BOOK REVIEWS

The Kr~':lagiti of Miinaveda made with this peacock fl:fu: feather on its top, which (KalamUiasiistra Series, No. 20) t 6JP was donned by the actor (ed. and tr.) C.R. Swaminathan playing the role of and Sudha Gopalakrishnan in perfor­ Indira Gandhi National Centre mances of Krishnattam. There has been some for the Arts, and ~__ speculation re-garding Motllal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1997 the translation of the xv + 349 pages, 8 plates, Rs 650 ...... _ _ .....,""' -"'" Krishnageeti, a lyric poem, into Krishnattam, a performance that The Krishnageeti of Manaveda, translated incorporates song, verse, and acting. This is and edited by Dr CR. Swaminathan and Dr indicated by the fact that while the padas Sudha Gopalakrishnan, is a valuable addition (songs) intended for acting are simple and to scholarship on the 'traditional' performing attractive, the connecting verses are heavy. The arts of . Both translators have achieved latter, however, bear testimony to Manaveda's some eminence in their fields: Dr Swaminathan scholarship. The predominant quality has served as Adviser in Sanskrit to the of the work is its evocation of bhakti towards Government of India, and Dr Gopalakrishnan Krishna, who is often addressed directly. has had substantial experience with Kerala Notwithstanding the fact that the padas and the performing arts. While this work is important, verses seem to have distinct functions, the there are a few shortcomings that need composition still conveys the impression that it consideration. Chief among them is the was intended for stage presentation. The absence of a definitive introduction presenting presence of a chronogram, "Graahyam Stuthir information on the staging of the Krishnageeti, Gaihkaih", accompanying the composition's which we know of as Krishnattam. Kali Yuga date indicates that Manaveda The Krishnageeti, the source-text (in intended it to be sung. Given the combination Sanskrit) of Krishnattam, the votive ofscholarly verses with lively padas, details of performance of celebrating the life intricate stage techniques, and the ofK.rishna, was composed in 1654. The author, predominance of dance, it has been suggested Manaveda (1585-1658), ascended the throne that the choreographic aspects of the of the of Calicut the following year. A Krishnageeti may have been incorporated by devotee of Krishna, his favourite deity was some other member of the Zamorin's family. Lord in the incarnation of Even if this was the case, it is likely that Mahavishnu. The temple at Guruvayur, known Manaveda's tacit consent was required for the as the Srikrishna temple, celebrates the deity in text's choreographic presentation to Lord this particular avatara. Legend has it that Krishna. Manaveda, with the assistance of a sage, had a These juxtapositions of the choreographic vision of the child Krishna. Captivated by the elements with the lyric are probably lifelike presence of the child-god, Manaveda responsible for the occasional 'lack of attempted to take it in his arms, only to propriety' in the stage performances. In his discover that the child had vanished, leaving as translation of the Krishnageeti, a trace of his presence the customary insignia P.c.V. Raja (also a member of the ZamonD's of a peacock feather. Manaveda had a crown family) remarks upon the presentation of pada

Sangeet Natak Nos.131-132, 1999 BOOK REVIEWS 45

6 in the Krishnageeti 's first story, that there is translators' failure 10 indicate the sources for Iirtle correspondence between what is acted on the Sanskrit text they have reproduced. The stage and what is presented in the text. In this other texis avai lable in print include: instance. while the poem speaks of incidents (i) Krishna Natakam. in Devanagari that occurred on the day afte r Krishna' s birth, script, edited by Pandit P.S. Ananthanarayana the stage representation gives the impression Sastry, Mangalodayam Lrd, Trichur, 1914, that the child is ove r a month o ld. Yashoda, {ii) Krishnattam {Kristmageetbi), in similarly, is seen dancing withgopis on the day Malayalam scripl and with Malayalam after the child' s birth. While such incongru ities translation, tran slated and publ ished by might also be found in other sections of the Professor P.C. Vasudevan Elayath in 1965, and composition, the devotional thrust of the text later republished by the Guruvayur Devaswom. makes them inconsequen tial. Questions of (iii) Krtshna nam {Krtshnageethi], in mimetic 'realism' are hardly an issue in a Malayalam script, with a translation in context ofbhakti . Malayalam by P.C.V. Raja; the firs. chapter A more recent history ofthe practitioners of alone was published in 1962. the form is also called for. Till 1955, the Mention must be made of other works on Krishnattam troupe was stationed at the palace Krishnattam. These include A.c.G. Raja's in Calicut. From there they would trav el yea rly book in English which presents a condensed to the temple in Gu ruvayur whe re they version of the stage production. It, his Theatre performed the entire cy cle of eight plays. En and the World, Rustom Bharucha has devoted route to Guruvayur, the tro upe would perform a chapter to Krish nattam. 'W aiting for Krishna' in temples and at the Zamorin' s revenue­ (Manchar, 1990). This article provides much collection offices. Since 1955, however, the critical insight on the form. A more recent troupe has been based in Guru vayur; its publication, Krishnattam by Martha Ashton maintenance is the responsibility of the temple and Robert Sikora, is both a history of the fonn authority {devaswom}. Th e troupe's and a travelogue. The Krishnatram troupe in performance-sc hedule is dec ide d by the Guruvayur itself possesses a palm-l eaf devaswom, Devotees can, however, sponsor manuscript of the text in Malayalam. IIO'o...'ever, performancesofparti cular plays on payment of the de finitive text ofthe Krishnageeti is theone a fee. It is believed that the deity would fulfill by Professor Elayath. a Sanskrit scholar of the wishes of the devotee upon receiving such grea t repute. votive offerings. The story of the incarnation is Though unackno....