I am not sure if this has been discussed before: We hear of vidwans referring to their banis , padantarams etc... What does the word "bani" mean (apart from the fact that it refers to a certain school of music)? How is it developed and propagated? Is it a vidwan's interpretation of certain ragas/kritis? Or has it got to do more with the performing style of an artiste? Also, if a vidwan chooses to sing in a peculiar fashion, can it be termed a bani? Thoughts and opinions welcome...
-bhaktha
bAni/pAdAntaram
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Sundara Rajan
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keerthi_vasan
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A couple of years ago, I heard a recording of a lec-dem that Ravikiran had done on Brinda's Bani (in Detriot I think?) where he postulated a theory which distinguished between style, school and bani. His explanation was that style is individualistic, it becomes school when your disciples follow your style and graduates to bani only when its influence is seen in a much wider sense. He explained that this was very true in Veena Dhanammal's case as her style attracted doyens from so many other schools.
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kadambam
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Padantharam - is like a structured template that is transferred to disciples from established musicians/school. Padantharam is more specific.
Style - How a musician applies his individuality over his/her padantharam.
Bhani - Style becomes Bhani when musicians build on this padantharam and bring out their individuality over certain common musical attributes on a consistent basis. Bhani is generic
Eg: MMI's swaraprastaras can be classified as a separate bhani, as he applies his individualistic approach not to any one raga, but various ragas.
On contrary DKJ's rendition of Kamalamba Navavarnams can be identified as a padantharam, as it clearly deliniates the kriti, that it can be used for learning purposes. When DKJ sings, the kritis appear so simple, but only when try to learn, we will know how difficult they are.
Style - How a musician applies his individuality over his/her padantharam.
Bhani - Style becomes Bhani when musicians build on this padantharam and bring out their individuality over certain common musical attributes on a consistent basis. Bhani is generic
Eg: MMI's swaraprastaras can be classified as a separate bhani, as he applies his individualistic approach not to any one raga, but various ragas.
On contrary DKJ's rendition of Kamalamba Navavarnams can be identified as a padantharam, as it clearly deliniates the kriti, that it can be used for learning purposes. When DKJ sings, the kritis appear so simple, but only when try to learn, we will know how difficult they are.