Fading notes of Mangala isai
LAKSHMI VENKATRAMAN
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Change in lifestyle and taste have pushed the nagaswaram to the background.
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TEMPLE PROCESSION: Spearheaded by nagaswaram vidwans.
It is a symbol of South Indian cultural tradition. No auspicious function is complete without the music of the nagaswaram, rightly called mangala vadyam.
Once upon a time, nagaswaram formed an integral part of every ritual in temples from the early morning till late at night.
Each temple had specific norms for nagaswaram music, which are followed even today in a few temples like in Chidambaram and Tiruvarur. Even in the tiny village of Kavarappattu near Chidambaram, a 10-day Ramanavami festival used to be celebrated in the Chandramouleeswarar temple and nagaswara artistes were invited to play during the procession each night. Every year on August 15, Arunagirinathar festival was held at Tiruvannamalai, in which a 100 nagaswaram and tavil vidwans took part.
Ragas are stipulated to be played at every step of the rituals. Kirtanams, varnams, rakti and also mallaris to be played during festival processions are specified. Five different kinds of mallaris have been in practice.
The skill to play pallavi was considered very important on such occasions and the rasikas were also able to judge the competence of the vidwans. Most youngsters had their initiation into music by listening to the nagaswaram.
Lack of funds
But the scene is different today. Most temples do not employ nagaswaram artistes due to lack of funds. Where are the artistes anyway? Even temples that are managed by affluent Adeenams have given up the practice. The golden era saw stalwarts including T.N.Rajaratnam, Tiruvengadu Subramania Pillai, Sembonarkoil Brothers, Tiruveezhimizhalai Brothers, Veerusami Pillai, each with their own specialisations. Rajaratnam's name became synonymous with Todi for his imaginative handling of the raga; he was even known as Ragaratnam as his raga alapanas were outstanding.
Till recently, Sembonarkoil Muthukumaraswamy and Vaidyanathan excelled in rakti melam. The latter in his late 70s is not able to play the instrument any longer due to health reasons, but he has designed many imaginative variations of rakti, which must be played only in misra chapu tala and also many mallaris, some in ragamalika. He is also keen to teach them.
Thiruvengadu Subramania Pillai was known for his composed rendering and also for Mohana raga, said to be the favourite of Lord Agoramurthi in the temple of his native village.
Chidambaram Radhakrishna Pillai is associated with the rendering of mallaris. Karukurichi Arunachalam became popular with his novel approach. Vedaranyam Vedamurthy and Namagiripettai Krishnan stood out for their melody. Sheik Chinnamoulana, who was trained by his father in a village near Guntur, added the Hindustani touch to his rendering; he also learnt under Nachiarkoil Rajam and Duraikannu to get the Thanjavur flavour. There were also outstanding tavil players.
Several factors have contributed to the decline of the nagaswaram. Even in the 1960s, popular artistes were invited to play during the night-long temple processions.
People from the surrounding villages and towns would throng the place to listen to the music. Now with a change in the lifestyle, people do not have the time for such indulgences. And of course the lure of TV and cinema is stronger.
In those days, weddings were conducted for over four days. And it was a question of status for rich families to engage famous nagaswaram artistes to perform. This has become a thing of the past. It was Rajaratnam who began the practice of playing the instrument seated on a platform. Till then, the artistes used to stand while playing. It seems for him, a platform would be attached behind a truck or bullock cart.
Open-air performance
And nagaswaram is best heard in the open air. The closed sabha halls are not conducive for the majestic wind instrument and its accompaniments. It was divine to hear in the spacious prakaram of the temples and the streets around.
And the legacy is not always passed on. The children of vidwans are not keen on learning the art from their parents. They would rather focus on their studies and pursue other vocations for livelihood. But there is hope, according to mridangam vidwan Karaikkudi Mani.
There are some well-trained talented artistes in smaller towns. Many of them have learnt nagaswaram in the gurukulam system and are flourishing. If they could work hard and try to be innovative within the traditional framework, without being stereotyped and improve their repertoire, they have a future and that will definitely help nagaswaram, which may still recapture its glory.
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