Chitra Nagesh's Random Thoughts

Music Divine

2012-01-19T00:24:00.000-08:00

Music lovers in Chennai need not wait for December alone for listening to regular and more dose of classical music. We get to listen to artists round the year now and then, here and there. It is like the rains in Chennai - occasional cloud bursts and summer thunder showers followed by brief visits (sometimes long spell!) of cyclonic depressions through the months of June, July and August bringing in their wake, the retreating and north east monsoon to complete the year- music programmes go on and slowly the tempo builds up and the city gears up for the season which more or less coincides with the much needed winter rains. (Can't help that input of Geography!)

Year after year, the more number of 'Sabhas' crop up and vie with each other to present the leading and popular artists to the people. Sometimes during the peak of the season, one would be faced with the problem of choice as which 'sabha' to go to.

Attending programmes almost daily for about a month, I cannot give individual account of each and every concert though I remember most of them rather the impact they had on me. I am not a great music scholar or critic to analyse the technical aspects. I merely want to express my thoughts and feelings.

It was like all the restricting chains came apart and I was a liberated spirit soaring high when I listened to the Sahana and Saveri essayed by Ranjani and Gayathri. That was during November, honouring Papanasam Shivan. Their Kamboji later during the season was a gem! Some times it sounded like the river in full spate, sometimes like a gentle mountain stream, its cool waters soothing the aching feet of the wanderer or at times like the gurgling sound of pebbles carried by the swift river.

Margazhi Maha Utsav with its thematic concerts is special as every artist researches and presents a programme with interactive moments in between. Sanjay simply excels in bringing out the beauty of ragas like Karaharapriya, Sankarabaranam, Thodi or Kamboji. His voice effortlessly travelled to the higher octaves and dipped down lower and kept the audience spellbound.His voice sounded sometimes like the trilling of violin and at other times like the flowing notes of nagaswaram. If his Karaharapriya and amirkalyani were like beautifully sculpted figures, it was Begada which was an emotionally uplifting experience.

With honey soaked voice, Gayatri Venkatraghavan spun a magic and ragas came alive when she dealt with them.My vivid imagination transported me to some place high up in the Himalayas with the snow clad, majestic peak looking down on me drawing and pulling myself into the unlimited vastness when she outlined Kamboji. When the 'aalapanai' brought before me 'Kailash' and the magnificent linga , the Krithi- 'O.. Rangasayee' took me in front of Ranganatha.

Now, so many impressions, feelings vie with each other to be put in words, I do not know which to choose. I cannot but mention TMKrishna's concert which was exhilarating!. His raga essays were simply beyond words. More than anything, it was the dialogue he and Embar(violin) had through their sangathis that was the highlight of the concert. An uplifting experience at the same time, a brain teaser it was! Sudha's 'ragam-tanam-pallavi 'சங்கராபரணனை அழைத்தோடி வாடி கல்யாணி, தர்பாரில்' was scintillating with her voice smoothly gliding from one raga to the other. It was again, Embar on the violin who replied her with elan.When Sudha took up the theme, ஷ்யாமலனும், சாம்பனும்' for the Margazhi festival, she took us on a pilgrimage to Chidambaram, Thiruvananthapuram, திருவானைக்கா, Srirangam, Kanchipuram and Mayiladuthurai enabling us to have the Darshan of both Siva and Vishnu. A perfect blend of the typical krithis of Thyagaraja, Swathithirunal and Dhikshither with the hymns of தேவாரம் மற்றும் திவ்ய பிரபந்தம் it was!When she sang about Ranganatha swinging on the 'oonjal', it was as though He was listening to her, sitting right in front of her, gently moving the swing to the rhythm of her song!

I want to share about the perfectly classical concert by Hyderabad brothers, the soft soothing voice of Jeyashree singing 'Mandu', sangathis and briga of TV Sankaranarayanan bringing Mani Iyer alive, the brilliance of young AbishekRaghuram and Oh!.... many more such moving moments!

Before it gets too technical and exclusive, I think I should sign off. Let me pose a question here(one persistent doubt0 to whoever would like to respond to it:- why do I see river Kaveri on a moonlit night during early spring when I listen to a melodious piece of music? why a magnificent sketch of 'thodi'/ 'bhairavi' bring an image of a dark imposing silhouette of a fort or a temple tower in front of me?or why does the graceful rendition of Kalyani lifts me up to vast space along a mountain slope (in particular, the Himalayas)?

The Music Season is here!

2012-01-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

It all begins with the onset offestival and pooja season in the Tamizh month of Aadi(July/August) in Mylapore:the excitements, craft fairs, crowd and more crowd, reduction sales, golubommai display, competitions and of course the ‘kutcheries’(concerts)-thecultural extravaganza characteristic of this place.

Mercury levels slowly dip and that wonderfulnip in the air announces the arrival of ‘Madraswinter’?! People plug their ears and wear monkey caps, and the Mylapore ‘maamisstylishly drape a shawl around their shoulders – all to take up theirrespective ‘winter’ activities. Mylapore in its special way gets ready towelcome the cool and pleasant December with every Sabha and concert hallgearing up for the Music Season. The Newspapers carry a special ‘seasonsupplement with music reviews and not to lag behind, the Tamizh weeklies havetheir own column for critically reviewing the performances.

