Circular Contours of Chennai : The Namma Pasanga Syndrome

[smala]

"...
While Carnatic music continues to grow in its reach and spread, the surest way to increase your chances of becoming a Carnatic star is to have a pin-code that begins with 600."

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/che ... 242285.ece

[mohan]

For a Carnatic musician to gain popularity they must perform regularly in Chennai. To do this, it is ideal to live there.
Of course, there are several great and upcoming musicians who live outside Chennai (eg. Nedenuri, RK Srikantan, KS Gopalakrishnan, MS Sheela, Sangeetha Swaminathan) but to gain the core popularity in CM they need to be in Chennai.

I guess Chennai for CM is similar to Hollywood for a English movies or Mumbai for Hindi films!

[cmlover]

Can we say Mylapore is the epi center, the Universal Studio for CM

[kunthalavarali]

How I wish the epicenter shifts to (green) Bangalore. City with salubrious climate, beautiful temples and above all auto rides for meter rate!!!

[vasanthakokilam]

I do not want to go too geeky on this, but while explanations like Namma Passanga ( our boys ) may have some truth in them, we do not even need to invoke it to explain it.

There are two things at play: Marketplace effect and Ecosystem effect.

Market place effect is the well known social phenomenon 'Buyers go there because sellers are there and sellers go there because buyers are there'. This is why the 'sandai' (சந்தை) ( traditional market place ) develops in certain towns. After a while that town becomes known for its 'sandai'. eBay is the modern example of this. These 'markets' persist for a long time until they get disrupted by major changes in environment. So the market place effect is enough to explain the epi-center part of this issue.

As to why Chennai residing musicians dominate the concert scene in Channai, we need to reverse the cause and effect and invoke the Ecosystem effect.
It is the same reason why Actors and Actresses live in Hollywood and why Nashville features a lot of local country music talent, why big stars live close by Nashville. It is the ecosystem effect. Almost always such vertical integrations ( technically speaking ) take place. Silicon valley is an example of both effects at play and so is the Shenzhen region of China for electronic manufacturing. In all these cases, it is not the system preferring local people, but people adjust their own individual environment to be close to the system thereby getting entangled in the ecosystem and in a way contributing to the strength of the ecosystem.

--------------------
Going further in the geeky direction and so it is an optional reading.........

This is all microcosms of a much grander phenomenon that runs for centuries or even millenia that constructs societies and cultures over time.

In all this, one thing is fairly certain. Most systems are hard to change in spite of the frustrations of the many players in the system( as expressed by many in this thread). It is not necessarily because of some massive collusion and conspiracy but rather because the system is in some kind of equilibrium ( as game theorists would call it, Nash equilibrium to be specific named after John Nash of 'A Beautiful Mind' fame).
Equilibrium states are not necessarily the best for society but it is a state where individual players will not fare well if they alone change their behavior. So it is not profitable for them to change. For changes in equilibrium state to happen, environment has to change dramatically ( that is, technically, the payoffs change ) or a critical mass of people somehow change to move the system to an alternate equilibrium state. Here is where leadership has a huge role to play in moving the system from a bad equilibrium state to a good equilibrium state. Altruism and selfless actions have their severe limitations but they do sow the seeds of change.

It is a fascinating field of study and a lot of progress in understanding this have been made in a variety of fields in the past few decades ( sociology, politics, economy etc. ).

[cacm]

I am from Chennai & do not think that the prejudices in actions & judgements there are ANY DIFFERENT than any other place in India. But there are at least SOME RELEVANT REASONS WHY CHENNAI (like NYC IN USA) is KEY to recognition & success in Carnatic Music for artistes:
1) It has probably 100 times the number of Sabhas in addition to individuals arranging private concerts also. In my time(& I visit every year now a days & find things are no different now also) I used to attend at least 5/6 concerts per week of the TOP ARTISTES. This has to account for something strictly from the Organisers power base.
2) It also made it easier for the PUBLIC to weigh in & influence choices.
3) I DO NOT know of another city where there are this many free or almost free concerts through out the year as well as number of organizations arranging things as well as utilizing the opportunities artists need to hone their skills....... VKV

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Add to VKV's comments--the cluster of principal orgs in Chennai are within a radius of 5 to 10 KMs in Mylapore/Adyar(if you include KGS and Nungambakkam sabha as well!)--No other City in India or abroad has such a high Sabha density as Chennai.This may be inconvenient to people who live in the Western part of the city but none-the-less accessible.

