How does Carnatic vocalist T.M. Krishna manage to sing neravals without his hands keeping beat? Why have some ragas like Narayana Gowlai become less frequently sung in concerts, over the years? What was the concert paani like earlier?
These were some of the interesting questions that were posed by rasikas at ‘Anwesha – Quest for the Best’, an event organised by the Indira Sivasailam Foundation, here on Tuesday. And Mr. Krishna, the winner of this year’s Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal, spent nearly three hours patiently answering all 30 questions.
To a question on how Carnatic music classes can be made more interesting for children, asked by music teacher Geetha Kuppan, he suggested that small songs, including the 33 notu swaras of Muthuswamy Dikshitar, songs of Subramania Bharathi, and Carnatic music-based songs like ‘paati nalla paati’ by V.V. Sadagopan, be taught to children along with the basics.
“You must make them hum, which will make them sing gamakas easily,” he said. To class XII student R. Abhishek’s question on his being able to sing without his hands keeping beat with neravals , Mr. Krishna explained that tala existed only because melody did, and both were inseparable, with tala being part of the manodharma .
N. Murali, president of The Music Academy, said it was in 2010 that Tafe chairman and CEO Mallika Srinivasan started the Indira Sivasailam Foundation in memory of her mother, a musician and connoisseur of music. The foundation, he said, aimed at promoting our rich culture and tradition.
Ritha Rajan and R.S. Jayalakshmi, of the Music Academy’s Advanced School of Music, who were also present, were the jury members and chose the 30 questions from the many posted by rasikas from across the country and even, abroad.
