Master of rhythm
G. JAYAKUMAR
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What makes Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman's artistry unique is his ability to appeal to both connoisseurs and laypersons.
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Photo: S. Gopakumar
TRENDSETTER: Umayalpuram Sivaraman's research has led to his evolving new techniques for playing the mridangam as well as scientific improvisations in the making of the instrument.
Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman is not one to rest content on the countless laurels that have come his way as an artiste. This seventy-one-year old mridangam maestro, recipient of the Kerala Government's Swati Puraskaram for 2005, wants his art to have a great future. It is towards this end that he has taken up original research in the art of mridangam.
As Umayalpuram Sivaraman himself puts it: "What you play should be acceptable to the traditionalists and at the same time it should appeal to the general public, thereby becoming a trendsetter for the future as well."
New techniques
Sivaraman's research has led to his evolving new techniques in the playing of the mridangam as well as scientific improvisations in the making of the instrument. His lecture-demonstrations in India and abroad and his writings on the subject are highly acclaimed for the wealth of information it provides to lovers of this art.
Asked about his innovative methods in the playing of the mridangam, Sivaraman illustrates an example of what he has attempted in recent concerts during the thaniavarthanam, the solo interlude: "In one portion of Adi talam, I play tisram gati and the other in chatusram gati. Then I play certain korvais, rhythmic design, one half in khandagati. This is something new. I call this `gatidwayam.' Further, I try out a combination of all the gatis in one particular rhythmic pattern, which is again something different from the traditional approach."
When he found that the wood traditionally used to make the body of the mridangam was not easily available, Sivaraman's research led to the idea of using a substitute material - fibre glass.
Sivaraman remembers the reaction when he first introduced his fibre glass mridangam with standardised measurements: "Of course, the traditionalists were quite sceptic. But I was able to convince them. I told them fibre glass is nothing but glass fibres embedded in a resin, glass is nothing but silicon, and silicon is from mother earth. And it has the same tonal effects as the traditional one."
Sivaraman has also invented a mechanical device to avoid any defects in moulding the skin on both sides of the mridangam. His research work includes the use of tanned and untanned skins on the sides of the instrument and analysis of the ingredients of the black patch in relation to the overtones produced. Perhaps the orientation towards research is behind the mathematical precision with which he strokes the mridangam to produce melody.
Sivaraman says, "Mridangam is a nadavadya where you can tap the fullest aspects of melody. To me, it is the king of percussion and queen of melody. It has captivating, fantastic notes on both sides. We should be able to make the mridangam sing."
For the past six decades, Sivaraman's concerts has seen him accompanying a galaxy of musical masters. They include Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Musiri Subramania Iyer, Dwaram Venkataswami Naidu, G.N.Balasubramaniam, Madurai Mani Iyer, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, M.Balamuralikrishna and K.J. Yesudas, to name a few.
When he accompanies, he says that he becomes the first rasika of the main artiste. He elaborates, "You enjoy playing for him, enjoy the lyrics, enjoy the timbre, quality of music and understand the lyrical value also. Depending on the pitch, you have to contain your nada. When you understand the music of the main artiste, you become one with him and thereby you create an advaita bhava. The listeners too appreciate this understanding and they make the clicking sound tch, tch, tch."
He has also performed jugalbandhi concerts with top ranking Hindustani and Western musicians. His association with a troupe of Belgian musicians for over a decade has been an enjoyable experience, Sivaraman acknowledges.
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