Are you Listening?

Music for peace

We all listen to music. People like different genre of music. I would like to share with you the little experiences I had with carnatic music.


A decade ago a little boy just over ten years old found himself in a strange place. The day marked ‘vidyarambham’. It marked the end of the ‘Ayudha pooja’. It also marked the beginning of a new year. This was the day that most people who wants to learn new art forms, music etc. starts learning those things. So on that auspicious day, the little boy set out to learn the percussion instrument, the ‘Mrudangam’. It may be noted that prior to this day, the boy had no musical training. The boy did not know what to expect. There was a center nearby which was a promoter of arts and music. It was decided that the boy would learn from there. The boy along with his father journeyed to the arts center. Just as they were about to enter the place, the father recognized someone on the street. The stranger riding a motor bike suddenly stopped. Some words were exchanged and then strangely they went with the stranger to his house. Stranger still, the boy gave ‘dakshina’ to the stranger and he started to learn the ‘Mrudangam’. That little boy was me and the stranger was my master.

It was by fate that I met my master just when I was about to join another center to learn the instrument. My father had known my master long ago. They both learned the instrument from the great ‘Nannu Mashu’ in the 80’s. My master used to live there with ‘Nannu Mashu’ and learn. The gurukula system meant he sometimes bought rice and groceries for his master. After his master’s death, my master started teaching the instrument. Now when my father wanted me to learn, he had no idea that his old pal was teaching. Thus began the musical journey for me.


Now eleven years after that day I feel very amused thinking about those initial days. I have often wondered what would have happened if I had not met my master that day in front of that center. I would have probably lost interest and given up. My father’s enthusiasm was the key. But my sir made me what I am. The first few years are the hardest. But if you have a passion and with hard-work you can master this art. My master was very patient with me. I was a slow learner. But I liked to play the ‘Mrudangam’. First I was curious. Then I started enjoying the instrument. My sir corrected me when I went wrong. He showed me how it was done. But he never gets angry with his students. He showed me the way.

There are different basic styles for playing the ‘Mrudangam’. The Palaghat Bani as it is called is the style created by the great ‘Palaghat Mani Iyer’.This was as a result of a mix of Tanjor and Pudukkottai styles.  My masters master ‘Nannu Mashu’ followed the ‘Chennai Bani’ .So I also follow the Chennai Bani. Another style is the ‘Karaikudi Bani’ by the great Guru Karaikudi Mani. The way this guru plays makes the listener awestricken. Similarly many other styles also exist. All these greats have been a constant inspiration to all the aspiring Mrudangam artists like me.

Guru Karaikudi Mani

My interest never dwindled. All these years I have been learning at my masters home during the weekends. I don’t feel I am an artist yet. I have learned what I was taught. I can now perform at ‘kacheris’, still I have so much to learn. I feel one life may not be enough to understand the complexities of music. In case of the ‘Mrudanga’, the only thing one needs to learn is patience and practice. It usually takes a student 5-7 years of consistent training and practice to perform well. But nowadays people are more interested in competitions than art. Competitions are not bad. They help in the development of an artist. But learning art for competion is not the way. For a person to be a true artist, he/she must be able to express his own self through his instrument.

The first name that comes to my mind when I think of carnatic voacalists is of 'Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavather' His rendition of 'Vatapi Ganapathim' and 'Karuna Cheyvan Enthu' are gems of carnatic music.
'Bhavayami' and 'Kurai Ondrum Illai' by MS Subbulakshmi are so enchanting.There are so many great artists in carnatic music and I can't name them all here. There is a solid fan following for carnatic music. The crowds that gather for 'Kacheris' are usually very knowledgeable. The future of carnatic music is stable.


Although I enjoy listening to carnatic music, I also enjoy all types of music. Melodies have always been my favorites. Like most of the people I am also an avid A.R.Rahman fan. Now I am able to understand the difference between good and ordinary music up to some extent. I also respect rock music, but I do dislike hard rock. Hard Rock is just too loud for me. A few years ago I listened to a song ‘Stairway to Heaven’ by Led Zeppelin. Many consider it as the greatest rock song ever including me. This spurred an interest for me in rock music. A couple of years ago I heard a song ‘Hey Jude’, which made me curious. I found out that the song was by an old band called ‘The Beatles’. Then I started listening to ‘The Beatles’. Songs like ‘Yesterday’, ‘Let it be’ made me want to listen to more Beatles songs. I believe the Beatles were successful because they stuck to basics of music. The Pink Floyd songs ‘Another Brick in the wall’ and ‘Time’ are still on my playlist.

Ludwig Van Beethoven

Then came the obsession with symphonies. This was partly because I had an alien friend also obsessed with symphonies. First it was Mozart; I thought I had found salvation. Then it was Beethoven. How can one forget great musical works like 'Moonlight Sonata', 'Emperor' and 'Pastoral'. Perhaps the greatest symphony ever is Beethoven’s 9^th ‘Ode to Joy’ in D Minor. Did you know that Ludwig Van Beethoven was deaf? Then it was Bach,Berlioz and Brahms. The waltz song 'The Blue Danube' and 'Also Sprach Zarathusthra' by Strauss are worth a listen. I have a collection of symphonies now.

Not all things can be taught by the master. One has to learn some things by himself. An artist should have a distinct style of his own. For this an artist should keep on trying patiently.
I have to keep on learning. I am still trying to be an artist.