Selective Amnesia

North & South, the twain and the twang

For long, I have felt that the classical music of two cultures determines a lot about the people, and their way of life. This was just a theory of mine, but anecdotal evidence did go a certain way towards corroborating it. Anand and I were discussing this the other day, when he told me that Dr. Acharya Pandey dabbled a bit in the study of music.

We shot off a mail to the good Doctor, with a gist of my theory, and some of the things I had observed. One of the things I believed in was, the southern tradition of Carnatic Music was richer and more pleasing to the ear than the rather guttural Hindustani and the Urdu Qawwali. In particular, I believed that the Carnatic tradition was more steeped in Bhakti, godliness and more divine than its north Indian counterpart.

The following is his reply.

Sarvabirakshathu


Greetings, dear sir.

It was with interest I read your missive on the 15th instance, through our mutual acquaintance, Shri Anand. I do have a more than passing interest in the music of our great forefathers. I have spent many a hour giving myself up to the charms of the goddess Sarasvati, and her lilting Veena


The Samaveda says, Thathasya niyathaha gransthyakram (Sm.V – 1.6.902). There have been idle speculation that it means ‘he who sings, makes music to god’s ears’. I do think that it goes a level deeper.


You see, when our rishis, the noble Aryans wrote the Vedas in the year 15,00,000 BC (I’ve explained in great detail how I arrived at this date for the Veda in my latest lecture at the Smirzkoff Centre for Historical Speculation in Pune, India) they laid great stress on Shruti, Sarakku and Laya and the right way to sing the holy hymns.


I mention this, because, the right way to read the above hymn from Samaveda is Thatha asyaniya thahagran asthyakram. Split the right way, we immediately perceive the purport of our noble forefathers. It means – To sing our grandfather’s praise is to sing the lord’s praise.


This same sentiment finds mention in your Pira-nanoor^[1] in the verses, Yadumoo reyava rumkelir. Which means, where ever you go, make sure you sing thy kith’s family song.


In Russia, my adopted home, we have the great tradition of Balletuskin. Codified by the great Rus, Vodkarus Igori (one is lead to believe he was a disciple of the great Sankriti Muni), Balletuskin is the musical equivalent of the urdu Qawwali tradition. Here, as in the Qawwali, great stress is laid on melody.


Which is where, no offences meant, sir, you are off your track. The Hindustani and its variants, Qawwali, the Gharaana and even Naalanna, are at their base, melodic. They are structured in a way that the raags descend slowly, much like the modern day Ballerina’s legs, into a single point.
To quote the Rig Veda, Asytiname trpyati gharane, sanklestu achyati trupyasti (Rg.V – 150.1.235) – to mean – the Gharaana tradition of singers give good satisfaction.


In my youth, I spent a few years studying the Carnatic traditions, at the renowned Mylapore Brahmanargal Sangamam. I also had the pleasure of forming a lasting friendship with Pandit CSSR Iyengar. You have, no doubt, heard of him? He was instrumental in reviving the tradition of the Violin.


I have also had the blessing of Shri Shri CCCP Iyer, who even had more than substantial influence in the musical traditions of Vienna and in particular, Austria. The three of us, Pandit Coovathu Sada Siva Ramesha Iyengar, Centhuram Cilapathikara Chandrachoodeswara Pavi Iyer and my humble self, have often spent many an enchanted evening listening to Maa. Mi. Kuchlamba at the Vidiya centre.


I say all this, because Carnatic music, I am saddened to say, is more guttural than the Hindustani. Umalypuram Sundara Ananda Iyer (USA Iyer to our generation) was plainly corrupting a generation of young impressionable minds with his propaganda and the ‘Freedom to learn Carnatic’ concept.


Dear sir, this is all I have time for now. I am contemplating a short study tour to Madrasapattanam and Chennai soon. I would consider it a honour to meet my good friend CCCP Iyer’s descendant, yourself.


Yours in music,—Dr. Acharya Somuchidononanda Pandey
PhD (corres.) M.A.S. University, Darjeeling

[1] I am proud to say that the Pira Nanoor – (the 400 verses that were lost) was rescued and restored by my two friends – CSSR Iyengar and CCCP Iyer, in equal measures.

Tags: Dr. Acharya Pandey, classical, music, Carnatic music