Steeped in classical values
SULOCHANA PATTABHIRAMAN
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She has won awards, titles and honours galore. But Vedavalli constantly strives to further her contribution to Carnatic music.
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R.Vedavalli.
On November 9, Sangita Kalanidhi R. Vedavalli completed the biblical span of three score and ten. She begins the eighth decade of her life, a life ever since she was merely a child that has been totally dedicated and committed to the muse.
Vedavalli was born in 1935 to Ramaswamy Iyengar and Padmasani Ammal in Mannargudi also called the Dakshina Dwaraka. The unmatched, striking beauty of Lord Rajagopala, the presiding deity at the temple, has been extolled by many composers. Pachimiriyam Adiappiah's Ata tala varnam that portrays the divine charm of this Lord Supreme is a masterpiece. It is but appropriate that Vedavalli's rendering of this varnam with its `anubandham' that is seldom sung in concerts, is the acme of lakshana and lakshya perfection.
The vidushi has occupied the upper echelons of Carnatic music not due to fortuitousness, but only through diligence and a strong determination to prove herself. She has held centre stage for more than five decades, and is appreciated and recognised for the artistic monolith that she has built on a solid foundation of tradition, uncompromising, classical values in the performing arena, and as instinctive perception of the exclusive quality of South Indian music. She has had the privilege of being trained initially by the titan Sangita Kalanidhi Madurai Srirangam Iyengar, and later by Mudicondan Venkatrama Iyer, also a Sangita Kalanidhi, receiving his guidance for more than 20 years.
Discipline
The music of Vedavalli with strict adherence to `Sampradaya,' a vast repertoire, impressive `manodharma' in raga elaborations and meticulous kriti versions, has been governed by discipline, dignity and discernment. Vedavalli is a class by herself in the rather difficult genre of neraval.
Vedavalli is equally versatile and is a role model in the art of tanam presentation. Tanam singing is a vibrant, vivacious genre keeping the audience captive, and Vedavalli's tanam forays are skilfully constructed with extreme felicity in a refined mould. Her scholarly pallavis in intricate talas are executed with imagination, aesthetics and perfect laya precision. All these musical attributes are the raisons d'etre for her durability in the field. She is a worthy performer who maintains qualitative levels in her programmes, a Sanskrit scholar of great merit, a musicologist whose lecture demonstrations are filled with erudition, nimble wit and a natural flair to communicate. She is the author of several papers and books, a sensitive tunesmith, a guru held in high esteem and an effective organiser.
The Tiruppavai and Nachiyar Tirumozhi by Andal for which she has provided the melody are vintage Vedavalli. She hardly ever wavers in her Spartan commitment to her lineage, when it pertains to "patantharam." One can never hear Vedavalli sing Abheri with a chatusruti dhaivatam, she employs only the suddha dhaivatam and quite rightly so, since the appearance of the higher dhaivatam denotes the raga Karnataka Devagandhari and not Abheri.
She has had an enviable stint in teaching, having been associated with the Music Academy's Teachers College of Music and the Tamil Nadu Government College of Music for long number of years. Her considerable proficiency in padam and javali is due to the oral instruction received from T. Muktha, the doyenne of the Veena Dhanammal School.
Trust
Devaganavali, a trust created by Vedavalli to promote and propagate Carnatic music, has been encouraging young talent, arranging lecture demonstrations, etc. She has a number of audio-cassettes and CDs to her credit, thematic and otherwise.
A vidushi easily approachable, she is willing to share her expertise with one and all who come to her for help and advice. Awards, titles and honours fall lightly on her shoulders, for she is not one to rest on her laurels, but is constantly in the quest of widening her already monumental academic achievements and striving to further her contribution to this precious art form of ours, Carnatic music.
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