Monday, Aug 20 2001
Bhimpalasi Inc
Rajan P. ParrikarRajan P. Parrikar is a recognized expert on Indian Classical music and shares his knowledge freely with those interested in the subject.
He has written a series of articles on Classical Indian Music some of which have been archived on Sawf. Click here to read Rajan's earlier articles.
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Rajan P. Parrikar at the Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado, 1990)
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Namashkar.
The ati-madhur and ati-priya Raga Bhimpalasi has the dubious power to infect the human mind and control it for days and weeks on end. There is as yet no known antidote to the Bhimpalasi contagion. Fortunately, it strikes only those with a mind and so the damage is restricted to a very small fraction of humanity. My first memories of this expansive, orphic rAga hark back to the many bhajani utsavs in Goa I had the good fortune to be part of as a lad in shorts. On behalf of the charming girls at SAWF, I invite you to join us on what promises to be a balmy
afternoon cruise. This special package also comes with a guest contribution, From The Carnatic Gallery, by V.N. Muthukumar.
Raga Bhimpalasi
The constituent swaras of Bhimpalasi are drawn from the Kafi thAT which corresponds to the 22nd Carnatic melakartA,
Kharaharapriya: S R g M P D n where M=shuddha madhyam.
The Aroha/avarohana set may be stated as:
n' S g M P n S"::S" n D P M g R S
The A/a, however, barely betrays the rich fund of melodic promise vested in this mode. It is the genius and the scope of the idea of Raga that impel us to look for fulfilment beyond mere scales. The abstraction and intellectual leap made to ferry us beyond a scale and into the realm of Raga must be considered a signal achievement in the history of music. The much ballyhooed Harmony, on the other hand, is a relative no-brainer.
Bhimpalasi traces its antecedents to the almost defunct Raga Dhanashree of the Kafi thAT (Dhanashree of the Bilawal thAT is still occasionally performed). The primary Dhanashree contour retains the A/a outlined above but is characterized by a dominant pancham. When the accent is shifted off the pancham and the madhyam advanced there obtains an AvirbhAva of Bhimpalasi. It is this preponderance of the madhyam (nyAsa bahutva) that bestows on the rAga its allure.
The kernel of Bhimpalasi is encapsulated in the following tonal movement:
P' n' S M... S g M, M g M g R S
Notice the M-centric nature of the phrase and the reprise of M g.
Supporting movements are:
n' S g R, S, n' S M, M P, g M P n D, P
The rishab and dhaivat are langhan (skipped) in Arohi movements but are assigned the role of deergha bahutva in avarohi runs. There is also a symmetry in the elongation of R and D through the clusters
n' S g R and M P n D, respectively.
M P g M P (S")n, n S", P n S" g" R" S"
The typical launch vehicle for the antarA.
S" n D, P, D (P)M P (M)g, M, M P (M)g M g R, S
The descent looks innocuous but there are always those gotchas to watch out for. For instance, a spurious phrase of the type n S" D P may soil the development (we shall have occasion to experience this event later from a very great master).
For completeness it may be mentioned that some musicians, notably from the Agra school, view Bhimpalasi as a union of two component rAgas, viz., Bheem and Palasi. Accordingly, their Bheem drops the rishab altogether and Palasi the dhaivat (the Bheem of the Khamaj thAT is today better known by the name "Gavati"). There is a recording of Faiyyaz Khan in Raga Bheem (not adduced here).
< --Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang"
The innards of Bhimpalasi are irradiated in this magnificent clip of Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" gleaned off the telephone line. Jha-sahab holds forth gloriously for over 5 minutes with economy of word, stripping the rAga bare until its essentials emerge with clarity. The virtues of scholarship and expression are rarely joined in a single person and when someone of this persuasion comes by, every word he or she utters in their area of expertise ought to be
made permanent through recording.
Pandit Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_bhimpalasispeak.ram
It is a great pleasure and a privilege to invite the reader to partake of a sumptuous Bhimpalasi banquet. Several recordings in this cornucopia are out of the ordinary. Every clip has something substantial to say or a nook to illuminate.
