Evolution of Mrudangam Schools in South India

[espras]

The Hindu reference given below might be somewhat old.

But yet, this article contains the views and observations of the great guru and doyen Kumbakonam Rajappa Iyer which will perhaps be found relevant to the highly informed discussion that is taking place in this thread.

http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/01/06/stor ... 940500.htm

S. Prasanna.

[mahavishnu]

Kappi's post got me thinking about the tavil's influence on mridangam playing in general. This is a vast topic and this is my distilled version of the substance of where I think more discussion/historic research is required. I thought I would take a quick stab at this with a few examples.

1) Tavil influences on the the TVI school: This is most certainly there and as Kappi already noted much of this can be seen in the art of the Sri TKM and his shishyas (B.Sivaraman being an exceptionally close follower of this tradition among the younger vidwans).
The proof for the influence of the tavil is right in the pudding. Everything from the power play of this school to some of the vyavaharam have all emerged from the tavil tradition. Here is a short clip of a very characteristic TVI format tani played by Murthy-sir: https://soundcloud.com/ramesh-balasubra ... yle-sample

2) Tavil influences on the Pazhani school: The difference is that the influence is not just in the rhythm but the "kai" itself. The way certain sollus and basic formulations get sequenced (like ki ta tha ka thariki ta thom) has been directly derived from the tavil. A great example of this was provided by Sri Trichy Sankaran at the rasikas event in 2011. I uploaded a part of this video to youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yekZpfHg3RU Watch from about 1:29 onwards. Here he talks about how that particular "kai" pattern was borrowed from the tavil, and you can almost experience the way the "kai" sequencing pattern as it evolved from this tradition.

3) Tavil influences on accompaniment/sarvalaghu development: Now this is very tricky to demonstrate since the mridangam has such a characteristically unique nadham. But I found this brilliant piece where Palghat Raghu (who borrowed a lot of PSP school techniques) has incorporated some tavil like sounds in his thoppi usage. His accompaniment for this piece by Madurai Somu/LGJ is out-of-the-world. Sometimes listening to an old Somu recording with Lalgudi and seeing how much he enjoys the music he creates just makes me weep. Can there ever be musicians like this again? https://archive.org/details/Somu-LGJ-Raghu

Listen to the tha-ka-tha-di sarvalaghu that he plays for "Rama Nee pai". Follow this train as he develops this right into the charanam. Here you can almost hear the thoppi being bent in pitch (like a tavil vidwan would with a stick on the tough exterior). I found this to be so beautiful (with somu showing no shortage in the appreciation department, watch out for the special ayyo after the pallavi).

But this style of playing is not typically found in the TVI school at at all. Here is a version of TKM accompanying DKJ for the same song, the approach is completely different. The thoppi embellishments are not there, but the tavil style power play in still somewhat apparent https://soundcloud.com/ramesh-balasubramaniam/dkj-tkm

I hope this will serve as a basis for further discussion on these influences and contrasts between the schools.

[cacm]

Dear Mahavishnu,
I was VERY MOVED BY YOUR REFERENCES TO PALGHAT RAGHU ( HE told me in my NYC APT that if he played "nam" a thousand times he could get it right only once!) & SOMU-LGJ (My last serious discussion with LGJ INVOLVED SOMU & EXCITED ME with his astute observations) WHICH HAS MADE ME SHED TEARS & I am unable to write anything here now.....Your analysis about Thavil is BRILLIANT. Some other time I will write my reactions....VKV

[semmu86]

Ramesh, thats a lovely post. One point always intrigued me for so many years now. My opinion is that since there are so many off-shoots/ Variations in style/ Individual artistry creeping in/ Other external influences/ within a parent school itself, it becomes highly tricky for a rasika to generalize and define the style of a particular school. One idea is to associate the parent school with that of a great vidhwAn from that school. (Just for an understanding, PMI's thanjAvur style is so very different from UKS' thanjAvur style). I will try to delve upon a few points here in brief, which points to variations within the same school.

1. Accompaniment :: There are two opinions within the thanjAvur school itself. Playing for the krithi & playing the krithi itself on the Mrudangam. Each has its own reasons & justifications in advocating so and each one is challenging & beautiful in its own way. Couple of beautiful examples of playing for the krithi, which was already shared before sometime back. This ""heccarikagA rArA hE rAmacandra" of KVN-UKS is one example to start with. https://archive.org/details/KVN-MC-UKS
KVN's impeccable rendition of the same, UKS' unbelieveable anticipation takes this already soaring rendition to stratospheric heights. In the middle of all the embellishments, the accompaniment just gels so beautifully along with the singer. (pATTODa oTTi varaNam).

