones that I could, the Marwa
The defect showed up in tribute to the composite bhajan that opened the
the number that followed: a
Tritala composition in
raga Pooriya Dhanasree.
Here, some patterns at
baraabar ki laya were not
quite agreeable to the ear;
the sargam too were not as
good as in the preceding
piece. The ati drut taan-s,
specially the ones that
seemed to wheel around two
or three adjacent swara-s,
were surely articulate, but
their daang (or individual
discreteness) was quite
without lustre.
■aruti
OCTOBER 1998
evening session on the first
day impressed me most. It
was set in simple Teentala;
the raga was manifest; and
though it did not provide
any vocal acrobatics, it was
a clear proof of the fact that
where the raga-tala frame is
clearly in evidence, and the
singing even moderately
sweet, appeal is inevitable.
I would, however, like the
students who provided the
bhajan-s to mark that, in
many cases, they tended to
grow casual towards or at
the end of the singing.
The Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, I am happy to say,
cares also for those who
have served it in the past,
and are now mere memories; and it was indeed very
proper that, at the very
start of the festival, quiet
homage was paid, by way
of a minute's silence, to
both Vinod Kumar and
Chhamma Khan. Vinod had
made his mark as a very
promising vocalist quite
early in life; and Chhamma
Khan, the tabla expert, has
produced many well-trained
pupils, of whom Shafaat
Ahmad Khan is easily the
most illustrious.
S.K. SAXENA
with inputs from
N. SRINIVASAN
13
KAL KI KHOJ: YCIVA NRITYA MAHOTSAVA
T
hree years ago, in
November 1995 to be
precise, the Cultural wing
of the Nehru Centre,
Mumbai, under the leadership of Prof. Kamalakar
Sontakke, had organised a
national
level
young
dancers' festival. The fiveday festival, Yuva Shastriya
Nritya Mahotsava, identified
talented young dancers
from all over the country
and gave them an opportunity to exhibit their skills,
each in his or her chosen
dance-form. It featured
almost all the major dance
styles, including
solo
representations in Manipuri
and Kathakali. The festival
drew a goodly crowd and a
panel of judges consisting
of eminent dancers and
dance aficionados selected
the best five from amongst
the participants and presented them with a citation
and a cash award each. A
declaration was made that
the festival would be an
annual affair, preceded by
Manjari Karulkar
14
contests at the zonal level
to identify the best of the
young talent.
Three years after the proposal and after quite some
changes at the Centre, the
cultural wing once again
organised a similar festival,
18-20 August. This time
around, the festival was confined only to dancers of
Maharashtra. And there
were no judges, awards or
citations (though many of
the participants were under
the impression that it was a
competition), and the only
dance-forms represented
were
Bharatanatyam,
Kathak, Mohini Attam,
Odissi and Kuchipudi. Kazi,
the official currently in
charge of the cultural activities, said that budgetary
constraints were the reason
the festival was confined to
the State level. However, he
stated that the centre is
considering organising this
not only on an annual basis
but there was hope that
the festival would again be
Suchitra
elevated to the national level
and conducted yearly.
Considering the number
of institutions teaching
classical dance in Mumbai,
the response was rather
poor, for the number of
applications received were
a mere 36. Kazi clarified that
the Centre had placed
advertisements in the newspapers and as well written
to teaching institutions
seeking applications. He
reasoned that the limited
response could perhaps be
attributed to the fact that
each applicant was required
to send a video recording of
his or her performance to
facilitate selection. This criterion likely handicapped
those talented dancers
who could not afford the
expense involved. For the
1995 festival, the Centre had
relied on the biodata of
the applicants and some felt
the selection process was
biased in favour of bigname guru-s in the field.
Doke
Vuppuluri Pratibha
4ratt
OCTOBER 1998
This time, a panel consisting of Kanak Rele, Damayanthi Joshi, Darshana
Jhaveri, Jhelum Paranjpe
and Sandhya
Purecha
viewed the cassettes and
selected the participants.
Supriya Patil, Vaishali
Abhyankar (disciples of
Sandhya Purecha), Sonali
Nagvekar
(d/o
Kanak
Rele), all from Mumbai,
and Arundhati Chapekar
(daughter and disciple
of Sucheta Chapekar)
from Pune, presented
Bharatanatyam. Dimple
Nair (d/o Kanak Rele)
and Savita Acharya (d/o
Sunanda Nair) performed
Mohini
Attam
while
Manjari Karulkar (d/o
Manisha Sathe) of Pune
presented Kathak. Odissi
was represented by Gowree
Arun Joglekar (d/o Jhelum
Paranjpe) and Aparna
Gandhi (d/o Raminder
Khurana). Suchitra Doke
(d/o Vijaya Prasad) and
Vuppuluri Pratibha (d/o
M.S.R.
Murthy)
from
Mumbai
Kuchipudi.
performed
In all, 11 dancers were
presented over the three
days. While most of them
performed to the best of
their abilities in the limited
time, the festival helped to
identify a few dancers of
exceptional talent.
Arundhati Chapekar is
built well and dances with
confidence and joie de
vivre. The highlight of her
performance was a swarajati
of Sarfoji Saang maang tu in
which she depicted a sakhi
who advises the mugdha
nayika on how she should
conduct herself when she
meets her lover. She made
a positive impression with
her emotive abilities as
well as with her nritta.
Jagadoddharana and the
jakkini daru that followed
helped to reinforce the
impression.
Mumbai can feel proud
that it now has its own talent
in Kuchipudi, trained right
here in the metropolis. V.
Pratibha is a product of
Kuchipudi Kala Kendra set
up only three years ago.
Guru
M.S.R.
Murthy
deserves credit for his part
in training, in such a short
period, this young girl of
considerable talent and
dedication. Pratibha has
already a few performances
to her credit and has
developed into a fine
dancer, though she still has
a lot of hard work ahead if
she wants to make it to the
top. She has imbibed the
style of Guru Vempati which
was reflected in the two
items made popular by the
maestoo—
Koluvaitiva
Rangasayee and Maragata
manimaya,
the
latter
presented in the tarangam
format.
Guru Vijaya
Prasad
was trained in her youth
by Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sarma. She has
been
training
many
Maharashtrian youngsters
in her Kuchipudi Dance
Academy at Dombivili,
Mumbai. Suchitra Doke is
one of her senior disciples
and is a credit to her guru.
her guru. Though it was said
to be in Kuchipudi style it
was a pure abhinaya piece
with nothing to distinguish
it as Kuchipudi. She would
do well to avoid in future
the cinematic poses she
displayed, for they detract
from the dignity of her
performance.
The festival gave a fillip
to the sagging spirit of
young dancers of Mumbai
whose hopes of securing
performing opportunities
are growing dim with
escalating costs and the
diminishing number of
sponsors and organisations
willing to feature them.
Sadly, in this case, support
from other dancers and
institutions in the form
of an interested and
enlightened audience was
also not forthcoming to
Arundhati Chapekar
the desired extent. The
She is a graceful dancer, with auditorium was not as full
a fine stage presence. After as one could expect, though
an invocatory item she there was a fair enough
presented an abbreviated crowd to encourage the
tarangam Gopala Krishna dancers.
pahi pahi, followed by an
K. SUBADRA MURTHY
abhang choreographed by
SEMINAR ON TABLA IN MUMBAI
T
he Sangeet Research
Academy
(Western
Region), in collaboration
with the Music Forum and
the National Centre for the
Performing Arts (NCPA),
conducted a seminar on
tabla, 28-30 August in
Mumbai. It was the latest of
the seminars which SRA has
held on Hindustani musical
instruments; the earlier ones
were on sitar, sarod, sarangi
and tambura.
Suresh Talwalkar, a disciple
of Pandharinath Nageshkar,
who also learnt mridanga
techniques, patterns from
the late Ramnad Easwaran.
The
seminar
was
inaugurated
by Neela
Satyanarayanan, Secretary,
Department of Culture,
Government of Maharashtra.
Before the proceedings
commenced, the organisers
honoured the following
tabla maestros for their
significant contribution to
the art of tabla playing:
The seminar was in a way
an extension of a seminar
on bandish held in October
• Pandharinath Nage1997, of which tabla bandish shkar (Munirkhan gharana,
formed a part. It was which incorporates the styles
conceived, structured and of Delhi, Ajrada and Purab
conducted by tabla maestro gharana-s);
• Mohammed Ahmed lay listeners and to some
Khan (Delhi gharana);
extent even among some
musicians, of the role of
• Alia Rakha Khan (Punjab tabla players in making a
Gharana);
music conceit enjoyable.
• Nizamuddin
Khan
Talwalkar averred that
(Delhi gharana, as also the tabla had a rich language
Farakabad
and
Purab of its own and that, over
gharana-s); and
a period of time, great
• Hidayat Khan (Punjab maestros had built up a body
gharana, as also Delhi and of literature in the form of
bandishes for tabla solo
Farakabad gharana-s).
playing. The objective of the
• Kishan
Maharaj seminar, he explained, was
(Banaras gharana). He was to help music enthusiasts
honoured on 30 August better understand and
when he joined the seminar. appreciate the role of tabla
and its contribution to
In his opening remarks, Hindustani music.
Talwalkar said that there
was a general lack of
The 40 topics scheduled
appreciation, on the part of for
discussion
and
-Sruti
OCTOBER 1998
15
deliberation over three days,
fell into the following broad
groups:
• Origin and physical
features of the tabla;
• Basic forms of solo
performance;
• Gharana-s;
• Tabla
as
an
accompaniment to vocal
music, instrumental music
and Kathak dance; and
• Problems
players.
faced
by
The talks and
the
demonstrations on the tabla
were technical in nature,
but they could be easily
comprehended by students
and practitioners of tabla
and music. For others,
the seminar provided an
opportunity to acquire at
least
an
elementary
knowledge of the subject.
Talwalkar
himself
conducted about 15 of the
sessions; while a large
number of his colleagues—
scholars, performers as well
as his disciples— led the rest.
The various sessions
yielded
a wealth
of
information.
Origin of tabla
The tabla is a percussion
instrument used in khayal
concerts—
vocal
and
instrumental— as also in the
presentation of thumri,
dadra and similar light
classical song-forms, as well
as in Kathak dance. It
consists of two drums— the
dayan or the tabla proper, the
smaller drum played with the
right hand; and the bayan,
the large one played with the
left hand. The various
intonations that constitute
the language of tabla are
produced by striking the
syahi (the circular black
portion at the centre of the
drums) and the rims with the
fingers, the palm and the fist.
In the hands of a virtuoso,
the instrument is capable of
producing almost any
pattern of rhythm that a
musician can conceive.
Dr. (Mrs.) Aban Mistry
explained the origin of the
tabla, citing various texts on
music, social history and
sculpture. She said that it is
generally believed the tabla
came into existence with the
advent of the khayal style of
singing, about 300 years ago.
The pakhawaj (mridanga),
the instrument of percussion
support to dhrupad and
dhamar sangeet, was in
existence even then, but it
was not found suitable for
khayal music.
Neela Satyanarayanan honouring Alia Rakha
16
Expatiating on the subject
further, Talwalkar said:
The first and foremost
bandish of a tala is theka.
(Theka may be described as
a group of words in the
language of the tabla that
gives the tala its identity).
Theka follows the number of
matra-s in a tala and specific
division of the matra-s. Such
characterisation was actually
developed originally for the
mridanga.
While
accompanying
dhrupad-dhamar,
the
pakhawaj player need not
consistentiy play theka as the
singer himself maintains the
tala with his hands. The
pakhawaj player can start
playing from the very
beginning and both of them
can improvise hand in hand
in the cycle of the tala. A
dhrupad-dhamar bandish
has a mathematical relation
with every matra of the tala,
which is not the case with
respect to khayal bandish.
Khayal, particularly vilambit
khayal, is developed taking
theka as the base and,
therefore, the singer has to
indicate in advance to the
tabla player the theka in
which he or she is going to
sing. (In case of madhya laya
and drut laya, the tabla player
comes to know the theka
when the singer begins the
bandish). Hence the tabla
player has to maintain the
theka to enable the singer to
make improvisations. A
khayal singer does not keep
tala with his hand— though
he must be subconsciously
reckoning it— "as that would
disturb
the
musical
atmosphere created by him."
For these reasons the
pakhawaj, which demands
meticulous keeping of tala,
was not found suitable for the
khayal style, necessitating
the ' invention' of the tabla.
Bandishes for tabla
The tabla does not have an
independent language; it
has adopted and modified
the idioms of pakhawaj/
mridanga. It was further
developed and enriched by
great masters who composed
hundreds of bandishes in a
variety of tala-s which have
helped the tabla to become
a versatile instrument.
Solo performances
A good part of the forenoon
and the entire afternoon of
the first day were devoted to
talks and demonstrations on
the basic forms of solo
performance. The topics
included: nagma, peshkar,
kayda, ladi, rela, rav, gat,
tukda, anagat, ateet, paran,
Neela Satyanarayanan honouring Pandharinath Nageshkar
4-ntt
OCTOBER 1998
farad, amad, kavit, mohra,
uthan, parmelu, tihai and
chakradhar. The speakers
were: Suresh Talwalkar,
Sudhir Mainkar, Bhai
Gaitonde
and
Arvind
Mulgaonkar.
Tabla gharana-s
The second day commenced
with a lucid talk on the
tradition and historical
background of various At a lecdem (L to R): Vijay Ghate, Gurudutta Heblekar, Yogesh Samsi, Suresh Talwalkar, & Ramdas
gharana-s of tabla by Aban Palsule
Mistry who has earned a
doctoral degree for her re- importance of padhat, that (poet), "clearly indicating Tabla in reviews
search on tabla gharana-s. is, the recital of the bandish the high aesthetic esteem in
How is the tabla player
through the vocalisation of which he was held."
received by music critics, the
A tabla bandish is a poetic bol-s.
editorial staff of newspapers,
composition, made up of
Tabla & Kathak
Bhai Gaitonde gave a
concert organisers, lay
tabla bol-s and bound by
lecdem
on 'what was listed Tabla accompaniment to listeners and, importantly,
definite rules of rhythm.
It has an aesthetic appeal as 'dashpran' (dasa praana), Kathak dance was the subject the main performers for
to a discerning listener. namely, the 10 elements of of the first lecdem on the whose music-making the
At the hands of gifted musical time. The tabla has third and concluding day. tabla player gives percussion
exponents, the bandishes got borrowed this concept from Ramdas Palsule gave the support? And what kind of
embellished and improvised mridanga literature. The 10 demonstration on the regard does he get from
further. Great masters had elements are: kaala, maarga, tabla while Shama Bhate them? Three speakers took
developed distinct styles and kriya, anga, graha, jaati, kala, danced. At the end of the the floor to air their
techniques of tabla-playing, laya, yati and prastaara. demonstration and the views and describe their
demonstrated question-answer session experience— music critic
giving rise to the gharana-s. Gaitonde
them by spelling the bol-s as that followed, Talwalkar Shrikrishna Dalvi and tabla
The Delhi gharana is well as by playing on the pointed out that the tabla players Kiran Deshpande
accompanist in a Kathak and Abhijeet Banerjee.
considered the first gharana tabla.
dance performance had (Banerjee had had a stint in
in tabla; all the other
Our great ancestors have the challenging task of journalism for some time).
gharana-s are its off-shoots,
except the Punjab gharana painstakingly gone into all transcreating the dance
Dalvi, indicating his
which came into being the possible aspects of the bandish. Indeed, he was
was from
almost at the same time as tala systems, exhaustively virtually responsible for experience
and in minutest detail, and coordinating and directing years ago, said that he
the Delhi gharana.
had made it a point to
bequeathed to us a treasure the performance.
Following this overview of technical knowledge such
include comments on the
presented by Mistry, the as the constituent parts of
In the last sessions on the performance of the tabla
salient features of the Delhi, tala, their measurement in technical aspects of tabla, also in his critique of music
Ajrada, Lucknow, Farakabad, absolute time, various Talwalkar
gave
lucid concerts, but that, many a
Punjab
and
Banaras patterns of rhythm (yati), etc. explanations of: tala-s other time, his comments on the
gharana-s were highlighted Acquiring mastery of this vast than teen tala,
upaj tabla player would be
and demonstrated by Sudhir knowledge, many maestros (extempore improvisation), missing from the published
Mainkar, Umesh Moghe, have composed exquisite arithmetical aspect and review. He felt disappointed
Bhai Gaitonde, Sudhir bandishes which, when calculation in tabla-playing, at this but he could do
Sansare, Arvind Mulgaonkar, vocalised or played (as when and features of tala-kriya. He nothing about it.
Yogesh
Samsi, Aditya Bhai Gaitonde did), sound demonstrated them by
A member of the audience
Kalyanpurkar and Shardha like fine poetry with a kind vocalising the bol-s, as well
who
is also a music critic
Maharaj.
of 'natural' rhythm, rhyme, as by playing the tabla.
said he had had the same
Then followed lecdems by alliteration and repetition.
While the lecdems held experience as Dalvi in regard
Suresh Talwalkar, Vijay
According to Dr. Ashok for nearly two and half to comments he made on
Ghate and Yogesh Samsi on Da. Ranade, a noted musi- days were focussed on tabla artists in his reviews.
the significance of tala and cologist, Sarangadeva in his tabla-playing,
on
the He revealed that it was the
theka in music; on tabla Sangeeta Ratnakara
has afternoon of the third and sub-editors who deleted
accompaniment to khayal described a prabandhakara last day, the tabla player comments on the tabla—
gayaki and the music of (composer) in the context of himself was the subject of and they possibly did this
stringed instruments; and the mridanga as kavitakara the deliberations.
because of space constraints.
-Srutt
OCTOBER 1998
17
Speaking later, Banerjee
cited an instance when his
report on a music recital was
modified by the sub-editor
who, Banerjee learned later,
not only deleted the tabla
part of the review, but also
modified and added his own
opinion of the main artist
which had no relevance to
the performance under
review!
refer to him or her as a
'tabla vaadak'.
Banerjee also noted that
many companies producing
pre-recorded cassettes listed
the name of the main musician only on the spine of the
inlay card; and that one had
to search through the inside
page to locate the tabla
vaadak's name— which is
invariably mentioned in
small print. This had happened in his own case and,
when he took up the matter
with the producers, they
replied that it was their
'tradition' not to mention
the name of the tabla player
up front along with that of
the main performer.
Dalvi also wondered why
the tabla players most often
chose Teental for their solo
performances and asked:
were there not enough
bandishes in Roopak tala,
Jhaptala, Chautala, Adachautala, Deepchandi and
other tala-s? As a caveat, he
said an exception to this
Banerjee was also unhappy
tendency was provided by
that
the tabla player was not
Talwalkar whom he had
given
any share in the
heard play solo in many
recording
royalties.
different tala-s.
Banerjee
complained
Dalvi did not appear further that the tabla player
satisfied with the oft-cited did not get remuneration
reason for the predominance commensurate with his
of Teentala in solo perform- contribution to the concert.
ances, namely, the existence He asked: can a concert be
of a large repertoire of held without a tabla vaadak?
bandishes in that tala. He In this connection, he lauded
perhaps left his listeners to AIR and DD which followed
surmise that many tabla a grade system for payment
players take the easy path of remuneration to all the
and avoid practising solo performers, including the
bandishes in the other supporting musicians.
tala-s.
The tabla player faced yet
Tabla player's problems another problem which was
Banerjee
had
many rather peculiar, Banerjee
unpleasant things to say disclosed. When he played
about the treatment meted well and was greeted with
out to the tabla player— and applause, it made the main
he articulated them with performers uncomfortable. It
did not occur to the latter that
feeling.
a mediocre tabla vaadan
The first in the long litany would spoil the concert.
of woes he offered was the
The tabla player, morepractice of referring to a
over,
did not get a due share
tabla player as a 'tabalchi';
of
awards
and titles. He was
he considered it totally
discriminated
against in
derogatory. Asserting that
respect
of
accommodation
the tabla player deserved
due respect as an artist who and class of travel as well.
made the concert a success,
Banerjee explained that
he suggested that it would star performers were not
be more appropriate to confronted
with
such
18
problems; in fact they they
were invariably well treated
and well paid. Ignominies
and humiliations were
reserved for those on the
lower or middle rungs, he
added regretfully.
musicians as well. He
thanked Suresh Talwalkar
for
conceiving
and
structuring the seminar and
conducting it competently.
Banerjee said that he had
spoken not only on his own
behalf but also on behalf of
his fellow-sufferers in the
tabla
fraternity.
His
colleagues who were present
in large numbers voiced
agreement with him.
Parikh said further that the
seminar had thrown up
three issues for further
consideration, namely:
Emerging issues
• What should the tabla
players themselves do to
popularise solo recitals?