-ledged. it is likely that enacted for the birth of a child, Krishna's the book being reviewed is also based on Prof. marriage on occa sions when a suitable bride or Elayath's version of the Krishnogeeti- This is groom is sought, etc. Another votive offeri ng indicated by similarities in details such as those involves the problem-stri cken devotee do nning concerning stage directions; directions for the theCostume and make-up of Srikrishna in order use of the curtai n; and also the ragas based 10 worship the deity. These instances reveal the upon which the padarns were sung. devotees' sentimental atta chment to the art­ form and its manifestation of the divine. The Krishnartam enacts the life of Krishna over conviction that the actors embody the divi ne is the course of ei ght stories: Avataram clear from the way devotees prostrate (incarnat ion); Ka/(vumIJrdanam (the beat i ~ g. .up themselves before the actor playing Krishna, of the snake Kaliya); Rasokreeda (the divine and make offerings of cas h presents after the dance of Krishna and the gopis); Kamsavadha perfonn ance. (the killing of Kamsa): Swayamvaram (the marriage of Krishna ); Bona Yudham ( t ~ e. fight A maj or lacuna of this publicati on is the with Banasura); Vividha Vadham (the killing of 46 L.S. RAJAGOPALAN

Vividha): and Swargarohana (ascent to but more recently there has been a changeover heaven-Krishna's passing away.) to sarali (sa ri ga rna), which is now the first Certain conventions determine the order in lesson. which the stories arc enacted. For instance, the Information on Krishnattam's use ofragas eighth story which deals with Krishna's ascent and talas is available from palm-leaf to heaven is never presented on its own as that manuscripts (such as the one in the possession is considered inauspicious. It is mandatory that of the Krishnattam troupe) and from three a performance of this episode be followed by a books published on the subject. These include performance of the first play (Avataram). P.S.A. Shastry's work of 1914, Prof. Elayath's While the names of the plays refer to their main work published in 1965, and P.C.V. Raja's events, several other stories and incidents 1986 publication. Most of the ragas in P.S.A. comprise their subtext. Malayalam editions of Shastry's book, with the exception of threeor the plays provide viewers with synopses of the four songs, tally with those in the various events they are likely to witness. Krishnattam's troupe's manuscript. In the Each play works with a precise number of introduction to his book Prof. Elayath has padas and verses, and uses specific ragas. clarified that his ascription of ragas to verses Every play contains 14+10+10+7 +5+7+3+6= and padas was based upon the practice 62 padas. In addition, there are 93 musical followed by the singers. An examination of verses (padya geetham) which are sung in tala. Elayath's book reveals that only a few songs There are a total of 321 verses in each play; have ragas different from those mentioned in these include those at the beginning and in­ the manuscript. Prof. Elayath's research had between padas. These shlokas are rendered in led him to consult several manuscripts. He ragas. An examination of the ragas and talas therefore had the opportunity to record used in Krishnattam would be relevant to a differences or changes in the ragas between study of the form. manuscripts. Unfortunately for musicologists, Composed in 1654. Krishnageeti is the he did not realize the importance of noting earliest composition in Kerala in which the down the differences. composer prescribed both the raga and the tala. Over the years, changes have occurredboth Venkatamakhin formulated the scheme of 72 in Krishnattarn' s raga and pada structures. The melakartas in Carnatic music around the same influence of other forms such as Kathakali is period. Thus Krishnattam also predates the also in evidence. In 1978, in an attempt to Trinity of Camatic music. Such 'improve' the rendering of music in contextualization of Krishnageeti within the Krishnattam, the temple authorities appointed history of Indian classical music would some well-known Kathakali teachers to train highlight its significance to this tradition. Krishnattam musicians. Consequently, the Krishnageeri brought a whole range of ragas ragas of more than thirty padas changed. The and talas into vogue over 350 years ago. ragas in use now are those found in Shri P.C.V. It is commonly believed that the mode of Raja's book. An early work on the ragas used singing practised in Krishnattam adheres to the in Krishnattam is Dr V. Raghavan's 1943 Sopana style. This style is not confined to article published in the Music Academy's Kerala alone but was practised in Tamil Nadu journal, which discusses the ragas mentioned in as well. Dr S. Swaminathan believes that P.SA Sastry's book. Thevaram songs were (and probably continue There seems evident a process of selection to be) sung in the Sopanam style. In Kerala, the at work in the choice of ragas used in basics of this style are maintained in the Krishnattam. Prior to the interventions of the thodavam of Kathakali. Formerly, thodayam Kathakali musicians transitions were already was taught as the primary lesson for Kathakali, at work. Ragas such as Samanta Malahari, BOOK REVIEWS .a7