Another classic example https://archive.org/details/DKJUKS ... Just notice DKJ saying "Mani Iyer nyAbagam varudhu" (Am reminded of Mani Ier), when UKS highlights the 3-thalli edam of the krithi so beautifully with the phrase like "tha ka dhi na tha tha ki ta" ....

2. Sollu Development :: TS stresses on this explicitly in the video uploaded by Ramesh in his earlier post. The following sample illustrates exactly the same. https://archive.org/details/TrichySanka ... mentSample
It takes repeated listening to decipher what he is actually trying to do here. After couple of avarthanams of plain "Na dhin dhin na" and a couple of sollus here and there, the build up slowly starts from the basic sollu which forms the starting part of the korvai (Its so very tricky to notate that here). The atmosphere builds up slowly & slowly and then he unleashes the korvai. The sollus are built up with so much of precision & symmetry about them. The basic idea is to build a massive edifice & to create an aura about the korvai and then unleashing it in all its glory. It is like giving the hint to the listener as to what to expect; keep him excited with all these embellishments and then playing what the rasika actually has in mind. It creates so much of an excitement.

3. Arai chApu & Mrudangam as a nAdha vAdhyam :: UKS Sir once told me that Arai chApu must be heard from Arupathi Natesa Iyer & from Rangu Iyengar. (AvA vAshichi kekaNam da) and that he is still trying to reach that perfection. Again a shared recording earlier, I use the same to illustrate this point. https://archive.org/details/BMKAVRUKS1980sMysore
The thani is hardly 5-6 mins and no korvais except the final one. Just plain sollu development and its just beyond words.

So if you see, there are diverse influences within vidhwAns from the same school & also between schools. This is such an interesting and diverse topic, that it definitely deserves dedicated discussion and deliberation.

[cacm]

I recall my memories when MMI used to urge UKS to give Arai Chapu often; UKS in his EARLY days used to do that a lot! VKV

[vasanthakokilam]

Thanks Ramesh and Semmu. Excellent posts, quite informative.

[mahavishnu]

Well, Semmu. I, for one, am very glad that you didn't leave the forum

The arrai chapu the way UKS does it is indeed special. I saw a lec-dem of his a few years ago with the physicists from CLRI. The scientists showed with basic windowed spectral analysis that there were so many higher harmonics that could be heard in his arrai chapu, not typically found in a less skilled player.

I was told by Vellore Ramabadran a few years ago that the only other person that he could have derived inspiration from for this style is Tanjavur Ramadasa Rao (guru of nonagenarian Madras Kannan). If someone could provide more details on this, it would be a great addition to this already excellent discussion.

[cacm]

MMI told me about Azagha nambia pillai & Tanjavur Ramadasa Rao were experts in Arai Chappu & traced the MARATHA INFLUENCE in Carnatic music in MANY AREAS of Drumming. As I was an IGNORAMUS ( STILL I AM tho' trying to improve!) I did not catch the technical details. V.R. KNEW how dumb I was & knew better not to explain it except saying that in general he was told his playing- not with respect to Arai Chappu- resembled that of Azagha Nambia Pillai & that A.N.P. apparently did not indulge in too much Kanakku-). As a result of these meanderings on my part I ENDED UP LEARNING MRIDANGAM & as my Physics came in the way & I was desperately trying to impress Prof. Alladi Ramakrishnan who packed me off to USA I did not note down these VERY VALUABLE TECHNICAL POINTS ETC. One other person who I talked about the MARATHA influences was DR.Prameela Gurumoorthy(whose thesis was on Harikatha) but did not specifically discuss Arai Chapu as my IGNORANCE LEVEL EXCEEDED justifying wasting her time! May be Semmu or Mahasvishnu can sound her out. Also I did talk to SMT. Kamala Moorthy in general again about the Maharastrian influences in Carnatic music Drumming etc but not at a high level. One of the points so far missing in this discussion is for example Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer (P.M.I. & T.K.M'S GURU) is supposed to have incorporated some of the Marathi stuff into his approach etc. Luckily Harimau was not around to object & make jokes I guess. May be either of the technical experts here can talk to T.K.M. about it. Madras a Kannan lives very near M.A. & is very approachable too.. I am going to request my class mate, fellow theoretical physicist & MDR' disciple Prof . V.Radhakrishnan to ask T.K.M. about this & will duly report.
As the discussion gets more & more technical I am writing more about Historical & BIG PICTURE approach to the discussions as I am sure there are some who might be interested in this area too. VKV :-\

[semmu86]

Tanjavur Ramadasa Rao (guru of nonagenarian Madras Kannan).