• Can an earnest attempt
be made to standardise the
terms pertaining to tabla
Speaking next on the vaadan?
perception of the tabla player
• What steps could be
by the public at large, Kiran
Deshpande echoed the taken to enhance the status
feelings of Banerjee. One of and renumeration of tabla
the reasons for the situation players?
could be that the typical lay
Following the by-now
listener is able to follow the established practice, he
raga but not the tala.
suggested the organisation
Some suggestions
Deshpande felt
that of a round table discussion
private music organisers also to discuss the issues.
could follow the AIR and
As the seminar came to a
Doordarshan system in close, it was evident that the
providing remuneration to great maestros who were
tabla vaadak-s. Alternatively, honoured on the opening
he said, a fixed percentage session had lent a touch of
of the main performer's fee grace to the event by
should be paid to him.
attending most of the
He made a plea also for sessions despite infirmities
evolving a standardised caused by age.
terminology
to
avoid
The talks and demonstraconfusion in regard to the
tions were educative as well
tabla and tabla vaadan.
as informative. There was
He further suggested the
something for everyone to
establishment of a system
learn. Kishan Maharaj, the
of issuing certificates of
great tabla maestro, could
competency in teaching by
attend only the last day's
a council of senior musicians,
sessions, but he said, even
to prevent the running of
from these, he had undermusic classes by immature
stood or better understood
musicians (including tabla
many theoretical aspects of
players) who give themselves
the art. In his younger days,
the tide of ustad or pandit.
he explained, not much
In his concluding remarks, importance was given to
Arvind Parikh, sitar player, theory.
President of the Music
The deliberations were
Forum and architect of the
conducted in Hindi; howSRA-sponsored seminars,
ever, the proceedings will
observed that the seminar on
be brought out in English in
tabla had yielded a rewarding
the form of a book.
experience not only to
S. SANKARANARAYANAN
students but to established
•Sruti
OCTOBER 1998
(News & Notes contd. on p. 43)
SUDHARANI RAGHUPATHT
3
Once A Dancer, Always A Dancer
The following article was writttea by
MAYAKOOTHAN II with research and
transcription assistance from INDU
VARMA.
T
here was a fork in the road
and she had to choose.
^
Amfii
V**
•
•
One led to a lifelong career in
dance, with glittering possibilities.
The other promised fulfilment
as a housewife in a conservative
family, seemingly with no chance
of going on stage again and
dancing.
In 1965, Sudharani was only
21 years of age but the
responsibility of choosing which
road to follow was left entirely
to her by her parents.
Her
mother was ready to back her up
if she wanted to pursue dance, while
her father would probably have
understood her if she did that,
compromising her chance to lead
a life of wife and mother. But
they left the decision to her.
Sudharani had already acquired
a
reputation
as
a
fine
Bharatanatyam dancer— and made
the eminent teachers who had
groomed her feel proud. She had
earned the appreciation of ordinary
VIPs, namely the connoisseurs, as
well as of WIPs like Heads of State
and Prime Ministers. She had learnt
Carnatic music also. She had
graduated with a B.A. degree in
philosophy and sociology from the
University of Mysore. She had
studied abroad, in the United States
of America, for a year and this had
widened her horizons. She had
acquired a degree of sophistication,
in addition to the college degrees.
She had gained enormous selfconfidence. With such qualifications
and experience, she could pursue
a career, in dance, if she wished
to do so, and hope to succeed.
for the other. Little did anybody
know. She did not say at that
time, as she would later on: Once
a dancer, always a dancer. She
had no idea at that time that
she would help rewrite an old
adage and give birth to a parallel
one: the child is the mother of
woman.
Childhood years
Interestingly, yet, she chose to
travel the other road, knowing very
well that it almost certainly meant
a drastic change from the joy of
dancing in front of footlights to
assuming responsibilities as a
'domesticated' wife and mother. She
was willing, if not eager, to leave
all the glory and glitter behind. She
elected to marry R. Raghupathy, 'the
boy next door' in a manner of
speaking: her and his parents had
stayed only a couple of streets apart
in Bangalore and known each other
for many years, even though the
latter had their base in Madras.
The alliance had been broached five
years earlier and even then
Sudharani had tentatively agreed to
it.
Sudharani was born on 21
March 1944, in Pollachi, near
Coimbatore, as the only daughter
of H.L. Jagannath, and his wife
Shakuntala. It would be a
hyperbole to say that she was
born with bells around her ankles,
but she was still a child when
she revealed a talent for miming.
Other girls might have had a similar
talent but families belonging to the
community of Madhwa brahmins
were not known then to encourage
it. Bharatanatyam, or for that
matter any kind of dance, had not
yet gained acceptance among them,
even though they welcomed their
girls and women to learn music
and home crafts. Sudha's family
turned out to be an exception. Her
mother and a cousin of her mother's
named Saraswati thought her
instinctive miming was cute and
encouraged her to display her talent,
initially at home, by providing the
music to inspire her. They would
either sing themselves or play
'plates', as the 78 rpm gramophone
discs were colloquially known then.
They would dress her up too, using
short sarees for the purpose.
Sudharani
experienced
no
Hamletian dilemma in making the
It was in Uthukuzhi, a village
choice. She suffered no anguish.
near
Erode renowned as a source
Between the City of Glitter and
of
quality
butter, that all this began.
Domesticity, she chose the latter
Baby
Sudha
was often taken to this
without hestitation.
place, where her grandmother
Little did she know then that she Anasuya lived, during holidays.
would not have to forsake the one Grandma would sing devotional
-irufi
OCTOBER 1998
19
songs, mostly Dasar pada-s, during
festivals, choosing different songs
for
different occasions. One of
the songs on Krishna addressed the
blue-boy as mango fruit, presumably
because the mango is considered
the king of fruits. Sudha, not three
yet, was taught by Saraswati to
dance for it, as her grandmother
or mother sang it. Members of a
few other families were present on
the occasion and they found the
little girl's movements with the
basic ta tei tei ta steps and her
mime entertaining.
August 1947
There were other songs too to
which Sudha learnt to dance,
including songs that had become
popular through the medium of
gramophone records. And
while
perhaps none of the others who
enjoyed the little one's dancing
considered it anything more than
a source of innocent merriment,
Sudha's mother was keen on
developing the child's latent talent.
pinkish powder on the cheek, since
there was no rouge either at that
time. Grandmother's homemade
'mai' or collyrium— a mixture of
smoke and oil— was, of course,
the right thing for the eyes.
Formal training in dance
The initiation of formal dance
training to Sudha had a mixed
reception at home. While her
mother was keen and her father
said neither Yes nor No— he
preferred to keep silent— her
paternal grandfather, a renowned
architect who designed many of the
big public buildings in town, was
none too happy about it, since he
believed that dancing would wear
out the little girl's bones.
Sudha learnt the basics and five
dance numbers from Lalitha Dorai,
who was teaching at the ladies club
in Basavangudi. The items she
learnt included
Tayey Yasoda,
Chinnanchiru
kiliyey
and
Aaduvomey pallu paaduvomey.
It was in Uthukuzhi that Sudha
danced in public for the first time.
Lalitha Dorai was a daughter of
This she did at a Tulasi brindavan F.G. Natesa Iyer who was a wellwith Dasar pada-s for the music. known patron of the arts. She died
She was midway between three and a few years ago.
four at that time.
After Sudha had received two to
Within a year, she danced the three years of training under Lalitha
role of Baby Krishna in a Dorai, her mother entrusted her
presentation of Krishna Leela to a different teacher, V.S. Kaushik,
arranged by Bharatanatyam teacher who had learnt dance from the
Lalitha Dorai under the auspices famous devadasi Jetti Thayamma.
of the Basavangudi Stree Sangha She learnt from him for about two
in Bangalore. Leela Srinivas, who years. Later, Kaushik, who has since
played the role of Yasoda, is still passed away, would establish a
nostalgic about the programme and dance academy called Sanatana
remembers with pleasure how she Kalakshetra. Sachidevi, who now
beckoned Baby Krishna as Krishna lives in Mysore, Veda & Vandana,
nee beganey was being melodiously and Sulochana Saralaya (Sruti critic
rendered by two club members. and correspondent in Bangalore) are
And one of those who witnessed among others who were trained
the performance, well-known by Kaushik.
Kannada litterateur Parvatavani T.
After Kaushik, it was U.S. Krishna
Sunandamma, recalls Sudharani's
Rao, a chemistry lecturer in a
charming Krishna even today.
college who had a successful parallel
For both these 'performances', career as a dancer and dance teacher
Sudha was dressed as usual in a (in partnership with his wife
tucked-in saree and her make-up Chandrabhaga Devi), who was
consisted of applications of a paste retained by Mother Shaku to give
made of talcum powder and water, further dance training to Sudha.
in place of pancake which was not Krishna Rao, who was Father
yet in use, and a touch of some Jagannath's classmate, and his wife
20
•Srutt
OCTOBER 1998
taught dance to Sudha during 195358. It was under the professor's
direction that Sudha had her
arangetram as a dancer. This was
on 20 November 1954 at the Indian
Institute of Culture in Bangalore.
At that time, she was 10 years
young and her name was writtten
as Sudha Rani.
Two
years
later,
in
a
commendation letter, Krishna Rao
and Chandrabhaga Devi averred that
Sudharani had all the qualities of
a born dancer and added that she
was an extremely intelligent and
graceful dancer who had an
excellent sense of rhythm and a
very mobile and expressive face. The
Raos themselves received much
praise for the way they had groomed
Sudharani.
Eventually, Sudharani became a
disciple of Tanjavur K.P. Kittappa
Pillai, a musician turned dance
master
belonging to
the
Pandanallur tradition. Kittappa Pillai
had been brought to Bangalore to
teach Padmalochani, a Tamil girl
whose father G. Padmanabhan was
then living in the garden city.
Padmalochani and Sudharani were
both attending the Bishop Cotton
School and, though the former was
a couple of years older, they were
friends. Even while she was still
learning dance from Kaushik, Sudha
would accompany Padmalochani to
Kittappa Pillai's place— riding the
pillion of the latter's bicycle— and
watch the master teach her friend.
And she would herself dance before
the master when Padmalochani
went in to change clothing. Later
on, when she became a formal
disciple of Kittappa Pillai, she did
not have to take recourse to the
Ekalayva method.
Kittappa Pillai himself had offered
to teach Sudharani, but the latter's
grandfather had said No. Later
Father Jagannath had changed the
answer to Yes, thinking that, if a
teacher of Kittappa Pillai's standing
wanted to train Sudha, it must be
because his daughter had it in her.
Kittappa Pillai coached Sudharani
during
1959-64.
Sometimes
Muthiah Pillai, who belonged to the
same dance tradition, gave her
lessons to reinforce her memory of
the items she had learnt from
Kittappa Pillai. The two masters
were related and teaching in tandem
in Bangalore.
of Iran and his queen Soraiya;
Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia,Prime Minister Zhou En Lai of
China; President of the Republic
of Vietnam Dr. Ho Chi Minh; and
President of Czechoslovakia Viliam
Siroky.
During these years, Sudha's
family would visit Madras also from
time to time. On these visits,
mother and daughter would call on
Bala at her home and Sudharani
would watch the famed artist dance
during practice sessions. She
savoured every bit of this
experience.
She performed, too, for cultural
institutions like the Gayana Samaja,
the Malleswaram Sangeetha Sabha
and the Indian Institute of Culture,
in Bangalore; Sangeeta Ratna
T. Chowdaiah Smaraka Samskrita
Sabha in Mysore; Sri Krishna Gana
Sabha in Madras; and at functions
conducted by other organisations,
many of them fund-raising events.
Later on, Sudharani interfaced
The VIPs and VVIPs were
with the famous Mylapore Gowri
entranced;
the critics were
Amma also and learnt a few
impressed
and
sang her praise in
abhinaya items from her.
chorus; and the parents were
overjoyed. No one thought of
Prodigy on the stage
putting a measuring tape to the
Some students of dance excel as young lady's head to check if it
learners but are not too good as was swelling, but Sudharani was
performers. In Sudharani's case, certainly gaining in self-confidence
there was no hiatus between by leaps and bounds with each
learning and performing on the programme.
stage. She caught the eye of
connoisseurs with her maiden Study Abroad
performance itself. Hailed as a
It was one such programme that
prodigy by some, she soon became
opened up her passage to the green
what might be called 'hot property'.
fields of the U.S. of A. Several
She had no single godfather but
American educationists were on a
many influential persons— like
group visit to
critic
and
connoisseur
G.
Bangalore
and
Venkatachalam;
Lalita
the hosts wished
Shivaram Ubhayakar, then President to
arrange
a
of the Natya Sangha (Theatre cultural event for
Centre
of
Mysore
State); them. Sudharani
educationist M.P.L. Sastry; and was conscripted
Vimala Rangachar, an activist in to give them a
the field of arts and crafts— glimpse of Indian
impressed by her talents and poise, culture. In the event, her
recommended her selection to Bharatanatyam performance so
perform before VVIPs visiting impressed Dr. William F. Quillian
Bangalore. She had not yet entered Jr., President of the Randolphher teens when she was chosen to Macon Women's College in
perform before India's Prime Lynchburg, Virgina, that he asked
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Similar Sudha whether she would be
other opportunities came her way interested in studying at the college.
one after another. And, over a Sudha had no hesitation in
period of about eight years, she accepting the invitation which was
had the privilege of giving then topped up with an offer of
Bharatanatyam recitals at functions full scholarship.
graced, in addition to Nehru, by:
USSR leaders Nikolai Bulganin and
At Randolph-Macon, founded in
Nikita Kruschev; King Mohamed 1891 as an independent liberal arts
Zahir Shah of Afghanistan; the Shah college, there were about 750
22
-JruH
OCTOBER 1998
students drawn mainly from the
U.S. but some other countries as
well. Sudharani had a great time
there, receiving as well as giving.
She was a regular student during
the academic year which began in
September 1994 and ended in June
1995. She studied American Modern
dance of the Martha Graham style
with Prof. Eleanor Struppa and
Western music with Prof. Elaine
Dahl. She also took other courses.
In addition to this formal learning,
the stay at Randolph-Macon gave
her an opportunity to widen her
world-view and she utilised it fully.
In return she taught Bharatanatyam
to some of the students of the
College, gave dance performances
and in general shared her own
knowledge and perception of India's
cultural heritage with whoever
showed any interest in it.
With |.i\.it hamaraja Wodeyar of Mysore
Years later, Quillian said, in a
message he sent when Sudharani
celebrated her '50 golden years in
dance' in 1997:
"Sudha's coming to RandolphMacon helped open up new
channels between our college and
India. Since then we have had a
number of students from India...
"Sudha was admired and respected
by her fellow students and the
faculty
members
alike. An
indication of their high regard for
her is that she was elected by her
fellow students as a member of the
May Court for 1965, a signal
honour gained by only a few
students who excel in intellect,
charm and beauty."
The May Court was the 'court'
of the May Queen, who was also
elected.
Beyond the seven steps
Sudharani acquired a new last
name in November 1965, soon after
returning from the United States.
Having chosen matrimony, she
walked the seven steps behind her
man around a flaming fire in a
traditional Hindu wedding ceremony
and became, in the fashion
borrowed from the West, Sudharani
Raghupathy.
4ndf
OCTOBER 1998
With Mohd. Zahir Shah, King of Afghanistan
family she had entered and, besides,
did she not have a background of
wealth
and
a
string
of
accomplishments herself? To match
her status, the bahu felt, the
teacher-to-be had to have a high
musical pedigree! So, when
Sundaram (as lyengar was addressed
by members of the family) suggested
that she might learn from a
musician-friend of his named
Madurai Krishnan, her eyebrows
went up, or perhaps only one of
them did. It was only when she,
some time later, heard Krishnan
sing in a concert in Tirupati, did
she agree to accept him. Of course,
it helped Krishnan was a disciple
of Ariyakudi Ramanuja lyengar,
hailed as the monarch of Carnatica.
Home, from now on, was the
main mansion in Sir K.S. House—
a big compound in the Luz area of
Madras. It still retained the aura
of Sir K. Srinivasa lyengar, a leading
lawyer, who had acquired the
property. Srinivasa lyengar had
passed away and so had his son
Rangarajan, Raghupathy's father.
The 'head of the household' now
was Rajalakshmi, the latter's
mother. In the absence of
Rangarajan's widow Shakuntala,
who was then living elsewhere after
remarriage, the mansion had only
five occupants besides the servants,
namely, Sudharani, Raghupathy,
two of his cousins and— as the
Madhwa addition to the lyengar
household once charmingly put it—
"my mother-in-law's mother-in-law"
whose given name was Ammane.
The other-than-routine aspects of
Sudharani's life in the house of her
mother-in-law's
mother-in-law
unfolded step by step.
It was an unbelievable set up for
a new bride, although she had to
please not only the immediate
family but a few others— aunts and
the like— who were also living in
the compound. She was not allowed
to cook or do any household chores.
Instead, she was urged to take up
self-improvement activities, like
learning Sanskrit. Since she had,
during her years in Bangalore, learnt
Carnatic music from the famous
T. Chowdiah himself— he of the
seven-stringed violin— at the
Ayyanar
College
of
Music
established by him, she was also
encouraged to learn music further.
Dance? She knew it was out of the
question.
The first break came when
Rukmini Devi Arundale invited
Sudharani to join Kalakshetra. The
high priestess knew Sudharani and
had a favourable impression of her
talents, but she did not indicate
what the migrant from Bangalore
could do at the institution. Yet
Sudharani was thrilled and excited.
Her feet didn't quite touch the
ground any longer and the halo
around her head grew larger as she
mused: "Wow! Rukmini Devi
herself has invited me!"
Soundararaja lyengar was not
excited, though. He was a practical
man and he was troubled by the
vagueness of the proposal. He was
also not sure how he could arrange
for the safe transport of Sudharani
to and from the Kalakshetra
campus.
Rukmini Devi had
suggested that Sudharani could ride
back and forth with Kalakshetra's
accountant who lived in Mylapore,
but Soundararaja lyengar, the
guardian deity of the household,
did not like the idea.
There was
another person,
besides the principal occupants,
who had a say in what went on in
the house. He was K. Soundararaja
lyengar, a lawyer who functioned
as a friend, philosopher and guide
to them. He in particular was keen
that Sudha should not forsake the
arts. He took upon himself to find
a music teacher for her, not
knowing that it was not going to
be easy to find someone that the
Rani would readily find acceptable.
If he had looked closely at the
young woman, he would have
noticed she carried a halo around
her head. True, she had chosen to
be a housewife, but it was a wealthy
24
It was in this context that
Soundararaja lyengar delicately
punched another conservative brick
from the wall of the conservative
compound by suggesting that
4rutt
OCTOBER 1998
(LtoR): Madurai Sethuraman, Madurai Krishnan, Sudharani, Lakshmi, T. Balasaraswati, R. Raghupatby, Adyar Lakshman & Trichur Ramanathan
Sitting (L to R): Madurai Krishnan & K. Soundararaja Iyengar.
Standing (L to R): Lakshman, Ramanathan, Sudharani & friend Madhuram
Sudharani might practise her dance
again. He explained that, absent
training in cooking and other
household duties, all that Sudha
knew was to dance and that she
might as well practise it at home,
just so she did not lose the skills
she had acquired through keen
studyv There was no hint that he
had anything else in mind, like the
revival of Sudharani's career. If he
had, Sudha's mother-in-law's
mother-in-law might not have
restrained herself, as she did, when
she heard Sundaram's proposal.
Reportedly, all that she said was:
"What? Is the sound of the stick
[thattu kazhi] going to be heard in
the Councillor's house!" The
Councillor referenced was, of course,
her late husband Srinivasa Iyengar
who had been a member of the
Madras Legislative Council. She too
had raised just a single eyebrow.
Raghupathy was like his fatherin-law Jagannath. If he spoke
privately on the subject to his wife,
-3ru«
OCTOBER 1998
25
it must remain a secret, but he
did not raise any objection in public.
Nor did his broad brow reveal any
worries he might have entertained
that allowing his wife even to
practice dance at home might set
tongues wagging in the family's
social circle.
It was Madurai Krishnan who did
not like this business of dance, even
if it was, in Sudharani's case at
this time, a very private enterprise.
He did not understand dance and
did not see much merit in it. But
Soundararaja Iyengar understood his
friend and one day he suggested to
Krishnan that he allow Sudharani
to give him an informal lecturedemonstration. In the event, what
Krishnan saw and heard on that
occasion apparently helped him to
change his perception of dance and
begin to understand it as an art.
Slowly but surely, he became, in
the words of the successful
lecdemoness,
Tweedledee
to
Soundararaja Iyengar's Tweedledum
and a quiet supporter of the latter's
agenda for Sudharani. In retrospect,
it could be construed that what
Soundararaja Iyengar had was a
hidden agenda to thrust her on to
the stage again, especially since he
had been active in the affairs of
the Madras Music Academy. He was
Secretary of that institution from
1947 to 1964 and was an admirer
of the dance of T. Balasaraswati.
