DEEKSHITAR AKHANDAM- 22/3/15

[CRama]

The Deekshitar Akhandam organised by Bharatiya Sangetha Vaibhavam Trust was held in the TAG Dakshinamurthy Auditorium on 22 March from 9 AM to 9 PM. This is one unique event which I will be eagerly waiting for year after year as it will give the joy of listening to Deekshitar kritis for one full day by eminent artistes who strive to present many unheard compositions without repetitions in the entire day.
The day’s proceedings were inaugurated by Sri.L.V.Subramaniam, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Govt of AP. The first slot was the Lec Dem by Dr.Sriram Parasuram on the Madhyamakala sahithyam of Deekshitar. Dr. Sriram, the versatile musician cum musicologist handled the session with elan. He highlighted the varied nuances that Deekshitar packed into his compositions, such as "prasa" and rhythmic structures. He also presented several examples of how Deekshitar krithis present a text book for the grammer of innumerable ragams.

Seetha Rajan and Students
M.Rajeev
Patri Satishkumar
In the next slot, Seetha Rajan Mami and her students from Balabrundam, presented the "Tyagaraja Vibhakti" krithis of Deekshitar. The song list.

1)Tyagaraja palayashumam – GauLa
2) Tyagaraja mahadhvajaroha – ShrI
3) Shri Tyagarajo virajate – Athana
4) Tyagarajam bhajare – Yadukulakamboji
5) Tyagarajena samraksitoham – Salagabhairavi
6) Tyagarajaya namaste – Begada
7) Tyagaraja danyam – Darbar
8) ShrI Tyagarajasya – Rudrapriya
9) Tyagaraje krityakrityam – Sahana
10) VIravasanta Tyagaraja – VIravasantam
11) Tyagarajam bhajeham – Nilambari

Their presentation was immaculate, with accurate portrayal of the krithis (devoid of manodharma) - and they sound one despite five singers on the stage. Kudos to Seetha Rajan Mami for her patanthara sudham and disciplined training of her students. M.Rajeev and Patri Satish Kumar provided excellent accompaniment

Dr.Prema Rangarajan
Padma Sankar
Melakkaveri Balaji
Sivakameswaram Chinthayamham-Arabhi
Bhooshapatim- Bhooshavati
Easaanaadi Sivaakaaramanche- Sahana (R)
Sree Madhurambike Sree Sive- Kalyani (N)
Abhayambikaya-Kedaragowla
Kamakoti peethavasini-Saugandhikam
Lalithambikam Chinthayamham- Devakriya (R,S)
Brihadeeswaram Bhajare-Lalitapanchamam
Lalitha Parameswari Jayati-Suruti
Santhatham Govindarajam-Nottuswaram

Dr. Prema Rangarajan has learnt from many stalwarts like S.Rajam and Sulochana Pattabhiraman and she do possess a huge repository of MD compositions. She is known for her unadulterated patantharam and chaste music sans gimmicks. Many songs in the list I was hearing for the first time. The raga alapanas of Sahana and Devakriya (Sudhasaveri) were succinct. For the Kalyani kriti, she sang elaborate neraval at Somasundareswara hridaya nivasinim. She explained that Lalitapanchamam of MD is a janya of Vakulabharanam which is different from the Lalitapanchamam as a janya of MMG. Saugandhikam is the 37th Melam in the Deekshitar School. The nottuswaram had a captive tune. On the whole a performance studded with vidwat and devotion.

Kum.Sankari Subramaniam
Gyandev Pappu-Violin
KH.Vineeth- Mridangam
Neelakanta Mahadeva-Vasantha
Paramjyothishmathi-Jyothi (Jyothiswaroopini) (R,S)
Syame Meenakshi-Nottuswaram
Gunijanadinutha-Gurjari
Dharmasamvardhini-Madhyamavathy (R,S)
Kanchisametha-Nottuswaram.

