Know more about the element of Carnatic music that offers creative freedom to artistes 

At the Music Academy’s morning lec dem session, violin vidwan H.K. Narasimhamurthy spoke about the significance of manodharma. 

The 13th day of the lec dems at this year’s conference and concerts at The Music Academy began with a session by vidwan H.K. Narasimhamurthy, accompanied by his disciples H.N. Bhaskar, Mysore Srikanth and Sindhu. The topic was ‘Teaching manodharma sangita on the violin.’

Narasimhamurthy emphasised that manodharma, or the creative aspect of Carnatic music, is one of the final chapters in a musician’s never-ending learning journey. He stressed the importance of mastering foundational exercises such as sarali, janta, datu, alankara, geetham, varnam, and other basics, as these are essential prerequisites to developing manodharma. He then proceeded to explain the components of manodharma sangita in Carnatic music: alapana, niraval, swaram, and tanam. Narasimhamurthy noted that earlier artistes often employed sarva laghu more extensively. He pointed out that today’s artistes often prepare manodharma in advance, which, he argued, goes against its true essence of spontaneous creativity.

To illustrate his points, Narasimhamurthy elaborated on the basic exercises for the violin. He demonstrated sarali varisai without gamakas, with Srikanth starting in the mandra octave, followed by Bhaskar playing the same with gamakas. He explained that not all swaras take gamakas and showcased this concept using ragas Sankarabharanam and Mayamalavagowla. All three violinists played sarali varisai in Sankarabharanam across three speeds, both with and without gamakas. He recommended practicing all compositions on a single string, dedicating at least two hours every day to rigorous practice.

The session also covered the nuances of phrasing and pauses in playing. Narasimhamurthy insisted on leaving gaps between phrases and maintaining composure even during fast passages. Bhaskar advised musicians to listen to concerts with a musician’s analytical perspective, rather than as general listeners, and to study the aesthetic approaches of different vocalists and use that as information to improve one’s accompanying skills. 

To demonstrate the application of manodharma, Srikanth was tasked with playing Thodi without the note panchamam, while Bhaskar showcased Begada, focussing on the range between shadjam and dhaivatham. 

Narasimhamurthy emphasised the importance of staccato bowing, which he referred to as “cutting bow,” particularly for tanam playing. This was demonstrated by Srikanth in Raga Keervani and Bhaskar in ragas Natraikurinji and Kapi. Narasimhamurthy highlighted the need to bring out the raga’s essence effectively, even during a short duration concert.

During the subsequent expert committee discussion, vidwan Sriram Parasuram pointed out the importance of recognising both stock and unique phrases in the essay of a raga. Narasimhamurthy reiterated that while the guru’s guidance is crucial, the artiste must eventually break free and develop self-reliance in creativity. Rama Kausalya drew parallels between the vocal and instrumental traditions in manodharma training. Narasimhamurthy also praised the late vidwan Nedunuri Krishnamurthy for his ability to render over a hundred half-avarthana kalpanaswaras without repeating patterns.

Senior mridangist K. Arunprakash noted that the role of the violinist is the most challenging on the Carnatic concert stage. 

T.M. Krishna lauded the simplicity and effectiveness of the lecture demonstration. He highlighted the diversity of playing styles among Srikanth, Bhaskar, and Sindhu as a testament to Narasimhamurthy’s teaching methods. Krishna elaborated on Narasimhamurthy’s point about manodharma being self-acquired knowledge and emphasised the guru’s role in equipping students to access this knowledge.

T.M. Krishna concluded by stating that the session not only illuminated the process of teaching manodharma but also provided valuable insights into the behaviour, attitude, and stage dynamics required of an artiste. He underscored that these qualities collectively contributed to the development of manodharma. He also noted that violin solo concerts need to have as much importance as vocal concerts. For this, he said we will need to change our conditioning. 

