Akkarai Soornalatha (Violin), Praveen Sparsh (Mridangam) and N.K. TM Krishna with Guruprasad (Ghatam). , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Carnatic music is definitely about perpetuating the music of the great masters, uncovering hidden treasures, expanding the repertoire and a lot more. But activities of any kind, artistic or otherwise, acquire significance only in a state of constant inquiry. What questions are we asking about an artistic tradition, are we viewing it as a product of society, or are we alienating it? Art cannot help but gain energy and emotional intensity when the artist works from the realm of dialogue; Conversation is not necessarily pleasant and easy. While listening to Carnatic singer TM Krishna, this saying comes to mind, ‘fire is the test of gold’. For Krishna, art must also be a social instrument.
Sangamam, Embracing Diversity, a concert by TM Krishna organized by Shibulal Family Philanthropic Initiatives (SFPI) at Bengaluru’s St. John’s Auditorium last weekend, saw a packed audience. Setting the tone for the concert, Krishna said, “It is in the moment of vulnerability that you embrace. So, an embrace isn’t about accepting the other, it’s about you making that crossover. As noted by the composer, the concert covered “diverse languages, cultures, faiths and peoples”.
The concert began with a rendition of raga Kamboji, which ranged from contemplative to soulful, followed by Gopalakrishna Bharathi’s famous “Thiruvadi Sharanam Endru Engu Naan”. Packing it with niraval (‘Aduthu vandu’) and vocals, it was a powerhouse performance. Krishna’s scholarship came to the fore in the fact that he sang the swaraprastara at two points in the composition: ‘Thiruvadi Sharanam’ and ‘Devadideva’ in different tempos.
Recently in Mysore, Krishna performed a special vachan (short verses composed by 12th century reformist poets in Karnataka) concert. The speakers tried to understand the society with all the inequalities through their writings and wrote in such a language that is accessible to all. In this concert as well, he sang two verses: ‘Mole Moodi Bandare’ by Devara Dasimiah in Ugabhog format and then sang Ladde Somanna’s verse, ‘Aava Kayakdavaru Swakayakava Maadi’.
The raga Purvakalyani unfolded poignantly, often drawing the violinist (Akkarai Soornalata) to participate in the conversation. Krishna can’t hide his excitement about the immense possibilities that music has to offer. That’s why his music sounds new every time.
The concert was followed by some beautiful compositions like ‘Chinna Nadena’ (Raag Kalanidhi) and Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Sri Janakipathe’ (Raag Karaharpriya). This was followed by a thani (Praveen Sparsh on mridangam and N. Guruprasad on ghatam), which unusually ended with a seal And Replaced Under the leadership of Ghatam artist. Guruprasad dazzled with his brilliance throughout the concert. His sensibility, the ease of his percussion patterns and most importantly the sound of his ghatams were of top order. Krishna also sang compositions of Sree Narayana Guru and Pakistani poet Hafiz Jalandhari’s songs on Lord Krishna. The highlight of the concert was the presentation of Edicts of Ashoka, a project that Krishna had started in 2020. The verses in Magadha Prakrit began as ragam-thanam-pallavi with a rich rendition of ragas kaapi, subhapanthuvarali, mohanam and desh. The transition from Kaapi to Subhapanthuvarali was a beautiful moment. Krishna kept the inspiration high for his violinist and Sornlata played some long-winded phrases.
Krishna sang the Christian hymn ‘Abide with Me’ written by Scottish Anglican cleric Henry Francis Lyte. She concluded the concert with an energetic rendition of the famous Meera Bhajan by MS Subbulakshmi.
The seriousness that Krishna brings to his performance is a poignant experience. It transcends artistic boundaries just as it transcends social boundaries. In fact, Krishna was entering a new threshold during the entire concert.