lndisa, Panthayai (ri), Ghantharamalavi and reduced repetitions. Gestures and facia l Kedarapanthu, among others, had fallen into expressions have however become more disuse. While some of these ragas hav e in fact elaborate, reveal ing the influ enc e of the been mentioned in the old Kathakali Kathakali artis ts. The task of editing the anakathas, the musicians remain unaware of attaprakaram was duly completed by the them and use instead a limited number of ragas committee, but its publication has been with which they are more familiar. Th is delayed. This is a pity since the text could have process of change and influence across forms is helped the development of a distinctive fonn not limited to Kri shnattam alone. Interestingly, for Krishnartam. younger Kathakali mu sicians have replaced Am ong Krishn attams cha racteristic ragas well-known in Kathakali with several features is the use of tableaux to present some North Indian ragas. sequ ences, such as the scene representing Neglect and thoughtlessnes s ab ou t the Vaikuntha, or Krishna and Satyabhama atop form' s history and furore development have Garuda. Thesewere no doubt meant 10 enhance also contributed to the disappearance of the old the evocation of bhakti. Another feature is the ragas. It is worth mentioning that this reviewer use ofcolourful masks to depict characters like had once been associa ted with a committee Brahma, Murasura. Putana.Jambavan, appointed by the Guruvayur temple authority to Vividha, etc. edit an attaprakaram (manual for acting) for Krishnattam. As part of the exe rci se he The use ofthe half-curtain is a performative submitted detail ed chart s listing ragas and feature that Krishnattam shares with othe r documenting changes in their use. To his performin g arts of Kerala. As in Kathakali, the dismay, he discovered that many of the ragas half-curtain is held by two stage hand s. seemed to have been changed thoughtlessly, How ever, mentio n of the curtain is not almost as if to satisfy the idle whim s of some consistent 10 the works ofdiffe rent scholars. In Kathakali instructors. Unfortunately for the o riginal man uscripts and in P.S.A. Kri...hnattam, these changes are irrevers ible. Shastry ' s Devanagari text no mention is made Attempts to retrieve Krishnattam's mu sical of the curtain. In the Malayalam editions. heritage have been fraug ht with accidents. A however, instructions are given for holding and few years ago the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka removing the curtain. Akademi commissioned recordings of padas by DrSwammathan and Sudha Gopalakrishnan\ older musici ans. These have unfortunately vers ion also offers directions for the use of the been misplaced. This reviewer was however curtain, though only as part of the English able to convince a friend . A.S. Panchapakesan, translation. The authors arc indebted to Prof. to notate some ofthe padas in the old ragas end Elayath 's Malayalam version for the details publish them in the Guruvayur Devaswcm's they incorporate. The Sanskrit text in t~ i s magazine Bhakrapriya. volume makes no mention of the curtam, Another signifi can t ch ange in the excep t on page 18. at the end of pada -3 , ~'he~e perfonnance involves the singing of shlokas. the word thiraseelu (Malayal3m for curtain} IS Formerly , these were sung in raga used in Nagari script. There is no Kedaragowla, which was therefore repeated corresponding translation of this detail in the several times durin g the performance. Mo re English section. Consistent with .(he g.e ncr~ 1 recently. there has been a tendency to sing the indiffe rence to academic conventions seen In shlokas in various ragas. the book, there is evidence here also of The talas, on the other hand, have not been haphazard and indiscriminate borrowin g. . tampered with. The dance also continues to be Characteristically, the work shows Iittle the same, except for some editing wh ich has critical insight that would help the reader 48 L.S. RAJAGOPALAN

distinguish between the use of the half-curtain them manifest figures. in Krishnartam from the use of the curtain on In performance the curtain is removed or the proscenium stage. Given its centrality to the held depending upon the particular versebeing action on stage, it is perhaps appropriate that sung. The text presented by Swaminathan and expressions like 'curtain held' and 'curtain Gopalakrishnan often ignores these directions. removed ' be used as directions for the half­ There are also instances where directions are curtain. This text, however. employs stage wron gly given as either "Curtain" or "Curtain directions such as "curtain falls", reminiscent rises" instead of as ' held' or ' removed'. While of the proscenium theatre. Elsewhere, in a a translation of the Krishnageeti text does not literal but inaccurate (and misleading) necessarily call for the inclusion of stage translation of the Malayalam 'thira marunnu '. instructions, their presence would have helped the stage direction suggests that the "curtain is the reader visualize the lyric 'e xt in changed". This direction would be more performance. appropriate for the Parsi theatre where several painted curtains served as location scenes to The abse nce of a sufficiently detailed accompany shifts in the play's action. In a introduction is felt yet aga in while looking for context where forms like Krishnattam are an explanation for the book 's omission of increasingly threatened by the possibility of important details. The thoda yam sung before erasure, it is important that texts which claim to the performance has not been included. While represent and document a fonn make clear to this may not be a part of the Krishnageeti,it is irs audience the qualities which make it unique. regularly sung before the Krishnattam The half-curtain is integral to the stage commences. The Malayalam editions mechanisms employed by Krishnattam