`I would like to be a trendsetter'
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Talent and hard work have made Sudha Ragunathan one of the leading singers of Carnatic music. LAKSHMI DEVNATH talks to the artiste...
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Sudha Ragunathan.
"GEETHA SUDHA," the Saibaba of Puttaparthi gently whispered the name as he looked at the baby. He then turned to the mother and said, "this child will be known to the world as Sudha." Today, these words sound prophetic, for, Sudha Ragunathan, as Carnatic music lovers recognise her across the globe, is one of the brightest stars in the firmament of Carnatic music. Interestingly, music was a part of the routine in young Sudha's household, for her mother Choodamani was an accomplished music teacher. Being an ardent devotee of the Baba, Choodamani initiated her daughter into music through Sai bhajans.
The turning point in Sudha's life, as far as music was concerned, was when she came under the tutorship of the legendary M. L. Vasanthakumari and after that there was no looking back. The latest in her string of achievements is the national award, Padmasri, given to her on June 30 last. Sudha is happy, but not complacent, for, this recognition is but one more destination she has reached in her upward flight. In an interview Sudha shares her views on some aspects of music and the backroom efforts that go to make a successful artiste.
You were initiated into music at a very young age. Did you ever dream that you would make it as a successful artiste?
No, I had no such dreams but destiny played its role. when I was twelve, my parents shifted from Bangalore to Chennai. There, I got many opportunities to participate in music competitions. When I prepared for them my repertoire also increased. The prizes I won spurred me to work harder. The sabhas, that offered these prizes, also gave me a platform to perform at the junior concerts. I was a regular singer at school and college functions. It was a gradual climb up the ladder.
Even as a junior artiste you were very popular with the public. How do you gauge their pulse?
At the outset, I would like to sincerely express my gratitude to my audience. Now, coming to your question, `gauging the pulse' is an intangible factor that cannot be explained. But I try to please my listeners and present songs that I think will go down well with them.
Success is the end product of a combination of several factors. What are they as far as you are concerned?
The key to my success is hard work. I am also a stickler for quality. I work hard at every opportunity small or big that knocks at my doors. But behind all the planning and efforts, there is one factor of paramount importance and that is divine grace. God has been very kind to me. All support systems just fell into place — the right guru at the right time, right method of learning, an extremely supportive family, good health, good accompanists and so on. I owe my success to each one of these.
You had provided vocal support for your guru MLV. Today, you are a leading vocalist. Have you brought about any changes in the presentation of music? If so what and why?
Well, there have been no major changes so to say. But times have changed and so also have audience expectations. My guru would pack approximately three major raga alapanas into her performance and that very often included a Ragam Tanam Pallavi. But today, the duration of concerts, especially of those in Chennai, have shrunk to 150 minutes. Hence such elaborate essays of ragas are not possible. Another area of change is the kind of kritis presented in a concert. The repertoire of the previous generation of musicians consisted mainly of the compositions of the Trinity, Patnam Subramania Iyer, the Sirkazhi trinity, Papanasam Sivan and other key composers. But nowadays, we include in our performances compositions from a variety of composers both old and new. Again, the kind of songs that we sing towards the end of a concert has undergone a noticeable change. Earlier musicians would present padams, javalis and so on. Even tillanas were sung in traditional ragas like Todi, Sankarabharanam, Paras and so on. But today a variety of musical forms like Hindi Bhajans, Abhangs and others have made their appearance and even the traditional tillana is sung in new ragas like Desh, Malkauns, Rageshri, Maand and so on.
Talking about introducing new compositions in concerts, what do you think is preferable — presenting lesser-known kritis of great composers like the Trinity or popularising modern day compositions of which too there seems to be a surfeit?
I think a blend of the two is necessary and I would say that a successful performer has enough opportunities to do both. However, I prefer to concentrate on the kritis of the Trinity both familiar and lesser known.
How would you define a complete musician?
It is not one but several factors that go towards making a good musician — voice, style, knowledge (that is a major factor), intelligence, presence of mind, being a good tunesmith, a working knowledge of musicology that helps one to explain things to the audience and so on.
Ragam Tanam Pallavis or RTPs have become a mandatory feature in the December concerts. However the brevity with which it is sung hardly does justice to them. What do you think is the purpose of an RTP and how should it be presented?
RTP is one of the treasures of Carnatic music. It gives the musician a golden opportunity to prove his skill. A lot of planning goes behind the presentation of a good RTP. To do justice to it one needs to allocate a time frame of 30 minutes to an hour. But on the flip side, I must say that certain sections of the audience also complain that the time spent on an elaborate RTP is better utilised if a few more kritis are sung instead.
When sections like RTPs provide the musician with opportunities to prove his mathematical ingenuity, do you think one needs to memorise and sing long complicated swara patterns (korvais) at the end of each song?
Today's audience love these mathematical calculations or kanakku. And if one has the talent for it, I think it sets one apart from the rest. Korvais when presented well add colour to the songs. Of course we have to strike a balance and this is where maturity and self-assessment help.
With the kind of hectic schedule that you have, how do you manage to sustain the quality of your performances? There is also the danger of raga alapanas and kalpanaswaras taking a familiar course and sounding repetitive.
I whole-heartedly agree with you. Continuous performances may sometimes result in mechanical rendering. Personally I take small breaks wherein I listen to various artistes. One can, of course, make a conscious effort to present things differently.
On a personal note, what is it that prompts you to work so hard?
I believe in making a mark in whatever I do. Similarly I advise my children, "don't live aimlessly and listlessly." While I welcome awards and other kinds of recognition I don't work with those as the goal. I work sincerely and ensure quality. The rest automatically follows.
How would you like history to remember you — as a connoisseur's musician or a people's performer?
Well, as both, and a trendsetter too, in more ways than one. But first and foremost I would like to be remembered as a good human being.
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