Kum Sankari is the disciple and daughter of Dr.Vijayalakshmi Subramaniam. The first two songs are new for me. For the song Gunijanadinutha, the chittaswaram begins at the shadjam. This was followed with the same chittaswaram taking ri as the 'Graha Swaram' i.e, the next higher note is transposed. This is a very difficult exercise which Sankari executed quite well. This is as given in the SSP. But DKJ has not sung this portion of the chittaswaram. The young vidushi has got enough potential. With more training and experience she will definitely make it to the top. The young accompanists supported quite adequately.

Shertallai Ranganatha Sarma
Mullaivasal Chandramouli
Shertallai Ananthakrishnan
Gananayakam bhajeham-Poornashadjam
Balambikayai-Natakurinji
Prasanna Venkateswaram bhaje-Vati Vasanthabhairavi (R)
Parimalaranganatham bhaje-Hamirkalyani (R,S)
Kalavathy Kamalasanayuvathy-Kalavathy
Sree Subramanyo Rakshatumam-Thodi (R,S)
Sree Ramachandro Rakshatumam-Sreeranjini

This can be judged as the best performance of the day. His powerful voice, solid patantharam, judicious display of manodharmam all contributed to the excellence of the concert. The alapana of Hameerkalyani and Thodi were replete with brigha-laden sancharas interspersed with a few widely arching phrases incorporating gamakas typical of the ragas. The kalpana swaras revealed his manodharmam and mastery of the craft. The songs were rendered with diligence to the accepted patantharam. Sree Subramanyo- so far I have heard only from DKP-DKJ school. First time, I heard from a vidwan outside their domain. The accompanists embellished the concert significantly. (To be continued)

[CRama]

Continued...
TNSKrishna
Mullaivasal Chandramouli
Poongulam Subramaniam
Swetaganapathim-Ragachoodamani
Kodandaramam-Kokilapriya
Diwakaratanujam-Yadukulakambodi
Ardhanaareeswaram-Kumudakriya (R)
Abhayamba-Sahana (R)
Santhanamanjari- Santhanamanjari
Sree Kamalambikaya kataakshithoham-Sankarabharanam (R,S)
Sree Venkatagireesam-Suruti

TNS Krishna sang exactly on the footprints of his legendary father cum Guru. The alapanas with long sancharas, brighas, abundant manodharmam and the laya fireworks in swaras all were emulative of his father’s style which brought nostalgic memories of the many TNS concerts I have heard. Alapanas of Kumudakriya and Sankarabharanam were top class. The swaras for Sree Kamalambikaya had abundant kanakku which the violinist found it difficult to follow. Mridangam provided good support. A very good concert.

Mambalam Sisters
Dr.R.Hemalatha-Violin
Ramkumar-Mridangam
K.S.Rangachary-Ghatam
Sree Dakshinamurthi vinutham-Phenadyuthi (S)
Hariyuvathim Haimavathy-Desi Simharavam
Parvatavardhani pahimam-Sama (R,S)
Sree Neelothpalanayike-Naareereethigowla (S)
Chethasree Balakrishnam-Dwijavanthi
Pavanathmajam Bhajare- Sankarabharanam (R,N)
Sree Bhargavi-Mangalakaisiki.

Mambalam sisters had their training under BV Raman and BV Lakshmanan who are known for their authentic patantharam and stock of many rare Deekshitar kritis. The list consisted of many rare kritis of MD all rendered in the most appropriate kalapramanam without any frills. The concert had a bright start with Sree Dakshinamurthi vinutham in Phenadyuthi - the 2nd melam in the Deekshitar school ornamented with liberal doses of swaras in the pallavi. Raga alapanas of Sama and Sankarabharanam were elaborate along time tested prayogams with the audience enjoying every phrase of it . Such an alapana of Sama is not very common in concert platforms. Nareereethigowla was presented in the most authentic form using sudha daivatam as against the Chatusruthi daivatham in the commonly heard Reethigowla. Pavanathmajam bhajare is a small song with samashti charanam. Elaborate neraval on the lines Bhuvanathraya vyaapakam athilalitham Bhoosuraadi Ramadootham added weight to the kriti and due to time constraints, swara was skipped. An excellent concert. The accompanists added lustre to the performance.

