At the Sangeet Academy’s morning Lake Dame session, violin scholar HK Narasimhamurthy spoke about the importance of manodharma.
The 13th day of this year’s conference and concert at the Music Academy in Lake Dames began with a session by scholar HK Narasimhamurthy, who was also joined by his disciples HN Bhaskar, Mysore Srikanth and Sindhu. The topic was ‘To teach Manodharma Sangeet on violin.’
Narasimhamurthy emphasized that manodharma, or the creative aspect of Carnatic music, is one of the final chapters of a musician’s never-ending learning journey. He stressed the importance of mastering Sarali, Janata, Datu, Alankar, Geetam, Varnam and other basic practices, as these are prerequisites for developing Manodharma. He then explained the components of Manodharma Sangeet in Carnatic music: Alapana, Niraval, Swaram and Tanam. Narasimhamurthy states that earlier artists often employed Sarva Laghu more extensively. He points out that today’s artists often prepare psyches in advance, which, he argues, goes against the true essence of spontaneous creativity.
To illustrate his points, Narasimhamurthy explained in detail the basic violin exercises. They performed Sarli Varisai without the gamakas, with Srikanth starting with the Mandra Saptak, followed by Bhaskar playing the same with the gamakas. He explained that not all swaras take gamaka and he demonstrated this concept using ragas Shankarabharanam and Mayamalavagaula. The three violinists played Sarli Varisai in Shankarabharanam in three movements, with and without gamakas. He recommended practicing all compositions on a single string, devoting at least two hours every day to rigorous practice.
The session also discussed the nuances of phrasing and pauses in playing. Narasimhamurthy emphasized leaving gaps between phrases and maintaining composure even during fast passages. Bhaskar advised musicians to listen to concerts with the analytical approach of the musicians rather than the general audience, and to study the aesthetic approach of different singers and use that as information to improve their respective skills.
To demonstrate the application of Manodharma, Srikanth was tasked with playing the Thodi without the note Pancham, while Bhaskar demonstrated the Begada, focusing on the boundary between Shadjam and Dhaivatham.
Narasimhamurthy emphasized the importance of staccato bowing, which he called the “cutting bow”, especially for tanam playing. It was performed by Srikanth in Raga Keeravani and by Bhaskar in Raga Natrayakurinji and Kapi. Narasimhamurthy highlighted the need to bring out the essence of the raga effectively even during a short duration concert.
During the subsequent expert committee discussion, scholar Sriram Parasuram pointed out the importance of recognizing both stock and unique phrases in the essay of a raga. Narasimhamurthy reiterated that although the guidance of a guru is important, the artist must ultimately be free and develop self-reliance in creativity. Ram Kaushalya drew parallels between the vocal and instrumental traditions in Manodharma training. Narasimhamurthy also praised the late scholar Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, who showed the ability to present more than a hundred semi-circular Kalpanaswaras without repeating the pattern.
Senior mridangist K. Arunprakash said that the role of a violinist is the most challenging on the Carnatic concert stage.
TM Krishna appreciated the simplicity and effectiveness of the lecture delivery. He highlighted the diversity of playing styles between Srikanth, Bhaskar and Sindhu as evidence of Narasimhamurthy’s teaching methods. Krishna elaborates Narasimhamurti’s point about the self-acquired knowledge of manodharma and emphasizes the role of the guru in enabling students to access this knowledge.
TM Krishna concluded by saying that the session not only highlighted the process of teaching Manodharma, but also provided valuable insights into the behaviour, attitude and stage dynamics required of a performer. He emphasized that these qualities collectively contributed to the development of Manodharma. He also said that violin solo concerts need to be given the same importance as vocal concerts. He said that for this we will have to change our conditioning.
song padalgal
M. Elumalai and team in session | Photo courtesy: K. pichumani
The second session of the day was attended by M. Elumalai, who presented an insightful lecture on the origin, evolution and socio-cultural significance of ‘Gaana Padalgal’ – a genre deeply embedded in the urban fabric of Chennai. The session began with an exploration of the linguistic evolution of Chennai Tamil. Elumalai traces its origins to the confluence of diverse linguistic influences brought by Gujaratis, Urdu speakers, Telugu and Kannada immigrants. This amalgamation resulted in the birth of the distinctive ‘Madras Bashai’ – the language that underpins Gana Padalgal.
