The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : The fun way to learn Carnatic music

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Friday, Nov 21, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

The fun way to learn Carnatic music

Ranjani Govind

Haadu Hakki has reached more than 50 villages and towns in the State
The radio programme is aimed at getting children hooked to Carnatic genre of music

Catching them young: A student learning the basics with a guide

Bangalore: Have you heard of Carnatic music classes being held in rural schools? The idea saw fruition with a Carnatic music initiation radio programme. It went so far as to make the whole exercise a memorable one in several villages of Karnataka.

The one-year broadcast, which began last year, was All India Radio’s educational initiative with a specific afternoon slot that was made into a compulsory Carnatic music class. “We had several episodes in a year of acclimatising, teaching and exploratory sessions covering the districts of Chitradurga, Shimoga, Udupi and Davangere, with three additional interactive airings that became a runaway hit with potential rural students asking for more,” said R.V. Raghavendra, managing trustee of Ananya Cultural Academy.

‘Haadu Hakki’ with teaching concepts, devised by Mr. Raghavendra, has reached more than 50 villages and towns. “We went about it in a phased manner as we wanted the kids to get hooked to the medium for a permanent love,” he said. “Listening can be done at any age. But educating oneself to delve into the nuances of the Carnatic genre is best as one steadily blooms,” said Mr. Raghavendra, who pulled off a 21-episode ‘Haadu Hakki’ programme. The highly structured episodes had introductory talks by noted personalities like U.R. Anantamurthy, Shyamala Bhave, R.K. Srikantan, Sukanya Prabhakar and NagachandrikaThe basics of raga, film music comparisons, tala and composers and their ankitanama, music instruments… everything was explained before the heavier sessions of kritis by musicologist Satyavathy.

What about the financial implications in the rural initiative?

“It was India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) idea of a radio programme for the rural kids that sparked a momentous beginning, what with the educational department of AIR readily accepting the idea. The costs of the production and broadcast were borne by IFA,” said Mr. Raghavendra.

Finale

As a fitting finale, Ananya will present ‘Haadu Hakki Habba’, a festival that aspires to encourage an exciting and fun-filled approach to the learning and appreciation of Carnatic music among children, on November 23 at Ananya, and on November 29 and 30 at Seva Sadan in Malleshwaram.

The entire broadcast will be available in 10 CDs at the Haadu Hakki Habba. Call 99809 91110 for details.

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