in its incorporate the text, but it is not a partofP.S.A. attempt to represent Krishna's divinity. It Shastry's Nagari-script edition. performs specific and subtle functions that are In another instance, some of the Sanskrit often imbued with metaphysical significance. shlokas preceding the plays have not been A careful rendering of directions for its use is translated into English. Particularly important therefore critical to a Krishnattam script. The in this regard is shloka 3, " With a body text being: reviewed provides an instance ofthe adorned..;"This shloka is sung before the start distortions in meani ng that can result from of all the eight plays. Prof. Elayath's work imprecise stage directio ns. At one point in the testifies to its importance. He also indicales narrative, when the gods praise Krishna "while that the sbloka "as often recited in other still in Devaki's womb", the direction should con texts. These deta ils are not mentioned inthe read "thiro thu=unnu'- 'curtain is lowered" text by Swaminathan and tj opalakn shnan. It instead, this is rendered as "Curtain-praise of also fails (0 provide the names of the ragas in devas" (17). There is no mention of the which the verses are sung. The manga/a-sMola lowering of the curtain. In performance. the which is recited at the end of each play is only stage hands hold the curtain at a level that hides mentioned in a few of the pl ays. the actor's legs while allowing the abdomen The editors ; cavalier attitu de to detail is and face to be visible. As P.C.V. Raja has once again evident in their treatment of the exp lained, there is a significance to instructions Mullap oo Chuttal, one of the most famous to this effect. Religious (iconographical and dance compo sitions in Krishnattarn. This dance performance) traditions hold that the gods, is performed on two occasions - as part of the even when they reveal themselves. do not incarna tion story and during the gasakreedo­ touch the earth with their feet. The curtain, The text shows it as part of the performance therefore. serves the purpose of hiding their only in Avataram. A similar omission is the feci and legs while at the same lime making failure '0mention another significant daIlce, BOOK REVIEWS 49

Kutti Ettuthu Attam ("da nce holding the baby') offered; instead, the Malayalam words are early in the text. It is likely that this is because transliterated in Naga ri script. ' Purappat' Prof. Elayalh's text does nol mention it. (~) and 'Bhoomideviyu m Brahmavum' The text' s fail ure to provide readers wi th a (~~ ~ ) On pa ge 4, "Thirascela' critical understa nd ing of the place of (~) on page 18, ' Gopikumar' (~), Krishnattam in Kerala's performance tradition s etc., are some examples of this. These words is again underscored in its overlooking of the have be en used in Prof. Elayath's MalayaJam relationship between spe ech and dance in edition. They are not part of either the palm­ performance. Krishnattam could be said Co leaf manuscripts or P.S.A. Shastry' s version. occupy an intermediate position between The translators woul d have done better to use Kudiattam and Kathakali in this regard. The the Sanskrit equivalents. Strangely enough, this actors in the former speak while using mudra problem reoccurs in the English translation and footwo rk. In Kath akaJi, performers do not where English equivalents are also unavailable. speak. and in Krishnattam (w hich occupies a The Engl ish translation is fairly effective middle space) speech cou ld be considered a and conveys the ideas of the Sanskrit original. remnant. It is important in this context to At places the English rendering excels the mention that Krishnattam acto rs no longer sing Malayalam translation, However, there are or speak, probab ly influenced by Kathaka li occas ional slips which are misleading. II is training. The gopis who formerly spoke and likely that these problems are the result of an sang now sit glumly in a row. excessive depen dence on the Malayalam There are other smaller exa mples of translation. Consequently, "circulated" is used carelessness which could have been avoided . in place of "circumambulated' (l09 ) ~ On page xiv o f the 'I ntroduction', the first 'akarvam' is read as "highly avoidab le" (59); WOlds in the last four lines are not pri nted . Th e "oun::-ining' as "surpassing" ( 143): "river bed' space is simply left blank . Oth er slips involve as "ri ver bank" (177 ); and "lotus ponds' as the art-form Ayy appan Thiyattu being referred "lotuses" (199). to as Ayyappa; the Bhagvathi cult being called Another instance of the text's the Bhagavatha cult; and the Zamorin being unacknowledged dependenc e on Prof. offered Cochin as his ki ngdom instead of EJayath's translat ion is to be had in its Calicut. Given the eminence of the two unwitting reference 10 Krishna playing with a scholars concerned, such errors are dangerous crane after killing Bakasura (69). The Sanskrit as they can well be replicated in the future. text makes no mention of this incident. lt is clear that the translators have extrapolated the The book's editing leaves mu ch to be stage directions from the Malayalam edition desired. In the 170 printed pages of Sanskrit, onto the English translation. In performance, there are about 60 spelling mistak es. Most of Krishna is represented as playing with the these are minor errors such as long vo wels crane 's beak. The misunderstanding could have being replaced by short vowels, or an invers ion arisen from the MaJayalam word kokku, which of letters , On pege 174 however, where the refers to both the bird and its beak. Problems vis-a-vis the consistency of the World "Kris hna" ( ~) appe ars eleven tim es, it is printed as ' Krishma' (~) thrice. translation abound . Certain words from the Sans