Adyar Lakshman, introduced to
Sudharani by Madurai Krishnan,
recalls his association with
Sudharani was "long, memorable
and fruitful." Describing her as a
sensitive artist, he gushes about
the practice sessions:
"Memories of those wonderful
days where we enjoyed ourselves
as a close family of artists still flood
my mind. There were no
formalities, yet we put in
tremendously
amazing
and
incredible hard work!"
Fortunately, a practice or rehearsal
session did not cost an arm and a
leg those days; the amounts to be
paid out or spent on tiffin were
quite modest: each member of the
orchestra cost only 10 rupees or
thereabouts a day.
What caused difficulty sometimes
was Krishnan's madi -mindedness,
his insistence that ritual cleanliness
be observed by one and all. (See
Sudharani's article on Madurai
Krishnan, Sruti 129/130). He was
pleased Sudharani always started her
practice sessions only after she had
had a bath, but if she touched,
during her periodic off-days, even
the containers from which the
musicians were offered tiffin and
coffee, he would insist on all the
food being thrown away.... That
Krishnan, turning more and more
inwards, has considerably softened
his stance on madi and his touchme-not attitude during the last 15
Sudharani did not practise years or so, has come as a great
without music. In fact, she had a relief to her.
live orchestra assisting her. Its
members were: Adyar K. Lakshman
There was a fortuitous encounter
(thattu kazhi or baton); Trichur in 1967 that helped Soundararaja
Ramanathan, Madurai Sethuraman. Iyengar to unfold his hidden agenda.
Hariharan (flute) and Kannan Introduced to Sudharani at a
(veena). Sethuraman, Ramanathan programme of the Rasika Ranjani
and sometimes Lakshman himself Sabha, the Station Director of the
sang. Later on, Padmavalli [who had Madras Station of All India Radio
not yet married Rajagopal] also remarked to him that the young
joined the ensemble, as an lady looked very much an artist.
additional vocalist.
When
Soundararaja
Iyengar
confirmed that she indeed was one
The practice sessions, started in and
that
her
field
was
the summer of 1966, had to be Bharatanatyam, the SD immediately
stopped
temporarily
because suggested that she should give a
Sudharani was to become a mother recital under the auspices of Sri
shortly, but they were resumed Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, with
in 1967.
which
he
was
associated.
26
•Sruti
OCTOBER 1998
Tweedledum murmured approval of
the idea, followed in a split second
by Tweedledee. If Sudharani was
surprised by this, she was even
more surprised that her husband
gave her the go ahead and that her
mother-in-law's mother-in-law not
only sat in the front row to watch
her performance but played an
enthusiastic hostess, distributing
cool drinks to one and all. "She
was simply fantastic," she recalls
today.
What made her nervous was the
prospect of performing to an
audience of strangers, for this was
not Bangalore but Madras where
she had danced only once before.
Nervous or not, she made a fine
impression.
After a break of about four years
and a half, she was back on the
stage as a dancer. She had not dared
to dream of this possibility even
when she discovered that her
mother-in-law's mother-in-law had
no objection to her going on the
stage in support of social causes.
It was one thing, for example, to
accept invitations from the Lily
Rathnams of the Madras society to
preen on the stage as a fashion
model in support of fund-raising
efforts, but quite another to dance
on the stage which might invite
unkind comments. So she had
thought, not quite clued in about
the change in society's attitude in
Madras towards Bharatanatyam,
a change wrought by the devoted
labours of E. Krishna Iyer and the
subsequent efforts of Rukmini Devi.
After the breakthrough
It was a breakthrough, in fact.
For invitations to give recitals
started coming in at a regular clip
after
her
performance
in
Parthasarathy Swami's backyard in
Triplicane in the summer of 1970.
However, for reasons she has kept
to herself, Sudharani was still not
sure that she should continue as a
performer. Possibly it was because
she had decided she would conduct
herself in such a way that no one,
neither her husband nor anyone in
his family, would have any cause
to complain.
"Sudha was
wavering," Akila Balan, a dancer
trained by the veteran devadasi
artist Kamalambal, disclosed not too
long ago. But her friends and wellwishers, as well as members of the
family, persuaded her to continue
her innings. Knowing that she was
also teaching dance privately to a
few aspirants, some also suggested
that she start a dance school.
Rest of the story
The rest of Sudharani's story uptil
now is already history. A capsule
recapitulation should suffice.
• She has danced all over the
world and burnished her reputation
as a dancer. She has danced in
Madras,
giving
multiple
performances at major centres
during the annual 'season' of music
and dance festivals, especially; she
has danced in Bangalore and many
other towns and cities; she has
danced in prestigious national
festivals in India as well as abroad;
and she has danced at the United
Nations in New York City, for the
celebration of Human Rights Day
in December 1981. In all, till date,
she has reportedly given more than
a thousand solo recitals. Lord
Nataraja himself must be aware of
her merit as a dancer, for she has
danced at Chidambaram too. And
many more are surely aware of her
extensive solo and group repertoire,
which has lately given place of pride
to the dance compositions of her
mentor Madurai Krishnan. (See
Factfile).
Teaching
Explaining the Nataraja concept
• She has earned encomiums as
a composer of dance, that is, as a
choreographer, a term widely if not
quite accurately used in India to
describe composers. (See Factfile).
• She has, too, established (1970)
and developed, with the guidance
and blessings of Madurai Krishnan,
a dance academy, namely Shree
Bharatalaya. This is an achievement
of which she is very proud for, as
sees it, she has sought, through
this institution, not merely to offer
training in Bharatanatyam but to
provide holistic education aimed as
■$ruH
OCTOBER 1998
27
well at moulding the character of
the students. [Details about her
approach
and
Bharatalaya's
achievements were given in a special
advertisement feature on Shree
Bharatalaya published in Sruti 131
in tandem with the celebration of
the institution's silver jubilee in
1995).
• She has also been active
giving lectures and lecturedemonstrations, some of them based
on original research. Two of them
stand out in her own memory. First
is the lecture she gave at the World
Tamil Conference held in Madurai
in 1981 in which, as part of a
paper on Bharata Natyam - The
Art of the Tamils, she explained,
with the aid of diagrams, the
concept of Siva-Nataraja. It was
hailed as sensational by quite a few,
including Sruti Roving Editor
Manna Srinivasan who is a great
admirer of Sudharani's art,
aesthetics and intellect, and who
succeeded, despite difficulties in
getting family approval, in arranging
her perfomances in New Delhi.
The second is the lecdem she gave
on 'Parrot as a messenger in
abhinaya' at a morning session of
the Madras Music Academy in
December 1986. Dr. Arudra, who
attended the programme, arrived at
Shree Bharatalaya a week later
and, in appreciation of Sudharani's
lecdem, presented her a large
basket containing numerous parrots
made of clay and painted in
different colours. He explained that
he had never heard a presentation
on the theme of the parrot in dance
At the UN General Assembly on Human Rights Day in December 1981
so well researched and articulated.
Sudharani was particularly touched
by this gesture because, in her
reckoning, Dr. Arudra had never
before been effusive about her
achievements in dance.
• She
has
made
two
documentary •
series
on
Bharatanatyam for television. First,
she produced a 13-part series in
black & white for the Madras
kendra of Doordarshan. It was in
the nature of a Bharatanatyam
appreciation course. Later she
produced a six-part condensed
version in colour for telecast over
the national tv network. Both
were received very well and deep
appreciation was expressed by many
dancers as well as by lay persons.
Neither a dancer nor a lay person,
T.S. Swaminathan, a connoissuer
who had served the Government
of India as an officer concerned with
education and art and also the
central Sangeet Natak Akademi,
wrote this about Bharatanjali to the
Director-General of Doordarshan:
"Artistically conceived, freshly
innovative and non-pedantic, the
unostentatious but fascinating
presentation in simple language, of
the intricacies of this classical
dance-form, is a rare T.V.
[production] one comes by. [It is]
of profound interest to students
[and] votaries, as well as the
cognoscenti....
"Smt. Sudharani Raghupathy
deserves all accoloades for her
contribution [to] the creation of an
awareness of this art-form [and its]
popularisation and appreciation,
through the mass media."
• She has twice served as the
Convenor of the All-India Natyakala
Conference conducted by Sri
Krishna Gana Sabha of Madras.
• She has participated more than
once in joint ventures with other
leading dancers. She has twice
danced the Viralimalai Kuravanji
with Padma Subrahmanyam and
Chitra Visweswaran— once in 1987
and again in October 1997 at the
grand celebration of her '50 golden
years in dance'. She has also
28
-Sruti
OCTOBER 1998
collaborated with different guru-s
in presenting four dance-dramas
featuring their students as well
as her own. Krishnam Vande
Jagadgurum, the most popular of
these dance-dramas, featured eight
dancers trained by Muthuswamy
Pillai, Rajaratnam Pillai, Chitra
Visweswaran, K.J. Sarasa, Adyar
Lakshman and Sudharani herself.
Produced by the Madras chapter of
the International Dance Alliance,
it was successfully presented in the
United States as well, by a troupe
led by her.
Another joint venture is an
ongoing one, involving Sudharani
Raghupathy and William Skelton
as individuals and Shree Bharatalaya
and the Colgate University as
institutions. Skelton, a relative of
the famous Hollywood comic Red
Skelton who died a couple of years
ago, became acquainted with
Sudharani when he came on a visit
to Bangalore in 1963 with a group
of American teachers and took in
a performance by her. Under a
programme initiated in 1981,
Skelton has been bringing an India
Study Group from his University
located in Hamilton, New York,
periodically to expose the students
to "India's great strengths",
especially music, dance, art,
religion, philosophy and yoga. Since
1983, interested members of this
group have been given dance
training by the faculty of Shree
Bharatalaya. At the end of one such
visit, Bharatalaya-trained students
presented a dance-drama on the
Ramayana
in Madras
with
Sudharani's help and guidance.
Sudharani, too, has from time to
time taught Bharatanatyam to
Colgate students at the University
itself. In recognition of this, the
Colgate University appointed her
as a visiting professor in December
1995.
Sudha, Padma & Chitra in Viralimalai Kuravanji
In another joint venture
Yagnaraman of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha presenting a memento to Sudharani, convenor of
Natya Kala Conference in 1990 & 1991
• And she has served— and is a spiritual path under the guidance
• She has contributed many
still
on— several boards and of Madurai Krishnan, her guru, she
articles on aspects of dance, and
committees concerned with the arts. still wears a halo around her head.
book reviews as well.
Altogether, it is a record of which As she herself has put it, once a
• She has won numerous awards,
including the Padma Shri and the any artist can be proud. Perhaps it dancer always a dancer— and no
prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi justifies the fact that even today, dancer can succeed as an artist
©
although she simultaneously treads without an ego.
award. (See Factfile).
•aruti
OCTOBER 1998
Madurai 9i "Kjishnan: Jrom Vamana "To VmnfatUIUl
L
ittle did Sudharani Raghupatby— or
anybody else for that matter— know
that Madurai N. Krishnan would have*a
huge impact on her life in Madras; or
that, entering her life as a vamana of a
music instructor, he would reveal himself
later as a trivikrama of a siddha purusha,
bringing the grace of the gods to enfold
her family and her wards.
Sudharani has had many things going
for her— her beauty, her artistic talents,
her self-confidence, her articulateness and
so on— but nothing more important or
significant t h a n t h e g u i d a n c e and
blessings of her mentor Krishnan.
An incident that happened soon after
Krishnan began giving her music lessons
gave Sudharani a glimpse of the role he
would later play in her life and career.
A skin rash on her face had prompted
her to shut herself in and made herself
hesitant even to look in the mirror. So,
when her teacher arrived to give her the
day's lessons, she covered her face and
indicated she was not well. Even though
she did not tell him anything, Krishnan
said he knew what the problem was,
gave her some vibhooti (holy ash) and
said she would be all right the next day.
And she was. T h e experience made
Sudharani realise that her music teacher
was no ordinary man, that he was a
man of prayer and a practitioner of
mantra and tantra sastra-s.
Over the years, Krishnan has helped
Sudharani, members of her family and
students of Shree Bharatalaya of which
he is the Director, as well as numerous
others who consider him as their guru.
It is commonplace for one or the other
of the beneficiaries of his ministry to
recall with a sense of awe how Guruji—
or Vadhyar as he is also called— has
helped solve one difficult problem or
another, or to face it with tranquility.
Many speak of the 'miracles' he has
performed.
G u r u j i ' s mission is to b r i n g t h e
blessings of the gods to those who seek
his help and secure their intercession
on behalf of the apellants. This has been
his mission even from his boyhood days
when he started accumulating the powers
to do so through intense tapas. He helps
humble folk as well as VIPs, children
as well as adultts.
Those who know him closely aver that
Vadhyar has a 'hot line' to the gods,
that he waits for a green signal from a
chosen deity before he agrees to provide
help.
equilibrium and was able to maintain
it as well that, about three years ago,
he started giving performances again,
with musicians of the calibre of V.V.
Subramaniam
and
Umayalpuram
Sivaraman as his s i d e m e n . In the
beginning he sounded a bit shaky, but
lately he has been singing extremely well.
His music, however, is old fashioned,
appreciated for its quality mainly by
those who have heard Carnatic music
during its golden era.
The number of songs he has composed
for Bharatanatyam are about four score,
and he has covered two entire margams. This fact, together with the quality
of the compositions, has placed him in
the front ranks of composers of music
for dance. Yet it is also a fact that he
has been active as a composer only to
meet demands placed on his t a l e n t .
Although he is proud of what he has
achieved, he asserts he has not been
motivated by visions of personal glory.
Even when he trained under Ariyakudi
Vadhyar dresses well and elegantly
Ramanuja Iyengar and later established
himself as a musician of much merit, and wears expensive jewellery, but there
he continued to carry on his service is also a picture of him in ochre robes
mission quietly. He never advertised which many of his 'disciples' keep in
himself and never commercialised his their pooja niche or carry in their wallets.
ability to help others in solving their
Is there a contradiction somewhere
difficulties and bringing
a certain here?
confidence and quietitude to their lives.
The contradiction between his life
He dispenses holy ash and kumkum and
presents talismans or amulets of copper and career at two levels is more apparent
or silver to those seeking his help— than real. It only emphasises the fact
and sometimes even conducts specific he has been averse to project himself
pooja-s, but
never
accepts
any as a siddha purusha.
compensation.
When Sruti was preparing its special
feature
on him— the feature
was
Vadhyar keeps his profession as a
musician and an executive of Shree published in its Summer Bumper Issue
Bharatalaya separate from his mission in 1995— he requested its editors not
as a siddha purusha, which is how he to play up his m i s s i o n of mercy.
has been recognised by many who have Nonetheless, even the little that was
been helped by him. But only a thin disclosed in the special feature about
this side of his life a t t r a c t e d wide
line separates the two.
attention. For example, when he went
At Shree Bharatalaya, he sits on a to Tiruvaiyaru to take part in the
a r a d h a n a t h e following
moulded plastic chair in a parnasala- Tyagaraja
type hall called rangapeetham which January, many who had read the special
functions as his directorate, as well as feature prostrated themselves before him
the place for rendezvous with help- and sought his blessings. The same thing
seekers. But when he receives visitors happened when he went to the United
of the latter kind, he ensures there is States some three years ago. The number
of those who do so has increased
privacy.
considerably and the fact M a d u r a i
But there can be conflict between the Krishna Iyengar is a man with power
two roles, between his pursuit of secular to help is no longer a closely held secret.
activities and his mission of mercy. At
S u d h a r a n i Raghupathy has greatly
one time, he heard an inner voice telling
him he was immersed much too much benefited from her association with
in music-making to the relative neglect Vadhyar. But she is neither jealous nor
of his mission. Promptly he dropped out possessive. In fact she is glad that Vadhyar
of the concert circuit. Perhaps it was is available to help so many.
an indication that he had reached a new
P. ORR
The Blossoming Of An Artist
a State guest, Sudharani was that Lakshminaranappa strongly
invariably invited to give a dance believed the pursuit of dance was
injurious to health, but that,
performance.
noticing the appreciation Sudharani
he first time I saw Sudharani
After coming to Bangalore, I earned, he mellowed down.
was not in flesh and blood, but had the opportunity to see
in an image, that is, a black &. white Sudharani's dance whenever a public
By the time I first saw Sudha
photograph. Little Sudha was performance was organised or dance, she had grown taller and
standing besides Jawaharlal Nehru, occasionally when she performed acquired
a compelling stage
Prime Minister of India, before before a visiting dignitary. One such presence. By then, again, she had
whom she had danced at the Raj performance I remember was before had her arangetram under U.S.
Bhavan in Bangalore. I was then Ho Chi Minh, the great Vietnamese Krishna Rao and had switched over
residing in the city of Mysore, 155 leader.
to guru-s
Kittappa Pillai and
km away from Bangalore. The
Muthiah Pillai of the Pandanallur
periodical in which I saw the
Sudharani's public performances lineage. And her performances
photograph hailed Sudharani as a were mostly for charitable purposes spanning the customary alarippuprodigy. I was curious to see this or in aid of some institution. Even to-tillana margam revealed the
girl in person because "dance and these were few and far between. stamp of this school— clean-cut line
dancers were rare in what was, until Bharatanatyam had no doubt earned in body movements and gestures,
a few years earlier, the Mysore State, social acceptance, but public and crisp footwork negotiated in a
since they were still under a cloud. patronage was still very poor, if not relaxed mood. Her performances
Though classical dance had received lacking altogether. Most of the were visually pleasing and graceful
a new lease of life in Bangalore, public performances were held with artistic restraint rather than
Mysore city was still conservative on the stage of the Town Hall exuberance
marking
them.
and unaccomodating. While a planned and constructed by Particularly appealing was her
number of dancers belonging to Lakshminaranappa, Sudharani's presentation of the Husseini
families traditionally devoted to the grandfather, when he was the Chief swarajati, in which she unfolded the
performing arts lived in Mysore, no Architect of the Government of beauty of the composition stage
public performances were being held; Mysore. Perhaps he was shocked by stage, using
expressions
dance was mostly confined to the when his own grand-daughter danced appropriate to its underlying
Palace or weddings in the rich on the stage built by him; it is learnt sentiments. The abhinaya part was
merchant families. They were
animated but not overdone,
arranged because it was
and it was full of feeling.
customary to do so rather U.S. Krishna Rao, Sudharani, Nehru & Chandrabhaga Devi
Having
almost
lived
than to offer
artistic
with numerous pada-s of
experience.
Even
in
Purandaradasa and other
Bangalore, dance events were
Haridasa-s from her infancy,
very few. Thus the news and
her
abhinaya of these
the photograph naturally
numbers indicated that she
excited my curiosity.
had a proper understanding
of the stories and the spirit
behind them.
However, I could meet this
girl in person only when I
came to settle in Bangalore
There was no news of
some years later. I met her
Sudha
after she married and
at the residence of G.
settled
down in Madras.
Venkatachalam, distinguished
Therefore,
I concluded, that
connoisseur and critic. I
she
too,
like
most of the
could not
immediately
society
girls
who
took to
recognise her since she was
dancing, had retired from
not in her dance costume,
the stage after entering
but she was already wellmatrimony. As usual, I threw
known in Bangalore because
away my collection of all the
of performances
before
clippings of the reports and
visiting WIPs. Whenever any
articles that I, as well as
dignitary—
Indian
or
others, had written about her
foreign— visited the city as
The following article was written by
B.V.K. SASTRY, who has kept a close
watch on Sadharani's career.
T
-Srufi
OCTOBER 1998
31
dance. I did not realise that she cultural events and photographed the
artists, though he was mostly
would stage a comeback.
concerned with making pictures of
In 1970 or so, I was surprised cinema artists. As told by him, when
when Sudharani came to my the company desired to publish a
residence accompanied by K. calendar consisting of photographs
Soundararajan and Madurai N. of eminent dancers, he had offered
Krishnan.
I
knew
both, some in his collection which
Soundararajan from the times he included a photo of Sudharani taken
was the Secretary of the Music at some dance event. Because he
Academy, and Krishnan as the found film stars were only too happy
disciple of Ariyakudi Ramanuja to have their photos published in
Iyengar. Whenever I met Ariyakudi, calendars, he believed that dancers
I would find Krishnan lurking behind too would be delighted similarly,- he
him like a shadow. I admired his did not foresee there would be
guru bhakti and the quiet dignity exceptions.
with which he served his guru. I
also noticed that he had developed
I recall another instance which
a style of singing that was closer came as a challenge to Sudharani's
to his guru's than the music of other ingenuity and mettle. During the
Ariyakudi disciples.
celebration of the silver jubilee of
After
the
preliminaries,
Soundararajan informed me that
Sudharani, who had been teaching
dance privately, had started
performing again. From the
conversation with him, I further
discovered that she had not retired
as I had presumed but only
'suspended operations' and that she
had
profitably
utilised
the
interregnum for study and research.