TMKrishna
RKSreeramkumar - Violin
K.Arun Prakash- Mridangam
Mangaladevathe- Marga Desi
Sami Ninnekori-Chowka Pada varnam- Sreeranjini (R,N,S)
Sree Valmikalingam- Kambodi (R,N)
Balagopala –Bhairavi (R,)
Sree Guruguhamorthey-Udayaravichandrika (S)
Sree Venkatagireesam-Suruti
Varadaraja pahi vibho-Nottuswaram

TMKrishna presented the concert in his inimitable unhurried style. Mangaladevathe song is new to me. The varnam is a composition of Ramaswami Deekshitar and TMK went on to explain that the Ettugada swarams are composed by Chinnaswami Deekshitar, Syama Sastri, Ramaswami Deekshitar and the last one by Muthuswami Deekshitar. The varnam had many swarakshara prayogams in it. Elaborate neraval at Neeswabhaava saagaramu yogyamou nanu joon sada followed by a few rounds of kalpana swaras added colour to the varnam. Raga alapanas of Kambodi and Bhairavi were most soulful. For the song Valmikalingam in Kambodi he delved deep through the neraval at Sankaram Somakulambikambhoja madhukaram. See the name of the ragam embedded in the line very intelligently which is the hallmark of MD. TMK presented Bhairavi using Sudha daivatam in the alapana and the kriti and hence they had a different colour from what we are familiar with. TMK explained that this is as per SSP and Deekshitar’s Bhairavi used Sudha Daivatam and Chatusruti daivatham is used sparingly in the avarohanam. He demonstrated clearly the use of both the daivathams. It was a lesson in itself for many. Sree Guruguhamurthey in Udayaravichandrika of MD is different from Udayaravichandrika or Sudhadhanyasi of Thyagaraja. Here Kakali nishadam is used and in Thyagaraja school it is Kaisiki nishadam.

TMK and the accompanists RK Sreeramkumar and K.Arun Prakas all were seated facing the audience almost in a straight line. RKSK violin was dipped in honey and his vidwat laden solos and returns were highly enjoyed by the discerning audience. Arun Prakash played his softest srokes as usual.

Each slot was for about 80-90 minutes, but gave the satisfaction of hearing a full concert - the credit for which goes to the planning by the seasoned artistes. The programme concluded at 9 PM. The entire programme has been video recorded. On behalf of all the music lovers, I appeal to the organisers to upload the concerts in Youtube so that the music lovers all over the globe will get the chance to hear the immortal songs of Deekshitar. The rasikas were provided with unlimited coffee, biscuits and lunch. THANKS TO THE ORGANISERS FOR THEIR UNTIRING EFFORTS EVERY YEAR

[rajeshnat]

Crama
Thank you for your complete stay at akhandam and also your review. Year on Year the BSV team is doing a great job, this year they moved from ma-mini to ps high school. Must have been a great treat. Many songs i am reading for the first time from your post.

[munirao2001]

CRama Sir,

It was a great pleasure in reading your review. I join you in conveying my gratitude to the event managers and Vidwans and Vidushees, who made it a great success.
One observation I wanted to share.

with accurate portrayal of the krithis (devoid of manodharma)

. Sir composition-Keertana or kruthi singing is always one of the tools of creativity-manodharma. Artist's manodharma is re creativity of the original with insights and imagination of the original creativity and adding nuances and values in line with the manodharma of original creativity of the vaaggeyakara.

munirao2001

[rshankar]

Thank you for that lovely review...many new songs....hope some of the presentations are uploaded, at the very least...
nIlakaNTha mahAdEva is a composition that can be heard in dance programs - it is appended to a trikAla jati called nandi col (supposedly, the jatis are derived from the sound of nandi's maddaLam as he accompanies Siva) - it segues seamlessly into the vasantA composition.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

That's an excellent report CRama and thanks.