krit text have not been translated into Elsewhere, the raga Ghantara ('Rlt) is spelt English, even though they are important. Two 'Ghandhara' ('F'IR), raga ' Kurunhi' is printed ~s 'Kurinji', and raga Kanakurunhi appears as entire stanzas from page 20S have been left Kanakurunji'. untranslatcd. On page 336, three stanzas found At more than twenty places, Sa nskri t in the Malayalam and Nagari -script editions are equivalents of Mala ya lam words are not not printed at all. Also to be found are 50 LS. RAJAGOPALAN imprecise translations that distort the meaning expect these to be discovered and corrected of the text on pages 283--4 'ogyonat' (~ before publication. The most damning of these is translated as "unwillingly" instead of flaws in the editing is the repeated misspelling/ 'unwittingly': on page 42, "dathvoohu" (~) mistranslation of 'ajita' ('invincible') as is interpreted as "snail" (45), while it actually "invisible". Page 273 has Rukmini misspelt as means 'bird'. I hazard the guess that this "Rukmi". While these errors might be easily mistake has arisen from a misreading of the recognizable as such, they do not speak for the word "nattu' as 'natta' in Prof. Elayath's skills of either the translators and editors, orthe Malayalam edition. Nattu is owl and natta publishers. snail. The reader misses an index or glossary in a The translation also reveals a general failure work of this nature. This should be added in the to transmit the emotional sensibility of the next edition. It would also help to have the original. Words such as 'bathe', 'buntha', name of the story printed on the top of each 'Siva Siva', ctc., contribute to this quality in the page. The text makes occasional references to Sanskrit text. The translation is not on the the Bhogavata Purana which are left whole sensitive to these nuances. unexplained and unreferenced. References The book presents problems in terms of the would assist the lay reader. arrangement of stanzas and their translations The book carries 21 colour photographs, alongside. The group of padas following the most of which are unfortunately either too first churana (feet or stanza) is numbered "I". small or unclear. The exceptions are the four None of the charanas which follow are pictures depicting Krishnattam masks. Another identified by number. Further, the English drawback is the fact that the pictures have been translations are not placed right opposite the relegated to the back of the book and not used charana. and in a few cases two charanas are judiciously alongside the text. translated together. There is therefore some While there is little doubt that the book difficulty in correlating the translations to reviewed is a noteworthy addition to the scarce individual charanas. The charanas and their literature on Krishnattam, it must be mentioned translations should have been given that sound and careful scholarship, respect for corresponding numbers for easy identification. sources, and meticulous proof-reading are There is, however, no such confusion with critical to an academic enterprise. regard to the shlokas and their translations, which have been carefully numbered. L. S. RAJAGOPALA~ An interesting exception to this nann can be found on page 185 (last line), which reads "Shlokn 53 is repeated as a benedictory verse." Semiotics of Yakshagana Shloka 53 is however not a part of this text. Guru Rao Bapat Cross-checking reveals that both the reference and the missing shloka are (not surprisingly) Regional Resources Centre for Folk from Prof. Elayath's Malayalam edition. Only Performing Arts, Udupi, 1998 extremely careless scholarship could permit the x + 294 pages, Rs 120 inclusion and citation of a reference number from another work. Considering the numerous errors in the Yakshagana is a traditional performing art book, it would have been a good idea to append of coastal Kamataka. It is popular in the an errata. More than 40 spelling mistakes occur Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, in the English section alone - these include and Shimoga districts of Karnataka and in the missing and transposed letters. One would Kasaragod district of Kerala. At present there BOOK REVIEWS 51

are thirty-two professional troupes and more :.~ -' ///?, ...... ', ... , .'-' ... . ,., • . ',. _ • style of YakshaI;"eana• than 700 amateur groups performing: -:1l '::L ~ ~~_·~ L•.( j ,;," ,;. Tcnku Tutu. as one of'the Yakshagana throughout the year. According 10 t~ : · -- 1 ~~ main regional variations a survey conducted hy me in 1996, there were ~~.~ - .,;~..: of this theatre: r ~~ t hcr , he more than five thousand performances in a year a~ ·..i~\;; ~ deals only with the (Bihrnale, 1997). There are more than twenty 'lJ~ ~~. ~1.- ~ . , _)\;\.'" northern . st~vlc . called thousand artists actively involved in this F'5'"" ._ ";'~, . " . ~ ~ , .~ Badagu TI 1t U .l ~h l S book. theatre. Marc than five lakh people watch ~~':"~1<~ · ~ ', he has published 41 Yakshagana throughout the night in a year. .. ,:..