Her escorts also informed me that
Sudharani had recently started an
institution for providing value-based
instruction in dance. They requested
my co-operation in the venture.
I could sense a transformation in
Sudharani. She was looking at dance
not as a mere performance, but as
an art, transcendental in nature.
She discussed dance in its wider
perspective and described how
ancient thoughts and concepts had
relevance in modern times too.
Around this time, an incident took
place which spoke for the dignity
of the artist. A Bangalore commercial
institution had published a calendar
that included the portraits of some
dancers. One of them was that of
Sudharani Raghupathy. When she
came to know of this, she served a
notice on the company and sought
damages for publishing her
photograph without her knowledge
or permission. I was not aware of
this, until I met the photographer
concerned. He attended all major
32
Indian
Independence,
the
Government of Mysore invited her
to give a dance recital. Chief
Minister Devraj Urs had a brain
wave; he suggested that the dancer
should perform at least one number
on
the
theme
of
Indian
Independence. The idea was no
doubt topical, but it also posed a
problem because the standard
repertoire of dancers did not include
exotic themes like the struggle for
independence. Sudharani and the
State officials who had organised
the recital were in a quandary
because no songs suitable for dance
interpretation of this theme were
available. But Sudharani found a way
out; she got a song exclusively
composed for the occasion, with
references to the Salt Satyagraha,
the charkha, etc., incorporated into
it and presented her dance
interpretation of it on the stage.
The Governor, the Chief Minister
and
other
dignitaries
and
connoisseurs
attending the
performance, were highly delighted.
Ever since Sudharani's Shree
Bharatalaya was established in 1970,
I have watched it develop into a
centre for holistic learning— instead
of as a factory producing dancing
marionettes— where the training
is value-based, dance is viewed in
its broader perspective, and allied
disciplines like music, literature
and yoga are also taught.
©
sakridaiAR's, Trlb;
T
he late S. Balachander, the veena
maestro who used his vocal chords,
and his stock of coloured stationery
and felt pens, to attack Establishment
figures on diverse topics, developed a
liking for Sudharani Raghupathy after
meeting and watching her dance. Two
'colourful' letters he sent her offer
testimony to this effect.
In one dated 19 December 1979,
possibly sent to her by Special Delivery,
he wrote:
"' rhiinx' to your kind visit last
evening, I seem to have met my
counterpart at last (last two words
underscored thrice] in our cultural
sphere. Yes!! In our world of "finearts', joining the rat-race is itself
practised by many as a FINE ART!!!
It is hence a total relief to find I know
someone who is endowed with a
BACKBONE'.
"The greatest solace especially in an
artiste's life is to adhere to certain
principles... and live with certain
amount of decorum & dignity... topped
by justifiably assertive [the last word
4ndi
OCTOBER 1998
underscored in red] SELF-PRESTIGE.
"I have happily witnessed all these
in you. "I truly admire you for your
courage and dynamism...."
In the other letter dated 28
December of the same year, a short
note really, he said:
"YOU ARE A TRUE' ARTISTE...
NOT FUST GREAT'."
These letters were found in one of
the several albums, scrap books and
files which offer a wealth of information
on Sudharani's career. It was her
mother Shakuntala Jagannath that saved
and preserved these materials: letters
of
commendation,
programme
announcements,
newspaper
and
magazine reports and interviews and
photographs from the time Sudharani
was a child. Balachander has left behind
several volumes of large format scrap
books c o n t a i n i n g materials about
himself, together with his annotations.
He would surely have admired the
Sudharani collection.
A.S.S.
Sudharani's Dance: Praise Be!
udharani
Raghupathy
has
remained a highly admired
dancer ever since she went public
in 1954. Not everyone who dances
is an artist, but she has earned that
sobriquet.
S
in none of the cases were they
without a modicum of truth.
The early comments from
recognised experts suggested that she
was reckoned as a highly talented
youngster who was sure to excel.
Sudharani has indeed been widely
perceived as one of the best, perhaps
the best, of the Bharatanatyam
dancers of her generation. She has
been praised for her natural
endowments, as well as her poise,
grace, flawless execution of nritta
and expressive abhinaya.
After watching her debut dance,
G. Venkatachalam wrote a
commendation in which he said;
Sudha with E. Krishna Iyer. Extreme right:
Sudha's parents
fit and faithful representative of the
".... I do not usually encourage famous Pandanallur school in
child dancers, as most of them turn Bharatanatya...."
out to be mere mechanical robots
In an article published in the
with no life or feeling, but in the Deccan Herald, Bangalore, on 22
case of Sudha Rani, I definitely see December 1957, G. Venkatachalam
a dancer of the future. Her self- further praised Sudharani as one
confidence... is amazing, and she of the exceptions to the presentation
dances with intelligence and of Bharatanatyam "in a thousand
understanding. As she grows up, mutilated forms" in vogue at that
she will develop into a beautiful time. He wrote, in part:
personality, and with the natural
talents she possesses, she ought to
"Possessed of an attractive
go a long way in this art...."
personality, whether on or off the
stage, and endowed with natural
E. Krishna Iyer, who had carved gifts for dancing, she arrests one's
for himself a special place in the attention and compels recognition
history of Bharatanatyam as as the both by her personal charm and
person who was most reponsible her undoubted talents as an artiste.
for its revival after the dance had For her age— and she is barely
become stigmatised, wrote in a fourteen— she is wise, hardworking,
cerificate after seeing Sudharani persevering and purposeful. Her
dance:
large, soulful eyes and sensitive face
lend themselves to abhinaya in a
"... I have no hesitation in saying remarkable way, and for a young
that [Sudha Rani's] art was as dancer, she is uniquely sensuous
classical in technique as it was and sweet.... [She bids fair to
graceful in presentation. Supple in develop into an outstanding
her body and limbs, she was able abhinaya artiste...."
to execute difficult and complicated
rhythmic patterns with flawless
Sudharani's career as a performing
precision in rhythm and with ease artist was interrupted for a few years
and grace and anga suddha. With when she married and settled down
sprightliness of facial features and in Madras. But once she re-entered
expression, her abhinaya too was the stage, in 1970, her performances
convincing.... With growing age and once again elicited high praise. In
bodily proportions, she is bound to the tradition of Indian dance
improve her abhinaya and add on criticism, much of the comment
more and more of embellishments on her was hyperbolic. In a few
and feeling to art. On the whole, cases, the hyperboles represented,
Kumari Sudha is a fine artiste with ... well, the tendency of writers to
a rich promise for the future as a use superlatives with abandon; but
4raH
OCTOBER 1998
Critic Subbudu can wield an acid
pen but his comments on
Sudharani's dance over the years
show that, for the most part, he
has been an admirer. Writing in
Indian Express in 1970 (12
September), he asked the rhetorical
question who the most graceful
Bharatanatyam dancer then was and
answered it with the assertion:
"Unquestionably
Sudharani
Raghupathy."
A dozen years later, he wrote
(Indian Express, Madras,
31
January 1982):
"There are dancers who revel in
rhythmic
intricacies
and
concomitant footwork; there are
others who excel in abhinaya; there
are some others who have perfected
the adavu-s but are graceless in their
execution; yet others who have
excellent orchestral support but fail
in dancing. But there is only one
Sudharani Raghupathy who excels
in everything that is great in
Bharatanatyam.
"[With respect to] a wellproportioned
physique
[and]
charming countenance..., Sudharani
outshines every other danseuse in
the field....
"At once eye-filling and sober
[because of the care she bestows
on costumes and make-up], she
almost represents an Ajanta fresco.
She has kept her body trim [which
enables] her to execute artistic
gyrations with ease, poise and grace.
One can never discern a single
jerky angularity in her dance
movements...."
Lavish in praise, but a certificate
worth a million rupees!
" W h a t is p e r h a p s t h e m o s t
striking
as
also
the
most
unforgettable aspect of her nature
a n d p e r s o n a l i t y is her t o t a l
sensitivity as an artist. She would
be the first to notice if I were to
miss a beat while [conducting her
recital] but she [is) also the first
to accept that she, like everyone
else, also makes mistakes." T h a t
surely is one of the hallmarks of a
true artist.
Some critics have averred that
S u d h a r a n i ' s d a n c e c o n t a i n s an
overdose of 'nalinam' or softness.
The dance critic of The Mail of
Responding to this criticism, she
M a d r a s , not given a byline but
explained
to
critic
Leela
known to be K. M. Rangaswamy,
Venkataraman (interview published
wrote in 1980 (30 December) that
in Patriot, New Delhi (24 July 1986)
he found it to be "a rare aesthetic
that nalinam was a beautiful aspect
experience
to
watch
the
of the Pandanallur style and added:
s o p h i s t i c a t e d art of S u d h a r a n i
"... One has to rise above the level
Raghupathy" at a performance the
of movement alone. W h e n I cut
p r e v i o u s week at t h e M u s i c
out
jerky
movements
and
A c a d e m y a n d added t h a t " t h e
incorporate
what
I
have,
within
the
programme was a feast for the eye
Akila Balan, w h o had l e a r n t
r
h
y
t
h
m
s
t
r
u
c
t
u
r
e
,
I
a
m
only
a n d t h e m i n d , w i t h its rich Bharatanatyam from the devadasi
emotional and intellectual appeal." Kamalamiv)! _-extrxK;wb£C.sb'\..caL)«= manipulating a detail and do not
waver one bit from the stylistic
Sudharani's bhava.
believe
in violent
tenets.
I
don't
.M. Narayanan (NMN),
explosions."
music and dance critic
u consistently praised
Some critics have also averred
s a mature dancer who
that Sudharani has had a tendency
only in nritta but also
to overemphasise the aharya aspect;
"the subjective aspect
she has, in fact, been described as
liich provides it with
a 'jewel tree'. Sudharani has, of
pe for creative and
course, refuted the charge.
t." Placing Sudharani's
spective,, he wrote in
T.S. Parthasarathy wrote a dozen
blished on 15 August
years ago in an Indian
Express
i
arnatic music and
m] have been subjected
;e i n favour of t h e
1 the mechanical. T h e
iked to form
and
id to feeling and depth
unimportant. If in the
heri percussive swaralake the music more
:d than melodic, in the
[ the sway of jati-s is
make Bharatanatya
ootwork and nothing
"Many a time, I have lost myself
in her highly imaginative sanchari
bhava. I recall that when I saw her
perform Yera Ham kiliyey, I was
thrilled by her intricate and subtle
expression.... Words fail to describe
the pure joy I experienced. Seeing
her exquisite and divine expression
[at the end of this item when pure
joy envelopes her], tears rolled down
m y eyes. Sudha can m a k e any
e is m u c h m o r e t o
i than the excitement situation sublime and transport the
: a l o n e . It was t h i s audience to the same realm."
;ood
fortune
to
Recalling a n o t h e r experience,
aaintance with the
Balan
also describes Sudharani's
ve range of classical
i c h footwork is only a ability to submerge herself in the
Iharani Raghupathy's characters she portrays:
at the Natyothsava...."
"I have seen Sudha's
Mayey,
to B h a r a t a n a t y a m Mayan sodariyey (the Todi varnam
L a k s h m a n , who h a s composed by Madurai N. Krishnan]
ly a s s o c i a t e d
w i t h several times. And every time she
ince t h e mid-sixties, makes variations in the theme. One
ly sensitive artist. Said sees only the deity described in that
piece, not Sudha."
-Sruti
OCTOBER 1998
review that Sudharani has certain
"additional accomplishments to her
credit" which add a special flavour
to her r e c i t a l s . T h e first he
mentioned
in
this
list
of
accomplishments was Sudharanai's
"advanced training in the Martha
Graham technique in Modern dance
in the USA." This c o m m e n t does
not stand scrutiny. Sudharani did
learn the dance technique evolved
by Martha G r a h a m as taught at
the Randolph-Macon College for
Women in Virgina, but within the
short period of fewer t h a n nine
m o n t h s that she spent at RandolphM a c o n w h i c h is a liberal a r t s
college, she could not have received
any "advanced training". Modern
dance possibly gave S u d h a r a n i
certain insights into the nature of
m o v e m e n t s , but she herself has
stated that she has never mixed
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that of Bharatanatyam.
Modern
dance has had no more impact on
Sudharani's Bharatanatyam than the
brief training in Mohini A t t a m she
received from— Ramanathan in the
mid-sixties.
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Trte Mind Of Sudharani Ragfrnpathy
means of self-expression, an expression of the artist's
individual personality. On the other hand, in the East,
in India particularly, the conception of art is that it
represents an interpretation of the ideal and the
You have said: Once a dancer, always a dancer. Would you Universal and the sublimation of ideas by the
care to explain?
effacement of the individual personality through well
defined traditional codes, conventions, symbols and
As a child I seem to have displayed a natural liking techniques.
for dance. It was a child's play, in a manner of speaking,
but my mother and some of her friends seem to have In this conception, the art of dancing is a pathway
thought I had an aptitude for dancing. Even though to a trans-mundane experience. Its purpose is in the
my father did not think much of it, my mother fixed main spiritual. The dancer uses not only her feet but
up teachers for me and I learnt Bharatanatyam. If I also her imagination to convey the true meaning of
had been born and raised in the North, presumably I dance, the meaning of life itself.
might have ended up learning Kathak. Or, if I had
not been encouraged to learn and perform dance, I All this sounds far removed from reality....
might possibly have taken to writing poetry. Or I
might have become a painter. I was good at it too. Well, maybe. Commercial instincts predominate today,
There was an element of chance in my becoming a but the ideal must always be kept in view. Those
who understand the true purpose of art must keep
dancer.
underlining it. I am an optimist and I like to believe
Success breeds success. I guess I became deeply involved that the younger generation of dancers, at least those
with the dance even as a young girl as each who apply their mind to what they do, will be guided
by the ideal.
performance led to another.
Editor-in-Chief N. PATTTABHI RAMAN, assisted by INDU
VARMA, probed the mind of Sudharani Ragupatby during two
interview sessions. Excerpts from the edited transcript of the
conversation:
But in your case, you chose matrimony over a career in dance.
Yes, I did. It was a very practical choice, given the
fact that dance did not then enjoy the respectability
it does today. But deep down in my heart, I loved
dance.
Are you happy you were able to resume dancing? You have
done very well for yourself....
Yes. Dance has become a part of my life, in fact
central to my life. In my experience, it involves body,
mind and soul. It is a medium that helps one to
experience— and express— the beautiful things of life.
It is an aspect of our culture where art, religion and
philosophy blend.
You have contrasted the Western perception of art, in which
the individual ego is central, with the Hindu concept in
which the dancer is expected to sublimate herself. Do you
really believe that ego plays no role in inspiring a dancer to
add something of her own perception to what she has received
through learning, to modify or replace handed down ideas?
I am not denying that ego plays a role, but I am
saying from experience that the great moments of
art, which are often fleeting, result when an inspired
performer forgets the self while on the stage. As a
dancer I need an audience, but even then I dance for
myself. I cannot, I should not, step out of myself to
see how I am performing and ask whether I am pleasing
the audience. I cannot get involved in the dance if I
do that.
As an art, Bharatanatyam is a composite of dance, Let me recount an experience I had.
music, sculpture, poetry, rhythm, colour and facial
expression. To learn it and perform it is a wonderful In 1986, at a seminar conducted at the India
way to experience all these aspects.
International Centre in New Delhi, Kamaladevi
Chattopadhyaya was keen that I should interpret the
I enjoy dancing, being involved in dance. Furthermore,
statement that 'Everything is one whole', using the
when I take a step and draw people to me, it gives
medium of dance. The statement suggested that
me satisfaction, contentment.
whether it is painting, poetry or dance, it all leads to
In a lecture you delivered several years ago, you said dance is one source, to god. I presented whatever little I knew
an important branch of art in which man's inner emotions and I incorporated in my presentation, the worshipfind systematised expression and manifestation.
through-dance-gestures known as Arayar Sevai which
is still in vogue in three Vaishnavite temples in
Yes, I said that and I believe that to be true.
Tamil Nadu. I had researched the subject and it
God is Truth and Beauty. Dance creates beauty, the came in handy now.
image of the Infinite.
Many important persons were in the audience, besides
In the West, dance has come to be regarded as a Kamaladevi, like Dr. Sarvapalli Gopal, son of Dr. S.
4ndt
OCTOBER 1998
37
Radhakrishnan; Farooq Abdullah; and Lalit Mansingh. I understand what you mean. One can have an elevating
Mohammed Yunus too, if I remember right. After my emotional experience through dance even in the absence
presentation I met Kamaladevi in the foyer and she of bhakti in the sense of devotion to god.
was weeping. I was weeping too. The experience had
» %
been overwhelming. Lalit Mansingh joined us and said:
"Sudha, promise you won't give up dancing." Now, let me turn to another point. This one is about the
Kamaladevi said the same thing, and added: "I don't artist having to sublimate her ego in order to obtain, or give
care if you give only one programme a year, but don't to sahridaya-s in the audience, what is called rasanubhava, or
give it up. You are able to maintain and convey a aesthetic relish. Does this perception mean that, while the
ego is necessary as a stimulant, it should be sublimated during
tradition we need to preserve."
performance, or rather that there is aesthetic relish only when
there is self-effacement on the part of the performer?
Why was she crying?
Because the item had moved her deeply. I guess this I used the word self-effacement to refer to the condition
is what commentators have described as rasanubhava. which results from the full involvement of the dancer
with what she is performing. An artist can achieve
It does not occur frequently, but it does happen....
sublimation despite her ego, so long she loses herself
Talking of rasanubhava, I want you to answer a question in the act of performing.
from your experience. Let us say you are performing an item
which has a divine theme. What is it that moves you or the
audience? Is it bhakti or art?
Both.
In what way is it both? For example. In
there the bhakti element?
OK. Let me take a slight detour and ask you a question on
the subject of ego. In all the material put out about your
performances or achievements, many of them under the banner
of Shree Bharatalaya, you are referred to as Padma Shri,
sometimes as Dr. Sudharani, lately as a Professor too.
Tayey Yasoda, is
I don't take them seriously, but all this helps to promote
a better public appreciation of my art and contribution.
You have raised a valid nuestion, but the problem is
that it is not easy to describe the meaning of bhakti. But your point is well taken. William Skelton [of the
I think bhakti is a personal experience which is above Colgate University] has asked me more than once:
the mundane, an elevated experience of the soul.
"Why do you dancers in India need to proclaim your
titles? Don't you think your art should speak for you?"
I repeat the question. In the example I have cited, what is it
that moves the audience, is it bhakti whichever way you define
it, or aesthetic experience as postulated in the theory of rasa?
It is the aesthetic quality of the dance.
So, even a dance which has no explicit bhakti element in it
can produce rasanubhava?
Yes, it can.
I'm glad he did, but let me pursue the point a little further.
The commemorative volume entitled Sudharani Raghupathy 50 Years of Dance refers to you in one place, in the caption
to an article, as: Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher & Philosopher.
I know you will not mistake me for asking this question:
Where did this description of you as a philosopher spring
from?
But you have said that you don't believe in art for art's sake,
haven't you?
I believe my students brought it up when they were
planning the souvenir, perhaps prompted by the claims
made on behalf of some other dancers and dance
teachers.
Yes, but I would like to respond to your implied
question in two ways.
I see. But what is the justification for calling you a philosopher?
One is that, personally, I do not dance for money.
God has kept me above want. Whatever I am paid, I
distribute among the artists who provide me
accompaniment. If there's something left over after
this distribution, I use it to help poor students.
The other is that, in line with the Hindu concept, I
believe art is a means to an end, but not a selfish
end, though. I believe that art should aim at producing
transcendental bliss, or what I might call spiritual
satisfaction.
Your observation requires clarification. Do you make a
distinction between music or dance as an instrument for
promoting the bhakti marga, and music or dance as an artform for providing aesthetic satisfaction. Is there no difference,
for instance, between a bhajana session and a music concert,
or between a Harikatha and a music concert?
Let me think. The main subject I studied for my
B.A. degree was philosophy. During the course, I
imbibed many philosophical ideas put forward by great
minds. Later, my association with Vadhyar [Madurai
Krishnan] resulted in some of these and other ideas I
had picked over the years becoming practical guidelines.
I follow these guielines in my life. And, as part of my
holistic approach to education which aims to build
the character of my students in addition to imparting
specific skills, I have conveyed these guidelines to my
students. This may be the reason why they consider
me a philosopher.
Oh I see. In my own case, my grandmother, a wonderful lady,
taught me many things about life, about values, but I never
thought of her as a philosopher. Nor did I think of her as a
doctor because she administered various home-made potions
and served specific foods to help me get over colds, stomach
38
1998
upset and the like.... Don't you agree there is a difference
between a Philosopher spelt with a capital P— savants like
Sankara or Ramanuja who have bequeathed systems of
philosophy— and a person who shares his knowledge and insights
drawn from day-to-day life? Is it possible that your students
think of you as a philosopher in the sense someone is 'a
friend, philosopher and guide'?
popular performer. All thoughts of dance as an
instrument to try and create rasanubhava get pushed
to the background.