[smala]

In laymen and reductionist terms we could reduce the All Roads Lead to Chennai down to Sabhas, Patronage, Media. There could be some permutations combinations within these that could further account for the Chennai-centric CM laurels as well.

Let me offer an an armchair assessment never having visited a Sabha in Chennai and with no credentials other than attending a few temple mandapam or pandal-CM Harikatha concerts or a couple of trips to the famed Shanmukhananda Hall in a distant blurry past life.

Sabhas
The Mecca hosts and thrives in culture supporting over a dozen Sabhas with Halls of Fame dedicated to CM. These Halls of Fame locate themselves within convenient radius of CBD (city business district) and a comfort zone, while some may lie at perimeters that might take endurance tests with Auto Pliers ripping or raping your wallet. No sweat, a trifling inconvenience this, if you're an NRI descended from the skies all this is anyway zimbly a bit annoying but a Means To The End. If you're local, the inconvenience may stretch to testing your haggling skills but it will eventually get you there, you might show up after the RTP. But if you have a discreet friend recording at site, no problemo. Back to Sabhas. The draw is, of course, the Music and the artist and some Sabhas do draw with the good governance and pretty doodle type peacock motifs on Backdrops, even with plastic chairs or the inviting jamakalam. Some draw, remember that goal Music ! with stinky atrocious wetter than Cheerapunji Loos where brown water trickles from a flush over your head, that is if you're standard Indian midget and not too tall to conk that head plus know how to crank that chain, remember it is Music you came for. Some with Loos so dry, you'd dance with your water bottle as best friend, not your Amex or Toilet-tissue please ! and then there are some just passable (not by International Standards though), that is, if your intent is just brisk business and not campin' out for an hour for vanity's sake or hangin' out to call your beloved in private. Some Sabhas draw with their enticing Canteen Fodder, an escape from the Tani Avartanam or you snoring pal in the seat next to you, or as in Nick's case, escaping that hard-thigh-slapping-thalam-putting classicallover. At the best, the Sabha is a reason to breathe easy in the Ambiance of music and savor that rare Masala Vadai or Guduma Aluva banned from your house since Bad Cholesterol took control of you or that Diabetes threatening to sink you. Maybe its the innocent Ammini Kozhakattai or the Mor-Kali that is the star of attraction, that divine memory trip down Mother's Lane served up by Krishna Sweets now relegated a memory since your aiding and abetting partner in crime took to the modern time-saving cuisine and ways. Or, if the Ambiance of Music is greater, equal to or less than the sum total of Canteen Food For The Dead with its weak water passing for Kapi, you'd be held captive in your seat and respect that Tani.

Patronage
The Mecca is dotted with a fair number of CM teachers and an even fairer student population. In their interest in paying CM careers these days they tend to veer towards Halls. The substantial patronage, is largely a population over the hill, close to or beyond retirement that magical time when time is a breeze and your renewal with Faith and Tradition sets in. For some, the urge to attend Live CM is largely a spiritual renaissance, that stairway connection to the Heavens hanging somewhere over the horizon. Or for some it is a yearly draw to renew acquaintances and friendship and talk of Those Were The Days, Those Golden Greats, Old is Gold, What's Ailing in CM...These Modern Youngsters. For some others it is a sari-display opportunity, maybe even time for that stored jewelry to shine, if some kind passerby did not relieve you of the weight from that slender neck. There is something about Rustle and Splendor Ambiance of Chennai Silks in Chennai that is hard to describe and only the gender-sensitive can appreciate. So the Harimau's, Nicks of this world don't even venture into this one.

