© 2018 IJRAR Sep 2018, Volume 5, Issue 3 (E-ISSN 2348
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© 2018 IJRAR September 2018, Volume 5, Issue 3 www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138) ONLINE MEDIA AS A CARNATIC MUSIC RESOURCE – AN OUTLOOK Mrs. Madhavi Mahesh Junior Research Fellow, Department of Music, Potti Sree Ramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, India Abstract : Today, the world is in our finger tips and this is because of the internet without which our search would be completely incomplete. This Online Media (OM) in the form of innumerable websites, blogs, forums, Apps etc., and other Social media like Facebook, G-Mail etc., has immense information stored in it on various subjects and has become easily accessible to everybody, at any time and wherever they reside on this earth. As far as Carnatic music (CM) is concerned, there are plenty of Web sources (WS) that provide huge information on various practical, theoretical and technical aspects. But there is also a dilemma in the followers of CM about the selection of a particular online site because there are several WS in the OM where more or less the same information is provided by more than one WS. And this makes it difficult to judge or simply follow or rely on them. Hence, there arises the need to ascertain the specific online site that exactly fulfills the purpose of the viewer better. Through this research paper, I have made an attempt to give a glimpse on few selected CM Online resources based on certain criteria, which every Carnatic person should at least give a glance once, as they aid to serve more than single purpose at a time and are found most reliable too. Key Words - Online media, Carnatic Music, Online resources/online sites/Web sources related to Carnatic Music, Criteria for selection of a suitable online site. I. INTRODUCTION Music is an ocean where we can see the shore but cannot reach it. Indian music system though broadly classified as Hindustani and Carnatic, yet is predominantly based on melody. The South Indian classical Music, popularly called Karnatic/Carnatic Music (CM) has been well protected and continued as a pure tradition from the past and hence named as Carnatic Music. Whereas North Indian classical Music popularly called as Hindustani Music has undergone many changes due to the influence of Islamic and Persian invasions that took place especially in the Northern part of India around 12th century. Even though CM has a traditional, classy touch, filled with spiritual flavor preponderantly, yet it has occupied a very prominent place among the various other systems of world Music due to its overall development practically and theoretically. The knowledge regarding various Sashtrās, Kshetrās, deities, epics and also the customs, tradition and culture etc., followed in the past has been perfectly inscribed in the compositions of various Vaggeyakārās which not only educate but also let us to value the importance of past traditions and thus motivate us to follow and carry them on to the future generations also. Today’s world cannot be imagined without Internet. Almost every mobile has internet access and its usage has become our daily need. Everybody has their own specific purpose to utilize this Online media (OM) in the way they exactly need. As far as CM is concerned, beginners and students who are mostly the learners use these media for learning and gaining sufficient knowledge regarding their subject (Bindu K, 2018). For the public who are household or working elsewhere and cannot come to College or University to learn the Course or sometimes not even in a position to afford the Course they need, but have immense interest in pursuing this art, then in such cases, Online approach is the best option that can serve their need better. Learning through Online media (E-learning) is much more beneficial as it not only provides the information but also teach them the syllabus of the course in the form of Web series which are simply the short audio and video uploads by the subject experts for few minutes (Lochana Ashok Kumar, 2011). Music staff especially music teachers in schools, music lecturers in Govt. and Private diploma and Degree music colleges and other assistant, associate and Professors working in Universities and even the Subject Experts can make use of Online social Apps such as Skype, WhatsApp and Google Hangouts etc., to take music classes for learners which not only provides the messages/chats, photos and recordings sharable but also equipped with the audio and video facility through which, no matter how far the guru and sishya are, can be brought to one place and made to continue as far as they could without any interruption, which is just as similar as a direct interaction between them but through online. This online method of teaching and learning (E-learning) is the need of the hour and has been adopted by various Universities keeping in view to serve the needs of present generation (Rajesh K, 2014). Researchers who perform Research Projects while