Steeped in tradition

R. Vedavalli will be conferred the title, `Sangita Kalanidhi,' by the Music Academy on January 1. NANDINI RAMANI profiles the artiste.

IN THE field of Carnatic music, if one searches for a true representation of Sampradaya Sangita, it can best be and in the music of R. Vedavalli, an exemplary musician endowed with a fine blend of matured artistry, inimitable Manodharma and unique expertise in Pallavi rendering. Vedavalli is one of those rare musicians who have all along put in tireless efforts to uphold the values of tradition and the importance of continuing the artistic path with sincerity, dedication and commitment.

R. Vedavalli is being decorated with the title of Sangita Kalanidhi this year, the highest honour from the foremost institution, the Music Academy, Madras. It is indeed a great moment for this musician of innumerable achievements, to receive this unique honour, following the footsteps of her great teachers, Madurai Srirangam Iyengar and Mudicondan C. Venkatarama Iyer, who have been recipients in the earlier years. Another significant aspect is that Vedavalli has made this age-old institution proud by being the one and only of its early students of the Teacher's College of Music to receive this recognition. ``I am indeed very happy to have this acknowledgement from this great institution with which I have had a five-decade long association as a student, teacher, performer, musicologist and in several allied capacities,'' says Vedavalli. ``The music Academy has played a vital role at different stages of my musical career'' she added while speaking with nostalgic memories of this institution. Vedavalli remembers with warmth the support she received from the stalwarts of the Music Academy.

Hailing from Mannargudi, in Thanjavur district Vedavalli's initial musical instinct was enriched by the well-known musical heritage of this town. Here, Madurai Srirangam Iyengar of the famous Madurai Brothers, discovered her innate talent when she was seven-years-old, and offered to initiate her into Carnatic music. In the three years of her tutelage, a strong foundation was laid. For purposes of her higher education, the family shifted to Madras.

Vedavalli completed her schooling at Sarada Vidyalaya, in T.Nagar and joined the Teacher's College of Music of the Music Academy. She secured a diploma with first class and distinction from the Government of Madras for proficiency in vocal music and pedagogy. Subsequently, she took a bachelor's degree in music from the university of Madras. Vedavalli also learnt veena at the suggestion of her guru, under Ranganayaki Rajagopalan, veteran in the Karaikkudi Tradition.

A full-fledged musical routine commenced for Vedavalli, in 1951, when she came under the tutelage of the outstanding exponent of pallavi, Mudicondon. C. Venkatarama Iyer. ``I was fortunate to have received the blessings of this great teacher, from whom I had intense training for over 25 years until his passing away in 1975,'' Vedavalli recalls.

Vedavalli was the first recipient of several of Govt. of India's cultural scholarships; one for a three-year intense study (1957- 60) of Ragam Tanam Pallavi with Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer, a two-year scholarship from the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi for specialising in padams and javalis under the guidance of T. Mukta of Veena Dhanammal tradition, and a one-year grant from the Music Academy, to learn from Kallidaikurichi Mahadeva Bhagavatar (1975), a number of rare compositions of Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar, all of which gave Vedavalli, enormous opportunities to absorb the finest of the varied spheres of our musical treasures. She was the first recipient of the Senior Fellowship from the Department of Culture of the Government of India in 1985 for further research in Ragam Tanam Pallavi; In 1996, the award of Emeritus Fellowship from the Central Government came as crowning glory.

The path of musical career that Vedavalli chose to follow has never been an easy one and it is her constant, firm adherence to aspects of purity in standard, and high ideals of tradition, set forth by her noble gurus, which have moulded her into a multi- faceted personality with the status of a well-respected musician, musicologist, researcher, commentator, writer, teacher and presenter of innumerable expositions on cultural platforms as well as in All India Radio. After listening to one of her early live concerts in 1954 at Bangalore, Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar was immensely pleased and blessed her. It was he who advised her to take up music as profession. The year 1955 opened up venues of success and paved the way for countless awards ad recognition for this invaluable contributor, from when there was no looking back; Vedavalli has had the rare opportunity of having received prestigious prizes three times from the former Presidents of India even at the beginning of her career in 1955 and 56 twice from Dr. Rajendra Prasad and once the Sangeet Natak Academi Award from Dr. Shankar Dayal Sarma; the list of her achievements is extensive and noteworthy. Several concerts all over India, the U.K., West Asia and Far- East countries, and the U.S. during her musical career spanning over five decades, have caused her a place in the musical map of South India.

The Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi (President's award), the Tamil Nadu Government's award (Kalaimamani), Sangita Kala Sikhamani from The Indian Fine Arts Society, Sangita Ratnakara from the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival Committee (U.S.) are some of the honours conferred on her. The award of Sangita Sagara from the Kanchi Math and the Jeer of Ahobila Math appointing her as Asthana Vidushi and the recognition received from Tiruvavaduthurai Adeenam deserve special mention.

Vedavalli's deep interest in research-oriented projects, especially her assignments for the Sangeet Natak Akademi have resulted in the most valued archival collections; among the varied topics that she dealt with, a survey of the varieties of mallari, the ritualistic musical format and treasured artistic heritage of the Nagaswara Vidvans deserves special mention. Her writings and publications cover a wide range of musical aspects and their intricate network revealing her thorough knowledge in the theory and practice of the art. Her skill with different languages in which she had been able to analyse musical treatises and texts of the Music Academy, provided her with ample opportunities to enrich her skill in Sanskrit.

Vedavalli held two teaching positions during 1967-95; the first 13 years, she worked at the Music Academy in its Teacher's College of Music and the rest of the years, Vedavalli was with the Tamilnadu Government Music College, Adyar, first as lecturer and later retired as Professor of Music. In between she was with AIR as staff artiste for a short period. Vedavalli who is well known as a fine teacher, is one of the chosen musicians, by the Ministry of Education to train young students.

The vast number of classical audio cassettes that this fine musician has produced, stand a true testimony to her rich and varied artistic endeavours focussed towards the promotion and propagation of a musical tradition of a very high order. With the establishment of Devaganavali Trust, a forerunner for devotional group singing, Vedavalli has been nurturing the traditional Patanthara or musical methodology of various musical compositions.

The technique of Vedavalli is a well balanced one with equal and proper attention to the lakshana and lakshya aspects of music, her clear diction, clarity in musical improvisations, firm grip in aspects of laya, the bhava-laden rendering of the sahitya, the smooth raga elaborations that follow in an unbroken chain of sangatis, like the uninterrupted flow of oil (thaila dhara), (a technique often referred to by Mudicondan Venkatrama Iyer) are some of the unique features. Vedavalli is a creative musician whose knowledge is vast and deep like the ocean, causing waves of joy within the framework of the traditional boundaries set forth by Sastra (Text) and Prayoga (Methodology).

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