Thursday, April 14, 2022

NADASWARAM

   

   The year 2021 marking the centenary of Sri Karaikurichi Arunachalam, one of the greatest of Nadaswara vidwans, the spotlight has been lit all around on the instrument Nadaswaram itself, which is not only the monarch of wind instruments but also one that is authentically Indian and, in addition, authentically Carnatic. Since there are many articles that focus on Sri Arunachalam and other famous exponents of nadaswaram playing, I shall limit myself here to the instrument per se except to note that ‘Karaikurichi’ is one of my great favorites, and the continuity of the nada in his playing and virtuosity he exhibited remain unamatched even now. 
   Called mangalavadyam (the auspicious instrument), the nadaswaram is considered to be the instrument of the major god Ganesha of Hinduism, the remover of all obstacles. Thus, the nadaswaram has come to be used by South Indians in all auspicious events - not only in temples and religious institutions, but also in all social functions like weddings. It is routine to see in South India this instrument being featured particularly in many inaugural as well as valedictory functions of serial music and religious events as well as of totally secular ones unconnected with music or religion. It is often featured, along with the traditional drum ‘tavil’, in concerts on the music stage including in famous arenas like Chennai’s Music Academy and Narada Gana Sabha. 
   The nadaswaram is one of the ancient instruments of Indian music. It may predate the major Tamil epic, Silappathikaram dating back to 100-250 CE but considered to be but a written version of what was perhaps verbally transmitted over several centuries before that. Indeed, an instrument very similar in structure to nadaswaram in appearance and with seven holes by the name ‘vangiyam’ finds mention in Silappathikaram. It has also been referred to by the name ‘ezhil’ in ancient Tamil literature. The original version of the instrument had its main tube made from the wood of ebony trees (Indian Blackwood, called ‘aacha’ in Tamil) over seventy-five years in age and required much lung power that few could muster. 
   The modern version appears to be a redesign by one Mr. Ranganathan Achari of a village called Narasingapettai in Tamilnadu, where a set of four families still make nadaswarams. The first one to use the modified design by Ranganathan Achari was the legendary T.N. Rajarathnam Pillai under whose tutelage blossomed the maestro Karaikurichi Arunachalam, and whose encomium is still cherished by the original family that made the redesign. Since that redesign of the instrument in 1955, it is being made with a variety of materials including bamboo, sandalwood, ivory, and copper. Besides the long tube featuring seven holes to bring out the seven notes, an additional set of five holes is also present on the tube and stopped with wax for regulating the tone of the instrument. Above the long tube is a metal staple called in Tamil as ‘mel anaichu’ and into that is pushed in a small metallic cylinder called ‘kendai.’ A small ivory reed or horn is attached to it into which air is blown with one’s mouth to make sound while fingers play the holes to generate various notes. Half and quarter notes, as well as the glides (‘gamaka’) are brought out by controlling the air flow into the pipe. The emanating sound is amplified significantly by a bell shaped piece at the end called ‘keezh anaichu.’ 
   The instrument itself is very loud and usually played without the benefit of a microphone etc., in marriage halls, temples, and processions. However, it is.  common to see it used these days with improvised mufflers along with microphones and other modern electronic paraphernalia that mark a formal auditorium. This is particularly helpful when the instrument is played in concerts in accompaniment to or with other less loud instruments like the violin or mrdangam to provide enjoyable indoor treats within the genre of the Carnatic. 
   The version of the instrument played by professional nadaswaram players is typically four feet or more in length although some shorter versions are available. Despite the redesign, it still requires significant amount of lung power to play, a context in which I must recite an incident related to me directly by Sri Namagiripettai Krishnan, yet another stalwart on Nadaswaram, during his stay in our home in New Jersey. While in Boston, he got into a discussion with some American university students on a swim team about playing the instrument. Some of them tried their might on a spare instrument he had, with several unable even to bring any sound out of it, let alone play it. The discussion on the lung power needed led to a playful challenge to see how long one could hold one’s breath and was tried out with half a dozen or so of those near professional swimmers and Mr. Krishnan in a swimming pool, and to the total dismay of the former Mr. Krishnan was the last to rise up from under water! Just the size of his chest resembling those of high mountain dwellers should have dissuaded his interlocuters from offering a futile challenge, I guess.
   Bringing out melodious music out of such material and constructions requires enormous skill both on the part of their makers and the players. It is indeed a tribute to human determination and resolve that many have not only managed to bring out captivating music out of this difficult instrument but have risen to fame amidst great vocal and other instrumental musicians of Carnatic music. In the present day, that determination and resolve are equally being shown by some female musicians who have taken up the challenge of this instrument adding yet another proof that the term ‘weaker sex’ is but an absolute misnomer. Moreover, most players of this instrument who have risen to fame not only come from many different castes designated as ‘backward’ by the government (although the very term is becoming thankfully passé) but also include members of Islam too in what is predominantly a Hindu art form. 
    It is a matter of recorded history that some leading Carnatic musicians not only provided training to nadaswara vidwans, but also put them on a high pedestal and even learned from and emulated them in their own performances. A significant example is the famous G.N. Balasubramanian, whose brigha laden music even went by the moniker ‘nadaswara bani.’ To him, nadaswaram players like T.N. Rajaratnam Pillai were more than heroes, and he acknowledged Rajaratnam Pillai as one from whom he learned much. Indeed, as stated many times by Sri G.S. Mani, a noted Carnatic vocalist with cinematic fame as well, in his remarks on how ragas like Todi should be sung, their vocal renderings should be so laden with brigha (vibrato) as to resemble the playing of nadaswaram by the great stalwarts; they should create, in the way a good nadaswaram player would, the imagery of a tank making marks on earth with its treads. Indeed, many ragas like todi, kalyani, kharaharapriya, and navarasakanada are extremely beautiful when played thus on nadaswaram or sung with inflections resembling that of nadaswaram. This is an interesting facet of this instrument from the aesthetic and sociological aspects of the Carnatic milieu. 
   In the recent couple of decades since the introduction and acceptance of saxophone into Carnatic music, the saxophone had begun to replace nadaswaram in many functions. This is due not only to the softer baritone sound of the instrument but also to the genius of Sri Kadi Gopalnath who coaxed such beautiful Carnatic music out of it as to make that happen. Nevertheless, one must, however reluctantly, agree that the saxophone with its fixed key positions is, in general, not a match for nadaswaram that is more attuned to the Carnatic genre. 
   Even a brief article on nadaswaram will be unpardonably incomplete without mentioning the fact that despite its glorious sound and long history, the instrument and its players and makers are becoming an endangered species threatened with extinction primarily for declining patronage and economic reasons. While a small few top players may be lucky to earn a good amount of fame and wealth, the typical nadaswaram player and his entourage languish in poverty. The situation is much worse for the instrument makers who are not even visible to the public. It is our duty as lovers of Carnatic music and proud inheritors of great traditions that have lasted centuries (despite all kinds of invasions and onslaughts) to do our bit to preserve the great art of nadaswaram. In addition to urging the local and national government to provide greater support, we need to take active steps to see that the artists and skilled instrument makers associated with nadaswaram are afforded greater respect and monetary support so that the future generations will not flock to greener pastures forsaking a profession that requires long years of dedication in accumulating and refining some rare and delectable skills. The Indian diaspora needs to find innovative ways of becoming active participants in this noble endeavor as well by including nadaswaram more in its own temples, festivities and functions, as well as in concert schedules and by finding ways of supporting the instrument makers through appropriate endowments and formal training and marketing schemes. A well done documentary on this instrument, its makers and players could also go a long way in increasing public awareness. 