I read it just once but found that the review is as heavy as Dikshitar kritis and reserved it for detailed/multiple reading!

At the outset I was stunned by the list of kritis with name of deity 'Tyagaraja' appearing in the beginning of the Pallavi itself! (sung by Smt Seetha Rajan and disciples). 'Tyagaraja mahadhwajaaroha" is as great as the 'Aazhitther of Tiruvarur' and for the the first time I listened to it from (the late) Srivanchiam Ramachandra Iyer-the senior most disciple of Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer.

[mahavishnu]

CRama: Thanks for your diligent review, as always.
I am amazed by the excellent relationship that Patri has with Guru Smt Seetha Rajan. He plays for her (even student choirs) quite often!

[musiclistener1221]

I was there, Shertallai Ranganatha Sarma gave an very good concert. Enjoyed myself thoroughly.....

[CRama]

An interesting incident in the Deekshitar Akhandam.
A middle aged man was sitting next to me with a note book. Once I glanced into the note book and could see marks like 5/10, 6/10 etc. I thought he is a school teacher and correcting some student’s note book. As I was engrossed in music, I did not talk to him. After Ranganatha Sharma’s concert, Mr.Sharma came and sat near me. This gentleman handed over that note to Mr.Sharma and asked him to see. Sharma saw that note and smiled and told him- What I sang was Hamirkalyani and not Saranga. Then I could make out that the rasika has given marks for each song. He had given marks for Ranganátha Sharma’s each song and he showed Mr.Sharma the same. The man who could not differentiate Saranga and Hamirklayani gives marks for all the musicians and have the guts to show that to Mr.Sharma. I afterwards understood that he follows Mr.Sharma to all the concerts and Sharma knows him as well.
Later on the day, I had some argument with the same rasika about TNSK concert. He told me that he is giving a vocal concert in Chennai on some day and requested me to attend

[harimau]

Dr.Prema Rangarajan
Padma Sankar
Melakkaveri Balaji

Abhayambikaya-Kedaragowla

The krithi she sang was Abhayamba Nayaka, on Lord Mayuranatha.

There is the krithi in Kedaragowlai called Abhayambikaya Anyam Na Jane, part of the Abhayamba Vibhakthi Krithis.

[harimau]

At the outset I was stunned by the list of kritis with name of deity 'Tyagaraja' appearing in the beginning of the Pallavi itself! (sung by Smt Seetha Rajan and disciples).

They are all part of the Thyagaraja Vibhakthi Krithi group. No need to be surprised.

Just like the Kamalamba Navavarana Krithis all begin with "Kamalamba".

[harimau]

An interesting incident in the Deekshitar Akhandam.
.........
Later on the day, I had some argument with the same rasika about TNSK concert. He told me that he is giving a vocal concert in Chennai on some day and requested me to attend

Concert at Arkay Convention Center on March 31 at 6:30 pm.

[CRama]

Thank you rajeshnat, rshankar, munirao, sivaramakrishnan, mahavishnu, musiclistener1221, harimau.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Harimau,
Now I am a bit surprised as to why the Tyagaraja Vibhakti kriti-s are not as popular as the Kamalamba /neelotpalaamba sets.

[mahavishnu]

Sivaramakrishnan: Certain pieces like Tyagarajaya Namaste are Begada are quite popular.

Kalpakam Swaminathan has released an album (available commercially) that has the Tyagaraja Vibhakti kritis. http://sensational.co.in/shopping/catal ... ucts_id/65 (this was from a concert @ Nada inbam circa 2008 that was even reviewed here IIRC).