Shri B.M.Sundaram once told me that the arai chApu of Ramadasa Rao was also equally lethal & famous in its own way. I was told that PMI & PSP used to attend the concerts of Ramadasa Rao frequently. Shri Kalidas also mentioned about this in his lecture. Generation wise, am not sure as to where he gets placed. Maybe a tad senior to PMI &PSP, but in the immediate genaration after vidwAns like TVI, Rangu Iyengar etc...

One of the points so far missing in this discussion is for example Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer (P.M.I. & T.K.M'S GURU) is supposed to have incorporated some of the Marathi stuff into his approach etc.

Many experts have cited the Marathi influence in the thanjAvur style of drumming. But am yet to come across any concrete stuff on this, as to what types of sollus/ patterns that have got influenced. The earliest form of accompaniment was to harikathas, bhajans etc.. Of course, especially harikatha has come into TN from the Marathis. Harikatha in Marathi was called by the name "Keerthan" & its practitioners, "keerthankArs". Narayanaswamy Appa I was told used to accompany frequently for Marathi Bhajan sessions & harikatha. It is also on record that vidwAns like UKS, TKM have accompanied Embar Vijayaraghavachariar frequently. Shri. Kalidas made an interesting point that, TVI has accompanied for many of the dance programmes of Shri. Thanjavur Upendran's mother.

So, there are lot of stuff scattered out here & there and its quite tricky & challenging to collate them together. Maybe that we have travelled so far in time, it becomes tricky to trace as to what the exact influences of Marathis were, as most of the stuff what we get to hear are all "Hear Say".

[cacm]

Yes. I have tried very hard to actually to locate Marathi artists from Maharashtra (ever since S.Rajam told me that MVI used to come to his Nadu street home just before his concerts many times & listen to Kumara Ghandarva the Marathi singer who also got Sangitha Nataka Academy award THE SAME YEAR as MVI) BUT found I just could not communicate in the music language we know with them!. Also I dont know enough! However the Harikatha performers all claim its all there..... Just want add that PMI has also played for Harikatha. VKV

[uday_shankar]

Arai chApu must be heard from Arupathi Natesa Iyer & from Rangu Iyengar.

One more example...Chitravina Ravikiran once told me that the late Palghat Ramachandra Iyer, the highly gifted by reclusve brother of the late Palghat Sundaram, had an absolutely delectable arai chappu worth dying for, among other things. Also remember hearing that his style of keezh kala accompaniment was unmatched and that his posture was majestic (as I find UKS's posture too). Apparently, he used to frequent the young Ravikiran's household and informally accompany him. Ramachandra Iyer disappeared from the concert scene, to drift into a spiritual quest that took him to Tirupathi and elsewhere. The ghatam maestro Subash Chandran has told me that he has learned some korvais from Ramachandra Iyer.

[semmu86]

One other person who I talked about the MARATHA influences was DR.Prameela Gurumoorthy(whose thesis was on Harikatha) but did not specifically discuss Arai Chapu as my IGNORANCE LEVEL EXCEEDED justifying wasting her time! May be Semmu or Mahasvishnu can sound her out. Also I did talk to SMT. Kamala Moorthy in general again about the Maharastrian influences in Carnatic music Drumming etc but not at a high level.

I happened to talk to Kalyanapuram Sri. Aaravamudachariar a few days back in general & suddenly broached this topic to him. Sharing here, the info passed onto me by him. This is more specifically about Marathian influence in harikatha, than does the subject matter.

"During the 17th and the 18th century, the Marathi Harikatha was introduced in Thanjavur. The growth of Harikatha was further helped by the Hindu saint Samartha Ramdas Swami (Who inturn happened to be the guru of Chatrapathi Shivaji) who established his Mutt in 1663 in Thanjavur. His disciples such as Bhimaraja Goswami conducted keertans and bhajans in the Mutt regularly. During the late 17th century, many other Maratha keerthankars helped popularise the Harikatha style. One of the early pioneers of Harikatha in Tamil Nadu was Thanjavur Krishna Bhagavatar (1847 - 1903), who wanted to improve the Kalakshepa style.

The Marathi Keertan, or Harikatha were of two types: Varkari and Narada. The Varkari style consisted of singing various compositions of Marathi saints. These songs were accompanied by explanations of these songs. There was no appreciable story telling in this style. The Narada style, which became popular in the Thanjavur court, gave importance to stories from prominent epics. Thanjavur Krishna Bhagavatar adapted the Marathi metrical compositions used in stories to highlight the mood and the characters, most of them with Mrudangam accompaniment"

Maybe, my inference from this is, Vidwans like Narayanaswamy Appa, TVI etc should have been a frequent accompaniment for this bhajans & harikatha programmes and hence the Marathian influence in the Thanjavur school of drumming.