This pressure apart, do you think the younger dancers need
to be given training on how to present a programme, with an
eye to creating a wholesome impact?
I guess you are right. That must be the way they see Yes, I think such training will help. I studied this
me.
aspect at Randolph-Macon College in the U.S. and
gained valuable insights. For example, how make-up
If that is the case, the souvenir should have made it clear
rather than suggest you are a philosopher spelt with a capital should be varied for different skin tones. Eleanor Struppa
of this college told me— this was 33 years ago—
P, no?
that some skins reflect light and some don't and that
Hm.
if a skin reflects light, it must be toned down.
How about lighting?
Can you now talk about the ideas and experiences that have
played a significant role in moulding you as an artist?
First, I should mention that I was brought up in an
environment in which stories from epics and mythology
were told and retold vividly, highlighting moral issues
and philosophical ideas. Though I have been exposed
to other concepts and philosophies of other religions,
I have remained a product of our own culture and
civilization.
I believe a Bharatanatyam performance
require too much juggling with the lights.
does not
Did you make this point at the Natya Kala Conference some
years ago?
Chitra [Visweswaran] did. But I have discussed this
question with Rukmini Devi, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya
and G. Venkatachalam, as well as Meenakshi who was
teaching at Rishi Valley. All of them feel, as I do, that
the basic bright light is enough. It is different for danceSecond, the Hindu conception of art and its purpose drama, though.
has been a tremendous influence on me. Although I
am acquainted with the ideas of the West in this Have you been satisfied with the kind of lighting provided?
regard, I totally subscribe to the Hindu conception.
Yes.
Talking about the conception of art, do you share the view
that dance is a visualisation of music?
But I have seen the shadow from the hand fall on the dancer's
face....
Yes, I do. Most certainly. If one learns dance from a
Perhaps the cross lighting was not good enough.
guru who is also a good musician, it helps to add
poetry to the dance. The dance becomes the one whole Have you written about or given any talk on how to pull all
which Abhinavagupta constantly speaks of in his the elements or aspects together to produce a wholesome effect?
commentary.
The Malladi group of Visakhapatnam conduct regular
Then, how come in so many dance programmes, we don't see seminars for young executives and invite specialists
this wholeness, a symbiosis between music and dance? Is it from all over the world to deliver lectures. One year I
because they don't think of achieving the wholeness when was invited to speak on the subject of 'engineering a
fixing up the musicians or during rehearsals even?
production', in this case the end product being a dancedrama. I enjoyed making the presentation. This was
Yes. Involvement is also important.
in 1992.
How many dancers today have it in them to visualise the
total effect their programmes must create? Or take into account,
besides music, costumes and jewellery, stage decor, the quality
of sound amplification, lighting and compering?
I guess many dancers who are educated have the eye,
knowledge and experience to articulate all these aspects.
but they need help from their teachers and from the
organisers as well.
But do you agree that generally presentations today lack what
is needed to create the wholeness you have mentioned, to
yield rasanubhava?
Would you like to sum up what dance has taught you?
As I said before, dance involves the body as well as
the soul. Intellect, emotion, imagination all come into
play. It can make the person who pursues it sincerely
more gentle, more aware of the environment, react in
the right way to external stimuli, be more aesthetic
in outlook— in short be a very cultured person.
Dance, like music and other arts, helps us rise above
the beast in ourselves.
Yes. I think dance is so commercialised today that
when a dancer gets an opportunity to dance, she wants
to make the best use of it to establish herself as a
SR
39
OCTOBER 1998
Sudharani Ragfiupaithy: A Factfik
Solo Repertoire
Sundaripriya
- Ragamalika - Misra Chapu
Veayuda - Ragamalika - Misra Chapu
Today amangalam
NMHMBR
Jaya Jaaaki ramana - Ragamalika - Talamalika
Varna-s
Jaya Janaki kantha - Ragamalika - Talamalika
Aadharam aeeyey - Kharaharapriya - Adi
Jaya Narayaaa - Ragamalika - Talamalika
Atimoham
Chalamela - Natakurinji - Adi
Pushpanjali
Akasatpatitam
Chaturslokamalika of Swati Tirunal
- Ragamalika - Talamalika
Allalpom valviaaipom
- Ragamalika - Talamalika
Eru niayil eri - Malayamarutam - Khandam
Jhalaajalita - Bagesree & Chandrakauns - Adi
Mooshikavahana
Mudakaratta
- Sankarabharanam - Adi
- Ragamalika
modakam
- Ragamalika
Nandichol & Neelakantha
- Vasanta - Adi
Pallandu pallaada - Tilang & Revati • Adi
Danikey - Todi - Roopakam
Engum nirainda - Pantuvarali - Adi
Eata ninney - Khamas - Roopakam
Manavi - Sankarabharanam
Mamohaaa - Khamas
Mayey Mayan sodariyey - Todi - Adi
Nee inilii mayam - Dhanyasi - Adi
Nityakalyani
- Ragamalika - Roopakam
Alarippu
Sakhiye - Anandabhairavi - Adi
Tisram, Chatusram, Khandam, Misram & Sankeeranam
Sami ninney • Ragamalika - Roopakam
Sami ni rammanavey
Jatiswaram-s
Sarasijanabha
• Khamas - Adi
(Tana varnam) - Kambhoji
Abhogi - Adi
Sami ninney nammitira
Charukesi - Adi
Seeta Rama - Todi - Adi
Kalyani • Tisra Ekam
Roopamu joochi - Todi - Adi
Poorvikalyani - Sankeerana nadai
Vidwat gambheeri - Ragamalika - Roopakam
Ragamalika - Misra Chapu
Yemanda (swarajati) • Husseini - Roopakam
- Yadukulakambhoji - Adi
Saveri - Roopakam
Todi - Roopakam
Pada-s
Varali - Adi
Traditional pada-s (60)
Vasanta - Roopakam
Pada-s by Madurai N. Krishnan
Durgey Dargey - Revati - Adi
Sabda-s
Aayar seyiyar
Easwara patteeswara
- Ragamalika • Misra Chapu
Devi taye - Ragamalika - Misra Chapu
Moola poruley - Ragamalika - Misra Chapu
- Amritavarshini - Roopakam
Kanna mani vanna - Khamas - Roopakam
Krishna Radha Krishna - Behag - Adi
Varuga varuga - Sumanesaranjani - Adi
Kaadaney - Ragamalika - Misra Chapu
Sarasijakshulu
Siruluminchina
- Ragamalika - Misra Chapu
- Ragamalika - Misra Chapu
Srikara suguaakara
40
- Ragamalika - Misra Chapu
Javali-s
Traditional javali-s (10)
Enna solliyum - Ragamalika - Roopakam (Madurai N Krishnan)
4rutt
OCTOBER 1998
Tillana-s
Verses from: Divya Prabandham • Silappadikaram • Tevaram
Dheem ta dheem - Amritavarshini - Adi
• Tirupugazh • Tiruvachagam • Krishnaashtakam
Dbeem ta dheem - Chandrakauns • Adi
mmmmtammmmammmmmammmmmmmmmmmmmmma
Dheem ta dheem - Kafi - Adi
Mangalam
Dheem dheem ta dheem - Revati - Adi
Deem ta dbeem - Valaji - Misra Cbapu
Dheem ta dbeem - Sindhubhairavi - Adi
Dbeem tadanuta - Kanada - Adi
Dheem taka dheem - Hamsanandi - Adi
Dheem tatara • Mohanam - Roopakam
Nadrutaani
- Hamsanadam - Adi
Nadrutadheem
- Simhendramadhyamam - Adi
Taam dheem torn - Sivaranjani - Khanda Eka
Taam taam taam - Hindoiam - Adi
Ta dhiana dhinaa dhinna - Desh - Roopakam
Ta ta dheem - Brindavana Saranga - Adi
Udhana torn- Kannada - Khanda Eka
Songs, including Dasar Pada-s
Aduvomey pallu
Amma aimma
Bandaaeaey
paduvomey
maaegallali
Mangalam Jaya mangalam - Madhyamavati (Madurai Krishnan)
Choreographies
Balakrisbna
Gitanjali
Krishnam Vande
Kumara
Jagatgurum
Sambhavam
Mahishasuramardhini
Meenakshi
Kalyanam
Ramayana-Balakandam
Ramayanam
■ Kamban e> Arunachala
Kavi
Selected episodes from the Ramayana
Sakti
Prabhavam
Vande Gubam
Umasutam
In addition to these dance-dramas, Sudharani has choreographed
virtually all the dance compositions of Madurai N. Krishnan for
presentation on the stage.
Recordings
Raaga
Sounds of Bharatanatyam
(Issued by Shree Bharatalaya)
Bhagyadalakshmi
Doom
maaduvadeno
Titles: A Selective List
11 mi a a bandidey
Mathura
nagarilo
Nritya Choodamani - Sri Krishna Gana Saba (1979)
\ic I la mellaaey
bandhaney
Kalaimamani • Tamil Nadu State Award (1980)
Mutt a beda
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award - 1984
Nandakumara
Krishna
Natya Sironmani - Tamil Isai Sangam, Karaikudi (1985)
Natya Ratna - Parthasarathy International Cultural Academy •
for Promotion of World Peace and Solidarity (1986)
Padma Shri - National Award (1988)
Odi barayya
Rama nama
payasakey
Taye Yasoda - Todi
Tooadil puzhuvinai
Abhinaya Mayuri -Lioness International (1992)
pol
Vetri ettum dikkumetta
kottumurasey
Madura Kala Praveena • Sathguru Sangeetha Samajam, Madurai
(1993)
Arunachala Kavi's Ramayana songs (65) including:
Natya lot hi • Sri Kapali Fine Arts, Chennai (1995)
£n palli kondeerayya
Nrithya Kala Sironmani • Nungambakkam Cultural Academy
(1995)
- Mohanam - Adi and
Sree Rainacbaodranakku
- Surati - Adi
Sapthagiri Sangeetha V i d w a n m a n i
Committee, Tirupati (1996)
Miscellaneous
Navasandhi Stuti-s
Natya
(1998)
-Snril
OCTOBER 1998
Kalanidhi
-
Natyanjali
- Tyagaraja
Festival,
Festival
Chidambaram
41
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Nalanda Offers
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(News & Notes contd. from p. 18)
A RIB-TICKLING SENDOFF FOR A DIPLOMAT
farewell
for
Lalit
Mansingh, selected for
A
the high post of the Indian
High Commissioner in
London, was mounted at
the Basement Theatre of
the Habitat Centre on the
morning of 23 August,
under the sponsorship of
Impressario India. Jointly
planned by senior artists
and critics, it created history
of a kind. Transfers and
postings in the foreign
affairs arena do not
normally create even a
ripple in art circles. If this
occasion was special, it was
because Lalit Mansingh,
who has inherited his
passionate love for the arts
from his father Mayadhar
Mansinha, an eminent
man of letters and an
educationist, occupies a
place in the art world which
is different.
A real rib-tickler if ever
you experienced one, the
send-off was unique in its
flavour, with tongue-incheek humour— quite
different from the somewhat
pompous and starchy
seriousness of us Indians,
who are not known for an
ability to laugh at our own
foibles and little vanities.
The speeches which set
the morning rolling, though
spilling beyond the 'very
brief and 'really a few
words'
advocated
by
compere Shanta Serbjeet
Singh, highlighted different
aspects of Mansingh's life
and career. If this critic saw
him as a rare arts-loving
bureaucrat who brought to
bear his considerable
diplomatic skills on his
interactions with artists, she
also saw him as one who
could leaven the hard
world of diplomacy with
the sensitive touch of an
aesthete. After all, who
could forget the event
called Tri Dhara (Three
Streams) which he had
conceptualised
in his
capacity as head of ICCR?
In this production, the three
rivers were symbolised
by Bharatanatyam, Odissi
and Kathak, manifested
in the persona of Yamini
Krishnamurti,
Sonal
Mansingh and Shovana
Narayan, trying to find
harmony while sharing
the stage in a programme.
The 'sangam' may have
eluded the effort, but the
very fact of three highly
individualistic exponents
representing three different
dance styles participating
in a joint effort was an
achievement in itself. The
idea was in all probability
a carry over from the
diplomatic arena, where one
has constantly to strive
for commonality amidst
contradictory compulsions
of real politik.
planned as a dance event
rendered by the critics
alone. So while Leela
Venkataraman
and
Sudhamahi Reghunathan
started brushing up and
polishing their adavu-s,
Shanta also volunteered that
she was 'not beyond shaking
a leg, if it came to that'. Rajiv
could always be the caustic
compere and of course
Subbudu
the
famous
harmonium expert was
always there to provide
musical accompaniment.
Raghav Menon could always
chime in as the singer. Yet,
despite all the careful
planning, the idea had to be
given up for various reasons.
The cheeky barbs, some
stinging and others less so,
did not spare any of the
'eminence grise' of the
cultural scene in the capital
and pot shots were taken at
critics,
scholars
and
mandarins of culture alike,
much to the delight of the
For painter Jatin Das, Lalit audience packing the
Mansingh was a life-long auditorium.
friend and their association
The dance part began
from childhood on made it
a
Kathak
and
difficult, he said, to judge with
Bharatanatyam
duo,
him in any way.
Veronique Azan and Geeta
Retired bureaucrat M.
Chandran, combining to
Varadarajan spoke of how
offer
an
invocation.
Lalit Mansingh as the then
Veronique
followed
with
Director-General of the
a
breezy
Kathak
solo
ICCR and he as Secretary
demonstrating
toda-s,
of the Ministry of Culture,
had united to form a team— tukra-s, tatkar, etc. Geeta
creating compatibility and presented Kaliya Mardana,
amity between the two an extended kavuttuvamagencies generally notorious type of item based on a
for pulling in different composition of Oothukadu
directions. His speech Venkatasubba Iyer. Though
was, as usual, generously all of 300 years old,
sprinkled with Sanskrit the onomatopoeic sound
arrangement, vivacity and
quotations.
energy of the composition
Then began an interaction could give our MTV lads,
between Shanta Serbjeet with a flair for Reg and Pop
Singh and Rajiv Chandran and Rap and what have you,
(known by his pen-name a lesson or two, according
'Shani'), which had the to the compere. To round off
audience guffawing in was a tarana, again a joint
glee. The send-off, they effort by Veronique and
maintained,
was
first Geeta.
4n«
nrrn»i
"Are there other artists
who want to express their
farewell through dance?"
This was a come-on from
compere Shanta. Raja
Reddy, Kuchipudi exponent
dressed
in
workaday
clothes— a dhoti and
kurta— 'volunteered'. He
wondered if the Krishnalike diplomat who had
ensnared hearts of many
maidens, would not like to
do a Ras Leela in the
United Kingdom? Ever
willing to take up a
challenge, Lalit Mansingh
in his thanksgiving speech
responded: "Why not? The
idea can be explored. But
there is no Jamuna in the
U.K., though the Thames
might be a suitable
alternative."
Raja soon called Sonal
Mansingh from amongst
the audience to share a
dialogue with him in a mock
Satyabhama-Madhavi type
of encounter. Who was this
gentleman about whom
such a fuss was being made?
What were his antecedents?
These were the questions.
Overcome with shyness, a
coy Sonal refused to take the
name of the person; her
answers were all in the form
of abhinaya. The audience
was in hysterics by the end
of the exchange.
Raja then paired with his
wife Radha to dance, two
items, both fitting in with
the occasion. The first was
a newly choreographed Ras
Leela, the husband and wife
duet accompanied by some
of the most melodious
singing by Sai Bhavani. In
keeping with the exalted
position Mansingh was
being called upon to occupy
as the upholder of India's
'dharma' in the U.K.,
the Reddys presented
Geetopadesam, perhaps a
message that now it is more
43
bias, while the Oriyas never
stopped saying that he had
done little for the region he
belonged to. Each friend
gave him a different
blueprint on what to do and
everyone was angry that he
did not follow any of the
advice. It was a no-win
situation. His critics hurled
brickbats at him frequently.
Not to be left out of this He could not remember the
laughter and fun, Mansingh occasional bouquets which
in his thanksgiving, added this critic had referred to in
his own spice to the her speech.
programme. He said, the
responsibility of guiding the
As for the artists, who
activities of the ICCR, which make it a point never to
he had taken up with all agree on any subject,
enthusiasm a few years ago, mundane considerations
soon began to weigh him like securing visas in time
down and he was quite sure before setting off on a long
that he had lost even his foreign tour, were of no
friends.
While
the consequence.
Frantic
southerners saw him as one messages of visa having to
partial to the northerners, be cleared before the artist
the
North
Indians went from one lap of the
complained of his partiality tour to another (to a
for the South. The non- different country), meant
Oriyas found in him an Oriya that officials of the ICCR
as Krishna the philosopher
than as Krishna the Ras
Leela hero that the world
would see him. Sonal's
special gesture included the
presentation
of
the
ashtapadi Dheera sameerey
Yamuna teerey, an old
favourite of Lalit Mansingh's
and of his late father's.
were in a permanent tizzy,
trying to secure the help of
embassies in New Delhi,
which kept insisting that the
person had to be in India to
have the visa cleared. There
were other incidents which
at the time created a stir.
There was the case of Guru
Kelucharan Mohapatra on a
tour of Russia, wanting his
paan he had left behind
because he was totally lost
without it. After exchange of
elaborate messages, Air
India finally carried the
precious packet of paan to
Moscow. But, alas, it arrived
there too late, for the party
had meanwhile left for the
next Russian city. The paan
kept chasing the guru,
always arriving at a
destination after Kelubabu
had left for another place.
Finally, when it was placed
in Guruji's hand, it was a
mildewed mess, but even
that was better than
nothing. There was yet
another incident of sarangi
maestro Ram Narayan
placing a desperate phone
call to Mansingh in the
middle of the night from
some part of Europe, asking
the latter to speak to the
drunken ambassador who
was insisting that he
perform in a night club!
As the audience shook
with laughter, and the
morning function came to
an end, all were agreed that
more such therapeutic
events were the real need of
the hour. Mansingh and his
unobtrusive wife Indira
now knew that, hiccups
apart, the community of
artists was not utterly
ungrateful
and
did
remember kindnesses. The
event also indicated that
it is not only the bad
performers who become
critics.
LEELA VENKATARAMAN
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44
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SATYAM SWAM SUNDARAM
A CHOREOGRAPHIC TROPHY FOR V.P. DHANANJAYAN
haratanatyam exponent
and
guru
V.P.
Dhananjayan added to his
choreographic
trophies
with the presentation of
Satyam Sivam Sundaram
on 8 August, at Yogaville
in Virginia, U.S.A., as part
of
the
10th
annual
Bharatanatya Adhyayana
Gurukulam conducted by
the maestro and his wife
Shanta together
with
Padmarani Rasiah Cantu.
B
Satyam Sivam Sundaram
convincingly narrates the
universal story of the human
pursuit of peace and joy.
King Dharmika, with all his
accomplishments, comforts
and power, is still unhappy
with himself. He does not
understand why his subjects
fight over religion, caste and
creed while the animal
kingdom enjoys perfect
peace and harmony. Thus,
he sets forth on a journey of
truth-finding that leads him
to realise that truth is one
although the paths may be
many.
What is unique about this
production is the way in
which Dhananjayan, who
composed as well as
directed the dance-drama,
has presented this simple
yet powerful story using a
combination of the techniques of Bharatanatyam,
Kathakali, free style dance
movements and drama, as
well as the well-trained
bodies of the participating
dancers.
The opening dance starts
off with the colourful
formation of the lotus flower
which symbolises the theme
of the production. This
formation of the lotus is also
intended to represent the
Lotus temple (Light of
Truth Universal Shrine) at
Yogaville, which has a
shrine for each major
religion of the world.
The second scene titled
The cow & the tiger
'Sakti Prabhavam', eulogises
the power of Nature
(Prakriti) consisting of the
five elements (earth, water,
air, fire and ether), with the
dancers interpreting the
poems of Subrahmania
Bharati. Prakriti, being the
ultimate power of existence,
represents the absolute
truth for all life. The
A scene from Satyam Sivam Sundaram
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primordial
power
of
Nature emerges as Mata
Parasakti, a combination of
knowledge
(Saraswati),
wealth (Lakshmi), and
maternal love (Parvati). This
dance number introduces
all the essential aesthetic
and rhythmic elements of a
varnam, thus laying a solid
foundation for the dancedrama. The dancers then
go on to present the story
of King Dharmika who
wanders from place to place
in search of truth. He
witnesses the happy coexistence of animals and
humans in an ashram where
butterflies are untouched
by fire, a mother elephant
caresses a lion cub, a snake
coddles a mongoose, and a
tigress suckles a fawn, all
under the spiritual influence
of a sage. Impressed by the
yogic power of the sage, the
king leaves his sword
(symbol of power) with him
and goes away. Strangely
enough, the power of the
sword corrupts the sage and
his hermitage and destroys
its peace and tranquility in
no time.
