Poignancy in kutcheris

[gobilalitha]

This is about the meanness of a top ranking musician , who tours USA every year and earns thousands of dollars without spending a cent, as all his expenses including gifts for his family and friends, and almost every alternate day phone calls to India are met by the hosts Once he performed at a marriage function in Chennai. He was paid a hefty sum of thosands of rupees. At t he end of the performance he paid a large amount of rs 10 to the poor tambura player!!!! The tambura player asked in a begging tone' anna konjam pottu kodungo, nan pillakuttikkaran( pl give me some more, i am a big family man'). the vidwan large heartedly gave him another 5 rupees. The other accompanying artists were kind enough to give him some amount. we are all aware of the pains of tambura player who has to strum on continuously for 3 hours without a moment's rest, while all others, musician , violinist, nridangam and kanjira players have some rest while performing . gobilalitha

[srinivasrgvn]

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[rajaglan]

I guess the problem is not just in carnatic music. It is in other walks of life too.

No two passengers sitting in a plane pay the same price for the destination.
The price range is so vast

I remember the wife of a famous s/w service provider in her essays has written that
the roadside mango vendor charges differently when you walk and buy or get out of the
car and buy. She said it should not be there. I was thinking that No two customers
get the same price for their s/w purchase from the service provider.

The prices are always negotiated. I think market forces will determine. I used to pay
Rs5 for incoming calls in 1999 and now we get free incoming.

The best solution for this meanness is to bring in the labour laws and have
some association for accompnaying artist. This is the probem in this kind
of jobs ( not meant anything bad).

I hope this thread doesnot become a personal attack on some artist.

[arasi]

Wonder if the vidvAn even thought about auto fare for the tambura player. Not knowing the going rates, I asked about the fee when arranging an event, and was shocked to hear the pittance (though much more than the fifteen rupees!) that they are paid. I put in a fourfold sum in the envelope and wished I could do better for a player who does it more out of his love for music...

[gobilalitha]

Rajaglan, I too wish it does not develop as a thread for personal attacks, nor am I running a quiz contest to locate the vidwan. Except on very few occasions, the plight of tambura players who undertake the hard duty is miserable. T here are also persons who consider it a great honour to sit along with a world famous vidwan,to play the tambura. gobilalitha

[VK RAMAN]

This is about the meanness of a top ranking musician , who tours USA every year and earns thousands of dollars without spending a cent, as all his expenses including gifts for his family and friends, and almost every alternate day phone calls to India are met by the hosts Once he performed at a marriage function in Chennai. He was paid a hefty sum of thosands of rupees. At t he end of the performance he paid a large amount of rs 10 to the poor tambura player!!!! The tambura player asked in a begging tone' anna konjam pottu kodungo, nan pillakuttikkaran( pl give me some more, i am a big family man'). the vidwan large heartedly gave him another 5 rupees. The other accompanying artists were kind enough to give him some amount. we are all aware of the pains of tambura player who has to strum on continuously for 3 hours without a moment's rest, while all others, musician , violinist, nridangam and kanjira players have some rest while performing . gobilalitha

formation of a "Pakkavadyam guild' consisting of all players including musicians may be an answer to this inequality in compensation.

[rajaglan]

Rajaglan, I too wish it does not develop as a thread for personal attacks, nor am I running a quiz contest to locate the vidwan. Except on very few occasions, the plight of tambura players who undertake the hard duty is miserable. T here are also persons who consider it a great honour to sit along with a world famous vidwan,to play the tambura. gobilalitha

I understood your cause.

On a different topic, the numbers paid for a hindustani vidwan is a lot (I heard) compared to what our vidwans get.
I think, we rate our music well, but pay them badly. I heard the top CM vidwans are paid well but most others are
not paid that well.

I was in bharathiya vidya bhavan for Aruna sairam's kutcheri. The hall was obviously full and I was waiting outside.
The pakkavadyam artist came in in his bike. The watchman stopped him saying that there is no parking available.
He was arguing with him that the kutcheri cannot start without him and finally the watchman understood. What I
fail to understand is that the organisers wait outside for the main artist but for pakkavadyam artist they donot even
leave a person at the gate to invite him inside.

[msakella]

In respect of labour, next to the Tambura-player, Violinist stands the next victim. Althrough the concert the Violinist has to play his instrument except in Mridangam-tani. Even then, if the Violinist renders ‘tala’ in Mridangam-tani, the main artist feels extremely happy and takes him for Violin-accompaniment even later to show his gratitude either for having saved him from the labour of rendering the tala or for saving him from the inefficiency of ‘Laya’ while rendering ‘tala’ for Mridangam-tani. In any music concert the Mridangist has the least labour and that is why, in some places, he is paid lesser amount than the Violinist. amsharma

[vganesh]

The pakkavadyam artist came in in his bike. The watchman stopped him saying that there is no parking available

Hmm.. interesting. Poor watchman. He must have been scared of his masters

[mahesu]

Sarmaji...The number of minutes the mridangam artist performs may be less, but the physical effort is much more than the vocal or violin artist. For the Violin artist, other than the time he keeps only bowing (!!!), the actual effort is lesser compartively.
Not to offend anyone, but only in a lighter vein,

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, mahesu, Being a Mridangist at my younger age and later also as a Violinist I cannot agree with you. At the same time I cannot also discuss this further being a sensitive issue. amsharma

[arasi]

They all contribute to the concert, but that is the way it is. In an action film--with not much of any acting or emoting, the leading man gets the lion's share when his double, the stunt man works the hardest and gets a pittance. How do we justify it? I once went to a concert where the violinist whom I had heard before and had liked his playing--just sat there, playing not even the bare minimum of his share (and we complain about violinists who take over!). It was a waitng game on my part and a let down for the vocalist. The percussionists saved the day...

[DhwaniB]

Yes. This topic initiation by gobilalitha is indeed commendable, in the interests of the silent catalysts.I was trying to arrange a concert for some very good friends in Banglore. While I was told by the artist that it was a package, in my curiousity (the mind wanders at times you know, probably to be well versed when an opportunity occurs =D) i wanted to know what the break up would be. I happen to meet the thambura artist (who was to feature in the troupe we had arranged) at a performance and asked him about his fee. He said it depends on the artistes and then added with a smile,'sila samayam avaa manasuppole' and said senior artistes, and he mentioned Sudha Ragunathan, pay him Rs.1000/- or more at times. I felt that was fair and presumed he would get that much for the one I had arranged at Banglore as the musician is also a senior male vocalist. For the benefit of the clan, I will check once the performance is over.

[gobilalitha]

Rs 1000 for tambura artist is a jackpot for him! gobilalitha

[srkris]

Let us keep the names away for the benifit of everyone.

[chalanata]

One doubt I have however. These happen only with vidwans who have earnt a fame. How much the violin and mruthangam artists demand for accompanying upcoming artists who do concerts free of charges. Are there different rates for different vidwans according to level of popularity? I learn that violin is in great demand. What are the going rates for these? Are the accompanying artists take reduced remuneration in the beginning and step up slowly as the performing artist grows in stature? I am just inquisitive. Performing members in the forum can clarify.

[srkris]

Of course everything depends on level of popularity (not even fame or ability, but popularity).