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Kritis in their pristine form

Photo: S.S.Kumar

SOULFUL: Disciples of R. Vedavalli rendering some of the kritis in the CD.

In her introduction to the CD “Pramanam,” vidushi Vedavalli says that this is an “archival effort to record how certain kritis were rendered in the past and how they are being rendered today.” These changes that have come to stay have occurred over the past 100 years and the new generation can get to know that a particular kriti was sung in a different form and was also taught and learnt and stood in its “older” version in the not too distant past.

It places before connoisseurs of music not only changed kritis, but also changed ragas and ragas that have been lost. The finger is never pointed at someone or some questionable method. The idea is to deploy the state-of-the-art means to make telling contribution to the history of Carnatic music. Each song/raga is prefaced with brief and lucid notes before it is rendered by Vedavalli with her disciples, Sumithra Vasudev and Sumathi Krishnan. Talking of the Bhairavi Ata Thala Varnam, the explanation given and the singing that follows brings before us the Anu Bhandam, a post-charanam, post-chittai swaram beauty. The veteran wonders how this has gone out of practice in kutcheris. The creeping in of Chathusruthi Dhaivatham in place of the Suddha Dhaivatham, in this varnam, that has affected the character of Bhairavi is also noticed with concern.

‘Seethamma Mayamma' had been oscillating between Lalitha and Vasantha and has finally now settled to Vasantha. The variation between these two ragas hinges on the dhaivatham. Old books have mentioned Lalitha as the raga, which would suit the tenor of the lyric Lalitha (Dhainyam) than Vasantha (Ghambiram). This kriti therefore has been rendered in Lalitha.

The familiar ‘Bantrureethi' in Hamsanadham has lost its original shatsruthi dhaivatham over a period of time and its araohana and avarohana krama has been reduced to sa ri ma pa ni sa and sa ni pa ma ri sa. Moreover, sans dhaivatham this would become a janya of Simhendramadhyamam or Dharmavathi deviating from the original Needhimathi. This song is heard on the CD in Hamsanadham with Dhaivatham intact.

Shadvidhamargini raga

‘Gnanamosagaraadha' synonymous with Purvikalyani had Shadvidhamargini as its raga. This has been mentioned as part of the footnotes in many old books. The lyric seeking Gnaanam from Rama would limit itself to a sober Shadvidhamargini than the grand Purvikalyani. Thyagaraja must have opted only for the former. This song, therefore is sung in Shadvidhamargini.

Gowlipanthu has been treated by the Trinity individually and the focus has been on the use of the swaram ma. Old books mention this as Mayamalagowla janyam and would therefore warrant the use of only suddha madhyamam in its scale. ‘Krishnanadha Mukundha' of Dikshitar is sung in this collection.

Tyagaraja kritis ‘Nadha Thanumanisam' (Chitharanjani), ‘Ramaniyada' (Dilipakam), ‘Chethulara' (Kharaharapriya), ‘Nidasanu' (Hamirkalyani) and ‘Nagumomu' (Abheri) have all been put in their proper perspective and are sung, as visualised by stalwarts of the bygone era. Chitharanjani was a janya of Mela 19 – Vivadhi (now treated as Kharaharapriya janyam), Dilipakam has been lost, Tiruvaiyaru Tyagaraja Aradhana's ceremonial song ‘Chethulara' was in Kharaharapriya (now rendered in Bhairavi) and ‘Nidasaanu' originally in Hamirkalyani is rendered in Kalyani.

The raga Abheri stood apart from all its other minor variants, which is yet again exemplified by the rendering of ‘Ninnuvina' of Syama Sastri in the same raga (and not in Ritigowla). The penultimate song is Dikshithar's ‘Maye Tvam Yahi' which is followed by Syama Sastri's ‘Parvathi Ninnu' in Kalkada of Gayakapriya janyam. ‘Maye,' as in practice today, has changed swarasthanams thereby resulting in the loss of a mela ragam.

The recording quality gets full score and it is laudable that Swathi Soft Solutions has done its act of preservation sincerely, admirably and caringly, considering the fact that this recording is ten years old today. One also wondered if the English or Tamil explanation could have followed the song.

Are we then, at a cross-roads, yet again? If the familiar is not the authentic, how then will these “traditional-original” versions get back their concert status? Can vidwans (and rasikas too) realign themselves and re-tune their ears to mentally accept and re-recognise these? Can they ever disconnect and reconnect? Or will this CD become a matter of mere academic interest or will it raise many questions among musicians and scholars? Who are we to interrogate and should we? One wished these re-invented songs had come some thirty or forty years ago in whatever crude technological form it was possible at that point of time.

All the same, a phenomenal effort!

Document for posterity

Photo: S.S. KUMAR

AT THE RELEASE:(From left) Umayalpuram Sivaraman, R. Vedavalli, N. Murali, T.M. Krishna and K.S. Sudhakar.

Pramanam” a unique audio-CD having 12 songs of the Trinity was brought out by R. Vedavalli. N. Murali, Senior Managing Director, Kasturi and Sons, and president, Music Academy, released the CD, the first copy of which was received by Umayalpuram Sivaraman. Vedavalli, T.M Krishna and D.R. Santhanam, Senior Member, the Music Academy, were also present on this occasion. K.S. Sudhakar of Swathi Soft Solutions welcomed the invitees and said that it was a great honour to be associated with a project that was invaluable to the community of musicians.

Calling Vedavalli a matchless vidushi, Mr. Murali said she was holding aloft a tradition of unwavering adherence to sampradaya. Umayalpuram Sivaraman mentioned that “Pramanam” meant taking an oath of allegiance and Vedavalli was an authority on many aspects of music. He also appreciated her boldness and was all praise for the way Vedavalli had prepared her disciples to make them render these kritis in its pristine form.

Krishna wished that this disc had seen the light of the day some 30 years ago and cautioned against the loose manner in which the word Sampradaya was being used, in discussing issues.

He called the album an authentic document, which should be listened to frequently to gain familiarity. He requested Vedavalli to continue to release such CDs for the benefit of both musicians and rasikas. In response, Vedavalli said that the CD was an attempt to preserve a 150-year old tradition and that she was not compelling anyone to follow the bhani.

Mala Mohan of Swathy Soft Solutions and Sumathi Krishnan, a senior disciple of Vedavalli also narrated the pleasant learning experiences they underwent while getting this CD to its present form. Smt. Pankajavalli read out a “Vazhthuppaa” as a tribute to Vedavalli. There was a soulful rendering of some of the kritis by Sumithra Vasudev, Malini and Sumathi Krishnan to the accompaniment of Ram on the mridangam, prior to the commencement of the function.

(sivakumar2004@gmail.com)

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