[cacm]

THOSE INTERESTED should buy&read Dr. Pramila Gurumoorthy's book on Harikatha Kalashepam (based on her Ph.D Thesis) which has WELL RESEARCHED accounts of this subject area. I will try to collect the remarks by Prameela, S.Rajam & Kamala murthy when I video taped her at VVS'S house for a week a few years back. VKV

[MaheshS]

Vidwan Madras Kannan Lec-Dem. About 4:30 in this lec-dem, Prof TRS asks about chapu, arai chapu and kaal chapu.

[anand_900315]

Very interesting discussion on the mridangam styles and very nice exchange of information and it feels almost like a Lec-Dem. I am happy to inform that Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira (SRLKM) will be publishing the full lecture in their forthcoming magazine. The same will be made available to this forum. The scope will be how mridangam came in to being and birth of the two schools and the people associated in the line with the intent.

[mahavishnu]

Thank you, Anand. Look forward to it!
How does one get a hold of this magazine?

[anand_900315]

eMagazine will be available on their website for download around 10th of Jan. I will also notify the forum at that time.

[anand_900315]

Happy Sankranti/Happy Pongal,

The eMag of Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira is on their website now. Please download and read at your leisure. It is a bit bulky so give few minutes for the download.

Follow the link below;
http://www.srlkmandira.org/newsletters/ ... an2014.pdf

[mahavishnu]

Thank you kindly.

[semmu86]

Thank you Anand.

[semmu86]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_HdN6DIZrA&spfreload=5

The full video of the lecture, in youtube now.

[mahavishnu]

Thank you, Semmu!

[SrinathK]

Speaking of evolution - this link I've shared elsewhere as well, but I never get tired of it. Listen to Palghat Raghu here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEQaC078CI8

What happens when PMI and PSP get combined into one player?

[talalaya]

Gem of a thread, fantastic discussions! I don't think even in lec-dems of great artists, has the distinct aspects of Thanjavur and Pudukkottai Styles have come out and have been put forward in such detail.

[talalaya]

Very interesting discussion.
Let me try to convey my point briefly. After learning several of the Tanjore style korvais and cholkettus, it has become quite evident to me that there isn't much difference between the Tanjore and the Pudukottai styles. There are indeed differences, if one is in the pursuit of establishing them

There are indeed striking differences between the schools & as you rightly said later, it is tough to make out the differences on accompaniment alone and usually, the thani avarthanam will be the give away. Having said that, one can still make out the vidwan who is playing (UKS/ TS/ PRR etc) based on accompaniment also, for they have stamped their individuality to such great extents. Hallmark of greats.

Coming to the differences, I will try to make it brief. Basic Laya Patterns remain the same, irrespective of schools & gurus. The differences come in the methodology of handling them, the approach & in their diverse fingering techniques. Lets take a simple thisram for example. The approach varies between Tanjore and the Pudukottai styles. Tanjore school on one hand stresses on making it more obvious at the beginning itself with stamdard patterns and then improvising on the same. Pudukottai school has the "keezkaala" thisram approach (Dosent mean that Tanjore school does not play this), but it is more prevalent here. TS has even improvised upon this by playing "keezkaala" thisram in misra chApu and there are recordings where he has played "keezkaala" khanDam also (He demonstrated this during his lec-dem at the MA in the 2008 season.) Strikingly beautiful. At the end of the day, both are thisram & khandam only, but the approach and the tailor made sollus & korvais by the greats (TVI, Arupathi Natesa Iyer, Rangu Iyengar, PSP, Dakshinamurthy Pillai etc is what gives out the identity of the school)

Kuraippu Patterns :: Tanjore school sticks to a not-very-complicated misra kuraippu in chatusra nadai in most of the cases. Pudukottai school (Esp I have heard TS) play some fascinating ones like khanda koraippu in thisra nadai, misra kuraippu in khanda nadai etc... Again a striking difference which can easily be made out.

Mohra Korvais :: Grapevine has it that it was actually Mammondia Pillai who conceptualized the termination of the thani avarthanam with a final mohra & korvai. Since i have heard many contradictory versions on this, am not in a position to comment. But the point is, both these schools have distinct mohras-korvais, which is again the give away of the identity. You can find a treasure house of Tanjore school mohra-korvais in the Mrudanga Chintamani & mohra-korvai DVD's of UKS.

Thus this whole partitioning of styles into Tanjore-Pudukottai diad doesn't really reflect the reality;

On the contrary, I actually feel that it does. Maybe since that we have a galaxy of Mrudangam artists today & that there is so many mix & match happening in their playing, we fail to get that impression of an unique school, coming out of their playing.

Brilliant summary!! It takes decades of dedicated listening, practice and training under a Guru to elucidate so fluently the points that you have written. Are you a student of Laya by any chance?