Bhimpalasi's penetration in genres outside classical proper is a matter of common knowledge in India. Through numeours folk, film, stage and devotional songs, in varied languages, the rAga has wedged its way into the subcutaneous regions of Indians. Shankar-Jaikishan's number from DIL TERA DIWANA (1962) is perhaps the most enchanting from the Hindi film department. For reasons unknown it is seldom quoted in a 'light' catalogue of Bhimpalasi. Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar, in the jhaptAla-bound mAsoom chehrA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/latarafi_masoom.ram
Marathi stage music can never adequately discharge its debt to Bhimpalasi. From the drama SWAYAMVAR, Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale's tune and Kumar Gandharva's voice: svakula tAraka sutA suvarA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/kg_svakula.ram
Abdul Karim Khan's rendition from the play MANAPAMAN set to music by Govindrao Tembe. The rocketing intensity and safA'i of Khansahib's tAns inspire awe: prema sevA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/akk_bhimpalasi.ram
Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" -- >
A complete suite in Bhimpalasi by Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" inaugurates the formal classical parade. The vitality and the spontaneity of Jha-sahab's delivery dispense delight as he
marshals his skill, imagination and experience in service of the rAga. There is the occasional shoptalk and a histrionic moment or two to round off this memorable entree.
The vilambit roopak bandish is structurally significant for the decisive placement of swara and words at key positions in the tAla cycle. Take note of the unusual location of the sam (on the mandra komal nishAd):
mandara kaba Ave piyA deho bichAra beera bamanavA
lagana batAde pee Avana ki 'rAmrang' de'ooN dakshinA jo mana bhAve
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_bhimpalasi_vil.ram
The next three items are druta compositions one of which is a tarAnA.
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_bhimpalasi_druta1.ram
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_bhimpalasi_druta2.ram
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_bhimpalasi_tarana.ram
The Dhrupad treatment by the senior Dagar brothers, N. Aminuddin and N. Moinuddin. A small strip of sargam singing adds the surprise element (see Tansen Pande's clip as well in the Todi archive) -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/dagar_bhimpalasi_dhrupad.ram
< -- 'Aftab-e-Mousiqui' Faiyyaz Khan
The athleticism in "Aftab-e-Mousiqui" Faiyyaz Khan's AlAp, in this unpublished, inestimable recording, is a sight to behold -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/faiyyaz_bhimpalasi_alap.ram
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/faiyyaz_bhimpalasi_dhamar.ram
Sharatchandra Arolkar (l) with his guru Krishnarao Shankar Pandit -- >
The spokesman for Gwalior - Sharatchandra Arolkar. He took tAleem from Krishnarao Shankar Pandit and the latter's uncle Eknath Pandit -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/arolkar_bhimpalasi.ram
Amir Khan's Bhimpalasi has a problem that has been touched upon earlier and reinforced by Jha-sahab in his Bhimpalasispeak clip (although he does not name names). Namely, the n S" D P prayoga. To aggravate matters the errant cluster has been placed bang on the mukhDA. Another issue concerns the madhyam treatment - Khansahib appears hesitant to give that swara its due. Nevertheless his voice is in fine fettle and the magnificent baDhat makes this unpublished recording priceless: kagavA bole -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/amirkhan_bhimpalasi.ram
The next three items are drawn from the Atrauli-Jaipur contingent. Kesarbai's recording is of poor audio quality but it is still possible to get at her wondrous performance. In our times, in the realm of Hindustani music (both vocal and instrumental), only Kishori has
equalled, but not surpassed, Kesarbai's taiyyAri, swara and intensity of feeling -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/kesarbai_bhimpalasi.ram
< -- Mallikarjun Mansur
Notice the beautiful dhaivat laden prayogas in Mallikarjun Mansur -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/mansur_bhimpalasi.ram