pursuing MPhil and PhD Courses gather a lot of information not only from books in the library but also from the Internet predominantly such as dissertations, articles from various online journals, Magazines and even subscribe to E-Book reading too (Dr. Premalata Sharma, 1988). IJRAR1903694 International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews (IJRAR) www.ijrar.org 385 © 2018 IJRAR September 2018, Volume 5, Issue 3 www.ijrar.org (E-ISSN 2348-1269, P- ISSN 2349-5138) Finally the Listeners/audience/music lovers, who are very much interested in listening to good, traditional, classical music concerts performed by well trained Professional Artists, but cannot travel there due to various reasons, primarily depend on the OM/Internet that definitely serves their need much better with less strain and is also cost effective. In this way, the utilization of OM has emerged as an Online resource very rapidly in the past few years in order to meet the demands of current generation. II. CARNATIC HERITAGE Carnatic music has a very strong foundation laid by the Father of Carnatic music - Sri Purandara Dasa, who is well known for his compositions “Dasara padagalu or Devaranamas” (Devotional songs in Kannada language). He, for the first time has introduced a systematic approach to this art that starts from sarali, janta, daatu, taggu sthyai, hechhu sthaayi and alankara patterns etc., which altogether come under Basics and this was later followed by many Carnatic musicians and Composers, which even now are the first lessons taught by any Guru to his/her Sishyas especially in 15th melakarta, Maya malava goula. The prestigious position gained by this traditional art, Carnatic music amongst other world music systems is mainly due to the greater contribution by the musical trinity – Muttuswami Dikshitar, Sri Tyagaraja Swami and Syama sastry, who out of bhakti and scholarliness brought out the most beautiful absolute musical form called “Kriti”. The other sacred forms of South Indian music include Jayadeva’s Ashtapadis, Teertha’s Tarangas, Ramadas, Annamacharya, Sada siva Brahmendra kirtanas, Tyagaraja divya nama and Utsava Sampradaya kirtanas, Kshetrayya padas etc. Javalis, Tillanas and Raga malikas are some of the semi classical items that are chosen as post pallavi pieces sung after the main item of the concert. In this way the compositional wealth of CM is unparallel to any other kind of musical systems throughout the world. I would rather feel that it would not be exaggerating to say that CM is an ocean of musical treasure where no one can carry the complete wealth from it in his entire life time. Later many composers and renowned artists (vocal and instrumental) have followed this tradition that held it in high esteem. Carnatic Music can generally be classified into two broad categories – Kalpita and Kalpana Sangitam. Kalpita Sangitam is the music that has already been composed (pre-composed). It is further classified into two divisions - Abhyasa gana and Sabha gana. Abhyasa gana is meant for self-practice (Abhyasam) and it includes the basics such as Swara-Laya exercises followed by simple compositions such as Geetams, Swara pallavis/jati swaras, Swara jatis and Varnams etc., which are taught to lay a strong foundation to Carnatic student in all the basic aspects needed. Sabhagana includes the Concert pieces such as Kritis, Kirtanas, Padams, Javalis, Ragamalikas and Tillanas etc., which are meant to be sung in the Sabhas (Concert Halls) or even classical music oriented concerts arranged in Temples on any occasions/Music Festivals. Kalpana Sangitam also known as Manodharma Sangitam in CM is the improvised music (Music of imagination) that has basically five divisions – Raga alapana, Tanam, Pallavi, Neraval and Swara kalpana. Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi simply called RTP is a composite form of improvisation in long concerts. RTP consists of a Raga alapana (exposition of the raga without rhythm), Tanam (medium paced improvisation of raga) and a Pallavi line, often composed by the performer, initially set to a slow paced tala, later sung in three speeds. This is followed by the neraval through which the performer manipulates the pallavi line in complex melody and rhythmic ways. This neraval is followed by Swara kalpana/Kalpana swarams. Tani avartanam (improvisation in Percussion instruments) refers to an extended solo performed by the percussionists in the concerts after the main concert item that extends nearly upto 20 min (Sambamoorthy P, 1998). On the other side, comes the theory or science behind music (Musicology) where one has to know the evolution/History of Indian music, basic theoretical concepts related to CM such as Terminology, 72 Melakarta system, Janaka-Janya raga classification, Raga lakshanas, Tala system (Tala dasa pranas), Pancha dasa gamakas, Structure of various compositions, Biographies of Vaggeyakaras and artists, Lakshana granthas, the science of sound and Musical instruments, Notation system, Graha bhedam, Concert format, Contemporary music and so on.