 References: 
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/the-unsung-makers-of-music/ article7872965.ece
 [2] https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/narasingapettais- nadaswaram-makers/article7088894.ece 
[3] Silappathiikaram – Wikipedia article and references therein. 
[4] https://pocketcultures.com/2013/06/26/why-its-a-big-deal-to-see-a-female-nadaswaram-player/ 

  This article was written for the 2022 souvenir of the Indian Fine Arts Association of San Diego. Dr. V. Ramaswami is a past President of the Carnatic Music Association of North America (CMANA) and the author of the book, “Innovation by India for India, the Need and the Challenge.” A set of ten compositions of his in Sanskrit, Hindi and Tamil, rendered as a collection called “Swaraabharanam” by Sri Sikkil Gurucharan, Sri V. Sanjeev, and Sri J. Vaidyanathan, was released a few years back. Two more albums are to appear soon, one by Sri Sikkil Gurucharan and another by Dr. R. Suryaprakash.

Saturday, March 19, 2022

THE WAR IN UKRAINE

To view what is happening in Ukraine as a war of Russia against Ukraine is naive. What we are seeing is yet another power play of some lethal powers of the world using a third country as their proxy theater without regard to human life or the misery it causes. None of these nations has a moral standing to judge the other or preach to the other given their own flouting of all international law and lack of humanity, even in the recent past, when it comes to others they consider lesser mortals. The root cause of this evil is the expansionist attitude on all sides. Humanity's fight should be against such attitudes and not against each other. As we edge towards a possible WW III, what is needed is not a compromise agreement between Russia and Ukraine alone, but a comprehensive commitment by all nations to abide by international law and to stop their own expansionism without finding excuses and rationale. The lesson for non-nuclear nations in these episodes is that what we call a world order is still a jungle where some carnivores rule, and the less powerful better not get in the middle but let the carnivores fight it out elsewhere. Let us hope that the lesson they will learn is not that they too should seek the most destructive weapons and become ruthless in the most unconscionable ways.