Kishori Amonkar's unpublished Bhimpalasi is one for the gods, almost certainly the greatest exposition of that rAga on tape, manna for the soul -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/kishori_bhimpalasi.ram
In his exegetic volumes, Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati, Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande refers to a variant of Bhimpalasi obtained by rendering komal both the rishab and the dhaivat. Evidence for this is provided by Allauddin Khan Maiharwale in a marvellous clip which also has
him reciting the bandish -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/allauddin_komalbhimpalasi.ram
Allauddin Khan -- >
Baba Allauddin Khan had to undergo unimaginable hardship in his quest for musical enlightenment. This great sage remained a lifelong devotee and student of music. His boy, the naked Emperor of San Rafael, on the other hand, is a disgrace who has squandered his time and gifts on ragtag and bobtail American and European riffraff. Whereas Baba Allauddin attracted several remarkable students, Ali Akbar has been a magnet for hippie
runts of insignificant musical ability (if at all any effort has to be expended in that direction we must endeavour to attract a better kind of American to our music). Ali Akbar Khan's musical growth stopped long ago. Living off the musical capital inherited from his father and some of which he himself created in his early days doesn't count for greatness or qualify for worship. The phenomenon to which he has succumbed is not unusual. The quote from Edward Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" appositely summarizes the situation: "...But the frequent and familiar companions of the great are those parasites who practise the most useful of all arts, the art of flattery; who eagerly applaud each word and every action of their immortal patron; gaze with rapture on his marble columns
and variegated pavements, and strenuously praise the pomp and elegance which he is taught to consider as a part of his personal merit..."
Recent concert announcements have Mr. Khan crowned as the "Swara Samrat." There ought to be a law of Nature that imposes a limit on men's fantasies. "Besura Bumrat" is about the most
charitable thing one can say about the fellow.
Moving along, a couple of Kirana contributions. Roshanara Begum's legwork in the uttarAnga...
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/roshanara_bhimpalasi.ram
...is brought to fruition by Gangubai Hangal -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/gangubai_bhimpalasi.ram
< -- Vasantrao Deshpande
Vasantrao Deshpande's seemingly degage manner works up a magical ambience. The sam is placed on the rishab here -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/vasantrao_bhimpalasi.ram
A textbook Bhimpalasi and its author, Jitendra Abhisheki -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/abhisheki_bhimpalasi.ram
Ghulam Mustafa Khan's rugged texture of voice supplies the Sahaswan-Rampur viewpoint -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/gmk_bhimpalasi.ram
Fateh Ali Khan of Patiala, solid and dependable as always -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/fatehali_bhimpalasi.ram
This old release of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan is all too familiar: beguna gAye -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/bgak_bhimpalasi.ram
The senior Dagars take a break from Dhrupad and step into the demesne of the kHayAl -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/dagar_bhimpalasi_khayal.ram
We wrap up the Bhimpalasi proceedings with a violin solo by M.S. Gopalakrishnan. MSG is a peerless virtuoso but his Bhimpalasi leaves something to be desired -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/msg_bhimpalasi.ram
Raga Dhani
Jha-sahab addresses Dhani in the latter portion of the very first clip above (Bhimpalasispeak). It is an auDav jAti rAga with the following swaras: S g M P n. In contrast to Bhimpalasi, the value of the madhyam is severely diminished and transferred to the gandhAr. In some treatments the rishab is solicited in avarohi
movements. Very occasionally the dhaivat (shuddha and/or komal) is reined in in vivAdi cameos. Dhani is considered a kshudra rAga fit for a faster, 'lighter' treatment. The rAga is immensely popular in folk and auxillary genres despite the short shrift given it in Bhimpalasi's presence. In the Western hemisphere only the African-American musicians have done something worthwhile with Dhani's scale.
