Sarvalaghu

[jayaram]

I kind of understand what this term means, but would like to learn the technical details. Also, what are the other patterns of playing the mridangam as accompaniment (e.g. kanakku?).

I understand Vellore Ramabhadran is a good example of a Sarvalaghu style accompanist. What about other leading mridangam players?

A few audio examples would be useful too, especially to show the contrasting styles.

Jayaram

[maamoondi]

I kind of understand what this term means, but would like to learn the technical details.
I understand Vellore Ramabhadran is a good example of a Sarvalaghu style accompanist. What about other leading mridangam players?

Jayaram

Thats an interesting area in the art of mridangam playing. One of the other exponents alive today is TVG the great. I really admire the stamina he has. His jump to singing is a big blow to the art of mridangam playing. Tons and tons of thanks to Coolkarni for the bliss I have attained listening to TVG and others. Sarvalaghu is the style basically adopted by Thavil artistes. For example Valangaiman Shanmughasundaram Pillai.

Also, what are the other patterns of playing the mridangam as accompaniment (e.g. kanakku?).
A few audio examples would be useful too, especially to show the contrasting styles.
Jayaram

It is the Tanjore school which basically plays kanakku. We belong to this school. I need some time to honour your request - about 2-3 weeks (my son Parameswaran will be at home for the Diwali holidays) during which time we will edit and upload for your and others listening pleasure - audio examples to display different styles and schools of mridangam playing - especially when accompanying to a song.

Artistes I have in mind are:
PMI, PSP, UKS, TU, KRM, TKM, CSM, PRR, VR, TVG, MAE, etc

To a very great extent Sarvalaghu is resorted to match the style of singing of the main artiste.

To simplify matters, what I propose to do is to post pieces of 4-5 songs - sung by different artistes and with an array of mridangists. I hope that gives you a clear understanding of the difference and the pleasure of listening to great vidwans.

Let's hope to celebrate Diwali with a feast of different styles of mridangam accompaniments.

[Music]

Great idea! Thank you very much. Looking forward to listening to the treat.

[Nick H]

Very simply, Sarvalaghu follows on the rhythm, rather than playing calculations around the rhythm of the song.

All the basic lessons for a tala, eg na ta ta dhin na ta ta dhin are sarvalaghu. Of course there are endless varieties...

[jayaram]

A few questions:
1. During a concert, can a mridangist play sarvalaghu style for a while, then switch to kanakku? Does any of today's adopt this style?
2. Are there certain songs - or talams - that are more suited more for kanakku vs sarvalaghu?
3. I assume a kanakku mridangist won't play kanakku style throughout a song or a kutcheri. Are there certain parts of the kutcheri (e.g. RTP) that lend themselves more to kanakk? Similarly are there certain sections of a kriti singing (e.g. neraval, swara) that are more suited to kanakku.
4. Also, would the main artiste's style of singing affect the mridangist's style? E.g. TNS does quite a bit of kanakku.

A few audio clips (with indication of which sections to watch for) would be very helpful. Romba thanks.

[sankirnam]

jayaram, the quick answer to all your questions is "yes". Another thing is that no mrudangist plays pure kannaku throughout the concert. Sarvalaghu, or the nadais that flow with the rhythm of the song, must be played in order to set and maintain the kaalapramanam. Kannaku can be played during a song in order to highlight a particular sangathi, or for the mrudangist to highlight his playing.
The RTP does lend itself to more kannaku, depending on the artist rendering the pallavi. I dont want to name names, but we all know there are artists who have developed different styles of pallavi rendition. Some do it with lots of calculations, while others prefer simplicity. At all times, the mrudangist must be supportive of the main artist and follow his playing. If the main artist does lots of kannaku, then the mrudangist must anticipate that and follow it. The same applies for sarvalaghu.

Hope this helps.

[jayaram]

Sankirnam, thanks for the clarification. I assume then, that when people refer to, say, Vellore Rambhadran as a sarvalaghu mridangist, it means he 'mostly' plays sarvalaghu, but may play kanakku based on the main artiste and particular piece in a kutcheri? Do we have such examples of when a percussionist who normally belongs to one style plays another?

Maamoondi, we are still waiting for your uploads!