The story of the tiger and
the cow helps Dhananjayan
to further display his
•■ i H r%A i >
■Srutl
OCTOBER 1998
45
choreographic skills. As king
Dharmika wanders from
place to place he comes
across a cow caught by a
tiger. The cow begs for one
last chance to go back to her
baby calf and feed her and,
in the event, she convinces
the tiger to release her. In
this context, Dhananjayan
has used the power of folk
music and folk dance and
some superb sound effects
produced by the percussion
instruments to make every
moment of the story
emotionally very touching.
There are few examples in
our folklore which are as
persuasive as this wellknown story in which the
honesty of the mother cow
transforms the tiger's cruelty
into kindness.
Upon his return to the
hermitage, the king is
shocked by the corrupting
influence of his sword and
he retrieves it at once and
promptly gets rid of it. He
witnesses the shallowness
of people who fight and kill
in the name of god and
religion and comes to the
conclusion that all the religions uphold the value of
truth but it is man who is
incapable of comprehending the commonality of
their underlying principles.
Enlightened, the king
returns to his people to
share his experience of
self-realisation that truth
is beauty and truth is auspicious and once you realise
the power of truth, there is
nothing more to seek!
The dance-drama is interspersed with pure dance
sequences, complicated
footwork and subtle expressive (abhinaya) numbers. It
also incorporates dramatic,
yet realistic, depiction of
various animals (monkeys,
snake, deer, lion, elephant,
peacock, etc.) All this
INDIAN DANCE
( O D I S S I - CHHAU)
WINTER WORKSHOP (RESIDENTIAL)
15 th D e c ' 9 8 - 15 th Jan. '99
at. Bhubaneswar, Oissa, INDIA
ART VISION
1965, Bindusagara
(.West;
Ph(Fa*): 009]-674-433779.
E MAR .' *LEAWA5@H0TMA|L-CUrt
contribute to the richness
of the production and its
overall impact. Chants from
the major religions complement traditional dance
music. The costumes are
unconventionally simple
and entirely appropriate to
the nature of the story.
The dance-drama ends
aptly with the
song
Maitreem bhajata (lyrics
by Kanchi Paramacharya
immortalised
by
the
rendering of it by M.S.
Subbulakshmi at the United
Nations); it reinforces the
message
of
universal
brotherhood, a fine tribute
to the ecumenical theme of
the production. Perhaps,
this is the reason why the
show appealed to a wide
section of dance lovers,
including ethnic Indians of
all denominations and
Americans with an artistic
inclination.
The ultimate credit for
this production should go to
the Fine Arts Society at
Yogaville, (Rukmini Rasiah,
President), for bringing
together a fine set of
young, enthusiastic and
talented students from all
over, and putting them
under the tutelage of
guru-s like Shanta, Dhananjayan and
Padmarani
Rasiah Cantu. To produce
a fine show of this calibre
in just three weeks time in
America is by no means an
easy task.
Arangetram
Sidhorna Rao, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Chandar
Rao of Fiji Islands; and
Lilia Toneva, daughter of
Mr. Jordan Jordanovi &
Mrs. Snejka Jordanovi of
Bulgaria; both Bharatanatyam disciples of Saroja
Vaidyanathan
(Ganesa
Natyalaya)
and
ICCR
scholars, 29 August in
New Delhi.
Aparna
(Bharatanatyam), daughter of Mr. V.
Krishnamoorthy & Dr.
Lakshmi Krishnamoorthy,
and disciple of Padmaja
Suresh, 13 September in
Bangalore.
Apurva &
Amulya
(Kuchipudi), daughters of
Dr. & Mrs. Raju Vanguri, and
disciples of Rathna Kumar
(Anjali), 19 September in
Houston, U.S.A.
Awarded
© The d e g r e e of P h . D .
by the Andhra University,
toT. Padmini, C-vainika, for
research on 'Annamayya
Tatwika
Geyalu
—
Pariseelana' (A study of the
philosophical compositions
of Annamacharya).
Honoured
© Vidushi R. Vedavalli
(C-vocal)
and
Padma
Subrahmanyam (Bharatanrityam), by Lalitha Kala
The second performance Vedika on the occasion of
oiSatyam Sivam Sundaram its third anniversary, 27-28
was presented to a packed August in ChennaL
audience at the Sri Siva
Vishnu Temple in Maryland Presented
on 9 August. The Bharata
Kalanjali orchestra and the © The
Nritya
Kala
dance troupe under the Ratna award to Bharataauspices of the Fine Arts natyam guru K. Shiva Rao,
Society, with the blessings by Sai Arts International,
of Swami Satchidanandaji, as part of its Yuva Nritplan on a nation-wide tour yotsav-1998, 28 August in
Bangalore.
of America during 1999.
A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
46
OCTOBER 1998
RAGA— IIS SEARCH OF FEMININITY
RAGA— IN SEARCH OF
FEMININITY.
Concept &
Choreography: Chandralekha.
Dancers: Shaji John, V.A.
Sunny, Meera Krishnamurthy,
Rajalakshmi Rajagopal, Kalpana
Krishnamurthy & Ramachandra
Das. Orchestra: Neela Bhagwat
(vocal), Jagadish
Janardan
(mridanga),
Adambakkam
Sankaran (ghata), S.P. Mani
(morsing). Recorded music score
from G. Aravindan's film
'Pokkuveyil'. Stage Design:
Dashrath Patel. Lighting Design:
Sadanand Menon. Colour Red:
Anish Kapoor. Presenter: Max
Mueller Bhavan, Chennai. Venue:
T.T.K. Auditorium of the
Music Academy, Chennai.
I felt utterly cheated. — a
VIP sabhanayaki.
It was visually splendid,
but... — a critic.
Terribly boring! — a rasika.
We get to see enough cases
of AIDS patients everyday.
Do we need someone to
teach more ways of getting
it? — a doctor.
Tccha! Where was the need
for explicit movements of
homosexuality on stage?
What was the choreographer
trying to convey? — more
than one in the audience.
These were some of the
varied comments heard
after the staging of Raga—
In Search Of Femininity,
presented by Chandralekha
on 6 September at the T.T.K.
Auditorium of the Music
Academy in Chennai. In the
absence of a story line or
descriptive and narrative
movements, it was but
natural for members of
the audience to draw their
own inferences on what it
was all about. And draw they
did. Most dancers, critics
and others perceived as
connoisseurs— even the
young among them— had
movements of the dancers
were so regimented and
mechanical that
they
seemed like well-oiled
robots performing their
chores. Here feeling or
expression need not be
SADANAND MENON confused with the finer
nuances of abhinaya used in
little positive to say on the mind another meaning of classical dance. But one
presentation except on the raga— amorous or sexual cannot
deny that any
production qualities.
feeling— it lacked subtlety, purposeful movement has
suggestiveness and sensitivIn response to such ity. It seemed more like a to have some inbuilt feeling.
reactions, Chandralekha is visual manual on sex edu- For example, even in every
bound to say that the art cation— strangely concen- day life, when one extends
lovers of Chennai are trating on motion devoid of the arm for a handshake it
expresses our feelings. If
hidebound and not open to emotion.
you are happy to meet
new ideas, but that is not
true, considering that
In her introduction to the someone, the clasp vibrates
many innovative dance presentation, Chandralekha with your enthusiasm; if not,
presentations have been said that Raga was an it may be just an indifferent
warmly welcomed.
exploration of femininity and formal touching of
in each person; that she palms. The stark body
The word raga, in Sanskrit,
language of the dancers in
has many connotations. It was trying to go beyond Raga came through very dry
means colour; it also means the stereotype of the male and sterile. Of course, one
red. The colour red was in- and the female to explore had to be thankful for small
deed predominant in this another stage, an in- mercies because, in this
production. There was an between one that could case, this 'feelinglessness'
air of mystery as the curtains have both male and female that marked the dancers'
went up to reveal a brilliant elements— an exploration movements made sure
the
theme
of
rectangular area of red of
that the overtly sexual
light (designed by Anish ardhanareeswara.
encounters were at least
Kapoor) in the centre of
not titillating!
If
that
was
the
supposed
the backdrop. The dresses of
focus
of
the
production,
the dancers who lay on the
There were movements
dimly-lit stage created an what did the unending drawn from yoga, Kalariillusion of small mounds of dalliance of the two male payattu, and Bharatanatyam
glowing embers on a dark dancers signify— a search adavu-s and likely from
sensual
feminine
night. The mystery turned for
responses
in
male
bodies? pizhichal massage emto
appreciation
as
ployed in the navarakizhi
That
would
be
a
demeaning
Chandralekha's
women
treatment
unique to Kerala.
definition
of
femininity,
dancers performed slow,
reducing
it
to
the
purely
The
women
dancers played
very difficult movements
physical
level.
Femininity
the
roles
of
the male alter
drawn from yoga. But this
soon gave way to boredom certainly has a lot more to ego and also as distractors.
as the movements, with do with the working of the It was obvious that all the
an overdose of 'bare leg mind and intellect than with dancers were very well
trained in every form and
language'— were repeated curves and bodies.
had a firm grasp of the
ad nauseam. And with the
Another point. Probably use of stage space and
entry of two male dancers
and their seemingly endless tired of the traditional dance lighting, but most of the
and unrelenting exploration vocabulary, Chandralekha movements were prolonged
of each other's body, Raga has developed her own. But and repetitive.
took an ugly turn. While does the body language of
There was also a male
it at once brought to the dancers have to be so
bereft of feeling? The dancer who fluttered on
-Sruti
OCTOBER 1998
47
stage every now and then, Mumbai to sing for Raga. It
his slow-motion movements seemed a wasted effort as
suggesting he was a creature she hardly had any role to
caught between femininity play. Any local singer who
and masculinity.
could hum some strains of
a raga would have sufficed.
Fire was brought on stage The dancers performed
to depict what was supposed most of the movements to
to be "the sacred 'heat' that the music of Hariprasad
defines the quality of Chaurasia (H-flute) and
%
femininity' in men." The Rajiv Taranath (H-sarod)
burning fire at the end of a from
the
soundtrack
long curved pole added a of G. Aravindan's film
touch of mystery but the 'PokkuveyiT. There was not
intimate action-play of the much in common between
male dancers on stage the raga being played and
brought to mind only a the movements of the dancdifferent kind of heat!
ers except that, as the musicians
explored the raga,
About the music: Hindustani vocalist Neela Bhagwat the dancers continued to
had come all the way from explore the male body in
search of femininity!
As the hall lights came on
at the end of the show, those
members of the audience
who had stayed— many had
left the hall by then— were
groping in the dark trying
to understand what it was
all about.
In her exploration of the
body through the medium
of dance, Chandralekha
has increasingly turned to
presenting sexual encounters on the stage. In
this case, she has done so
without properly contextualising it and as if trying to project something
new. While the sexual
encounters in her productions may shock the prudish-minded, anyone conversant with the plastic arts of
India would know that
many stone friezes in our
temples freely project the
human body and sexual
encounters between man
and woman. Chandralekha's
attempts in this direction
have neither shock value
nor aesthetic value.
Raga was certainly not
illuminating or entertaining.
I would rather be called a
a fool than claim that I had
seen the emperor's new
clothes.
S. JANAKI
SEXUALITY, WAS IT?
A PAEAN FOR HOMOSEXUALITY,
ost items in Bharatanatyam, whether a
padam, varnam or javali,
have a set lyric, tune and
pace. So there aren't a
dozen different ways of
doing it or understanding it.
M
texture, colour and flavour
to the production as per the
demands of the creator's
unseen baton.
militancy, a macho bonding.
stages of a movement,
any movement, to establish
an identity for itself: is it
possible that a mature
thought of feminism is
now saying, that it is better
for all concerned, if the
men who could be satisfied
with men, shed the pretence
of needing women, and
satisfied themselves as
their id and ego demand?
One would like to think
that this is a shallow and
largely false
reading,
because:
one,
a
feminist
The brochure thanks
has
done
this
and
one can
Susanne Linke for a twohardly
expect
a
feminist
week workshop conducted
by her for this production. to sing paeans to such a
Not being familiar with her relationship; two, there
work, I cannot estimate her was an initial announceinput. I'll take it for granted ment by Chandralekha that
that Chandralekha's vision her search was to spotlight
moulded the choreography. the inherent femininity in
all human beings. There
The dancers were six in was no corollary, that there
number,
including is masculinity in every
Ramachandra Das, a guest female, in the introduction,
artist from Orissa. They though it was possible to
were not dancers really, but read into the women's
perfectly tuned, sounding movements, bodies, interinstruments who gave body, relationships, a 'fraternal'
True. The relationship
between the two male
dancers was established
with a lingering sweetness,
body-to-body clasps, lips
hovering, suspended, silken
and sliding, inches away
from each other. Lust?
Sexual craving? Deviate
passion? Hardly. It was on
the brink of this several
times but the dominant
Is this Chandralekha's
moods, sustained for longer message?
periods, were slow-moving
If it is, it is a brave
sixty-nines of cavorting
one
considering the sham
fish; John and Jonathan
facade
of morality adopted
Seagull on a cumulo-cirrus
by
society
on the outside
flight; two adults in an
and
its
actual
shambles
afternoon of adolescent
inside.
But
one
wished,
tomfoolery, risque and
rather
I
wish,
it
were
less
rhapsodic in turns; two
equivocal,
less
evanescent.
animals grooming each
other with incandescent
After the stunning array
concentration.
of human anatomy staged
with the highest aesthetic
Strangely and strangely sense in Angika, this was
right is a sliver seemingly another visual triumph for
lifted from Michaelangelo's Chandralekha and her lean
Pieta, the Eternal Mother and leonine ladies, sturdy
grieving for a Dead Ideal and sculpted men, and
gradually turning itself into Ramachandra Das who by
an idol, an icon.
design flitted transvestitely
enhancing both the erotic
Forgetting
the
braand the esoteric by his
burning, corset-shredding
a-neutrality.
militancy that is perhaps
V.A.K. RANGA RAO
necessary in the initial
48
dt
But when
such
a
traditional piece is not
present, when the music is
mostly orchestral, the
singing is abstract and the
choreography weaves into
one skein many kinds of
movement discipline, as
Chandralekha does in her
latest production, Raga—In
Search of Feminity, it is
possible to interpret it in
more than one way.
But what did this perfectly
attuned sextet say? That
male homosexuality is
an attractive, viable way of
life? That its intensity, commitment, mutual pleasuring, self-sufficiency and
occasional confrontation
cannot be affected by feminine society, interference,
incantation, seduction but
only by the duo's internal
chemistry?
R 1998
WtiA'/(//'If
We owe respect to the living. To the dead we owe only truth - Voltaire
Jiwan Pani: A Scholar & A Gentleman
J
iwan Pani, one of the
leading
poets
and
lyricists in Oriya and a
respected scholar of Indian
aesthetics and performing
arts, died in his sleep on 2
September in New Delhi.
He was 65.
Pani wrote countless
articles on the aesthetics
and the performing arts of
India and lectured on this
subject both in India and
abroad. He carried out
in-depth studies of Chhau
and Odissi dances, the
performing arts of Orissa,
and puppets and masks.
He was called upon to serve
as an expert member of
different committees and
boards. He was a member
of the Governing Body of
the Kalakshetra Foundation,
as well
as of
the
Advisory Board of Kathak
institutions in Bhopal and
Lucknow. His publications
include: a collection of
poems in Oriya; a collection
of his translation into Oriya
of the poems of F.G. Lorca,
the well-known Spanish
poet and playwright; The
World of Other Faces:
The Masks of India; The
Living Dolls: The Story
of Indian Puppetry; a
monograph on Purulia
Chhau
dance;
and
Celebration of Life: Folk
Dances of India (under
print).
Pani was associated with
dancer Sonal Mansingh and
her Centre for Classical
Dances in New Delhi from
the very beginning of that
institution. He guided Sonal
Mansingh in all her dance
presentations from 1974
onwards.
The
following
obituary
article
was
written
by
SONAL MANSINGH.
J
iwan means water in
Sanskrit. Thus, Jiwan
Pani was appropriately
named, for he was truly
the source of fresh spring
waters
of
constantly
expanding knowledge and
information. No aspect of
Indian aesthetics and arts
was unknown to him.
Jiwan Pani was born in a
brahmin family of Baripada,
in Mayurbhanj district (an
erstwhile princely State) in
Orissa on 13 March 1933. He
was fond of music, dance
and literature even as a
young boy and would
surreptitiously visit theatres
and Jatra performances. He
even acted in one. This
aroused the wrath of his
father who told Pani that,
unless he gave up such
activities immediately, he
would have to leave the
parental home. Jiwan chose
to do the latter and went to
live with his maternal uncle
Suresh Mishra. He was only
12 years of age then.
AVINASH PASRICHA
education for a postgraduate deegree. He served
as a gazetted officer in
different capacities in the
Education Department of
the Government of Orissa
between 1954 and 1970.
He got married, at the age
of 28, to Reba, 10 years
younger to him. He was still
in Government service but
he had also taken long
strides as a poet and a
scholar. He was counted
among the eminent young
poets of Orissa and
respected
as a person
knowledgeable about the
cultural ethos of Orissa.
Uncle Suresh, himself
deeply interested in the arts,
encouraged
Jiwan
to
develop his latent talents.
This yielded positive results.
Jiwan tasted his first success
two years later when a
poem written by him got
published in a magazine
called Jhankar. It was not
long after this that his lyrics
were freely adopted by
I first met Jiwan Pani in
film-makers and began to
be sung by the common Puri in 1967 when my
father-in-law, the late
people.
revered Dr. Mayadhar
Pani studied physics for Mansinha, introduced me to
his graduate degree and him. Although he was much
■Jruti
OCTOBER 1998
younger than Dr. Mansinha,
a renowned poet and
educationist,
he
was
frequently consulted by the
latter on matters connected
with Orissa's cultural
history, classics, poetry and
the performing arts.
Pani joined the central
Sangeet Natak Akademi in
New Delhi on 17 June 1970,
as an officer on deputation
and assumed the post
of Assistant Programme
Officer, for music, theatre,
etc.. He later became
Assistant Secretary. His
work and contribution were
deeply appreciated by the
practitioners in these fields.
His film called 'RavanaChhaya' on the shadowpuppet theatre of Orissa
won
such
favourable
notice even when it was
under production that it
49
Centre for Indian Classical
Dances and it was under
his guidance that I was able
to build up a completely
authentic
and
new
repertoire of Odissi dance.
He also introduced me to
the various living arts
traditions of Orissa like
Paala, Chhau, Sabda-SwaraPani had wide-ranging paatha and Prahlad Natak.
interests and these were
reflected in his writings,
Pani gave freely of his
lectures
and
lecture- knowledge, his discoveries
demonstrations. His series and his delight in knowing.
of lectures on the cult of He was an ardent devotee
Jagannath remains the most of Jagannatha; his faith was
authoritative interpretation unshakeable even during
of the subject. His book on severe crises of which he
the Geeta Govinda is an experienced many. He
individualistic and in-depth
maintained his self-respect
study of the text from the
through them all.
Oriya point of view. His apt
and active studies of the
Pani's true worth was
Oriya system of music known to many but not
paved the way for the recognised as widely and
consideration of this system as much as he deserved.
as a third one along with the He never asked for favours.
Carnatic and Hindustani He used to say: "I am
systems. His numerous like a deepam [light]; I
scripts for dance-dramas, burn to spread light." Nutele-serials and films have merous dancers, practising
won critical appreciation. different styles of dance,
His inquiry into Hindu and musicians, theatre persons,
Buddhist
systems
of technicians, scholars and
philosophy and spiritual laymen congregated at his
insights is noted for its humble two-room suite in
depth. This list is by no a modest suburban locality
means complete.
of Delhi, or wherever he
occupied a chair, to tap his
As part of his stint at the knowledge and insights.
Sangeet Natak Akademi, They all found he was not a
Jiwan Pani served as the miser hoarding his wealth
Director of the Kathak of knowledge and ideas;
Kendra, the prestigious they discovered too that he
centre in New Delhi for was willing to debate issues
teaching Kathak. There, vigorously and without
working out his ideas in rancour.
tandem with maestro Birju
Maharaj, he helped expand
Pani fitted the definition
the understanding and the of a vidwan rather than that
repertory of Kathak. He of a pandit. He was as well
introduced the course on a guide and philosopher. In
nritya sastra and organised his untimely death, India
several lecdems on the has lost not only a scholar
aesthetics of Indian arts; and poet of merit but also
these remain a landmark in a storehouse of knowledge
the development of the and a precious human
Kathak Kendra.
being.
persuaded E. Alkazi to
provide the commentary for
it. In the event, the film won
awards at the international
level. His video-films on
Mayurbhanj Chhau, the
dance-form on which he
was an authoritty, won
similar acclaim.
