Bols of bhakti
SMITA BELLUR
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Raghunath Nakod, a leading tabla artiste of the country, believes that despite technological advancements there is no substitute for the guru
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Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.
MEDITATIVE Raghunath Nakod: `Music should be enjoyed in tranquillity'
Undoubtedly among the top tabla maestros in the country today, Pt. Raghunath Nakod, son of the renowned Hindustani vocalist Pt. Arjunsa Nakod, is a treasure-trove of unique tabla compositions. He is a true scholar made of exceptional talent and hard work.
Pt. Raghunath Nakod was initiated into the world of Hindustani Classical music by his father, the illustrious Sangeeta Ratna, Pt. Arjunsa Nakod. During the initial years, he learnt vocal along with the tabla. He recalls how he won prizes in several competitions because he could sing while playing the tabla. At 10, he was already providing accompaniment to his father. Veeranna Kamkar (disciple of the unparalleled tabla maestro from Dharwad, Pt. Basavraj Bendigere) taught him for about eight years, before he started learning from the tabla maestro Pandit Bendigere himself. He then went on to learn from the legendary Sheikh Dawood Khan Saheb of Hyderabad, his son Shabbir Nissar and guru-bandhu Nandkumar for advanced styling techniques and some rare compositions.
Worthy of his merit, in 1975-76, Pt. Nakod, at 21 years, was among the first to get a B-high grade in tabla. He regularly accompanied at music festivals held in the region such as Ustad Rehmat Khan Punyatithi and the Sawai Gandharva Punyathithi. After a brief stint at Mangalore where he was appointed as a staff artiste, Pt. Nakod was back to Dharwad.
The next ten years, as described by him, were crucial. He created a place for himself in the world of music. "From Prabha Atre to Parween Sultana to Pt. Basavraj Rajguru to V.G. Jog and Rasik Lal Andhariya - I got an opportunity to play with all major stalwarts of the time. AIR has been largely instrumental in my growth as an artiste," he beams with gratitude. "Those were the golden days for music. We had people writing from across the country requesting their favourite artistes/recordings to be featured," says this maestro, who holds the distinction of being one of the youngest top grade artiste in AIR.
With his phenomenal talent, Pt. Nakod feels that there is a world of difference between a solo performance and as an accompanist. He is distressed that some tabaliyas take off on their own, without gauging the pulse of the main artistes. He adds: "A complete tabla artiste should be able to tune his instrument, ensure that audio levels are balanced, and watch out for the gestures of the main artiste which may indicate reduction or increase in speed. It requires a patient and calm mind to provide good saath," he holds. "Raghunath Nakod understands my singing and plays accordingly," the legendary Mallikarjun Mansur had said, which the maestro cherishes to this day.
"Playing tabla as a solo instrument is a completely different ball game. It is the right forum to showcase nuances and compositions learnt from one's Guru," he explains. However, he strictly advises against imitating compositions by listening to recordings. "The correct syllables of the bol and fingering-technique have to be learnt from the Guru," he advises. His guru Ustad Sheikh Daawood always maintained that a copied composition could never match the one taught by a Guru. There is both bhakti and confidence in it, he would say.
This Rajyotsava award winner cautions against the rising trend of gimmickry in classical renditions. "Music should be enjoyed in tranquility. In their eagerness to win applause, artistes should not resort to flashy display of ability. A good artiste must create a meditative mood," he insists.
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