A prescription
PHOTO: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.
STARTLINE caption
Mannaragudi Easwaran, who recently was awarded the Palghat Mani Iyer award by Percussive Arts Centre, has an unusual prescription for success.
The mridangam vidwan known for his scholarship, laya-mastery, and vast experience says, "After learning at a guru's feet for about eight to 10 years, a student must reach a stage where he can grasp the intricacies and precision in the performances of other mridangam artistes. From that point on, he must practice for 7,200 hours before he can become a full-fledged artiste, a siddha in his profession."
The figure 7,200, Easwaran explains, is the "average number of hours a child spends in a mother's womb. A mridangam player too needs that gestation period before taking on the profession." A guru can only take you so far, indicate the path. After that it is up to the student to chart his own course and nurture his art. For this he recommends listening to the music of senior as well young mridangam artistes. "Being seen at concerts also increases your visibility. "
Easwaran says the evolution of a mridangam player from novice to vidwan follows three stages: "First, the artiste plays only for the talam. Playing for talam and song follows. In the final stage, the artiste plays for talam, composition and the main performer. This last is vital since every performer has his unique expression or interpretation of the same raga and composition."
Only a fully mature mridangam player can first understand each performer's unique approach to a raga/composition and then proceed to harmonise his playing with that personalised style of the artiste. And thus achieve that perfect chemistry, which gives soukhyam to the audience. Finally, an accomplished mridangam player should be able to face the unexpected and meet any challenges with ιlan," he says, illustrating his point with an incident during a performance when TNS finished raagalapana of Brindavana Saranga.
The violinist followed. TNS was then on the verge of beginning the krithi Soundararajam, when an old man in the audience demanded an RTP. So, TNS had to quickly begin a taanam (the raagam was over), follow with an instantly composed pallavi, an extempore piece in Misra jati Triputa talam, four kalai and with the graham/eduppu being after 18! Only then could he proceed to the composition.
"We accompanists too quickly had to follow suit and rise to the occasion, which we managed, thanks to our experience. It was quite a challenge given that it was a 2,500-strong audience and there were many musicians on stage. Above all, a mother's blessings are vital for a musician's success. Earn that and respect all elders, especially those in your profession."
ARUNA CHANDARAJU
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