Even after a year and half, itgives me such thrill to be in the midst of all, soaking up the cultural fervor!I packed my days with as many programmes as I can accommodate. (at least oneper day). But, there were pre- season programmes- curtain raisers for the mainseason – which I could listen to because I live in Mylapore.

When I was in my teens, I used tohave such longing to listen to classical music of those legends like,M.S, M.L.Vand many others. This remained as an unfulfilled desire for a long time. Thanksto the patronage of All India Radio to all classical music that I was able toenjoy the broadcast of the concerts those days but Law of Increasing Returnswas in force! More of those radio programmes I listened to, more was my longingto listen to a full concert!

I have been a ‘Chennai Vaasi’ forthe last 25 years or so but my long time desire I could attend to only for thelast 7,8 years. I cannot but remember Shri. KS V with a feeling of respect and asense of loss, for it was him who made it possible for me to respond to thecall of my heart initially. He perfectly understood my love for music and happilygave entry pass for one of the Sabhas in Mylapore. Now, the association withthe Sabha continues and to my heart’s content, I sit and listen to themusicians perform!

This time, it is not only themusic, but the people around also drew my attention. I keep looking aroundevery time, however, this time, there was a keen sense of observation.

I would like to share myimpressions through my blog post and hope some of you will read it and shareyour comments.

This is like the preparation timebefore the concert- tuning the instruments, aligning the pitch with the humanvoice, checking the sound system and so on.

Hope to come back soon with themain ‘kutcheri’ I mean, my thoughts about the music I had listened to.

Reunion that was a revelation

2011-07-05T00:54:00.000-07:00

It was obviously a memorable trip for many reasons. My vivid imagination playing havoc with my sense of balance during the two hour flight and as usual getting tense about not recognising my suitcase while checking out provide a lighter comical touch to the otherwise touching and profound experience of two and half days.

I had been to Pune about 30 years back for a short stint of 3 months when Nagesh was doing a course. A long time indeed to look for some familiar sights! With booming real estate and high rise apartments all around, the skyline has changed drastically. Still as we were nearing NDA, a faint recognition of sort presented itself.

Impressive pathways

I very eagerly looked forward to meeting Nagesh's course mates who have all been part of the stored memory of Nagesh. I was excited about giving a face and identity to many of them mentioned by Nagesh so frequently like Kulkani and Murthy.
It was worth watching all of them- course mates bonding and the sense of camaraderie engulfing one all around!Their characteristic style of having fun in style, a strange mix of impeachable manners and etiquette with down to earth frank comments, have I missed them in all these years!
All of them in their late fifties just shed 40 years to become the boisterous and energetic teens when they stepped inside the Squadron! They did not need much of prodding to share events, anecdotes of their cadet days- be it their fear of swimming and the sudden push into the swimming pool by the strict instructor, or their rolls from Habibullah Hall almost after every show there or their tricks of escaping punishments.

Be it the squadron, or the cabin, or the mess or the swimming pool, or the numerous roads they had cycled/rolled back and forth - there was some interesting event in those three years that shaped them into fine officers, that brought out beautiful friendships, that strengthened their team spirit, the list goes on!

That was Murthy reliving the moment of carrying the cycle!

The nick names they had (some mentionable while the rest are exclusive and unmentionable, I guess!) The imagination and sense of humour creating the names and accepting them as well fascinated me! Some of the officers answer to those names even today happily!
All his friends and fellow squadron mates emphasised one aspect of their life together time and again and this Nagesh had also mentioned many times. It is the silent unspoken understanding they had about being there as mates complementing each other and never to undercut each other with aggressive academic ambitions. Don't get the idea that they just wanted to have fun. Getting into NDA itself shows their calibre and intelligence. They toiled whenever needed and inculcated the values and discipline suitably, all in good time and doing it together. This is the way I understood the message.

A cool morning with overcast sky with slight drizzle saw all of us spending about half an hour in the Hut of Remembrance paying homage to fellow officers who were no more with us- many among them giving their lives for the Motherland. It was a deeply moving experience with Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Sikh priests saying the prayers and invoking the Almighty to bless all.

Waking up to a beautiful morning- view from the cabin window

I could go on like this -about the boat ride with icy rain drops falling on us or the lunch afterwards looking out on the beautiful lake with the historic Simhgad rising from the black clouds, or the dinner hosted by the NDA Commandant at his place along side the lake with cold wind moving in from the lake or the beautiful rendition of old melodies by Mrs.Sinha, Gurung, srinivas and Mohan Singh Dogra, ...... or the way I lapped up the cold wind, rain and the monsoon wetness of the Ghats, coming from the rain- starved warmer-ever Chennai!

But one thought tumbles on to the other, crowding and overlapping that I want to spend time alone with them and get refreshed by the memories of the younger, gregarious and fun loving Nagesh with his friends!