[CRama]

My two cents. Among the Kamalamba, Neelothpalamba, Abhayamba, Thyagaraja, Guruguha vibhakthi kritis, Kamalamba Navavarnam is most popular. The reasons I think- in the 1970s, Semmangudi taught these songs to his disciples and his disciples S.Prema, SJaya, Seetha Rajan and Radha Warrier recorded the songs (The most beautiful rendering) and it was given to all the radio stations and he ensured that the songs are played on the appropriate days of the Navarathri. This was the first exposure of rasikas to Kamalmba Navavaranam. MMI has sung most of the kritis even before this. But this initiative of SSI and also it was twined with Navarathri has made that series popular. Secondly, they are in the most pleasing and common ragas like Thodi, Bhairavi. Very soon it was taught in the Music lesson programme in AIR stations. AIR TVM taught all the songs. Nobody has taken such an initiative in respect of the other sets of kritis. The other sets of kritis are sporadically sung in some thematic concerts. Through Kalpakam Swaminathan Mami only I heard Neelothpalamba and Abhayamba Kritis. Sowmya has released a CD of Neelothpalamba kritis- very well rendered. Thirdly, the other group kritis are in many rare ragas like Purvi, Chayagowla, Poorvagowla etc. Navagraha kritis are more popular than Kamalamba Navavaranam.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

CRama,
Thanks for the input.
Sri. Semmagudi's role in popularising Navavarana kritis is significant. Rightly pointed out by you is AIR's con contribution in this direction. (Swati Tirunal's Navaratri kritis also were broadcast).

The Navagraha Kriti in Huseni - Srree Kaalahastheesa, in particular- also got a 'push' from Semmangudi. Incidentally,it was he who sang this monumental kriti in a Doordarshan (podhigai) production years back on Navagraha kritis. The visuals of the doyen rendering the kriti in he background of the temple would be so 'grand'.

Mahavishnu, you're right. The Begada kriti (Tyagarajaya namasthe) is however an exception.

I feel that Kamalamba kritis have the simplest usage of Sanskrit among all the 'group kritis'. The Neelotpalaamba kritis are quite 'tough' and internalising the Sahitya is a real challenge for any singer.The Kannadagoula composition was notable in the past wherein many Vidwans detailed the passage 'Kaasi kannadagoula' for Niraval. (I remember S.Kalyanaraman's and Dr S Ramananthan's).

CRama, am yet to complete reading your essay!

[harimau]

Sivaramakrishnan: Certain pieces like Tyagarajaya Namaste are Begada are quite popular.

Kalpakam Swaminathan has released an album (available commercially) that has the Tyagaraja Vibhakti kritis. http://sensational.co.in/shopping/catal ... ucts_id/65 (this was from a concert @ Nada inbam circa 2008 that was even reviewed here IIRC).

Also, Thyagaraja palayasumam in Gowlai and Thyagarajam Bhajare in Yadukulakambhodi can be heard on the concert circuit. I guess the singers got tired of Sri Mahaganapathi ravathumam and Hechariga Ra Ra.

Sri B Krishnamurthy had released the Thyagaraja Vibhakthi Krithis as a cassette -- I would venture to say some 30 years back. The remaining unsold cassettes were distributed free to those who attended one of Gayathri Girish's Myriad Forms of Siva concerts.

[harimau]

Harimau,
Now I am a bit surprised as to why the Tyagaraja Vibhakti kriti-s are not as popular as the Kamalamba /neelotpalaamba sets.

The Neelothpalamba krithis were taught to several students by Smt Neela Ramgopal (Neela again! That may explain it! ) to her students in Bangalore. A few musicians in Chennai have made the effort to learn and present them but they find currency only in thematic concerts. Same thing goes for the Abhayamba krithis.

Then there are the Guruguha, Rama and Saraswathi krithis (the latter two incomplete in the sense that they don't cover all the vibhakthis or have a dhyana krithi or mangala krithi missing.

Several Deekshithar krithis are available only in books and these akhandam programs bring them out once a year, much like kolu bommais are brought out for Navarathri and then wrapped in old newspaper and stored in closets.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

I request those having rare recordings / unsold cassettes to post details in rasikas so that genuinely interested persons could get it.

