Exemplars of a Rare Tradition T.R
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PARAMPARA Exemplars of a rare tradition T.R. Moorthy Balasaraswati, the Bharata natyam virtuoso and T. Viswanathan, the Tenchanting Carnatic flautist, have left indelible impressions on their arts. Though they were independently successful in two different performing art forms, they were similar in their style of expression. This unique style has to be credited to the music of their grandmother, the legendary Veena Dhanammal. We cannot pay a tribute to Bala saraswati or Viswanathan without honouring Dhanammal. She was a legendary artist, whose passion for her veena created ethereal music that deeply affected her children and grandchildren, permeating their chosen arts. Thus did the sensuous and expressive Dhanammal school of art evolve. Moorthy with Viswa It was providence that drew me to this style of music nearly 50 years ago. Madurai Mani Iyer; nagaswara artists Iyer, and Kumbakonam Raja My family hails from Sengalipuram, like Tiruvavaduturai Rajarathnam manickam Pillai. The pivotal a small village in Tanjavur district. Pillai and Ariyalur Angappa Pillai; point in my musical journey It gained prominence as a result violinists such as Kumbakonam was when I accompanied my of the presence of eminent persons Rajamanickam Pillai; and flautists father in 1961 to the Tyagaraja like the great Anantharama like Sholapuram Suppiah Pillai, Aradhana in Tiruvaiyaru. I was Dikshitar, a scholar and renowned Mayavaram K.V. Rajarama Iyer, then twenty years old. I had performer of upanyasam. My father, Tirukannapuram Srinivasa Pillai, the good fortune to listen to T.P. Ramamoorthy, initially served K.H. Ramachandra Sastry and T. Viswanathan’s flute for the in the army. Later, he took to Palladam Sanjeeva Rao visited very first time. He was playing the agriculture in our village to support Sengalipuram frequently to perform Tyagaraja kriti Merusamana, in me in my musical endeavours. at the temple. Therefore, it was only Mayamalavagaula. It sounded so natural that I developed an abiding different from what I had heard As an ardent lover of music, my interest in music. I was particularly until then that I found myself father used to welcome and entertain drawn to the melody of the flute. irresistibly drawn to Viswanathan many eminent musicians at home. and his music. To be able to meet and listen to a Turning point galaxy of artists in our village was I wanted to know more about this to be truly blessed. Vocalists such In the early years, I learnt flute and captivating artist. Rajamanickam as Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, vocal music from Kanakambujam Pillai told me that Viswa was Madurai Srirangam Iyengar and Ammal, Mayavaram K.V. Rajarama the grandson of the great Veena 36 l SRUTI June 2009 PARAMPARA Dhanammal and the brother of to say that I was probably the turned out to be a golden learning T. Balasaraswati. He also told me first person to thus qualify as opportunity. that this was a unique school of Viswanathan’s student from the I learnt a number of pada music with a captivating style. Madras University. varnams, kritis and padams from This triggered an urge in me to learn From here on, my study became her. When she taught keertanas, she and master this style. I pestered my more intense. By this time, I had spontaneously used Bharatanatyam father to somehow help me become secured a Govt. of India scholarship hand gestures, to further emote the an apprentice in this school. My to study under Viswanathan. I meaning and mood of the pieces. father approached veena vidwan stayed in Viswa’s home and did These gestures were so eloquent M.A. Kalyanakrishna Bhagavatar, little else than play the flute, just that you could learn the nuances of in this regard. He requested the like in the gurukula system. the swaras from them. vidwan, after a performance in our Viswa’s teaching was structured village, to persuade T. Viswanathan, and systematic. This, along with the Bala taught me the technique of to accept me as his student. ambience in their home, was ideal for using the body to accentuate the imbibing of music. intonations, which was a trait of I vividly remember the day their school of music. In that style, Kalyanakrishna Bhagavatar escorted Viswa had learnt the techniques the ascent or descent in swara me to Viswa’s family home. I was of playing the flute from his guru sequences must be enhanced with asked to play a musical piece of my Tirupamburam Swaminatha Pillai, the corresponding raising or choice in the presence of Viswa’s a great innovator. He redesigned lowering of the head. Bala would family – his mother, Jayammal, his flute to approximate the music also insist that the flautist must sit