Bhakti: The Lasting Emotion in Carnatic Music

Vid. Maharajapuram Santhanam, 1983 concert

Dissertation from R. Sachi

Rasikas who have journeyed with us in Parvathi would attest to this fact: most musicians raised their concert standard memorably and gave of their best in the Parvathi setting. It was an ambiance filled with devotion and celebration. Vid. Santhanam, a shining star in Carnatic music in 1970’s and 1980’s, came often and performed many concerts in Parvathi. His music that we have shared here stands out for a vibrant delivery style, a wide repertoire, and a lyrical impact that left rasikas asking for more. We share below a photograph from one of Sri Santhanam’s innumerable concerts.

[ Maharajapuram Santhanam from an earlier indoor "Parvathi" concert with Ramabhadran, Manjunath and Chandrasekharan ]

This 1983 Ramanavami concert that we share this time is no exception. Filled with a wide range of krithis composed by the masters like Thyagaraja and Vasudevachar, the concert leaves a lasting emotion of Bhakti in our minds for a long time.

The feeling of Bhakti comes in several flavours. There is the filial devotion as in Seethamma Mayamma. There are praises of the glory of God, in one’s favourite form like Ganesha, Shanmukha, Krishna and Rama. There is the plea for protection, and benediction. There is the intense longing of separation from one’s ishta devatha. Then there is the glorious joy of beholding or experiencing the Divine as in Kannare Na Kande.

All prayer is a preparation for the union with the Ultimate. That is the essence of Bhakti Yoga. We are deeply moved by this narrative describing the last day on earth of Vid. Mysore Vasudevachar in 1961, when he was 96 years old.

We reproduce below the relevant portion from the famous book, With Masters of Melody (S. Krishnamurthy, pub: Ananya)

This narrative shows how a man who lived and breathed devotional music all his life attained a fitting end in the lap of the lord. That is the crux of what is yoga in the Bhagavadgita (8.10) And the resounding assurance of the lord in Bhagavadgita, to always take care of his devotee, never goes in vain (9.22).

Come, let us enjoy the concert!

Concert Details

Maharajapuram Santhanam --------- Vocal
T.G.Tyagarajan ------------------------Violin
Tanjore Upendran ---------------------Mridangam
Ramanavami Concert held on 24-4-1983 at "Parvathi

Song List

01.Vandenishamaham-Hamsadhvani-MV*** 02.Seetamma.mayamma-Vasantha-T*** 03.Narayana-Shuddha.Dhanyasi-PD*** 04.Ranganathude-Sourashtra-Ponniah.Pillai*** 05.Purvikalyani.Raga(Vocal&Violin)*** 06.Marachitivemo-Purvikalyani-MV*** 07.Aparadhi.naanalla-Revathi-PD*** 08.Nannu.vidachi-Reetigowla-T*** 09.Akhilandeshwari-Dwijavanti-MD- ***10.Kannarekande-Behag-PD*** 11.Sharangan.Marugane.-Ragamalika*** 12.Govinda.ninna-Janasammodini-PD*** 13.Vilayada.idhu.nerama-Shanmugapriya-TN.Balu*** 14.Namasmarana.sukam-Yamankalyani-Tulasivanam.(part.only)***

From String to Song to Symphony – A Cadence of Excellence

Chitraveena N. Ravikiran – Parvathi Ramanavami 1988

Reflections by R. Sachi

We bring to rasikas worldwide a wonderful concert of Chitravina (earlier name gotuvadyam) by prodigy N. Ravikiran, held at Parvathi in 1988.

Born in Mysore in 1967, the phenomenon called N. Ravikiran made an impact on the Carnatic scene as early as in 1969. He astonished the greatest musicians with his ability to recognise a vast array of ragas and talas when other children would be lisping baby words. M.S. Subbulakshmi, T.R. Mahalingam, Mysore Doreswamy Iyengar, Pandit Ravi Shankar, and others, expressed astonishment and delight at this phenomenon called N. Ravikiran. After training intensely under his father, Chitravina Narasimhan, Ravikiran debuted as a vocalist in 1972, at a record-setting age of five in Coimbatore and presented concerts in prominent venues. He won a scholarship from the Madras Music Academy at that young age.

At the age of 10, he switched over to the 21-stringed chitravina (earlier called gotuvadyam) and gave his maiden chitravina concert at age 11. He established himself as a frontline Indian string instrumentalist within the next 3 years with recitals in major venues and festivals. He won an exemption to perform professional concerts for Indian Radio and Television (Doordarshan) at age 12 and was invited to represent his country in Festivals of India all over the world. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer presented the gotuvadyam that had been played by his guru Vid. Sakharama Rao, to Ravikiran.

From 1986–96, Ravikiran underwent training under the celebrated vocalist T.Brinda, an acknowledged musicians' musician, renowned for her microscopic nuances, authentic repertoire and uncompromising values. His own approach to ragas, songs, and especially javalis and padams, reflects this.

The incredible saga of Ravikiran’s musical journey is well narrated over the Internet and well documented at ravikiranmusic.com. Today, N. Ravikiran is one of the most highly accomplished and respected musicians around the world, performing, teaching, composing and conducting music concerts of several formats and genres round the year around the globe. He plays the chitravina as well as gives full-fledged vocal concerts.

Ravikiran is making fundamental contributions towards popularising Oothukadu Venkata Kavi’s compositions. He is helping musicians to hone their skills in advancing both lakshana and lakshya of their Carnatic competencies through conducting many lec-dems, and Internet teaching sessions. Many of his students have been well recognised.

Ravikiran's significant contribution to world music is 'Melharmony', a new approach to compositions and aesthetics that he initiated in the year 2000 at the Millennium Festival in UK. The impact of this has been reflected in Melharmonic concerts, collaborations, academic papers and recognitions. Melharmony harnesses melodic concepts of the East and harmonic concepts of the West. His 72-raga melakarta melharmony presentation and his composing and performing music for a dance ballet performed by Pandit Birju Maharaj are among many recent achievements.

The present concert is a good example of how balanced, sparkling and fulfilling Ravikiran’s music has always been. The range of ragas and compositions leaves the listener highly satisfied. As Ravikiran enters the “golden age” in a Carnatic musician’s career, we wish the maestro all success and happiness in his multifaceted endeavours.

Details

N. Ravikiran ------------------- Chitravina (Gotuvadyam)
T.G.Tyagarajan ----------------Violin
T.A.S Mani ----------------------Mridangam
Bangalore Venkataram ------- Ghatam (Ramanavami Concert held on 2-4-1988 at “Parvathi")

Song List

01 Raghunayaka-Hamsadhvani- Thyagaraja *** 02 Simhendramadhyama Raga *** 03 Natajana paripalaka-K.V. Srinivasa Iyengar *** 04 Manavinala-Nalinakanti- Thyagaraja *** 05 Todi Raga *** 06 Emi Jesite – Todi- Thyagaraja *** 07 Sudhamayee – Amrutavarshini- H Muthiah Bhagavatar *** 08 Kamboji Raga *** 09 Tana in Ghana Ragamalika *** 10 Pallavi –Parimala Rangapathe *** 11 Yare Rangana –Hindola- Purandara Dasa *** 12. Vagaladi Bodhanalaku-Behag Javali – Tirupathi Narayanaswamy *** 13 Mangalam ***