·;r·../ _. photograph s; all of them There is approximately a 14-crore-rupee relate to the Inner style. turnover every year in Yak shagana. As Ashton Even Ashton and Christie arc a bit biased and Christie ru t it, "With inexpensive light­ against Tenku Tirtu . They have published just weight materials, and incorporating natural or three pictures of Tenku Tittu and forty-four of simple man-made products, Yakshagana artists Badagu TiIN. They haw thus neglected a create convincing effects of marked dramatic popular form which is still very popular among intensity, the equal of the world' s most the people. Dr Bapars study has o... crC0111C advanced theatre arts" ( 1977: 71). these problems. This great theatre is rapidly changing now. Dr Bapat's book centres around the basic The professional troupes are now aiming at question of how meaning is generated and making money and thus organizing on a communicated in Yakshagana. Semiotics is his commercial basis. New themes have been theoretical framework- the study of systems introduced. Tulu, one of the Dravidian of meaning and com mu nicative processes. The languages, is gaining more prevalence in signals of Yakshagana arc both vemaIand uon­ Yakshagana than Kannada. the official verbal. To analyze these he has looked into the language of Kamataka. New experiments are structure of the performance. As we know, the being made in different aspects of the art ­ structure of an art in a cultural context is music, dance, text, costumes, etc. But although conditioned by social, political, economic and there aremore than five thousand performances other factors. To understandthe social context. in a year, you do nOI see a single review in the Bapat leans on performance theory, which has press. cmeracd as one of the major modern The available studies on Yakshagana, both approaches to the study of performance in in Kannada and in English, are descriptive anti folkloristics (Bauman. 1997: Clause and historical in nature. They do not treat Koram.1 9R8). Yakshagana as a performance. As an Bapat begins his study with a brief exception, Dr Guru Rao Bapat in his latest introduction 10 the theoretical approach used in book has deviated from such studies and aimed his book. He then conducts an inquiry into the to "analyze the significat ory process of etymology and meaning of tne term Yakshagana and study it in relation to the YJkshagan3. A brief account is given about the structure and ideology of the society in which land, life, and culture of the people where this form of performance exists and Yakshaaana has flourished. He then focuses ~orn m un i ca les" (p.S). The two books available his attention on the performance: he has studied In English (Karanth, 1974; Ashton and the performance text from the pcrsp.:c.tiw (If its Christie, 1997) also have some major problems structure and its conve rgence and divergence SUch as neglecting: the regional variations, from the structure of the written text. His dealing with the traditional format of open-air syntagrnatic analysis unfolds the Iincar and pcrfonnances exclusively, etc, For example, Dr temporal structure o f Y ak sh a !:! J ~ a rcr:ornum:: c Karanth is nOI prepared to accept the southern and his pJ Tadi~m a l ic an..rlysis unllJlJ !:i [he P·IO~~ S2 PURUSHOTHA.\IA BILL\IAtE functio n and meaning of each unit. In his where Yakshagana has flourished. According syntagmatic analysis, he ana lyzes the to him, Yakshagana provi ded the landlord a preliminaries before the performance (the sanction, as it were, for his position and power. musical interlude, the rituals performed in the The stories of Yakshagana were always about chuuki. the preliminaries performed on the divine personages and so the sponsorship of the stage-c-Balagopala, Strivesha, Oddolaga, etc.), performance provided, symbo lically, "a divine He gees on to examine the pra sanga or episode sanction for the landlord/ rich person to and its performance, the oDI conventio ns. the continue his exercise of authority over therest performance text. the closing prayer. and the of the villagers. Th e rest of the audience, concluding prayer. Dr Bapat has made a having witnessed the performance by the fascinating study of lhe Kichaka Vadha episode courtesy of the landlord, would unconsciously to show the difference betwee n the writte n text imbibe the message regarding the power and and the performance text. position of the patron" (p. 196). The author also The second section of the third chapter is investigate s the official and unofficial conc erned with paradigmatic analysis of ideologies ofYakshagana. Yakshagana. Here he makes an extensive study This methodol ogy and approach to of Sabhalakshana, Oddolaga, the narratology Yakshagana is rather simplistic . Many folk of the episode (the influence of Harikatha, performances that take pl ace similarly in the etc.), tbe structure ofthe organization (ope n-air night are opposed to the very principles and performance, commercial performance, and the ethos of daylight performances. Just as night is contract system), the condition of the artists. opposed to day, their values are opposed to and the structure of the audience. The concep t each other. In fact, it is through this opposition of spaces in Yakshagana is also discussed in that day and night performances preserve their detail. In the fourth chapter, Dr Bapat has exclusive characters. One notices this in the ana lyzed the communicative methods of Bhuta workship, which is also very popularin Yakshagana. In Yakshagana, a whole web of coastal Karnataka. Here, in the nightt ime communication including dance, language, performance, the whole value system is both written and improvised text, make-up, reversed. A man belonging to an

