At first,I thought it is going to be 2 hours of wholesome entertainment.The first of a kind to me,which I had never been through.I had come across many of those carnatic recitals on the mornings that my TV carried,when my mom wantedly used to turn the volume up so high that even Kumbakarna would have had to wake up and get on with his morning activities.Also,the diwali programs and pongal specials carried the recitals as their first shows,which were very smartly skipped onto the sports channel using the remote.
But then,being physically present at a carnatic recital of a friend was a different experience altogether.The starting moments didn't seem to indicate anything odd.But then few minutes into the performance,It felt extremely weird to be sitting amidst ardent followers of music who totally get involved with the vocalist's performance that they won't even notice that someone behind them is actually whispering right into their ears to set their chair right,lest its going to fall off the edge of the platform and create a ruckus.
The eerie silence in the sitting area was so threatening that I had to sneeze with special silencers on, in order to avoid the annoyed looks of the afficianados in the hall.The 2 hours seem to be like 2 days when the music quotient is not upto the standards of the average quotient of the occupants of the hall.Infact its horrible when the quotient is somewhere near zero when it comes to Carnatic Music.
The laughter that I evoked when I silently asked my companion if there would be an interval during the performance,is still fresh in my memory.Now,I dont really think that was a joke.Even my HOD's most boring 2 hr classes used to have a 5 minute break,when most of us would escape from the campus with the safe thought that the attendance has already been marked for the special class.With that being the case,I felt all those uccha-staayis and non-stop singing definitely atleast meant there would be a break,atleast for the singer's sake.The clock in the music hall seemed to have halted ticking as the songs never seem to be ending.The artist's 'aalaapanais' followed by solo performances of the violinist and the Mridangam artist made the songs seem like an eternity of music.If you are wondering what an 'aalaapanai' is,dont feel out of place.Even I didn't have any idea as to what it meant until I sat next to a diehard follower who explained that its the improvisation of the same raga of the song by the singer.As I waited and waited for the lyrics during the aalaapanai,there was no signs of it and then I realised that an 'aalaapanai' never carries any lyrics and it could extend somewhere from 5 minutes to even half an hour based on the singer's involvement with the raga.
Watching my periamma nod and sway her head upon getting too involved with the songs was a bit funny.As I started to slowly look around for anythingelse happening in the hall,my eyes fell on a few Maamaas peacefully sleeping with open mouths and some maamis in the back busy discussing silently the 'Vambu's of their locality.I noticed that the Music Halls of Chennai nowadays seem to lure their listeners by offering good food adjescent to the halls at rock-bottom prices.Thats when I understood why some of my cousins had suddenly taken a liking to carnatic music started attending the daily tiffin time kutcheris.I heard that the food served at Music Academy was the most sought after,as it was prepared by 'Arushuvai Natarajan' caterers and was being offered at a modest affordable price.Nothing wrong in offering such food for the stomach as well as some food for the ears!
For someone who had heard of 'Pallavis' and 'Krithis' only when the attendance rollcalls were being called out in college,this was definitely an eye-opener to many many hours of such blissful music to follow.I have always been awestruck by the way some of my friends could differentiate the subtle variations in music and attribute raagas to them and compare with other songs with the same raaga base.I have got a lot more of listening and reading to do to come anywhere near that kind of a level in comprehending the nuances of music.
Personally I feel 2006 is going to be 'The year of Music' for me..
Looking forward to increasing my knowledge in carnatic music.
Disclaimer:This being the age of being politically right and diplomatic,I would like to stress that this write-up was in no way meant to comment on the Kutchery singer's performance.Eventhough I would be the last person whose opinion or criticism one would like to hear,I would like to sincerely say that it was really an interesting and memorable exprience.
Posted by rajesh | 
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Onnoda class la... yaaru da Pallavi and Kirithi.. ennaku theriyama? Ennada, marachi vechittela? :(
~Oo°~
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