A couple of years back, I saw some pre-recorded cassettes (carnatic music) in an old book shop (pavement) in Mount road, Chennai. The man offered about 10-12 of them for Rs.50/-and said: "sir, cassette tape oadinaa unga luck"

[harimau]

The Navagraha Kriti in Huseni - Srree Kaalahastheesa, in particular- also got a 'push' from Semmangudi. Incidentally,it was he who sang this monumental kriti in a Doordarshan (podhigai) production years back on Navagraha kritis. The visuals of the doyen rendering the kriti in he background of the temple would be so 'grand'.

Don't you mean the Panchalinga kshetra krithi in Huseni rather than the Navagraha krithi?

I feel that Kamalamba kritis have the simplest usage of Sanskrit among all the 'group kritis'. The Neelotpalaamba kritis are quite 'tough' and internalising the Sahitya is a real challenge for any singer.The Kannadagoula composition was notable in the past wherein many Vidwans detailed the passage 'Kaasi kannadagoula' for Niraval. (I remember S.Kalyanaraman's and Dr S Ramananthan's).

Without debating whether the Sanskrit used in the Kamalamba krithis are simple or complex, the amount of information summarized in those krithis were presented by Sri Pappu Venugopala Rao at Raga Sudha Hall over 7 (maybe 9) days (this was some 5 years back). Each day's program was nearly 3 hours long. The information he presented was later compiled into the book The Science of the Sri Chakra.

I feel the Abhayamba krithis are the toughest. Someone here characterized the charanam of the Chamaram krithi as "vala vala"!

One or two of the Neelothpalamba krithis are long but quite a few of them are very short and can be sung as the filler before the RTP or the main raga of the concert.

[harimau]

I request those having rare recordings / unsold cassettes to post details in rasikas so that genuinely interested persons could get it.

The Deekshithar krithis on Saraswathy have been released as a private-label CD titled Sri Saraswathy Namosthuthe, sung by the students of Smt Ambujam Vedantham, a noted musician and music teacher in Tiruchi. Yes, there are good musicians outside Chennai! You can contact her at (431) 2352411 or +91-9788509207.

These were offered for sale at the recently concluded Saraswathi Vaggeyakara Trust concerts at Rs 100, to cover the cost of production.

Before the Bharathiya Sangeetha Vaibhavam started, there were Deekshithar akhandams held in Tambaram. All the 450+ krithis of Sri Deekshithar have been rendered and they were diligently recorded.

Sri Rangarajan, husband of Dr Prema Rangarajan, has a complete set of these. You could approach him for a copy.

[harimau]

Sowmya has released a CD of Neelothpalamba kritis- very well rendered. Thirdly, the other group kritis are in many rare ragas like Purvi, Chayagowla, Poorvagowla etc.

Some musicians are troubled by the fact that two of the Neelothpalamba krithis are in the raga Narireethigowlai. They have arbitrarily chosen to alter one of the krithis to sing in Reethigowlai. Sowmya has done so, so have many others.

Smt Kalpakam Swaminathan was emphatic that both krithis should only be sung in Narireethigowlai.

It is unfortunate that she couldn't be coaxed into a performance of the Neelothpalamba series of krithis. Believe me, it was not for want of trying.

[rajeshnat]

Without debating whether the Sanskrit used in the Kamalamba krithis are simple or complex, the amount of information summarized in those krithis were presented by Sri Pappu Venugopala Rao at Raga Sudha Hall over 7 (maybe 9) days (this was some 5 years back). Each day's program was nearly 3 hours long. The information he presented was later compiled into the book The Science of the Sri Chakra.

I was there on the first day when Sri Rao presented . I remember vidushi R Vedavalli coming to the dias at the end of the first day telling Sri Rao either you should have the projector or you should talk and both are distracting. She also said to Shri Rao what is there for you to speak for more than three days. Shri Rao did not have an answer to Vidushi Vedavalli's incisive question.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

harimau,

I stand corrected on 'kalahastheesa' which is of course one of the Panchalinga kritis.

rajeshnat, do you know whether the Ragasudha programme was recorded?