system of the real world of the daytime is language with another [Tulu in place of intact. This art-form leans heavily on royalty Kannada]. Tulu Yakshagana became the and the Brahmins who have advocated it too. In vehicle of expression of the assertion of this sense, Yakshagana is different from other linguistic, ethnic and religious (non­ Brahminicalj identity. The form of folk performing arts, and is also opposed to the Yakshagana was retained, but the discourse generally accepted principles of nature. Bapat of traditional Yakshagana was rejected. The has not raised this fundamental issue, and so he new Tulu pras.meas...were about the folk has not been able to go deep into the social deities and heroes ofTulu culture. [p.239] consequences of Yakshagana. Such analysis would promote a healthy His interpretation ofthe masculine qualities discussion of Yakshagana. Bapat has of Yakshagana is also debatable. Dr Bapat distinguished himself by taking up modern writes: "The most overt sign ofthe assertion of experiments in Yakshagana for evaluation masculinity is perhaps the waist ornament of while most others tend to talk only ofthe older the male heroic characters. It is clear that this is tradition of Yaksbagana. He makes a distinct an exaggerated iconic sign of the male genital impression by his unique treatment of the organ" (p. 206). If this argument is accepted, subject. one might also consider the headgear, In this sense, Bapar's work is a very ornaments, weapons, etc., of the actors to be valuable contribution to the literature on genital organs. Neither the artists nor the Yakshagana, and will surely encourage a audiences think so. Ifa critic or researcher tries reappraisal of the art. Unlike all other to impose a meaning on an art form which is published works on the subject, it has given not shared by the general public, the exegesis is equal weightage to traditional and modern really pointless. Such psychological ap­ Yakshagana. proaches are now antiquated. The sixth chapter deals extensively with References recent developments in the field of I. Bauman, Richard (ed.l Verbal Art as Yakshagana. Bapat discusses various topics Performance. Newbury Books, Rowley. Mass. like the organizational structure of 2. Bilimale. P. 1997. Kudukanu. Anandakanda Yakshagana, the emergence ofcommercial tent Prakashana, Malladihalli. troupes, the writing of new episodes, new 3. Clause, Peter J. and Karam, Frank 1988. interpretations of old episodes, the process of Folkloristics and Indian Folklore. Regional secularization, and so on. The analysis Bapat Resources Centre for Folk Perfonning Arts, presents in this context regarding the status of Udupi. Tulu Yakshagana is very valuable. He provides 4. Geertz, Clifford 1973. The Interpretation of a detailed, in-depth analysis of the choice of Cultures, Basic Books, New York. subject, the use of language, the use of 5. Karanth, K. Shivaram 1974. Yakshagana. Mysorc Costumes, the differences found between University . various shows of the same episode, etc. Bapat 6. Ashton, Martha, and Christie, Bruce ~ 997. boldly dwells upon the caste-related issues that Yakshagana: A Dance Drama ofIndia. Abhinava are inherent in Tulu Yakshagana. According to Prakasban. Delhi. him, It was not a simple question of replacing one PURUSHOTHAMA BILD1AlE REVIEW: MUSIC ALBUM

Music of Sripada Pinakapani Pillai, and the vocalists Ariyakudi Ramanuja Ayyangar, Musiri Subramania Ayyar, An album of 14 cassettes Maharajapuram Viswanatha Ayyar, Compiled by G.N.S. Raghavan Mudicondan Venkatarama Ayyar, and Mannargudi Rajagopala Pillai. Published by S. Kameswara Rao Pinakapani heard these master singers from 40/806, Srinivasanagar the 1930s, when he was a medical student. Kurnool-518 004 While listening to them, in person or on radio, Rs 500 (full sell, Rs 40 (single he would take down, in notation, passages that cassettes) struck him as particularly excellent. It is fortunate that the notebooks in which he There is a discernible reaction among a preserved these notated passages were section of younger Camatic musicians against available for Pinakapani to consult when he the unduly fast, percussion-driven and gamaka­ was interviewed, in 1993, on behalf of Sangeet free singing which has been in vogue on the Natak Akademi as part of its documentation of concert platform in recent decades. They will outstanding artists. It is also fortunate that find in this album a model of an alternative Pinakapani's voice, somewhat gruff at the start they long for: a style of singing in which the of the interview, soon became mellow. He was bhava or emotion and the feel of a raga is thus able, at the age of eighty, to render paramount, and not pyrotechnics or laya melodiously and with clarity many snatches of manipulation. great music ofthe past. It is as ifhe brought the Speed is not intrinsically unmusical, nor is a great dead back to life for a while. slow tempo in itself musical-it can drag. But There are many who talk glibly about the an unhurried pace is essential for rendering Thanjavur bani without knowing what it was music with attractive garnakas and QI1t!s\varas. like. There are also those who complain that "If you run", Pinakapani asks, "can you there is too much gamaka and decorative detail dance?" He himself delivers, on a slow-tempo in Pinakapanis singing. They will be surprised base, stunningly fast and beautiful phrases. to discover that the old masters revelled in This is what used to be done by precisely such musical embellishment. Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Ayyar and other 'Arabesque' is a term used to denote veterans of what is known as the Thanjavur virtuosity with aesthetic appeal: decoration bani. Konerirajapuram died in 1921, but with fanciful intertwining of leaves and Pinakapani (born 19l3)had the good fortune of scrollwork. The tenn was employed by N. hearing R. Rangaramanuja Ayyangar (a Raghunathan, chiefleader-writer ofTheHindu, disciple of Veena Dhanam) demonstrate for who used to write as 'Vighneswara' for Khasa him how 'Ayyarval' used to sing. To our good Subba Rau's weekly journal Swatantra; in the fortune, Pinakapani in tum demonstrates in the issue dated 2 April 1995, he wrote abollt.the opening segment of this album, where he Nagaswaram wizard T.N. Rajaratnam Pillai: discusses the fundamentals of good music, the The seductive blowing gives you the pure features of excellence unique to the titans who spirit of melody. It is an enveloping flourished in the second quarter of the enchantment, sensuous. full of surprises like twentieth century. These include besides 'caverns measureless to man' but rising ever Koncrirajapuram, Veena Dhanammal, violinist and anon 10 confront the sparkling midday Go vindaswami Pillai, flutist Swaminatha sun with arabesques of an unbelievable beauty. Sangeet Natak Nos.131-132, 1999 REVIEW: MUSIC ALBUM S5

