From France, for a musical journey of a lifetime

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 09 Apr 2008, 06:25

A very interesting topic for Rasika forumites to read and comment

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/09/stories ... 190700.htm

Sam

Ramnath Iyer · Post by **Ramnath Iyer** » 09 Apr 2008, 07:15

Sam,
very commendable effort by the French man ! It is a real pity that such a grand instrument does not have the patronage it used to command.

Just last week I attended a nadaswara kutcheri in Melbourne. It was a troup who had travelled from Sri Lanka - consisting of two nadaswaram vidwans and two thavil vidwans. Their music was simply fabulous. In a four-hour concert, their ragam tanam pallavi in Charukesi itself went for 1.5 hours. Their fertile imagination during the charukesi alapana and their mastery of laya in the pallavi just blew me away. The guest speaker at that concert mentioned about a great tradition of nadaswaram and thavil that existed (fast dying there too) in Jaffna. He mentioned a thavil vidwan by name Yazhpanam Dakshinamoorthy Pillai. Apparently nadaswara vidwans from Tamil Nadu used to flock there to perform and get a name for themselves (like musicians longing to perform in Music Academy).

Incidently, Melbourne and Sydney Hindu temples have appointed and continue to support full-time nadaswaram and thavil vidwans.

Ramnath

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 09 Apr 2008, 07:30

Thanks Sam for the link and Ramnath for the comments.

More concerts for the Nadaswaram need to be encouraged. This Grand instrument needs more patronage definitely.

However I also feel the problem is rooted elsewhere. How many of us have observed in our weddings we do not show enough respect to the Nadaswaram & Thavil artists. How many times has a wonderful Manodharma been cut off brusquely in mid flight by relatives or the Vadhiyar to recite mantras. And finally how many of the people present actually applaud the Nadaswaram & Thavil vidwans (sitting in a forlorn corner) for their wonderful music. IMHO no one does in weddings.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 09 Apr 2008, 09:22

Cienu,
I know what you mean. Though, a few of us make it a point to go up to the players and compliment them if they played well. I even move to a seat closer to where they sit and listen if I can. The artistes are really happy if even a few among the wedding guests pay attention to what they play and pay compliments too...

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 09 Apr 2008, 10:05

I am fully aware and bear witness to what you have stated as to the happenings at our weddings. In my case however, at every wedding I have attended, in every temple I have visited, I have regularly sat in front of them and listened to them for atleast some time. This is not only because I love the sound that comes out of that magnificient instrument, but also for the quality of the music these artists produce. It is indeed an insult to these wondeful people that people behave in the way you have mentioned in your submission. and It is for this reason too I have made it a point to sit in front of them and listen to them so that let the artists not bracket every body in the mould and let them also feel that there are people who care a lot about this wonderful art of nagaswaram and thavil. My anna has this wonderful habit of not only staying behind to listen to these artists, but also to reward them ( albeit a token). He has always requested me to follow this tradition where ever I can.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 09 Apr 2008, 10:50

One of the things my family paid close attention to during my wedding was in the selection of nAgasvara and thavil vidvAns. My wife and I were lucky to get married to the accompaniment of melodious nAgasvaram - the mandhra sthayi phrases of nATakurinji that were being played just at the time of the solemnization of our marriage are forever etched in my mind.

Such a great instrument which has a mesmerizing effect when played well..

rajumds · Post by **rajumds** » 09 Apr 2008, 12:14

However I also feel the problem is rooted elsewhere. How many of us have observed in our weddings we do not show enough respect to the Nadaswaram & Thavil artists.

cienu, marraige is not a music concert. The mantras & rituals are of prime importance and nadaswaram is just a auspicious filler. In the fast paced society we live today even very close relatives living in the same city gte to meet each other only in marriages and socialising becomes more important.

The more important thing that needs to be done to preserve this wonderful art is to revive the temple traditions and also have more concerts in general. The author highlights this in the interview.

What ails nagaswaram music, according to Mr. Williams, besides lack of transmission of knowledge, is the gradual dissociation of the instruments from temple rituals.

Though every temple has its own nagaswaram and thavil player, they were hardly aware of the tradition, he said.

Even the Thiruvaur Thiagaraja and Thiuvenkadu temples no longer followed the nagaswaram traditions unique to them. “Fortunately, the Nataraja temple retains some of the finest traditions in nagaswaram playing.”

He has, in fact, analysed in detail the nagaswaram tradition followed in these three temples, though the main thrust is on Chidambaram temple.

He even lived in Chidambaram for a year to study the tradition.