[rajeshnat]

rajeshnat, do you know whether the Ragasudha programme was recorded?

SRK,
I forgot now if it was then recorded.

[harimau]

An interesting incident in the Deekshitar Akhandam.
.........
Later on the day, I had some argument with the same rasika about TNSK concert. He told me that he is giving a vocal concert in Chennai on some day and requested me to attend

Concert at Arkay Convention Center on March 30 at 6:30 pm, not March 31.

[rajeshnat]

An interesting incident in the Deekshitar Akhandam.
.........
Later on the day, I had some argument with the same rasika about TNSK concert. He told me that he is giving a vocal concert in Chennai on some day and requested me to attend

Concert at Arkay Convention Center on March 30 at 6:30 pm, not March 31.

Harimau and CRama were talking about an artist us without revealing the artist name .

In march 30,2015 hindu engagement column ,the artist name that is put is Yesh Prabhu [disciple of TN Bala] , who is performing in arkay hall today. I am assuming TN Bala is Washington TN bala of vilayaada idhu neramA fame Best wishes to Yesh Prabhu- hope we get a report from harimau .

[CRama]

Rajesh, You have interchanged my name and Harimau in your above post. Honestly, I did not ask his name as I won't be able to go on a Monday evening. I also got to know of his name only from today's Hindu. Yes. He told me he is disciple of TNBala. When I did not remember TNB immediately, he told me TNB is the composer of Vilayada idu nerama. Waiting to get a review from Harimau.

[rajeshnat]

Rajesh, You have interchanged my name and Harimau in your above post. Honestly, I did not ask his name as I won't be able to go on a Monday evening. I also got to know of his name only from today's Hindu. Yes. He told me he is disciple of TNBala. When I did not remember TNB immediately, he told me TNB is the composer of Vilayada idu nerama. Waiting to get a review from Harimau.

Crama,
I corrected the quote part now , the nesting of quotes was changed by me as two separate quotes, now i reedited it. Tx. Any case best wishes to Yash Prabhu.

[yeshprabhu]

I was reading on the Internet about Carnatic music and interesting articles about Sri Deekshitar's compositions, when I came across your website. I was reading it with great interest, when I was truly startled to see my name there. It was a brief report by a gentleman named CRam. He narrated what he saw and observed regarding my "note book" that I carry to all the concerts that I attend, and saw me giving my note book to the great vocalist Dr Shertalai Ranganatha Sharma. I think there is a misunderstanding and a misinterpretation regarding what actually happened and what CRam thought had happened. I have been coming to Chennai to attend concerts during the Music Season which, for me, lasts five or six months, from November to the end of March. I attend an average of 265 concerts during my stay in Mylapore. I take down detailed notes at each concert that I attend. I am not a professional musician. My knowledge of Carnatic music is rather limited. That is because Carnatic music is just a hobby of mine. I love Carnatic music passionately. I have learnt Carnatic vocal for some thirty years from a great vocalist and eminent composer Sri T N Bala, who was a very senior disciple of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Madurai Mani Iyer. For each season I start with a new book. I not only note the kritis sung, at the end of the concert I also rate it for my own personal use, so that I can compare the concerts, and think about them, and revive my memory of the concert at a later date. When I rate a concert, I do not pass a judgement on the musicians. The rating or the marks I give is only relative to the other concerts. For example, I might give a score of ten (a perfect score) to Sri T M Krishna's concert, and to the concert of another vocalist if I give a score of 7, I know how good a concert I thought it was if I look at the page, say, some for months later. I do mistakes: sometimes I misidentify ragas. There are three people in Chennai who look at my note book regularly and, if they see any errors, they point them out so that I could correct my mistakes. On the Deekshitar Akhandam day when I gave my note book to Dr Shertalai Sri Ranganatha Sharma, my intention was not to show him my rating for his concert; rather, it was for him to see any errors that I might have committed in identifying the ragas; and he did see an error: That instead of Hameer Kalyani, I wrote Saranga as the raga of Muthuswami Deekshitar's kriti Parimala Ranganatham bhaje. The three men who look at my note book regularly are well known rasikas who have been attending concerts in Chennai for more than four decades; one of them, Mr. Panchapakesan has been attending concerts for more than 70 years, and so they know a great deal more about raga and raga identification than I ever could. Sri CRam is right about one thing: I know Sri Ranganatha Sharma, and I have attended dozens of his concerts. He knows about my note book also. He has seen it several times. He knows also that I was not trying to show off. That is why he smiled when he saw the note book. How I knew Sri Ranganatha Sharma and how I met him and his family, even though very interesting, is a very long story; I do not wish to bore your readers with this long story. I only wished to explain what happened on the Deekshitar Akhandam day. I was not trying to show off. Things are not always what they seem to be, at first.
Yesh Prabhu, Bushkill, Pennsylvania

