One of the senior-most and feted mridangam vidwans, Bengaluru-based A.V. Anand has been active on the kutcheri circuit since his debut in 1947. He has played for a spectrum of luminaries across five generations starting with Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Mysore T. Chowdiah, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, R.K Srikantan, M.D. Ramanathan, V. Doreswamy Iyengar, D.K. Pattammal, M.L. Vasanthakumari to the artistes of today. Recipient of several honours, the spry 82-year-old wears many hats as guru, composer, percussion ensemble director and author. Drawing from a rich store of memories and experiences, the maestro traces his musical journey.
What drew you to mridangam
When I was a four year old, I would listen raptly to tala vadyas and rhythms and recreate similar sound patterns on a cardboard piece or tin slate. During rathotsava processions, I would be spellbound by thavil vidwans. These early signs prompted my father to send me to ghatam legend K.S. Manjunathan, a family friend, for mridangam classes. Recognising my intuitive bent, my guru began teaching me at age 6.
About your guru and gurukulavasam
My guru’s teaching approach was methodical. As I used to practise 4-8 hours a day under his eagle-eyed supervision, it amounted to gurukulavasam. An uncompromising taskmaster, he laid emphasis on achieving clarity of strokes, perfect laya and sound control (nadam) on both faces of the instrument. He ensured that his disciples achieved proficiency in three speeds (trikalam) of all permutation-combinations, with clarity. His strict side would emerge if I failed any of these conditions. Fortunately, I lived up to his expectations. However, he would never openly acknowledge my progress, because he was anxious that I should not take my foot off the pedal.
Some valuable tips about playing for kriti, kalpanaswara, niraval and pallavis
The thumb rule is both simple and elegant. Make subtle variations in play, avoid monotony and ensure the percussion doesn’t disturb the main artiste’s manodharma. If the mridangam artiste is familiar with the kriti, he can embellish prominent sangatis with subtle turns (uruttus or sollukattus) and nadais that enhance the sahitya bhava. This seamless approach also holds good for niraval and kalpanaswaras. If the kalpanaswaras have well-knit patterns, one can closely follow them with keen anticipation. For pallavis, I would suggest comprehensive pre-concert discussions with the main artiste and other accompanists on aksharakala, akshara distribution of pallavi sahitya, negotiation in trikala, nadai bheda and kalpanaswara patterns.
Vidwans with whom you have had a close association and memorable concerts...
Violin legend Chowdiah first provided me the platform and the opportunity when I played for him during a puja at my home in 1947. The gulf between us was immense, in age and experience. Then aged 53, he had carved a name for himself in the Carnatic firmament. I was all of 11, still a fledging disciple. Chowdiah filled me with confidence and a dream — one that helped me take big strides in the field of music. Later, I became his chosen mridangam partner when his customary accompanist, M.L. Veerabhadraiah, was not available. Our association continued till his demise. Another legend with whom I have had more than 50 years of stage collaboration, exploring rewarding avenues in improvisation, is R.K. Srikantan. In my collaboration with veena maestro V. Doreswamy Iyengar, every concert became a learning experience. We strongly believed that musicians and rasikas must share a bond, and concerts were a way to build this bridge. We achieved this to a great extent when we visited about 30 universities in the U.K. in the 1980s, to introduce Carnatic music through lec-dems and concerts to music students there. The response was tremendous.
M.L. Vasanthakumari was famed for her presentation of intricate pallavis in different talas and nadais, often incorporating more than one nadai. For instance, there would be a medley of tisra, khanda and misra, throwing down the gauntlet to the percussionists. During a kutcheri at Bangalore Gayana Samaja’s annual music conference, the legendary vocalist had ‘double mridangam’ support from Mannargudi Easwaran and myself. She sang a complex pallavi in two nadais set to mishra chapu. After our tani avarthanam for that tala, we received a standing ovation and MLV was greatly appreciative.
About your mridangam solo concerts.
The mridangam thrums with a life of its own and can uphold its pedigree in the absence of other instruments or vocals. Thirty years ago, I began presenting one-hour mridangam solo concerts, which have received wide acclaim and piqued listener interest. This stresses the fact that the persona of the percussion instrument is much bigger than its seemingly confined role in a tani avartanam.
Of late, percussion solos and ensembles have brought the instruments closer to the audience. My solo experimentation has included playing in talas such as khanda triputa, misra jhampa, misra triputa, sankeerna triputa, sankeerna dhruva and some ashtotara shatha talas and composing korvais and muktayams. I have directed tala vadya ensembles in complex talas. Any aesthetic presentation with an introductory explanation and a replay of intricate patterns on audience demand, earns appreciation. Drawing on my decades of experience, I have co-authored textbooks for tala vadya examinations conducted by the Government Secondary Education Board of Karnataka. I have also submitted papers on ‘Thani Avarthanam (Laya Vinyasa) - Development, Trends and Future’ and another paper on ‘The Individual and Independent Personality of Percussion.’
Your thoughts and perceptions about music – past, present and future
The compositions of Tyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar, Syama Sastri and noted vaggeyakaras extol the divinity inherent in Carnatic music. Any deviation from established norms is frowned upon. However, there is scope for experimentation within the framework of tradition. I am a strong advocate of thinking out of the box without hurting puritanism. In this age of musical diversity, thanks to technology and the creative freedom enjoyed by musicians, composers are reinventing old creations through fusion/collaboration and trying out new forms. Here, walls collapse and ideas merge as artistes from different backgrounds work with the common goal of promoting music. As Carnatic artistes, we have the responsibility of taking the joy of music to all forums, making it more democratic. Simultaneously, we must pass on our tradition to the next generation without diluting values – a fine balancing act. My suggestion is to diligently learn and practice traditional classical music; then, collaborate with other genres without distorting the discipline you represent.
Carnatic music is safe in the hands of young artistes who are intelligent, creative, and sensitive to values. I see hope in them as, for the past 60 years, I have been teaching hundreds of students, some as young as five-year-olds, guiding them on mridangam, ganjira, tabla, ghatam and beat-boxing.
Teaching methodology has undergone changes in step with the manner in which students absorb lessons. Many of my disciples are successful percussionists today, carrying forward the tradition I inherited from Manjunathan Sir, who was taught by Palghat Srinivasa Iyer. This style reflects the best traditions drawn from many sources. Ultimately, when the mridangam is played from the heart, it is a soul-satisfying experience for both artiste and rasika.
The response that the mridangam as pakkavadyam has received on the stage has been incrementally better over the years. And I am happy to be witness to, and part of the change in fortunes for this instrument.