High praise, and wen deserved by high density of his gamaka-Iaden music. Rajaratnam when at his best in rendering the Pinakapani has not been a wid ely popular alapana ofa raga. singer. Another reason for Pinakapanis The term arabesque has also been employed obsc urity is that the music sabhas have ignored with reference to Pinakapani. S,V. Seshadri, him by and large. This may be because of writing as ' Aeolus' in Shan kar 's Weekly of an unease felt by professionals of the I August 1971, commented on the difference in music establishment at the prospect of being the exposition of Todi by Pinakapani and by outshone by an 'emateur'<-. even if he has another singer. both heard on radio the trained many professionals including Voleti previous month: Venkateswarulu, Nedunuri Krishnamurthi, and Pinakapani is by temperament as different Nookala Chinna Saryanarayana. fromhim [the other singer) as a soliloquy is The musical bureaucracy of All India from a declamation. Pinakapani conceivesof Radio, headed for many years in Delhi by a music as an invo lved introspection, end professional musician, also disregarded expresses it in a pattern of arabesques which Pinakapani. He was not invited to sing in the weaveand intertwine in an amazing number National Programme till 1972, a belated offer of loops and knots. Presented on the which he declined. In the result, access to the nagaswaram model, Ptnakapani's Todi had a music of Pinakapani has been virtually tremendous impact. His music winds around confined, till this album, to listeners wi thin the him like a nebula .. . The concert had ancrher range of the sout hern stations of A.1.R. from weighty item in the Savcri padam ' Lemaro' . Both the raga and the song seemed to be which he has sung from time to time, especially suited to the Pinakapani style of The difficulty of grasping and relishing a imrospecuve arabesqueweaving. style of music which is out of the ordinary is High praise, again, and equally well compounded when Pinakapani is heard with deserved. the regulation accompaniment of violin and Mridangam. While percussion can add lustre to To what he learnt from the masters of the the renderingof madhyama-kala compositions, Thanjavur bani, including the Nagaswaram and passages the violin as an vidwans, Pinakapani added two gifts bestowed ctswaro-katpana. accompanying instrument is of questionable on him by nature. One is a fecund musical value except for providing breathing space to imagination, disciplined by a governing good the main performer. Whether as intended taste that rules out caprice and the theatrical faithful echo or when goingoff ata tangent, the gesturing and melodramatic toms of phrase to sound of the violin follows, and partly crases. which many music performers on the concert the impression made on the listener by the stageand on radio and television are prone. The singe-r' s voice. The greater number of the other god-given gift is a voice that is at once eighty-five items rendered by Pinakapani, w.e ighty, resonant and supple. This has enabled presented here, are of his unaccompanied Pmakapani- subject of course to the roll gradually taken by time- to render fast phrases music. They include a dozen_and.a _I1alfKirtanas ~f mellifluously on a slow-tempo base. The Annamacharya, set to music by Pinakapam. unhurried pace permits him to pay attention to These are his own musical creations, and attest ~ery syllable, and to punctuate the rendering his calibre as a composer. Suffused with raga­ With pauses filled with dhvani or suggestion, SO bhava, they convey (as his rendering of Padams as to endow each line with beauty. and of 'pyagaraja's shorter lyrics do) the It is a difficult but exquisite style. Even as paLk~tmm or ripeness which England's ba~d Ihe classics of literature are not amenable to had in mindwhen he affirmed: "The ripeness 1S rapid reading, Pinakaparu's music calls for fullyattentive listening. Perhaps because of the all". 56 S. UMA DEVl

The pub lisher acknowledges the blemishes editing, too, bet rays the non-p rofessional of the album. The unaccompanied music was touch. BUI these imperfections will not deterau recorded by G.N.S. Raghavan, a journalist and earnest music lover, Rags cannot hide beauty, autho r, from 1970 onwards on numerous visits even if finery may enhance it. to Kumool or at Hyderabad or Delh i. These While the album will be welcomed by music sessions were not intended for music lovers in general, it will be four.d presentation to the public . Pinakapani sang for specially valuable by teachers and studentsof one who was attracted by and ardently sought music. Though the int eractive process of melody and aesthetic qual ity. and wa s teaching and learning face to face remains the uninterestedin the grammarand rules of music. best method. the ad vent of electronics has Pinakapani would sometimes relax: laya by not mad e it possible to Jearn good music by waiting for the completion of an avartana listening to tapes at home, at hours of the day before proceeding to the next. This was a or night convenient to the listener. The distance liberty consciously taken. The recordings were that electronics has overcome is both of space done alone or other home, on domestic tape­ and time. Students of future generations caa recorders. and not in a studio with professional profit from this album as mu ch as those of out equipment. The listener may therefore have to time. adjust lite volume knob from time to time for securing the desired level of sound. The s. UMAnevr