Gaana Paadalgal

M. Elumalai and team at the session
| Photo Credit:
K. Pichumani

The second session of the day featured M. Elumalai, who presented an insightful lec dem on the origins, evolution and socio-cultural significance of ‘Gaana Paadalgal’— a genre deeply embedded in the urban fabric of Chennai. The session commenced with an exploration of the linguistic evolution of Chennai Tamil. Elumalai traced its emergence to the confluence of diverse linguistic influences brought by Gujaratis, Urdu speakers, Telugu and Kannada migrants. This amalgamation resulted in the distinct ‘Madras Baashai’—the language that underpins Gaana Paadalgal.

The presenter highlighted the socio-geographic divide in colonial Chennai:

• Vellai Nagaram (White Town) — centered around Fort St. George, inhabited primarily by the British and upper-class elites.

• Karuppu Nagaram (Black Town) — encompassing areas such as Vysarpadi, Tondiarpet, Perambur, and Chintadripet, where the working-class and marginalised communities resided.

The linguistic exchange between these spaces led to the development of a unique urban dialect, enriched with loanwords from Sanskrit, Urdu, Telugu, and other languages.

• For instance, the word ‘Kasmaalam’ (meaning garbage) is derived from the Sanskrit ‘kashmalam’.

• Urdu words such as  ‘Daulat’ (wealth), ‘Jalsaa’ (celebration), ‘Majaa’ (fun), and ‘Beimani’ (dishonesty) seamlessly entered colloquial Tamil.

• Telugu contributed terms such as ‘Naina’ (father) and ‘Dabbu’ (money).

Elumalai also discussed how linguistic forms adapted over time, simplifying pronunciation and syntax:

• ‘Azhagaa iruku’ (It is beautiful) transformed into ‘Sokkaaa iruku’.

• ‘Odi vaa’ (Come running) became ‘Odiyaa’.

• ‘Dhurnaatram’ (odour) was replaced by ‘Gabbu’.

The etymology of colloquial phrases was equally fascinating.

• English phrases such as  ‘Don’t badger me’ evolved into ‘Bejaar ah pochu da’—a localised expression of annoyance.

The performance practice of Gaana Paadalgal was deeply intertwined with the lived experiences of Chennai’s marginalised communities. A notable instrument associated with this tradition is the ‘Kottanguchi’ (a percussion device made from coconut shells), which lends rhythmic intensity to the songs. In its earliest forms, Gaana Paadalgal  incorporated improvised accompaniments, including kitchen utensils, harmonium, tabla and dholak. Over time, the genre absorbed influences from cinema music,  where these contributions popularised Gaana in mainstream culture.

Elumalai emphasised that Gaana Paadalgal  transcend mere entertainment and serve as a musical chronicle of lived realities. Its lyrics capture the struggles and aspirations of the urban poor, including their displacement from slums to ‘Maadi Veedu’ (multi-storied housing), which, despite offering shelter, failed to ensure economic security. The lyrics of the song sung by Rahman, who was part of the lec dem, was ‘enga singaara pettai illai, naangu okkara thinnai illai, naangu porandhu orru illa, namma vaazhkai naragathilla’. It roughly translates to ‘In our beautiful hometown, no verandah for us, in the place where we were born, our life is in hell.’

The genre reflects a celebratory approach to life, even incorporating funeral songs (Marana Gaana Paattu) to honour the deceased through music. The discussion also touched upon the emergence of Gaana rap among younger artistes, demonstrating its adaptability to contemporary forms.

Musical queries from the audience explored aspects such as: background scores used in Gaana Paadalgal, the possibility of complex time signatures beyond the predominant 3/4 and 6/8 rhythms and early instrumental accompaniments, including harmonium and percussion.

In his closing address, T.M. Krishna commended the vocal techniques and voice modulations exhibited by Gaana artistes, highlighting their ability to convey emotional depth through rhythm and melody. The session concluded with reflections on how Gaana Paadalgal remains an oral tradition, preserving histories and struggles that are often undocumented in written records. The executive committee acknowledged the privileged distance that often separates mainstream audiences from the experiences of Gaana artistes and lauded the session for fostering greater understanding and appreciation of this vibrant art form.