[rajeshnat]

I have been coming to Chennai to attend concerts during the Music Season which, for me, lasts five or six months, from November to the end of March. I attend an average of 265 concerts during my stay in Mylapore. I take down detailed notes at each concert that I attend. I am not a professional musician. My knowledge of Carnatic music is rather limited. That is because Carnatic music is just a hobby of mine. I love Carnatic music passionately. I have learnt Carnatic vocal for some thirty years from a great vocalist and eminent composer Sri T N Bala, who was a very senior disciple of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Madurai Mani Iyer. For each season I start with a new book. I not only note the kritis sung, at the end of the concert I also rate it for my own personal use, so that I can compare the concerts, and think about them, and revive my memory of the concert at a later date. When I rate a concert, I do not pass a judgement on the musicians. The rating or the marks I give is only relative to the other concerts.

Yesh Prabhu
I and many like rbharath,crama etc also do the same thing as writing in a note book but we also make a post here . It looks you donot do that . When you rate it for personal usage , you are already judgemental . Please do share sir in internet. CM needs 10 janmam , it is ok to be judgemental and it is also ok to smile bit later with a bunch of friends on the judgement of the past.

rasikas.org is indeed a vilayada idhu neramE playground

[yeshprabhu]

Hi Rajeshnat. I did not post on this site all these years because I was not a registered user, and so I was not allowed to post anything. The only reason I registered about a month ago was that I came across what Mr. CRama wrote about me, and I wished to explain exactly what happened. But usually I am a private person and stay away from arguments. Also, I have strong views and convictions, mainly because I read about what Mahaperiyava Shree Chandrashekharendra Saraswthi's views and opinions were about Carnatic music, and ideally how it must be sung: In such a way as to calm the mind, and not excite the mind; and I agreed with his views. People can do many things to excite and thrill their mind; but to calm their mind, only very few tools are available, he said. One such tool is Carnatic music. When Carnatic music is capable of giving an opportunity to experience Ananda, why settle for mere excitement and thrill? Was his question. I thought about it and agreed with what he said. Many people while not disagreeing with my views, also say that it is not practical. For example, when I asked the father of a very popular vocalist why his son does not sing every kriti with bhaava, at madhyama kaala or slow tempo, and sing in such a way as to calm the mind of listeners, he said that if his son started to sing all krithis like that, the hall would be empty soon, because rasicas wish to feel excited and thrilled (they don't really want a calm mind, he said!), which requires the vocalist to sing very fast, with a torrential flow of swaras (The way Trichur Brothers and Kunnakudi Balamurali krishna have been singing lately; and they have been getting huge applause because modern day rasikas seem to like that kind of singing) So I have started to keep my opinions to myself! Any way, only a very small number of rasikas think the way I do; I belong to a very small minority.
Yesh Prabhu, Mylapore, Chennai

[bhakthim dehi]

Well said yeshprabhu.