Consider a sample chalan of Dhani:
n' S g, gRSn' P' n' S g, SgMP g, n P g S
Of the many choices available in the 'light' arena we have culled three. S.D. Burman's splendid composition in SHARMILEE (1971) was recorded separately in two voices of which the Kishore Kumar version is superior. The teevra madhyam touch in the antarA is a classic Burman-esque flourish: khilte haiN gul yahAN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/kishore_khiltehain.ram
From HUM DONO (1961), the number most identified with Dhani. There have not been many composers of Jaidev's calibre. Catch both the dhaivats here, used to stunning effect. Sahir Ludhianvi's lyrics and Lata's flawless delivery elevate it to the ranks of the immortal:
Prabhu tero nAma -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/lata_prabhutero.ram
Another world-class composer, Jitendra Abhisheki, plied his talents on the Marathi stage. The next item is a good example of his imagination and agility. Recall the nATyageeta gheyi chhanda makaranda in his own voice in Raga Salagavarali (vide The Empire of Todi). Here he turns it upside down by tuning it in Dhani and letting Vasantrao do the rest -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/vasantrao_gheyichhanda.ram
The next composition, lA de lA de, of Ramashreya Jha "Ramrang" is among the finest available. We first hear him in a mehfil setting:
lA de lA de chunara piyA dhAni ranga ki
manabhAvani hulasAvani navarasasani saba gunakhAni
lA de chunara more meeta piyaravA pahira lAguN tore garavA
'rAmrang' angiyA suhAvani
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_dhani.ram
It is a rare occasion to have on tape a great vAggeyakAra engaged in transferring his composition to a pupil. Jha-sahab in a tAleem session with Shubha Mudgal -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_dhani_asthayi.ram
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_dhani_antara.ram
Yet another Ramrang composition, a different design this time:
muRakAyi kAhe Kanha'i mori baiyyAN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_dhani_druta1.ram
The next composition was picked up by Ramrang when he was still wet behind his ears. The composer, "Vyakul," (the mudrA appears in the antarA) of Ayodhya was with the drama company that Ramrang worked in at the time. The mukhDA of the bandish is launched from the 11th mAtrA of teentAla: tore more mana bhAvaniyAN -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/jha_dhani_druta2.ram
A piquant shuddha dhaivat begs for attention in this Kumar Gandharva cheez: Aa'i ruta Aa'i -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/kg_dhani.ram
We close the chapter on Dhani with C.R. Vyas's rendition of his
own composition: E manavA tuma na jAne -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/crvyas_dhani.ram
A quick survey of three allied rAgas is next.
Raga Patdeep
The notes employed in Patdeep hew to the 23rd Carnatic
melakartA, Gourimanohari: S R g M P D N. The rishab and
dhaivat are varjit in Arohana, thus making the scalar profile
similar to that of Bhimpalasi with a shuddha nishAd.
However, there is a crucial departure. Patdeep is carved out
of the Dhanashree rAgAnga which means the pancham (and not
the madhyam) gets top billing. Other artifacts of Dhanashree
are also observed such as the P-g sangati. A heuristic set of
runs is developed:
Basavraj Rajguru -- >
N' S g (S)R, S, N' S g M P
The mandra nishAd is typically the origin of tonal activity. The
rishab receives a kaN of the shadaj and the action quickly gravitates
to the pancham.
N' S g M P g, g M P N, D, P
The gandhAr is deergha bahutva in Arohi and nyAsa bahutva
in avarohi sanchAris. The dhaivat is elongated as in Bhimpalasi,
the nishAd is nyAsa bahutva.
M P g M P N, N (D)N S", N S" g" R" S", N S" D, P
The first half is a typical antarA foray. Notice that the nishAd is
sometimes skipped in the descent from the tAra shaDaj.
S.D. Burman's tune in SHARMILEE (1971) flags off our Patdeep rally.
Lata Mangeshkar, meghA chhAye Adhi rAt -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/lata_megha.ram
A natty Prabhakar Karekar in the popular nAtyageeta from
SANYASTA KHADGA: marma bandhAtali -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/karekar_marma.ram
Basavraj Rajguru: dhana dhana bhAga -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/rajguru_patdeep.ram
Abdul Karim Khan -
< -- Abdul Karim Khan
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/akk_patdeep.ram
Shruti Sadolikar -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/shruti_patdeep.ram
Raga Hamsakinkini
Another Dhanashree anga rAga with two gandhArs and two
nishAds. This busy swaraspace makes navigation in the rAga
a tricky business. There are chhAyAs of both Patdeep and Piloo.
It is difficult to convey Hamsakinkini via the written word. These
types of rAgas are best understood through tAleem and listening.
