Has Cleveland aradhana become a Reality show?

[jeevanraju]

It started in the United States with titles like Survivors, American Idol and so on. Soon the bug bit Indian TV and the whole country now is inundated by reality shows of all sorts, completely obliterating India’s deep cultural roots and repertoire. In a recent meeting with the Prime Minister many artists complained exactly about this asking him to intervene and make sure that Classical arts don’t go the way reality shows do.

In this light, I feel Cleveland Aradhana is woefully turning into a Reality show totally controlled of course by “One Man” and a third rate TV company from Chennai. I have been attending the event for the past twenty years and when I see the changes that have taken place over the past five years, I am appalled. Now they are ready to do anything that will bring in money, forget the mission of “promoting carnatic music in NA”. Awards are created and given at will, the same goes with competitions and the myriad of events that span ten full days.

Look at this year’s schedule. Firstly it keeps changing every day. Why not wait until it is all finalized and then post. Then of course there is this “ancient film songs” session and a heavy dose of dance items, not because dance is respected, but it brings in money. There are the so-called “surprise” items. I am surprised all right. Normal practice of “week end” musicians from NA featuring in multiple concerts continues as usual. Talented musicians like Madurai Sundar, Prasant Radhakrishnan, Arun Ramamurti, Rohan Krishnamurthi are not to be seen any where. They are professional musicians exactly carrying out the original mission of Cleveland Aradhana. May be these artists refused to fawn upon the “One Man” who blesses only those doing that.

Let us be frank, friends. The NA audience should take a fresh look at what is going on and tell the “One Man” what he refuses to see. As a first step I hope Cleveland State University realizes the situation and asks the Aradhana to take its” business” (sic) elsewhere.

Raju

[VK RAMAN]

Jeevanraju's post no.2 - where were you when suggestions were solicited? Why personal attack?

[Nick H]

It's just the usual annual screaming and shouting. Take no notice!

[vasanthakokilam]

When the Cleveland schedule was announced, I was thinking what this year's attack topics would be for the one or two obligatory negative posts we see every year. It looks like not that much, given the stretch one has to go to drag in reality shows.

[Nick H]

Has the committee actually considered a reality show spin-off?

Lock up the usual suspects (suspect?) in a house for a month and televise the screaming and shouting: will earn a fortune!

[cacm]

Nick,
You will be surprised to hear from me that ONLY ONE PERSON is doing the writing under different ID'S& we know who it is!....So I feel a one person shouting& raving session may not be that interesting for earning a fortune!......VKV

[mri_fan]

Having a job does not make one a weekend musician. Sri Sundar has a full time job, yet no one says that he's anything other than a top rank musician. The same can be said of those who were put down in post 1.

[jeevanraju]

It is not a question of "who" is posting but "what" is being posted. Criticisms and disagreement is a common facet of life. If the criticism is even remotely genuine, a rebuttal should be offered. I challenge the organizers to dispel my doubts although I nor my family are no performing musicians and have little interest in promoting anyone. Can they do a serious analysis of how the whole event started and where it is today? Can they deny that the entire show is carried out at the whims and fancies of one individual or that commercial return is the prime theme now ? Is this the way it should go on? May be it is. But then they should not come up with lofty ideals and sermons. One should not always expect a "pat in the back". And if one considers that any one who doesn't applaud all of what you do is an "enemy", that is dictatorship. If they address the issues I raised in a convincing manner I am all for offering an apology and saluting them.

[vasanthakokilam]

jeevanraju: All well taken, but we can not afford to not notice the 'sour grapes' type criticisms that are posted around this time every year.

About your specific issues, you seem to be taking a straw-man set of issues and beating them to death. Hence my lack of interest in taking them seriously. Especially when you start off your criticism comparing the aradhana activities with reality shows. If you do not like competitions, say so and that is the end of it. Competitions have been going on for quite a few years, it is not like it was started this year.

The following is my personal take, I am not carrying water for Cleveland Aradhana Committee. What if there are commercial interests? The perennial story we hear is that the committee is deep in debt for many years.. so why not make money to pay off the debt and have money in reserve for sustaining the aradhana for many years to come. There is nothing wrong with that. And regarding their lofty ideals and sermons that is much to your dislike, every organization has such a charter and I do not have any reason to believe they are drastically violating all those principles. That is in the eye of the beholder. But the bottom line is, it is their Aradhana, it is their choice.

Having stated this, I personally do not believe that the Cleveland Aradhana is the primary vehicle for promoting and sustaining CM in North America. Not that we can rule out that effect, but at its core, it is a great occasion to be immersed in music for 10 days. Any other benefit is gravy. Promoting and sustaining CM is a more local, area centric activity and that is being done with great fan fare every year in many cities.

[Enraged]

In this light, I feel Cleveland Aradhana is woefully turning into a Reality show totally controlled of course by “One Man” and a third rate TV company from Chennai.

What's the matter? Too scared to name names? Why don't you come out and call V.V. Sundaram by name? Or mention Jaya TV's name. If you're going to sling mud, you may as well do a good job of it instead of putting in a half-assed effort.

Now they are ready to do anything that will bring in money, forget the mission of “promoting carnatic music in NA”.

Even promoting Carnatic music in North America costs money.

Look at this year’s schedule. Firstly it keeps changing every day. Why not wait until it is all finalized and then post.

Yeah, and if they wait to post something, a different group of yobbos will spring out of the woodwork clamoring for the schedule to be posted. This way, the public gets to see the schedule as it develops.

Then of course there is this “ancient film songs” session and a heavy dose of dance items, not because dance is respected, but it brings in money.