Media
The Hindu, a leading Daily actively supports the Culture and the Arts, like NYT, in this Mecca. It even has staff-reviewers wielding pens and vocabulary, concert hopping with notes of 'meticulous' 'note-worthy' 'sub-par' and the like with spelling skills that can be termed exceptional in recognizing Rohan as Rohit, participant in the performance. The Mecca even has self-styled critics that write their opinions to the paper and get read and heard by the larger audience that did not throng to the Halls but is glued to the TV or paper anyway. The point is the media both paper and the idiot-box invite the musician to your home and that just makes one crave the excitement to attend those happening places where all this happens, Live.

All together the segments interact and the triangle evolves. So if B'lore can launch some dozen to more Sabhas with a distinct, devoted, capacity following, have featured festivals, have a leading Daily and other media promote the excitement like Kollywood movies, you might make some headway. Salubrious climate as in B'lore is a non-sequitur since Margahzi in sringara Chennai is the most magical of months and romantic of climates. So go on.. pen those thoughts on how you might seek a Mecca transfer or even duplicate Meccas.

[VK RAMAN]

who all fall under this "The Namma Pasanga Syndrom"

[cmlover]

CM is Chennai Music!
and you want to make it into
BM = ****** Music, I mean Bangalore Music
(Good God! The world did not end on 21-12-2012

[smala]

CML... as in Bakwas? Just trying to fill the 6star spaces.

[cmlover]

Your guess is as good as mine
Actually there should have been 8 stars

[smala]

I think if you live, breathe the Coovam air, are heard in Chennai plus speak Tamil without an accent and adopt Tamil ways then the Namma Pasanga cap fits

btw, the Namma Pasanga does not translate to Our Boys, it is Our Kids/Our Folks and gender inclusive.

On another note, if only, if only Kalaignar TV had also promoted CM then it would have been double heck of a Mecca, just a thought.

[Nick H]

I DO NOT know of another city where there are this many free or almost free concerts through out the year as well as number of organizations arranging things as well as utilizing the opportunities artists need to hone their skills

In any culture or genre of music.

smala, part of what you have written reminds me of a passage at the beginning of a rather good book about the arts and skills of cruising in sailing yachts. Substantially compressed, it said something like...

When the sea is trying to sweep you off the foredeck to a cold, wet certain death, and the wind is assisting the sail you are trying to lower to push you over the side as well... As yet another gallon of icy spray goes down the back of your neck, and you ask, "why am I doing this?" you should remember that you are doing it because you enjoy it!

I do, by the way, venture in Chennai silks. Although most of my kurtas come from FabIndia, and my vestis are Kerala handloom, I am a keen fan of beautiful fabrics (and those that wear them ). I prefer RmKV, though, and my favourite, firmly remains Nalli. I absolutely cannot help a big grin as I inhale that wonderful smell on walking through the door. Of course, I do not know the raga (there must be one! This is Nalli's shop!) --- but I enjoy anyway

[cacm]

I wish to recollect a few of my experiences with a few of the Artists from "outside of Madras origin" called Namma Pasanga:
BMK was praised in Parthaswamy Swami Sabha as a genius & prodigy- BMK was 12!- & inducted into the Namma Pasanga Category by none other than G.N.B......LGJ'S efforts & encouragement made Nedanuri Garu & Voletti Garu made them the most popular artists in Chennai...To slightly contradict S.Mala's implied Coovum River's greatness as a contributory factor- in jest- Sheikh Chinnamoulana ( upholder of close to 3 centuries of Karavadi School of Nadaswaram)moved to Srirangam (& its river Kaveri or Kollidam?) according to him to be near Nagaswara Chakravarthi TNR & all of them (with whom I have discussed this subject) pretty much said that MADRAS had the ability, appreciation and ability to project the talents of great music & that was the reason they HAD to move away from their original places. As one from Madras there APPEARS to be some truth in their conclusions& observations & I hope ALL the releveant and/or irrelevant factors will be flushed out here. TOO BAD R.K.Narayan did not address this issue.....VKV

[vasanthakokilam]

>Srirangam (& its river Kaveri or Kollidam?)

Both. iraNDATri naDuvilE En paLLI koNDIrayya shrI ranganAtharE