The topic of the lecture of Vidushi Jayanti Kumaresh was ‘Taan and its influence on Raga grammar’. He begins by discussing the various movements in the compositions, and highlights the Tanam as such a dynamic and movement-based component in Carnatic music. Tanam means something complex and mysterious. According to his research, the word ‘Ta’ symbolizes ‘Tatvamasi’ (a philosophical concept) and the word ‘Naama’ means ‘Namaskaram’ (Salutation). Thus, Tanam symbolically represents bowing to Brahma. Alternatively, tanam can also mean something auspicious or joyful, which explains its frequent use in festive scenes in television and cinema.
in Sarangdev Sangeeta Ratnakar Tanam has been described as a detailed form whose purpose is to convey specific information. He further said that when we sing Tanam, we use the words ‘Anantham’ and ‘Anandam’ which mean vastness and happiness respectively.
Jayanti then explained in detail the approach to playing the Tanam. The stress or accent usually occurs in an odd-numbered pattern on the first or third syllable, including patterns of three, five, or seven in its structure. The use of talam strings, which are the fourth, fifth and sixth strings, further enhances the talam.
Jayanti then explained why the Tanam sounds particularly beautiful on the Veena. The talam strings in the instrument enhance the talam, which she refers to as the ‘fairy dust’ effect. This enhances the staccato notes (short notes) and creates a colorful picture. Without talam strings, tanam may sound plain.
He also mentioned the Ghana Raga Panchakam and described the Ghanam as ‘pregnant with knowledge’. Historically, Tanam was also called Ghanam. Ghana ragas include Nattai, Gaulai, Arabhi, Varali and Sri, making compositions like Tyagaraja’s Pancharatnam highly suitable for Tanam renditions.
He illustrated these concepts by playing a clip of Veena Dhanammal performing Tanam in Nattai and Gaula. He emphasized that the secret of a good Tanam lies in finding the right pace. He further discusses Dwitiya Ghanaraga mentioning ragas like Narayangaula, Kedargaula and Ritigaula and one such style of playing is Chitte Tanam, where separation of the fingers is also a way to achieve Gaamaka and it enhances the tonal excellence of the Veena. . They also played a clip of Doraiswami Iyengar explaining what Chitte Tanam is. The other type he highlighted was Ragamalika Tanam, the expertise of his guru S Balachander. In one concert, Balachander reportedly played around 40 ragas in a single Tanam performance.
With regard to learning Tanam, Jayanti recommends starting with Tanam Varnam, which includes Jantai, Sarali and Dhatu Varsai, especially for Veena. He advised focusing on specific note ranges like Sa to Pa or Ga to Da and stressed the importance of gamakas. Smaller gamakas are suitable for transitions, while larger gamakas should be used to end phrases. Symmetrical patterns, where the distance between Purvangam and Uttarangam is also the same, variations in octave can also be added to enhance the Tanam. He classified the ragas into Melakarta, Audava-Shadava and Vakra. Using Kalyani as a melakarta example, he explained that such ragas often begin on jiva swaras. For example, Kalyani should start with Gandharam or Shadjama, but not with Madhyam. Techniques like Yatis Bhrigas and Jharus add further richness.
Jayanti said that Audava-Shadava and Vakra ragas cannot have the same Tanam template. Each raga requires individual practice. He shared an anecdote about playing Nattakurinji Tanam with his guru, who repeatedly asked him to include Panchama while playing the phrase ‘smgmndns’ as it was easier to play on the veena.
He described three styles of tanam playing:
Singing style – closely imitates the syllables of the notes. They played a clip of Padmavati Ananthagopalan performing this style in Pantuvarali.
Tantrakari style – more instrumental and technique-driven, exemplified by Imani Shankar Sastri’s clip of Tanam in Ganamurthi.
Personal style – demonstrating phrase-based, personal interpretation, as practiced by S. Balachander.
He also discussed Tanam inspired by animals and birds like Ashva, Gaja, Makuta and Mayura and figurative patterns like Chakra and Vakra. Although some of these forms are more descriptive than practical, he emphasized their conceptual richness.
Mobility plays an important role in Tanam. He introduced concepts like jod and jhala borrowed from Hindustani music to create rhythmic variations. Jhala is used for slow speed and Jod is used for fast speed. Jayanti recommends using the full range of the veena and experimenting with three-finger techniques to increase dexterity. He also touched upon the unique possibilities offered by musical instruments compared to jugalbandhis and vocal music.
During the question and answer session, the discussion took place on the nuances of instrument amplification, with Jayanthi highlighting the differences between the Mysore/Andhra Veena and the Thanjavur Veena. He said that the Mysore/Andhra veena naturally produces clear tones, while the Thanjavur veena often requires amplification to prevent a dull sound, especially at large performance venues. Jayanti argued that amplification has greatly enhanced veena performances, making them more accessible and impressive.
In his summary, scholar TM Krishna considers the evolution of Ghana raga and tanam, wondering whether the Dhrupad style ever influenced ‘Ghanamarga’. He speculated whether the extra pressure often applied to the throat by singers during Tanam singing was a remnant of an older tradition. He also expressed his gratitude to his guru Chengalpet Ranganathan for imparting the knowledge of Tanam and emphasized that his ability to sing Tanam today is due to this education.
published – January 11, 2025 05:43 PM IST
