Focus on pallavi singing at Nadasangamam

adasangamam, an annual opened with a session of bhajans by vocal chords. Though event conducted by the music Keerthana Bharadwaj and the second may require a slightly different Nwing of Narada Gana Sabha, was a musical evening by all the treatment of the voice for the is a platform for transfer participants. production of some specific gamakas, of knowledge from senior musicians the underpinning lesson was that full Yoga teacher and Bharatanatyam to students of Carnatic music. throated music need not necessarily dancer Renjith Babu (disciple of Inspired by Natyarangam’s Natya translate into screaming in the higher Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar), set the Sangraham, the much sought after octaves. tone in the morning by discussing the annual dance camp, this music event art of breathing, the importance of Be it teaching, singing, or playing the was launched and is being posture and the right food intake to chitraveena, N. Ravikiran articulates co-ordinated by Sumathi Krishnan produce good music. His agility and complicated subjects so clearly with R.S. Jayalakshmi as the composure were enviable. Sumathi that even an elementary student convenor. Thennangur, situated Krishnan began the sessions with a finds it easy to understand him. He about 117 km from Chennai, is the couple of slokas and introductions, explained in a lucid manner with venue chosen for this camp which following which the resource persons sound examples and explanations has been conducted successfully for for the day took over. how to construct a pallavi and how four years now. This was the first it is important to balance the tala, time I was witnessing the sessions. Chennai-based Shruti Jauhari, sahitya, bhava and intellectuality Hindustani vocalist from the Maihar The theme for this year was of treatment. He explained that in a gharana, holds a doctorate in music. ‘Pallavi’. The sessions were pallavi construct, the sync between An exponent of khyaal and thumri, conducted from 6 to 8 February by music, lyrics and metre are of she works at A.R. Rehmans’ school R. Vedavalli, Chitravina Ravikiran, paramount importance. Ravikiran’s of music. She is endowed with a R.S. Jayalakshmi, A.S. Murali, Shruti ability to connect with the young voice that travels effortlessly across Jauhari and Renjith Babu. Vocalists was amazing. With references from octaves and her ideas on how to Mala Mohan and Sumitra Vasudev the computer lexicon, he told them produce the right voice for classical assisted in co-ordinating the event as that the memory size of the hard disk singing were very interesting. part of the team. that the brain is had to be constantly ‘Nabhi-hrut-kantha-rasana’ said expanded, with many file partitions The serene atmosphere of the place, Tyagaraja. She demonstrated the on the disk, but it would not suffice coupled with the prevailing divinity way to produce rasa from the navel if the random access memory was of the temple was an apt setting to to the throat. She said a robust voice not fast enough to quickly retrieve internalise some of the best aspects could be built without shouting or and connect the dots! He beautifully of Carnatic music. The first evening exerting unwanted pressure on the explained that music presentation A bhajana session led by J.B. Keerthana on stage should follow the CID principle (content, intent and delivery). Unless the three fall in place at the same time, the presentation cannot be a success. Veteran vainika and teacher R.S. Jayalakshmi could also easily connect with the youngsters, despite her age and seniority. Her demonstration of pallavis, especially the rettai arudi ragamalika pallavis, was very interesting. She explained various aspects like how and when anulomam and trikalam are done, as well as the various points to sing

46 l SRUTI April 2015 tisram for a pallavi. She elaborated on nuances and pallavi patterns with several examples and gave the students small pallavi exercises. She was quite a favourite with the participants. A.S. Murali of Kalakshetra, a disciple of P.S. Narayanaswamy, is a vocalist and a percussionist. He explained the systematic approach to kalpanaswara singing in Carnatic music. Starting from small one- fourth avartana swaras he moved on to complicated poruttams and N. Ravikiran’s session korvais and explained the method behind the arithmetic of swaras. singing and its importance to pallavi The highlights of the two-day He showed that sarvalaghu swara exposition. According to her, a sessions were the little quiz on a patterns are not rambling swaras pallavi is complete only if it allows video about T. Brinda that was strung together; it is essential to for elaborate and expansive niraval screened, the extempore little viva practise them well as these swaras singing. It has to have minimal words held for each participant, and the demand both imagination and and measured spacing between open discussions and clarifications in arithmetic, balanced in proportion. words (karvais) which then lend the the night after the close of the day’s He made a complicated subject seem musician enough scope to explore sessions. easy with his interesting approach the kalpana aspects of niraval and comments. The finale was a small examination. singing. She also elaborated on the The students were given a set of R. Vedavalli, the doyenne among comparisons and contrasts of the words and they had to gather in Carnatic musicians, has been a two schools of thought on niraval groups of five and compose a great resource, guide and mentor for for pallavi singing and demonstrated pallavi in any raga and tala, but set Nadasangamam over the last four some old pallavis. A master only in chatusra nadai. The group years. This year too she participated teacher, she made a group of had to sing the pallavi and with great enthusiasm and provided students who were relatively new demonstrate trikaalam for the basic essential inputs on many aspects to this concept, actually sing a construct. Prizes were awarded to of Carnatic music. She gave a pallavi by giving them small the top two renditions and the brilliant lecture on the art of niraval assignments in different talas. sessions came to a close with the valedictory function. Nadasangamam pariticipants, resource persons and the organising team Two days of unhindered immersion in music, the gourmet food, the darsan of the Lord, the singing sessions in the evening in front of the sanctum sanctorum, the vivacity of the young participants, the approachability of senior artists, and the fun and games centered around Carnatic music in which all of us took part during the return bus journey – all these made for a true nadasangamam. SIVAPRIYA KRISHNAN (Marketing professional, Carnatic vocalist and senior disciple of R. Vedavalli)

47 l SRUTI April 2015