“Even there, the tradition is followed in bits and pieces. After Vaithyanatha Pillai and Radhakrishna Pillaim, it is Achalpuram Chinnathampi who knows the tradition. But he is ailing and it has been more than 14 years since the rakthi melam was played on the 8th day of the brahmotsavam,” he said.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 10 Apr 2008, 01:58

Dear Sam,
At the risk of being branded for self promotion- I hesitated a week before deciding to write this- I thought in the interest of keeping the discussions on Nadhaswaram going I SHOULD WRITE THE FOLLOWING:

Sri.S.Kasim & Sri. S.Babu with Thavil support from Senthil- all from Tiruchy - have been visiting North America every year and truly fulfilling ALL the roles Nadaswaram here that it should be fulfilling in India( though they are trying their best themselves). They are expected to tour this year around May also.As vice-president of Dr. Sheikh Chinna Moulana Trust - Kasim & Babu are Trustees - I wish to point out that every year the trust presents Nadaswarams to desrving young artists and arranges a concert for young promosing Nadaswaram Artistes in Tiruchy during "Sraddhanjali" celebrations for late Sheikh Chinna Moulana. In addition an indigent Nadaswaram artist is also given a cash award.
I request those interested in this subject to please visit: www.vidvan.com & read the articles written there by Dr.V.K.Viswanathan ( known here as v.k.v.) about the 2006 tour of Kasim & Babu as well as related articles on that site. I also welcome your suggestions on how we can restore Nadaswaram to the throne as "King of Instruments" -as well as UNIQUE IN World Music - as described by none other than Professor William Skelton of Colgate University an authority & a Nadaswaram player himself. Thank you. v.k.v.

rajumds · Post by **rajumds** » 10 Apr 2008, 09:43

Wonderful work sir.

Being born & brought up in Trichy , I had the fortune of listening two great vidwans ( AKC - Clarinet & Sheikh Chinnnmoulana) live many a time and nothing can match the majesty of nadaswaram.

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 10 Apr 2008, 10:22

VKV Sir

Kudos to your efforts and pray that support like yours continue and this great art flourishes. One small(?) request....if Sri Kasim and Sri Babu visit you in and around May as you have indicated, is there a chance that these two can divert to NZ on their return leg ( say, from S'pore). We in the NZCMS committee are very eager to host such tremendous artists and that would be the first time in the history of this country as well...with limited resources, we find it difficult to finance an entire tour from India but always tried to do piggy back with other organisations of the world. If you would like to discuss this separately, you have my email address already. Regards

Venu · Post by **Venu** » 10 Apr 2008, 10:50

Yes. I too witness the slow perish of Nadaswaram and Thavil. I feel proud to say that, Apart from my office Work, (Manager- Quality Assurance in Avesthagen Bangalore) I play Thavil with the leading Nadaswaram artists of Bangalore. Also I Accompany Veena and other musical concerts occassionally.
Many times I feel Nadaswaram isl not given priority in big Sabhas. If I'm right, this time's Rama Navami shedule (2008) does't feature any Nadaswaram recitals in it's schedule. This shows a bad sign.

Often I work out plans to encourage the young talents on Nadaswaram and Thavil. But I'm unable to convert my plans to reality to make the difference.

I request all forum members to encourange and support me in this regard by the way of suggestions and providing opportunities to present the art in various parts of the planet.

Thanks.

Venu · Post by **Venu** » 10 Apr 2008, 11:47

Yes Ramnath,

Yazhpanam Dakshinamoorthy Pillai was the Chakravarthy of Thavil. I heard that His urutus or Sollus were at very very high speed and one should replay with slower rate to understand the beauty.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 10 Apr 2008, 14:28

I too always make a point of spending time giving proper attention to the musicians at any function I attend, where-ever this is possible.

On my first visit to Chennai in 1997, I met an American in a Thomas Cooke office. He told me that he was a Nadaswaram artist, and was going to play in some big temple festival. This is the only other non-Indian player I ever met or heard of. I wonder who it could have been.

Closer to home, in the business of the day I never managed to get the names of the musicians who played for my wedding, although as it was a small-scale do with only thirty or so people on our terrace and no formal religious ceremony, I was certainly able to appreciate their playing. They were kindly booked for me by Ghatam Sri Suresh, whoe even went to the trouble of finding new persons for us as the original troupe had been unable to travel in the dreadful 2005 weather.

If anyone can fill in the names, I would be grateful: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nick-h/759 ... t-1619944/

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 10 Apr 2008, 18:19

Nick,
No, I don't know the vidvAns, but got to see more of your wedding pictures! Seems like yesterday! Was the memorable day in 2005?!

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 10 Apr 2008, 20:12

Nick, Pl see my post in your wedding album. I am guessing its Mambalam Siva & have given my reasons there. vkv

ajit · Post by **ajit** » 11 Apr 2008, 00:26

The Thavil artiste to the left of the Nadhaswaram artiste in the picture looks like the one who was in Cleveland this year with Mambalam Sri Siva. I think his name is Arulanandan.

ajit.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 11 Apr 2008, 01:36

Dear Sam,
I congragulate & thank you for your interest, involvement & commitment in propagating our music- esp in the case of Nadaswaram it is integral to our cultire-. I am writing you separately to your email about your particular suggestion. I think its a great one! vkv

srini_pichumani · Post by **srini_pichumani** » 11 Apr 2008, 07:26

Acchalpuram Chinnathambi who is quoted in the article has played beautifully on a mallari tape -- it costed all of Rs28/- when I got it in the late 90s in Murali Musicals.

I absolutely treasure this tape for the simple but professional quality of the production.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 11 Apr 2008, 11:59

vkv, ajit, arasi; thank you for your contributions.