What an asinine comment! There is a heavy dose of dance because this year is Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai's centenary year. Before you post foolish balderdash, please have the decency to do your research.

May be these artists refused to fawn upon the “One Man” who blesses only those doing that.

What a cruel ad hominem attack! No proof, not even hearsay - just a theory. How would you like to be treated this way? Maybe you are a disgruntled, bitter father of a talentless musician.

Let us be frank, friends.

Frankly, you are a cruel person without a shred of decency who casts aspersions on a person who rarely appears on this forum and never defends himself against people like you. Also, it seems painfully apparent that you have no friends on this forum.

As a first step I hope Cleveland State University realizes the situation and asks the Aradhana to take its” business” (sic) elsewhere.

What a great idea! Let's deprive an organization of its venue. I'm sure this will promote Carnatic music in North America.

[mri_fan]

Given your title, I was surprised by your tone. I was expecting a level-headed post.

[kalyani_ragam]

'Enraged" - seem to be a new AVATAR of an existing member !!!!!

worth a check on duplicate ids?

[vasanthakokilam]

mri_fan, if you are referring to my post, let me clarify. My comments are not in any official capacity, just my own personal opinions.

[kalyani_ragam]

Jeevanraju,

My sincere advise for you would be 'do not participate if you do not like the way it is conducted' and increase your blood pressure.
Enjoy good music - Many and plenty available today - Take a GNB / MDR or the like, sit in a corner and enjoy.The commercialisation I beleive cannot be avoided if you have to run an organisation (be it cleveland or any other oranisation) of this magnitude which further dilutes the music.

- RN

[mri_fan]

mri_fan, if you are referring to my post, let me clarify. My comments are not in any official capacity, just my own personal opinions.

No i was referring to ENGRAGED!

[vasanthakokilam]

OK, got it. Thanks.

[harimau]

Given your title, I was surprised by your tone. I was expecting a level-headed post.

And of course you lived up to your handle by hitting the fan! ]

[harimau]

Talented musicians like Madurai Sundar, Prasant Radhakrishnan, Arun Ramamurti, Rohan Krishnamurthi are not to be seen any where. They are professional musicians exactly carrying out the original mission of Cleveland Aradhana.

Raju

I checked the Reckoner for Chennai Music Season published in December 2010.

Talented musicians like Madurai Sundar, Prasant Radhakrishnan, Arun Ramamurti, Rohan Krishnamurthi are not to be seen anywhere in the Chennai scene during the December Season.

I guess they are professional musicians "exactly carrying out the original mission of Cleveland Aradhana" somewhere in the world at that time.

All power to them.

[harimau]

Can they do a serious analysis of how the whole event started and where it is today?

It started out in the basement of a local church where the Cleveland Indians (NOT the local baseball team) got together and sang the pancharathnams under the guidance of Sri Ramnad Raghavan.

Smt Saroja Balasubramaniam came from Washington, DC and performed in the evening concert.

From such "amateurish" efforts, it has grown to what it is today.

Would you like a totally amateurish show promoting North American talent or would you want them to experience what it is like to listen to top-notch vidwans from India?

A few who experienced Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana actually get motivated sufficiently to move to India and train under leading vidwans.

Let me name names here: Vikram Raghavan and Vidya Raghavan. Then you have Sandeep Narayanan.

These are NA-born Indians who have given up a professional career with far better monetary rewards to spend years in Chennai so that they can try to become professional grade musicians.

Take the case of V. Sankaranarayanan who grew up in India and is currently employed in Singapore. He has been travelling to Chennai several times a year to keep himself plugged into the music scene and has performed in concert before the December season. The result is that sabha secretaries got to know him and offered him slots during the December season. He performed in 15 sabhas from Dec 4, 2010 to Jan 11, 2011. That would have meant that he took 6 weeks off from his work. That is the kind of commitment that organizers appreciate and they think the person is serious about making a mark in the music field and try to offer opportunities where possible.

And you have people like Rohan Krishnamurthy (I will name names since you have named names in your post) who can't be bothered to spend a few days in Chennai seeking a role in the music season and you are asking Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana to promote him.

Why should Rohan (and others in the same position) expect that the world will come to them offering opportunities just because they happen to be in North America?

As a famous actress asked once, "Do they have horns on their heads" (kombu mulaichirukka)?

[srikant1987]

jeevanraju,

I think it is clear that by now Carnatic music in North America is served by a lot more than "one man". I don't know how it was a decade or so ago, but by now, several organizers have sprung up and are doing a lot for Carnatic music there. I recognize this (and so do many others, I am sure), if your angst is because you feel other organizers there are not appreciated enough in comparison to the "one man".

[mri_fan]

I checked the Reckoner for Chennai Music Season published in December 2010.

Talented musicians like Madurai Sundar, Prasant Radhakrishnan, Arun Ramamurti, Rohan Krishnamurthi are not to be seen anywhere in the Chennai scene during the December Season.

I guess they are professional musicians "exactly carrying out the original mission of Cleveland Aradhana" somewhere in the world at that time.

All power to them.[/quote]


Maybe I'm missing something, but Madurai Sundar and Arun Ramamurti both performed during the December Season. Sundar gave 6 concerts according to his website.

[venkatakailasam]

This thread and the thread "Are Cleveland Aradhana competetions rigged? " - I am not finding any useful discussion except full of local politics

and people are prepared to wash the dirty linen in public- I am sorry to use some harsh words. I am watching these threads for quite some time now.

I have found absolutely no meeting point.

Why not we consider closing these two threads and devote time otherwise?

venkatakailasam