The presenter highlighted the socio-geographical divide in colonial Chennai:
• Vellai Nagaram (White Town) – Centered around Fort St. George, where mainly the British and upper class elite live.
• Karuppu Nagaram (Black Town) – It includes areas like Vesarapady, Tondiarpet, Perambur and Chintadripet, where the working class and marginalized communities live.
Linguistic exchange between these places led to the development of a unique urban dialect, enriched with borrowed words from Sanskrit, Urdu, Telugu and other languages.
• For example, the word ‘Kasmalam’ (meaning garbage) is derived from Sanskrit ‘Kashamalam’.
• Urdu words like ‘daulat’ (wealth), ‘jalsa’ (celebration), ‘maza’ (fun), and ‘beimaani’ (dishonesty) were easily incorporated into colloquial Tamil language.
• Telugu contributed words like ‘naina’ (father) and ‘dabbu’ (money).
Elumalai also discussed how linguistic forms adapted over time, simplifying pronunciation and syntax:
• ‘Azhaga Iruku’ (It is beautiful) changed to ‘Sokka Iruku’.
• ‘Odi wa’ (come running) became ‘Oriya’.
• ‘Dhurnatram’ (scent) was replaced by ‘Gabbu’.
The etymology of colloquial phrases was equally fascinating.
• English phrases like ‘don’t badger me’ evolved into ‘bejar ah pochu da’ – a local expression of irritation.
Gaana Padalgal’s performance practice was deeply connected to the lived experiences of the marginalized communities of Chennai. A notable instrument associated with this tradition is the ‘Kottanguchi’ (a percussion instrument made of coconut husk), which provides rhythmic intensity to the songs. In its early forms, Gaana Padalgal included improvised accompaniment including kitchen utensils, harmonium, tabla and dholak. Over time, the genre absorbed influences from cinema music, where these contributions made the song popular in mainstream culture.
Elumalai emphasized that Gaana Padalgal goes beyond mere entertainment and serves as a musical history of lived realities. Its lyrics reflect the struggles and aspirations of the urban poor, including their displacement from slums into ‘maadi veedu’ (high-rise housing), which despite providing shelter, failed to ensure economic security. The lyrics of the song sung by Rahman, which was part of Lake Dame, were ‘Enga Singara Pettai Ilai, Nangu Okkara Thinnai Ilai, Nangu Porandhu Orru Illa, Namma Vaazhakai Naragathilla’. It roughly translates to ‘In our beautiful hometown, there is no veranda for us, where we were born, our life is in hell.’
This genre reflects a celebratory attitude towards life, even including funeral songs (Marana Gaana Pattu) to honor the deceased through music. The discussion also touched upon the emergence of song rap among young artists, demonstrating its adaptability to contemporary forms.
Musical questions from the audience explored aspects such as: the background score used in the song Padgal, the possibility of complex time signatures beyond the dominant 3/4 and 6/8 rhythms, and early instrumental accompaniment including harmonium and percussion.
In his concluding speech, TM Krishna appreciated the singing techniques and voice modulation displayed by the Gaana artistes, highlighting their ability to convey emotional depth through rhythm and melody. The session concluded with a reflection on how Gaana Padalgal remains an oral tradition, preserving histories and struggles that are often not recorded in written records. The Executive Committee acknowledged the privileged distance that often separates mainstream audiences from the experiences of Gaana artists and commended the session for promoting greater understanding and appreciation of this vibrant art form.
published – January 13, 2025 03:47 PM IST