I hope some of the grateful
artists and friends will
honour his memory by
setting up a chair of aesthetics or institutionalising
any other worthwhile
activity.
SUNIL KOTHARI adds:
T
he news of the passing
away of Jiwan Pani is
heart-breaking.
He was a true scholar,
always
available
for
consultation, always ready
to share his knowledge
and insights. He was never
pushy and, a gendeman that
he was, he never sought to
coerce others into accepting
his viewpoint. A poet of rare
sensitivity, he was a very
good teacher and a most
dependable friend.
He was more interested
in the theory of aesthetics
than in actual performances, though, first as
Assistant Secretary of the
Sangeet Natak Akademi
and later as Director of the
Kathak Kendra, he could
not avoid the practical
aspects.
Akademi. It should offer a
deep insight to anyone who
consults it.
He enjoyed
working
under and with
the
late Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya who was Chairperson of the Akademi and
she in turn respected his
scholarship and integrity
and placed complete faith
in him. When he suffered
his first heart attack, in
Bangalore, she ensured he
received proper treatment
and looked after him as a
mother would a son.
But Jiwan Pani was not
happy when the Akademi
Secretary's post fell vacant
and he was not selected to
occupy it. It was then that
he opted to serve as the
Director of the Kathak
Kendra.
He was a loving husband
and a caring father. He
managed his life wih
dignity, never complaining
about
the
financial
constraints he had to face.
His wife was a perfect foil
to him, receiving all who
visited him at his residence
with a warm and welcoming
His writings were scien- smile.
tific, rooted in the sastra-s,
He was a true friend and
free from sentimentality
I feel miserable at his
and informed by his deep death.
©
understanding of the subjects. They were, too, extremely readable and always Died
fruitful to the reader, inRamamurti,
asmuch as they promoted a @ K.S.
music
critic
of
Indian
clearer understanding of
Express-,
Vice
President
of
the subjects. They reflected,
Music
Forum,
Chennai;
as well, his unshakeable
integrity. He never gave in convenor of the Music
Appreciation Circle; and
to unjustified pressure.
consultant to the HRD
He kept a detailed diary Center of the Shriram Group
of the major developments of companies; 2 September
at the Sangeet Natak in Chennai.
^kademi. It is also a record
Bereaved
of what was happening
inside the Akademi, how the © V.A.K. Ranga Rao,
officers were working, by the demise of his
how various people were mother Rani Saraswathi
Pani was one of the
Jiwan Pani will live as behaving and how all this Devi, 25 September in
founder members of my long as India's culture lives. affected the working of the Visakhapatnam.
50
rit
;R 1998
Ustad Chhamma Khan: An Unforgettable Artist
he world of tabla
rhythm
received a
grievous blow
in the
passing of Ustad Chhamma
Khan, on 3 August in New
Delhi. I say it is a grievous
loss because Chhamma
Khan was conversant not
only with the riches of
the Delhi and some other
gharana-s of tabla, but
with some of the choicest
Kathak patterns from the
repertoire of the all-time
great, the late Achhan
Maharaj, father of Birju
Maharaj. Along with his
own expertise as a tabla
player and as a very clear
reciter of the variform
patterns of rhythm, this
closeness to a consummate
Kathak artist explains why
Chhamma Khan aroused
many young learners'
interest in this dance-form;
and very importantly to
the rise of Rani Karnaa, a
recent winner of the Sangeet
Natak Akademi award for
excellence in Kathak dance.
clearly remember the
lesson because it is an
index of his remarkable
truthfulness that, when he
recited the bol-s of the
sawari cycle to me, he
promptly added that it was
not really a part of his own
repertoire, but had been
learnt from Pandit Sunder
Prasad, the Kathak guru.
So, when I acknowledged
my indebtedness to him in
the prefaces to my books
on rhythm and Kathak—
respectively, The Winged
Form
aii
Swinging
T
Syllables: Aesthetics
of
Kathak
Dance—
both
brought out by the central
Sangeet Natak Akademi— it
was as a mark of genuine
regard, and not as a mere
formality.
Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi,
for a number of years; and
thereafter, the University
of Delhi from 1960 to 1987.
At both these places, he
was known as a watchful,
regular, and open-hearted
teacher with an enviable
penchant for punctuality.
So, wherever he worked, he
elicited from one and all a
measure of respect that is
not commonly given to
tabla players who are still
not generally treated quite
on a par with leading
musicians playing melody
instruments, though good
drumming
contributes
substantially to the success
of sitar, sarod, santoor and
flute recitals.
Further, he was the sole
teacher of his two sons:
Shafaat Ahmad who has
delighted almost every
great musician of the
country with his adroit,
and invariably helpful
accompaniment
as
a
drummer, and who shares
with Zakir Hussain the
credit for making the art
of the tabla widely known
in the West today; and
Gulzar Ahmad, who is
presently on the staff of
Delhi University's Faculty
of Music, and is making
the grade so fast that I
confidently expect him to
team up with his brother
Shafaat and to provide
the country's first tabla
On retiring from Univerjugalbandi of brothers, in sity service, Chhamma
the near future!
Khan got busier than ever.
He opened the door to all
Chhamma Khan first those who wanted to learn
served the
Gandharva tabla in a systematic way;
and the number of his
pupils soon became unmanageable. Almost till a week
before his death, he kept
giving lessons. Those of his
pupils who could not afford
to pay any fee were quite as
welcome at his residence as
those better off. The list of
his disciples includes more
than 30 from Delhi; 15 from
other parts of the country;
and 11 from foreign countries including China,
Germany, Holland, Russia
and the United States.
Though
professional
engagements in Delhi and
performances at quite a few
cultural centres in the
country kept him pretty
busy, Chhamma Khan could
occasionally find time to
visit foreign lands, often as
a member of cultural
delegations. But I can recall
only the following of the
countries visited by him as
a tabla artist: Afghanistan,
Bulgaria, England, Finland,
France, Italy, Sweden,
Switzerland and Yugoslavia.
1 remember also the
occasion
when
guru
Kelucharan
Mohapatra,
Sanjukta Panigrahi, Rani
Karnaa, Chhamma Khan
and I went to Sikkim as a
cultural delegation; and
the rapport he quickly
established with the great
guru, partly because of the
latter's innate humility and
his openness to excellence
in any art-form or artist.
I personally owe Khan
Saheb a fair part of my
knowledge of Hindustani
rhythm. He taught me,
though only by way of ideal
following, two 7-beat cycles
other than Roopak and
Teora, and a sawari tala of
15 beats, the offbeat of
But the tabla maestro
which falls in the middle of never gave greater value to
the interval between the 8th his visits abroad than to
and the 9th beats. I still what he could do in his
-Snrtt
OCTOBER 1998
51
native land. And he always
took delight in recalling
that, uske karam se (by
His grace), he could satisfy
a host of maestros with
his tabla accompaniment,
namely, Hafiz Ali Khan, his
illustrious son Amjad Ali
Khan, Ishtiaq
Ahmad
(sarod); Vilayat Khan, Imrat
Khan, Illyas Khan, Debu
Chowdhary and Mani Lai
Nag (sitar); V.G. Jog and
Husn Lai (violin); Vijay
Raghav Rao and G.S.
Sachdeva of U.S.A. (flute);
Ram Narayan (sarangi);
Begum Akhtar, Rasoolan
Bai (vocal - thumri); Altaf
Hussain Khan, Chand Khan
and Naseer Ahmad Khan
(vocal - khayal); Dagar
Brothers and Rahimuddin
Khan
Dagar
(vocaldhrupad); and Rani Karnaa
(Kathak dancer).
efforts alone. His lineage
too contributed to his
successes. His father, Nazar
Mohammad, was a vocalist
and beenkar of the Jaipur
gharana.
His
mother
belonged to a family of
Delhi gharana musicians.
But his direct training in the
art of tabla was provided
mainly by Kale Khan,
though he gained a lot from
listening to the playing of
other tabla players as
well. But, much more than
all this, what endeared
Chhamma Khan to me—
besides his command over
Roopak tala— was his
excellence as a person.
In him I have indeed lost
a dear friend of about 45
years. He was keenly
interested in the key
religious tenets of Islam;
and would often unravel
Chhamma
Khan's some of them for me,
attainments, however, are sometimes for hours on end.
not traceable to his own I still feel nourished by his
frequent references to the
dictum: Service of His
creatures is at once an
obeisance to the Lord.
Artistic prowess is not
necessarily related to
personal goodness, but
in Chhamma Khan, they
clearly were. A rare
blend indeed, and so
unforgettable!
Conducted
21-23 August in Chennai.
• Seminar on Carnatic
Music — Yesterday, Today
& Tomorrow, organised by
the College of Music of the
Sri Sathguru Sangeetha
Vidyalayam, 21 August in
Madurai.
• The yearly Natyanjali
festival, organised by the
Rotary Club of Coimbatore
Metropolis at the Nataraja
temple, featuring Chitra
Visweswaran and disciples,
Trio
Sisters,
Lavanya
Sankar,
students
of
Vipanchee Natyalaya and
Bala Tripurasundari and
group from Chennai; Kiran
Subramaniam & Sandhya
Kiran from Bangalore;
students of Thrayee School
of Bharatanatyam, Abirami
Natyalaya and Dandapani's
School of Bharatanatyam
in Coimbatore;
11-13
September in Perur.
• A vaggeyakara concert
series focussing on compositions of 20th century
composers— Harikesanallur
Muthiah Bhagavatar (Charumathi
Ramachandran),
Ramanathapuram Srinivasa
Iyengar (Alepey Venkatesan),
and G.N. Balasubramaniam
(Trichur V. Ramachandran);
organised by Sampradaya,
W E NEECI
S.K. SAXENA
You!
Who are YOU?
The Sruti
reader, of course. More precisely, the Sruri
SUBSCRIBER.
The magazine exists for YOU.
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want all of you to feel the same way.
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52
4ndt
OCTOBER 1998
AIR— Then & Now
T
he fiftieth year of
Independence is an
important landmark in the
history of a nation. It is an
occasion to take stock of
achievements in various
fields as well as to examine
where the nation could have
done better. This should also
be an occasion for chalking
out programmes for the
future
based
on
past
experience.
relatively junior musicians by
offering them engagements—
the frequency depending on
their grades— and thereby
exposing them to a wide
audience. In fact, many
talented artists acquired
prominence, and gained
recognition in the art circles
only after they were spotted
by AIR. No wonder then,
every budding artist's first
ambition is to appear before
the Music Audition Board of
The
growth
of
the AIR, get a decent grading,
broadcasting network in our and give radio performances.
country started more or less
The purpose of the weekly
after independence. From a
mere six stations inherited national programmes and the
after partition of the annual Sangeet Sammelan,
prominent
as
subcontinent, AIR expanded featuring
well
as
promising
artists,
has
gradually to nearly 200
stations spread over the been to give high quality
entire length and breadth of music to a nationwide
this vast country, primarily audience and to increase
intended for educating, awareness and appreciation
entertaining and informing a of Hindustani music in the
highly diverse population. It South and Carnatic music in
was the good fortune of AIR the North. In terms of
that Dr. B.V. Keskar, a highly patronage to musicians, the
cultured and art-loving contribution of AIR is
person, was the Minister for perhaps unparalleled. Apart
Information and Broadcasting from making payments to
during its formative years. casual artists performing for
Thanks to his zeal and rather it, AIR is the largest
uncompromising approach, employer of artists. Nearly
great emphasis was laid on 1500 musicians are among
promoting and preserving the staff of AIR, enjoying all
classical music through the privileges of a regular
AIR— a legacy which was Government servant.
held sacred even decades
Till
the
advent
of
after his years at the helm.
television and the cassette
revolution in the country,
It has been widely accepted AIR was the sole electronic
that AIR rendered yeoman medium which served as
service in patronising and the most convenient and
popularising classical music, easily affordable means of
particularly
after
the entertainment to a majority
derecognition of rajas and of people. In regard to
highly
zamindars, some of whom Carnatic music,
were ardent lovers and respected and seasoned
patrons of art. Classical artists like Semmangudi
Iyer,
G.N.
music until then was the Srinivasa
close preserve of a chosen Balasubramaniam, Emani
Sastry,
Voleti
few, but AIR brought it to Sankara
the doorsteps of the common Venkateswarlu and Mysore
man. It helped connoisseurs Doreswamy Iyengar were
of music to listen to eminent closely associated with AIR
artists in the comfort of in its formative years and
their drawing room. At the radio concerts acquired a
same time— and more high degree of prestige and
importantly— it benefitted respectability. For instance,
the Tuesday and Friday night
concerts, featuring
the
topmost artists of that period
and relayed by all the
southern stations, provided
wholesome music of the
highest order. The Sangeet
Sammelan concerts were
eagerly looked forward to by
connoisseurs of music. The
latter,
especially,
are
becoming lacklustre of late
because they feature totally
out-of-form artists.
In recent years, audio
cassettes of all types of
musicians— good, bad and
indifferent— have flooded the
market, enabling people to
listen to musicians of their
choice at a time and place
convenient to them. The
glamour of television, with
a wide variety of programmes
dished out day in and day
out, has further reduced radio
listenership, particularly in
the urban areas. In spite
of all this, there is still
a sizeable segment of
discerning audience which
believes that there is no
substitute for AIR as far as
music is concerned.
Unfortunately, AIR does
not seem to have taken
this.
serious
note
of
Commercial revenue, which
can be generated only by
catering to the popular taste
with filmy stuff, seems to
have become the main
consideration of programme
planners
rather
than
adherence to the age-old
values which should never
have been compromised by
an institution which has a
track-record of which it can
be justifiably proud.
The system of involving
highly professional people for
planning and producing
programmes, which was
introduced by Dr. Keskar,
was dispensed with sometime
ago due to administrative
reasons. As a result, in many
stations of AIR today, you
do not find competent people
handling music programmes,
nor is there an effective
machinery for monitoring
the quality of programmes.
The National Programmes
and the Sangeet Sammelan
concerts are fast losing
the glamour and prestige
because
of
a
steady
deterioration in
quality.
There is no reason why
these concerts held before
audiences
should
be
restricted to 55 minutes
only. A longer duration, say
two to two-and-a-half hours,
will allow the musician to
warm up and give a better
performance, from which the
best portion could be selected
and broadcast. Selection
of artists for prestigious
concerts should be purely on
the basis of their current
form.
Today there are as many
as 35,000 musicians in
different grades broadcasting
from AIR in
different
categories of music like
classical,
folk,
light,
devotional and Western.
For sheer convenience of
listening, there is no
substitute for the radio.
A section
among
the
discerning
audience
is
naturally concerned with the
policies and practices of
AIR (and Doordarshan) as
reflected in programme
schedules. Will classical
music
be
given
due
importance or will it give
place to programmes with a
mass appeal? We have seen
such a dangerous trend in
some stations where classical
music chunks are curtailed
and sponsored programmes
bringing revenue to the
organisation arc introduced.
The music content in AIR
programmes has shown a
steady decline from an all
India average of 60 percent
prevalent in the initial stages
to an alarming 40 per cent
in recent years. It is worth
53
OCTOBER 1998
recalling a portion of the
first report of the Controller
of Broadcasting published
in 1940 which seems to
be relevant even today:
"Broadcasting
in
most
countries does not base its
policy exclusively on pleasing
the majority. It is to the
advantage of broadcasting
to widen, if it can, the scope
of listeners' tastes.... We
find in most broadcasting
organisations classical music
gains a place which the
majority may not vote for
and it is undoubtedly true
that taste for classical music
has in many countries been
considerably strengthened by
this policy."
Regrettably, furthermore,
AIR has failed to evolve a
definite policy regarding
its archives. By the time
AIR started doing recordings
on magnetic tapes, most
of the senior artists of
our times, like Ariyakudi
Ramanuja Iyengar, Chembai
Vaidyanatha
Bhagavatar,
Musiri Subrahmania Iyer,
G.N. Balasubramaniam and
Madurai Mani Iyer, had
passed
their
prime,recordings of their radio
performances available in the
AIR archives cannot be
considered as their best.
There should have been a
constant endeavour to enrich
the archives by recording
artists when they were in top
form. Compared to the
modern gadgets available in
private recording companies
today,
the
equipment
available in most of the
stations is still archaic.
Worn-out
tapes,
speed
variations due to improper
maintenance of equipment,
etc., are among the major
handicaps plaguing the
stations.
If AIR has to serve the
noble objects of entertaining,
educating and informing
listeners, it has to gear up
a lot, both in software and
hardware.
N.S. KRISHNAMURTI
W a n t e d : Musical Missionaries
Ramaswami's article,
i Artists'
Remuneration
et> The Music
Organiser
(Sruti 165), reproduced from
Saageetham, the journal of
CMANA in the U.S., is more
than a cry of anguish, for it
raises some interesting and
valid points. As the first
President of the Bharatiya
Sangeetha
Sangam
in
Montreal, I can corroborate
many of his reflections.
V
In this connection, I would
like to record the substance
of a long and frank conversation I had with the late
M.L. Vasanthakumari in
Montreal during her last tour
of North America. I told her
that, for our sanity and more
importantly for exposing the
younger generation to and
thereby nurturing and developing their interest in the
heritage of the land of their
forefathers, we volunteers
abroad gladly devoted our
time, energy and resources
to promoting and organising
classical music performances
by leading artists from
India. Though this was a
costly endeavour— hardly a
commercial venture— we
generally felt that it was both
worthwhile and cost-effective,
unless it proved, as it had
often done, to be exploited
as the goose of the fable that
laid golden eggs. (I once overheard, on the grounds of the
Madras Music Academy, a
leading vidwan, past his
prime, daydreaming of earning thousands of dollars from
a North American
tour,
blithely overlooking the fact
54
that there were no takers for hotel expenses by providing
him even in the domestic hospitality to the visitors
market!)
and helping them with
sightseeing. But we could not
I explained to MLV the escape the other constraints.
problems we faced and For organisational, practical
how the artistic community and financial reasons, we
could be of assistance in were generally limited to
popularising Carnatic music concerts during weekends,
abroad. First, there was the which meant, a maximum of
high cost of transportation only one or two concerts
in bringing a group of per week, or not more
musicians (or dancers) from than 10 to 12 engagements
India and taking them on a 6-week tour, thus
across the vast North limiting
our
revenue
American continent. Then, possibilities. Fortunately,
we had only a very small the
Sri
Venkateswara
number of persons interested Temple in Pittsburgh, the
in Indian music and dance Vishnudevananda
Yoga
and we could certainly not Centre in Montreal and
price the admission tickets others subsidised the visits
exhorbitantly in order to of prominent artists by
defray our costs. [Sruti providing salaries and liberal
readers know only too well honoraria for a two- or threethat it is almost a policy of months' programme of infaith with many expatriate house conferences, concerts
Indians not to spend even and courses, but alas, these
less than two dollars a month opportunities have been few
for subscribing
to the and far between.
magazine which, within its
limited
scope,
does
In essence, I told MLV
illuminate readers on the that my thesis was firstly
timeless culture of our land, that the musicians should
about which these 'Indianer understand our predicament
than Indians' wax eloquent and assist us in our goal to
all too frequently). If we bring classical music to our
could not raise the ticket shores. True, the artists gave
price to unreasonable levels up so much in revenue and
in order to even partially other opportunities at home
meet our commitments, I to come abroad, but they
told MLV, there had to be should not consider music
other
ways.
Several only as a commercial milchcommunities
in
North cow; instead, they should
America collaborated in this undertake these tours with
joint venture, organising co- a sense of mission, to give
ordinated performances in something back to Carnatic
their respective centres and music which was rewarding
thus sharing the costs. To them and volunteer their
this end, they also avoided musical series much in
-Sruti
OCTOBER 1998
the
missionary
spirit
which had prompted MSS
to give countless benefit
performances.
In
this
'sangeeta daanam', I said to
MLV further, the leading
artists should be in the
forefront firstly, because they
could ensure the largest
gates, and secondly because
they had drunk deep from
the fountain and could
therefore afford the most to
treat the tour in North
America as a kind of free,
although working, holiday
with free transportation,
hospitality and sightseeing
opportunities. This is why I
find it hard to agree with
V.P. Dhananjayan (Sruti 167)
who has implied indirectly
that artists like K.J. Yesudass
and other established ones
have a right to demand the
highest fees.
I am glad to say that M.L.
Vasanthakumari
wholeheartedly agreed with my
proposition and promised to
spread the message at home
among her other distinguished colleagues. I am sure
she did, in the limited time
she had before her untimely
demise. I hope those musicians who heard her and
others of her persuasion, as
well as Ramaswami's wails
(and mine, too), will heed
this call for generous understanding and support for this
call for 'sramdaan' and offer
their unstinted services in
dedication to the cause of
music and dance. The rewards will be immeasurable.