[mridhangam]

Sir,
Sarvalaghu means Sarva (all pervading) laghu means (easy). All pervading should be construed as All types of singing and laghu means easy for both the singers as well as for the listeners. The style suits for any type of singing. I have heard our great Vellore Ramabadran play for stalwarts using his own inimitable Sarvalaghu style even though the main artiste might be singing intricate Laya patterns. I have seen Ramabadran sir singing while playing the mridangam. May be that is one of the reason why he is not playing too much kanakku while the song is in progress. Even when the Main artiste like TNS or TRS sings lots of kanakku during Swaraprasthara he is in his own Blissful world of Sarvalaghu which will easily fit into the intricate rhythmic patterns. Moreover what we mean by Sarvalaghu is less playing of the mridangam in Karanai part (or the black patch) more of playing in the Meettu and Dhin solkattus coupled with Gumukki or thom. this gives the singer more sruti based playing than Kanakku based playing. If it is kanakku based playing then the singer might get distracted and get immersed in the Laya and not the song. Many artistes have forgotten which kriti they sang after the tani Avartanam becoz they got so immersed in the various Laya aspects, nadais korvais moharas and theermanams .. (hahahah this is putting it jocularly). The left right balance also contributes to the Sarvalaghu patterns. while on stage the main artiste should feel happy about the accompaniment that is the mridangam should never be a hindrance to his own Manodharma whereas the mridangist should also produce patterns (both sarvalaghu and kanakku) to make the concert an interesting one. I have lots and lots to tell on this. but due to paucity of time i stop here. More later may be.

[Nick H]

That is a very nice explanation.

Looking forward to more

[jayaram]

mridhangam - thank you very much for the lucid explanation. What would also be useful would be if we can hear audio clips that bring out the contrast well. Perhaps the tala experts here can help?

[msakella]

Dear member, mridhangam, In the word ‘Sarva-laghu’ Laghu means the ‘short’ syllable but not ‘easy’ as you wrote. Even in Tala chapter the ‘Laghu’ was named as it contains only short-syallables. While playing Mridangam it is very convenient and easy to play ‘Sarva-laghu’ as this allows to get it fit into any kind of intricate rhythmic pattern, as you wrote. But, while singing Svarakalpana, in 'Sarva-laghu-svara', short notes only should be sung without singing 'Guru-svaras' i.e., longer notes or Janta-svaras. amsharma.

[mridhangam]

Dear msakella sir ... Laghu in Tamil is colloquially used to mean "Easy" .. In tamil we say "Ellarukkum laghuvaga" means easy for all. i meant in that sense only. May be i didnt go deeper into the Laghu term as such. of course Laghu has also got different connotation called finger count too. A word takes different connotations in different languages. Would like to learn more

[msakella]

Dear member, mridhangam, It is true. Just like in Tamil, in Telugu also Laghu means ‘easy’. But these words Laghu & Guru are used as technical terms indicating the shorter and longer ones in our Indian culture. Either in poetry or music they have been used in the same sense. In the ancient period when Marga-talas are used, see that no Drutas are used in any of them at all. In that period even for Laghu there was only one beat of so called ‘Mathra-kaala’ in the duration of which either 4-units or 3-units called Chaturashra and Trisra respectively were accommodated and there were no finger counts at all to render any one of them. My colleague and respected Guru late Uppalapati Ankaih (he also demonstrated a Pallavi set in Simhanandana-tala in the Music Academy long ago) who taught me the basics of Talaprastara in 1963, was used to sing some Kirtanas composed in 108 Talas in his concerts and Radio broadcasts. Many a time I have accompanied him on Violin. While rendering the Angas of these Talas he was rendering the Laghus with a single sounded beat occupying one Mathra, Gurus with one sounded beat followed by one soundless act occupying 2 Mathras, Pluta with one sounded beat followed by 2 soundless acts occupying 3 Mathras and Kakapada with 4 soundless acts occupying 4 Mathras, all without any finger counts at all. Thus, the finger counts for different Jaatis have been introduced in the later period only. What now we are calling Gati was called Jaati in that period. And, that is why ‘Gati’ is not in the list Taladashapranas. This is a later development only.
amsharma.