Balasaraswati, and Viswa’s brother emanating from it, to the vocal upright and keep the right hand at Ranganathan. In an attempt to rendition of music, in which the chest level. display my talent, I chose to play the gamakas are emphasised. It was Bhairavi Ata tala varnam Viriboni. only natural that Viswa adopted his Bala used to say that music should I played the pallavianupallavi guru’s gayaki style of playing the spring forth from deep within the chittaswaram unit, with what instrument. Viswa further modified body, giving it strength of emotion. I thought was verve and finesse. Just the design of the flute to make the She helped me learn to produce when I began to play the charanam, sound resemble the music issuing all the subtleties in the gamakas. Jayammal told me that would be from the veena. This alteration also I learnt to render them in many enough. Though disappointed that prevented the emphatic effect that ways, by developing an intimacy I could not exhibit my talent occurs while negotiating sharp turns with my flute. I experimented by further, I was certain they had been in swara sequences, like Ga-Ma-Pa- sometimes deeply embracing my bowled over. I learnt later that Ma-Pa-Ma-Ga-Ri. On the whole, flute, or sometimes casually nudging Jayammal’s peremptory halt of my Viswa successfully managed to it with my shoulder, ever so gently performance was because she could produce on the flute the same ethereal rubbing it on my cheek and stand it no more. effect of Dhanammal’s veena. whispering into it, or by boldly swaying with it. I learnt how such a Viswanathan asked me to join Learning music from Bala subtle and sensitive approach brought the diploma course in music offered out variations into gamakas and by the Madras University, where My learning was interrupted when swaras. he was teaching. The Dhanammal Viswanathan had to leave Chennai style of music required me to on an assignment for the U.S.A. Once I had to go to Delhi for a relearn the fingering technique of I was confused and thrown off final review of my grant. I was the flute. My love for this style balance. Sensing my discomfort, interviewed by an eminent panel of of music made me practise with my guru advised me to use the time judges, including T.L. Venkatarama devotion and enabled me to obtain to learn music from Bala. What at Iyer. One of the judges asked me a first class certificate. I am proud first seemed to me a great loss, how Bala, who was not a flautist, had 37 l SRUTI June 2009 PARAMPARA come to be my teacher. Venkatarama for a while. His practice sessions sent interest in the Dhanammal style of Iyer countered the question by me into raptures! I was inspired to music. Once, the great Siddheswari stating that learning vocal music learn the grammar and techniques Devi attended Bala’s recital. She from Bala meant learning everything of Hindustani music. Bala was also later invited Bala and her daughter of significance in their school of keen that I learn this style and she Lakshmi to her home for dinner. music! Thus, Bala added many helped me to obtain a grant from I accompanied them. Siddheswari vital ingredients to my music, the ministry in Delhi, to learn from requested Bala to sing. Bala, in turn, adding to it the essence of the the celebrated Hindustani flautist asked Siddheswari to sing. She Dhanammal style and making it Devendra Murdeshwar. By the time began singing an ashtapadi of more soulful. I received the grant, Murdeshwar Jaydeva with deep emotion. Bala unfortunately passed away. However, went on to do abhinaya extempore After a period of learning with I moved to Delhi and spent to Siddheswari’s music. It was Bala, I travelled to the U.S.A. many years learning Hindustani enchanting to see two great artists to continue to learn the flute ragas on the flute from renowned reach out to each other in perfect from Viswa. I learnt a number of artists like Pandit Vinay Chandra harmony. The forty years that I spent kritis, and more important, absorbed Maudgalya and Ustad Naseer Ahmed with Bala and Viswa were full of Viswa’s attitude to music, his open Khan. such experiences! ness and experimentation with the various forms. I began to understand Bala and Viswa both believed that Bala and Viswa have immensely that Viswa had experimented by the Hindustani style of music had contributed to my music by sharing incorporating Western techniques some fine qualities worth bringing their wealth of knowledge, with of playing the flute, into his own into the Carnatic style. Their open their openness to expose me to other music. Such openness enriched the minded approach to the arts, forms, making my musical journey quality of his music, resulting in his learning and infusing ideas from rich and complete in all respects.