S.P. SUNDARAM
V i n j a m u r i M e m o r i a l and creative manodharma.
A pada varnam, quite
Concerts
uncommon in concerts
A three-day function in these days, the kriti O
memory of Vinjamuri Jagadamba in AnandaVaradaraja Iyengar was bhairavi, the niraval
sponsored by SICA and fr
Entavedukondu
at
conducted 8-10 September ' C h i n t a d i r c h u t a k e n t a
in Hyderabad. It presented modira', the alapana of
an opportunity to listen to Kalyani followed by the
musicians who belong kriti Sundari nee divya—
to different generations, all these brought back
each
representing
a memories of the singing
different school.
of his guru
Musiri
Subrahmania
Iyer.
Two of the performers,
T.K.Govinda Rao and R.
The music of the
Vedavalli, could well be Hyderabad Sisters, on
called links between the the contrary, was full of
glorious past and the excitement. However good
present, while the Hydera- they are in each aspect
bad Sisters are decidedly of the art, they offered
contemporary singers.
litde visranti. Speed where
it should have been
avoided, more than once
demolished a structure
built up well moments
earlier.
There was a
pendulum-like
swing
between excellence and
mediocrity throughout the
concert. But they had the
audience with them.
The concerts, coming as
they did in succession,
provided a chance for
the listeners to judge for
themselves how Carnatic
music of the present
generation of musicians
compares with that of
the earlier generation, and
for elders to assess the
response of the listeners
Entavedukondu,
unto the present and the
wittingly
repeated
by
immediate past.
them after Govinda Rao
The Hyderabad Sisters had already sung it,
drew a large crowd offered the rasika an
whereas it was not even opportunity to compare
half that for the other two. the differences between
presentation
of
Obviously what attracts the
the present-day audience Govinda Rao and the
is not so much music of sisters; the latter rendered
depth as music that is the kriti in a speed which
was virtually double of
effervescent.
Rao's.
Govinda Rao's concert
The concert of Vedavalli
was as usual marked by
bhava. The music was slow took the listener back to
and
relaxed, with the old times again. The
measured kalapramana singing was relaxed and
the
sangati-s
were
chiselled in the alapana-s
as well as the kriti-s. It
reflected
depth
and
scholarship, wisdom and
maturity, respect for values
and responsibility. The
most appealing item was
the alapana of the raga
Saved followed by the kriti
Sree Rajagopalabala. The
kalapramana, the diction
and emotion were in
pleasing proportions. The
highlight of the concert
was the ragam-tanampallavi set to Khandajati
Triputa tala with the
eduppu after one akshara.
Its structure was simple
but it was interesting.
The percussionists were
Peri Sriramamurthy and
Ganesh
Prasad
of
Bangalore (violin) and;
L.V.V. Iyer, D.S.R Murthy
and
Somayajulu
(mridanga).
B.R.C. IYENGAR
Chembai Jayanti
i n Tiruvanantapuram
The
102nd
birth
anniversary of the late
Chembai
Vaidyanatha
Bhagavatar was celebrated
with a festival spanning
five days, 28 August - 1
September, under the
auspices of Sri Chembai
Memorial
Trust,
Tiruvanantapuram.
V. Sivankutty, the mayor
of the city who inaugurated
the festival, promised,
during his brief speech, to
do his best to name a road,
in the vicinity of the
Chembai Memorial Hall
•3niH
OCTOBER 1998
in the Sreevaraham area,
after the maestro who was
a frontranker in the field
for more than 50 years.
Former M.P., M.A. Baby,
a connoisseur of music
who presided over the
function, said music had
influenced as well as
reflected socio-cultural
developments at all times.
He added that the bhakti
cult which influenced the
Carnatic music trinity—
Tyagaraja, Dikshitar and
Syama Sastry— reflected
the socio-cultural changes
during the period.
The Trust has been
presenting an award
named after the maestro
annualy and the recipient
this
year
was
K.
Krishnakumar, a young
vocalist. He received 5001
rupees in cash as well as a
citation.
The
five-day
fete
featured award-winner
Krishnakumar and many
others in concerts, including veteran Palladam
Venkataramana Rao (Charmonium), Charumati
Ramachandran, Maharajapuram Ramachandran
and Aswati Tirunal Rama
Varma (C-veena). In her
recital, Charumati Ramachandran chose to render
a ragam-tanam-pallavi in
Desh; her attempt was not
disappointing. The performers also included two
youngsters:
Easwaran
Bhattathiri, a disciple of
Trichur Ramachandran
and . K. Prema, a disciple
of Prof. Prabhakara Varma.
55
UNIQUE FESTIVAL OF YOGA, MUSIC & DANCE IN MELBOURNE
TWO INDIAN ARTISTS HONOURED
T
wo Indian artists— verrsatile musician (Cvocalist, H-vocalist and mridanga vidwan) T.V.
Gopalkrishnan (TVG) and Bharatanatyam dancer
Vasundhara Doraswamy— were honoured at an allday festival encompassing yoga, music and dance held
on 23 August at the Monash University in Melbourne,
Australia.
The two took part in the festival billed as the South
Asian Arts, Culture and Health Festival organised by the
Victorian Yoga Relaxation Academy (VYRA).
Gopalkrishnan received the title of Sangeeta Samrat
in recognition of his outstanding achievements as a
musician and for his contribution to Indian classical
music and World Music during the last 50 years.
Natya Jyoti was the title bestowed on Mysore-based
Doraswamy, an exponent of the Pandanallur style of
Bharatanatyam who is known as well for her efforts to
promote dance and dancers through the organisation
of festivals.
The titles were presented to them, on behalf of
VYRA, by Dr. T.J. Rao, Hon. Consul of India in Melbourne.
Applauding the artists honoured and the various other
performers were many distinguished guests, including:
Ms. Maree Luckins, MLC MP for Waverley; Mr. Max
Petterlin, Commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural
Commission; Mr. Alan Griffin, Member of Parliament;
Dr. Raman Marar, President of the Federation of
Indian Associations in Victoria (FIAV); and Mr. Stephen
Dee, Executive Director, Performing Arts Centre,
Monash University.
described as the best ever performance of Indian
music held in Melbourne. The various improvisations
using Western and Eastern musical instruments made
it unique as well.
Vasundhara Doraswamy, who has a Ph.D. in Yoga
and Bharatanatyam, presented what was billed apdy as
Yoga Dance. It was the first time anyone had presented
this unique combination in Australia.
The festival was instrumental in highlighting the
The unique festival was supported by the Indian
scope and breadth of "integration" of Indian music,
Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the Victorian
dance and yoga. No similar event had ever before been
Multicultural Commission, VicHealth-Active for Life,
organised in Melbourne. It also helped underscore the
and various community associations including the FIAV.
health-promoting role of music— in Relaxation Therapy,
TVG's contribution to the art-form of jazz is original Music Therapy and Stress Management.
and unique and his Integration Music is referred to also
The response of the Australian audience was very
as Madhuradhvani and Indian Jazz. TVG is the first
encouraging.
A few spontaneously expressed a desire
South Indian classical musician to have travelled in the
to
become
students
of TVG.
company of Ravi Shankar and George Harrison all over
Europe and USA; he did so in the early seventies to sing
Another milestone event took place a week later, on
Carnatic and Hindustani music and play mridanga 30 August, when, thanks to the efforts of VYRA, classical
solos to audiences numbering around 20,000 at each Indian music was made available via a recorded telephone
programme.
information service. Inaugurated by Dr. Raman Marar
of FIAV, it is the first service of its kind in Australia.
Music enthusiasts in Melbourne were fortunate in Those dialling the listed number can listen to talks on
being able to listen to TVG and his group which included Personal Power (Motivation) and Meditation, as well as
Devi (vocal), Varadarajan (violin), Ramnath (saxophone) to Indian classical music and Integration (World) Music
Satya (keyboard) and Venkat (tabla, mridanga & drums). offered by TVG's group. A call (made locally) to this
TVG's classical music presentation qualified to be number— 19009 31628— costs A75 cents a minute.
ADVERTISEMENT
-Sruii
OCTOBER 1998
On the final day,
Mavelikara Prabhakhara
Varma,
Parassala
Ponnammal, G.P.S. Nair, R.
Krishnaswamy, Madurai
K. Venkatachalam and
Mavelikara S.R. Raju
were honoured for their
contribution to Carnatic
music.
"Pop" Goes Odissi
These days there is a
great deal of fascination
in the USA about the
exoticism and mysticism
of Indian dance. At first
it was Michael Jackson,
King of Pop, trying out
the sinuous bends and
body flexes of India's
S. UMAMAHESWARAN Odissi dance-form with
Yoganjali Natyalayam Yamuna Sangarasivam, a
young UCLA graduate
Celebrates Jayanti
student, in his 'Black and
Sn
Meenakshi
Tiru- White' music video.
kalyanam,
a
danceThen it was Mira Nair.
drama incorporating folk
Odissi
dancers
dances, yoga asana-s and The
featured
in
her
film
Bharatanatyam, was pre'Kama
Sutra'
did
more
sented by 29 students of
Yoganjali Natyalayam, 23 to increase interest in
August in Pondicherry on 'Indian' dance among
the occasion of the 92nd students in universities
birth anniversary of the and colleges in the U.S.
late Swami Gitananda Giri than
Uday
Shankar,
Guru Maharaj, who was T. Balasaraswati and
director of the Inter- Chandralekha could have
national Centre for Yoga, hoped to do.
Education and Research
Now it is Madonna's
founded by him in 1993.
turn.
Gone are the days
The institution is now
run by Meenakshi Devi of the pointed conical
Bhavanani and Dr. Ananda bras and skimpy outfits
she preferred. Wrapped
Balayogi Bhavanani.
in a brown silk robe, and
The well-known story of adorned with intricate
goddess Meenakshi of mehendi designs on the
Madurai was presented palms and a peculiarly
through dances set to 12 priestly V-shaped pattern
songs. The finale was, of on the forehead, Madonna
course, Meenakshi Tiru- attempted to bring a little
kalyana
Vaibhogamey, bit of Indianness to the
depicting the marriage of MTV Video Music Awards
Meenakshi and Sundar- telecast on 10 September
eswarar. A novel feature and seen by 5.8 million
of the productions of households in the U.S. It
Yoganjali
Natyalayam, was an interesting, almost
namely, the use of diffi- peaceful prelude to her
cult yoga asana-s and song SantURay of Light,
karana-s, was a feature in as she stood against the
backdrop of projected
this case too.
images of Ganesa and
The audience turnout for Krishna and presented a
the three-hour programme heavily accented rendition
was such
that
the of 'Om Santi' followed by
auditorium with a seating a Sanskrit verse.
capacity of 1000 was
packed to capacity.
Adding colour to this
neo-spiritual
A.S.S. whole
experience were, yes you
guessed it, a group of
Odissi dancers.
The
honour went to the Patnaik
Sisters of San Diego,
California: Laboni, Shibani
and Shalini. Although it
was
not
a
great
choreographic feat, the
dancers
authentically
presented simple Odissi
movements
with
confidence. The graceful
flow of the dance-form
itself suited the mood of
the song well, as the sisters
moved in unison, pillaring
the singer. Their gestures
mirrored
the
lyrical
content of the verse, and
finally they joined together
behind
Madonna,
spreading their arms out
and turning the Queen of
Pop, into Durga. As the
presentation ended and
the live audience screamed
with delight, I was
interested
in
more
practical
matters. If
Madonna can sing long
complex Sanskrit verses,
accent and all, maybe I can
still hope to convince my
American acquaintances to
at least make an attempt
to pronounce my last
name!
All said and done, if there
is a moral to this story, it
must be: It pays to take
Odissi dance lessons.
RAMAA BHARADVAJ
R e a l m s of
Heroism
On 26 July dance scholar
Dr. Sunil Kothari, and
Bharatanatyam dancer/
choreographer
Ramaa
Bharadvaj, joined together
in a special programme of
dance and lecture at the
Bowers Museum in Santa
Ana, California, U.SJ\. This
well attended presentation
took place as part of the
Arts of India Lecture Series
in connection with the
Museum's
Realms
of
Heroism
painting
exhibition. "In the West,
literary performance and
visual arts are distinct
categories. So it is
fascination for them to see
the interconnection of
these art forms in India and
that was the purpose of this
presentation to give the
audience a chance to hear
and see them all together
in one place," said Ramaa
Bharadvaj.
The exhibit featured 90
Indian paintings from the
Brooklyn
Museum
collection, examining the
heroic ideals that permeate
both the style and subject
matter
of
paintings
commissioned by royal
patrons in the 15th through
the 19th centuries.
Kothari and Bharadvaj
selected
15
specific
paintings as an inspiration
for the performance.
Sixteen year-old Swetha
Bharadvaj, daughter and
student of Ramaa joined
her mother in this
presentation. She depicted
the female heroism of
goddess Durga, relating it
to the Matangi painting in
the exhibit. Her able and
agile portrayal delineated
the veera rasa eloquently.
Later in the programme she
also provided melodious
vocal music to Ramaa's
absorbing and powerful
abhinaya based on the
Rasikapriya paintings.
The presentation was
interspersed with Sunil
Kothari's
introductory
explanations, as well as
Ramaa
Bharadvaj's
humorous and
clear
commentary that kept the
audience both entertained
as well as informed.
©
57
OCTOBER 1998
NewsPhotos
Manjusri Chaki-Sircar and members of the Dancers' Guild performed Aranya
Amrita and Yugasandhi at the Expo 1998 held 5-6 July in Lisbon, Portugal.
Manjusri's daughter Ranjabati Sircar presented Gangavataran. The dance company
also toured other cities of Portugal and performed in Copenhagen.
M.S. Sheela (C-vocal), accompanied by V.K. Raman (flute) and AnoorAnanthakrishna
Sarma (mridanga) gave a special Carnatic music recital with flute accompaniment,
19 August in Bangalore. Titled 'Krishnanubhava', it was organised by Ananya to
mark the occasion of its 100th concert.
A Bharatanatyam recital by J.
Suryanarayana
Murthy
was
sponsored by an endowment
established by the family of the late
K. Chandrasekaran, former Vice
President of the Music Academy.
The programme presented on 20
August was held at the T.T.K.
Auditorium of the Music Academy.
An Invitation.
cordially
Readers are
invited
the
to join
us in
celebration
the 15th
of Sruti
of
anniversary
at
Kasturi
of
Srtnivasan
Hall
the Music
Academy,
ChennaL
Date 26 October
Time
630
pm
1998
Annual Conference of the
Music Academy of Chennai
• H.P.
R a m a c h a r , in December and to receive
khanjira vidwan, to preside the title of Sangeeta
over the 13th Music Kalanidhi.
Conference of the Bangalore
• Flute m a e s t r o N.
G a y a n a Samaja,
5-10
October in Bangalore and Ramani, to receive the title
to receive the title of of Isai Perarignar to be
conferred by T a m i l Isai
Sangeeta Kalaratna.
Sangam of C h e n n a i in
• Nagaswara
v i d w a n December.
Sheik Chinna Moula, to
• Mridanga
maestro
preside over the 72nd
Selected
Sruti Parivar
58
-SPIIH
OCTOBER 1998
Vellore Ramabhadran, to
preside over t h e a n n u a l
conference of the Indian
Fine Arts Society and to
receive the title of Sangeeta
Kala
Sikhamani
in
December in Chennai.
• Malavika Sarukkai,
Bharatanatyam dancer, to
receive the title of Nritya
Choodamani to be conferred
by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha
in December in Chennai.
Nauka
Charitram
The following is Part I of a
two-part article written by
Dr. PAPPU VENUGOPAIA RAO.
auka Charitram is
one of the three geya
nataka-s or musical plays
written by Tyagaraja, for
which the music also was
composed by him. First
published in 1870, it is in
chaste Telugu.
has assigned specific
raga-s to all the poems
and prose passages in his
work, as is the case in the
Bhagavata Mela nataka-s.
Though we do not find the
commonly used pravesika
daruvu in this work, we
find different kinds of
other daruvu-s.
the end in Sanskrit. In
the Telugu poem set to
Nata, Tyagaraja says that
whoever reads the work
will be blessed with long
life, follow the good path,
and have good progeny
and wealth. In the Sankrit
verse, set to Surati, he
says:
Nauka Charitram is
an excellent piece of
literature. Tyagaraja has
written it in
strict
accordance with the rules
of prosody and poetics.
Tyagaraja kritaam punya
kathaam
saadhu
manoharaam
An one-act play, it is
classified as yakshagana
by some critics. It is also
referred to variously as a
sangeeta nataka, keertanapadya roopaka, praakrta
He has started the work
nataka and an opera. with invocations, a dediTyagaraja himself called it cation and a phalasruti.
simply a katha.
The first six poems are
all kandam-s, a metre
Nauka
Charitram used frequently in both
consists of 21 daruvu-s, the Bhagavata Mela and
interspersed with 51 prose Kuchipudi dance-dramas.
passages; 47 poems in [A kandam, read like a
metre; and a Sanskrit verse. poem in the first two lines
[Daruvu is the Telugu word and then sung rhythmifor dhruva. Bharata has cally in the last two lines,
mentioned five dhruva-s is called a kandaartham,
in Natya Sastra).
which is again a frequently
used
item in
both
There is enough evithese traditions of dancedence to show that
drama).
Interestingly
Tyagaraja, in creating this
Tyagaraja has composed
work, was influenced by
all the six kandam-s in
a Marathi work of the
Nata raga, adhering to the
same name written by
tradition expressed in the
one Anandatanaya (1650aphorism 'Adi Nata, antya
1707).
The
Marathi
Surati'.
work has been given two
other names in manuThe first four of the six
scripts, namely, Nauka
poems voice salutations
Nirupanam and Nauka
to Vinayaka, Saraswati,
Nayanam. However, the
Guru and good poets; the
influence is limited to the
fifth dedicates the work to
content, On the other
Sree Rama; and the sixth
hand, it is clear Tyagaraja
describes the phalasruti.
was so
inspired by
Melattur Venkatarama
Normally
a
single
Sastry's Bhagavata Mela phalasruti is found at
dance-dramas in regard to the end of any work,
structure, that he labelled but Nauka
Charitram
all the 21 compositions in has two— one in the
his Nauka Charitram as beginning, to wit in the
daruvu-s. It is equally sixth poem which is in
interesting to find that he Telugu, and the other at
Ye srunvanti
lokey teshaam
praseedati.
naraah
Krishnah
Panicking, the gopi-s
plead with Krishna to
save them and surrender
to him. At this, Krishna
rescues them.
This seemingly simple
story of a boat excursion
has a parallel theme
of deep import, for
Nauka Charitram is an
allegorical tale: Human
beings suffer on account
of ignorance and illusion,
for their vision is blinded
by ego; but, when they
surrender to the Lord, they
are rescued from the
ocean of samsara.
That is: those human
beings who listen to
the holy, good and
Prof. P. Sambamoorthy,
captivating story written a pioneering scholar, first
by Tyagaraja, will be published
Tyagaraja's
blessed by Krishna.
Nauka Charitram in 1939,
with the original Telugu
While
the
earlier text, accompanied by
phalasruti promises mun- transliteration and meandane benefits, the latter ing in Tamil, and notation,
one invokes the blessings again in Tamil. It was
of Lord Krishna. This reprinted with slight
suggests that Tyagaraja additions in 1962 and
expected a difference in again in 1984. We find
the before and after states variations in the notation
of mind of the readers.
given in other publications, as well as in the
After
these
premanuscripts available,
liminaries, Tyagaraja gives
but it is Sambamoorthy's
a summary of the story
version that is widely
followed by the actual
followed. The best source
presentation of the story
available today is also the
itself.
latest: Y. Bhagavati's
The story line of the play doctoral dissertation on
the work published in
is as follows:
1995 by the Sarvani
One day some women of Sangeetha
Sabha,
the cowherd community Chennai. It is an exhaustake a boat ride with tive book dealing with
Krishna on the river almost every aspect of
Yamuna. As they cavort Nauka Charitram, and
with him, they become highly
commendable,
overly conscious of their although it has a few
beauty
and
exhibit minor mistakes.
arrogance and pride. To
teach them a lesson This article is one of a series
Krishna creates a storm
sponsored by Swadharma
as well as a hole in the
Swaarajya Sangha, Chennai:
bottom of the boat.
Mr. B.V.S.S. Mani, Director.
59
1998
QAQe
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
t 3 ru'» enters its 16th year with this issue.
N. PATTABHI RAMAN
SENIOR EDITORS
P.C. JAYARAMAN K.S. KRISHNAMURTl S. KRISHNAN VS. SUNDARA RAJAN
C O N T R I B U T I N G EDITORS
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60
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