Sriranjani Santhanagopalan, G. Ravikiran, and Bharat Sundar. Photo Courtesy: K.Pichumani
The audience was packed on the eighth day at the Music Academy for the second panel discussion of the academic session, which focused on the interesting topic ‘Traits and Goals: A Competitive Relationship’. The panel included Sriranjani Santhanagopalan, G. Ravikiran and Bharat Sundar, who explored the complex relationship between lakshana (the grammar and structure of music) and lakshya (its artistic expression and practice).
Sriranjani began the discussion by speaking about the three states of a musician, first the state of consumption, second the state of practice and finally, the state of flow, which is hopefully unaffected by the first two. Sriranjani emphasized that Lakshana includes elements such as patanthara (genealogy of the musical tradition), classes with gurus, and recordings. He offered an analogy, comparing the interplay of lakshana and lakshya to understanding a mountain, explaining that although one can appreciate the beauty of a mountain without special knowledge, one needs detailed knowledge to climb it. Requires – similar to mastering Lakshana – to connect effectively with the target. For them, the goal represents an artist’s creative expression at a given time, shaped by socio-economic factors, voice texture, and musical skill.
Yes. Ravikiran contributed with historical and theoretical insights, and illustrated his points with Tyagaraja compositions such as ‘Vidulaku Mrokkeda’. He said that Tyagaraja has mentioned in Charanam that those who have ‘Sangeeta Shastra Gyanamu’ (knowledge of musicology) are close to his heart. He explained how the relationship between Lakshya and Lakshana is cyclical and documented Raga Lakshana discussions that took place in the Sangeet Academy in the past, mentioned in its journals, where debates took place about the differences between Ragas e.g. That Dilipkam And Karaharpriya Or the discussion about the phrases of Manirangu highlights the dynamic interplay between Lakshana and Lakshya. He underlined that Lakshna is a living entity, which is constantly engaged with the goal of its time.
Bharat Sundar brings a personal experiential perspective reflecting on his journey as a musician. He credited his foundational education to his gurus and later expanded his understanding of both traits and goals by practicing manodharma (creative improvisation), studying compositions, attending lectures, discussions with musician-friends, and listening to recordings. For Bharat, the dynamic interplay between trait and goal is central to the development of a musician, who treats both theoretical study and creative freedom with equal importance.
Sriranjani portrays the target through Semmangudi Srinivas Iyer’s rendition of ‘Marubaalka’ Sriranjaniwhere he included subtle touches panchamam And Antar GandharamSimilarly, he highlights MD Ramanathan’s interpretation of Narayanagoula Varnam, where the phrase ‘NGRSN’ Featured simple gandharaamSriranjani emphasizes that our trust in a composer’s creativity is determined by how we understand the goal and lakshana. He regretted the loss of Pracheena (Traditional) Sanghathis in modern productions, explaining how ascents and descents sometimes weaken the ancient phrases. For example, in Begada Varnam, the basic phrase ‘sndss‘ has been changed to ‘S.N.D.N.S,
Ravikiran said that the increasing emphasis on Manodharma and the huge volume of music programs affects the lakshana of ragas. He pointed out that some phrases, like DNS In Begada Raga Alapana, despite being included in the compositions, it is not sung consciously. He also reinforced this with an example from ‘Varveena’ Geetam, where the line is ‘Sarsija Jana Janani’., was originally Use ,SGGG‘, which has now been changed to ‘srggSriranjani humorously quotes a senior musician’s comment that revised versions of compositions should be labeled “tampered versions”.
The discussion then turned to how ‘amplification’ affects the target and the symptom. Older musicians, without microphones, often sang in a higher octave to project the sound. Lakshana was formed on the basis of what they sang.
Ravikiran noted cases where ragas had lakshana but lacked lakshana, and vice versa, and also gave examples where both were absent. He criticized the adaptation of the song ‘Parandamaavati’ in Dharmavati, arguing that re-incorporating it into Dharmavati compromised the original intention. Bharat raised an important question about how musicians reach the mental space of a raga. He cited Ramnad Krishnan’s rendition of Mukhari, where the unconventional phrasing still preserved the essence of the raga. They also examined how sound production affects the target, as the same gamaka can make different sounds at different pitches.
Sriranjani emphasized the need for musicians to move from the conscious to the unconscious state when improvising, and urged them to listen to their inner calling and develop their goal. Ravikiran argued against rigidly following the printed Lakshya rules, warning that excessive reliance on Lakshyas risked homogenizing the Ragas. He cited Manji as an example, where its distinct identity is lost due to its similarity to Bhairavi.
During the question-and-answer session, concerns were raised over thinking too much about ragas, which can hamper creativity. Scholar Shashank explained that the gases produced by instruments differ based on their structural capabilities, which affect the target.
TM Krishna concludes with a philosophical perspective, defining lakshana as an organizing framework that provides logical structure to the raga while lakshya represents its innate essence. He highlighted the need to ask questions to Lakshana to better understand the goal. Drawing parallels to Archimedes’ “Eureka” moment, Krishna described the discovery of Lakshana as a flow of discovery. She also considered socio-cultural factors influencing Lakshana, noting historical biases caused primarily by male scholars, and celebrating the rise of female scholars who are reshaping contemporary interpretations.
published – December 25, 2024 12:01 PM IST