Nonetheless, a sample stream of highlights is attempted:
S G M P, G M P g, R S
G M P n D, P, G M P N, S"
S" g" R" S", n D P, D M P G, M P g, R, S
Lata Mangeshkar's delectable rendition in NAYA ZAMANA (1957)
for composer Kanu Ghosh is (surprisingly) moored in Raga Hamsakinkini -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/lata_kahanjate.ram
An old "Sadarang" composition from D.V. Paluskar -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/dvp_hamsakinkini.ram
Krishnarao Shankar Pandit's unpublished recording packs memorable
moments. The declining approach to the komal gandhAr is some piece
of work: tero mana mAyA -
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/krsp_hamsakinkini.ram
Raga Pradeepaki
The Kafi-thAT Pradeepaki (there is also one of the Bilawal thAT) is
complementary to Hamsakinkini. Whereas the latter is given the
Dhanashree treatment Pradeepaki is laced with the Bhimpalasi
anga. Which means the madhyam is the dominant, controlling swara.
Maniram's is a beautiful effort. The quirks in his treatment we
leave to the excited reader to figure out.
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/maniram_patdeepaki.ram
Acknowledgements
My profound thanks to Romesh Aeri, Ashok Ambardar, Ajay Nerurkar,
Guri Singh, Ajit Akolkar and Bobby Rishi: they unfailingly meet
my unreasonable demands on their time and resources. Anita Thakur
of Sawf is the driving force behind this entire effort with her inexhaustible
fund of kindness and patience. If not for her I would have folded up
my tent long ago.
From the Carnatic Gallery
by V.N. Muthukumar
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As representative recordings of Bhimpalasi from the South, we display the
same song as sung by artistes belonging to three different generations. Bhimpalasi is called Karnataka DEvagAndhAri in the Carnatic tradition.
The Dikshitar school calls it DEvagAndharam. These days, the names are
used interchangeably along with another, AabhEri. However, this is not
entirely correct, since there is evidence (which we provide in the clips to
follow) that AabhEri was perhaps the older scale, but sung with komal
dha, an emphasis on R (the latter is seen in contemporary Bhimpalasi as
well), prayOgAs such as PS"ndPM.
(l-r) Musiri, Bismillah Khan, Veena Sambavisa Iyer -- >
The most famous Kriti in Karnataka Devagandhari is arguably Tyagaraja's Nagumomu ganalEni. Modern treatments of this song are all inspired by
Musiri Subramania Iyer [1]. From all accounts, he seems to have been the first
to use D in AabhEri, transforming it to Karnataka Devagandhari. However, he says he learnt this version from his teacher Sabesa Iyer. But first, we display the rendition of this song by N. Vijay Siva [2] (excerpted from a live concert at Boston University, October 1993). This recording is a good representative of the modern treatment. Note that Vijay Siva begins the song with the Anupallavi:
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/vijaysiva_kdevagandhari.ram
We now hear Musiri Subramania Iyer, who immortalized this song. He sings the same song, at a more leisurely pace, but one can clearly see the seeds of the modern rendition in his treatment. Note the dhaivat in the very first movement in the clip.
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/msi_kdevagandhari.ram
In recent years, the most influential treatment of this song has been
Balamuralikrishna's [3]. Here is an excerpt from a live concert of
his. Balamuralikrishna doing Neraval and Swara prastArA in Nagumomu
(Note the intelligent usage of the swara ni as in "ni nagumomu".)
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/bmk_kdevagandhari.ram
As we mentioned before, many people hold that the song Nagumomu was originally composed in the raga Aabheri. In this clip, R. Vedavalli illustrates
how it used to be sung in the olden days. She is assisted by her disciple.
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/vedavalli_kdevagandhari.ram
The next set of clips comprises two recordings of AabhEri. The first one
is M.L. Vasantakumari [4] singing KandA vandaruL, a Kriti composed by
Papanasam Sivan [5].
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/mlv_abheri.ram
The final clip is a definitive treatment of Muthuswami Dikshitar's
Veena bhEri vAdya. Note Dikshitar's placement of the rAga mudrA
(AabhEri in veenA+bhEri). This recording of S. Ramanathan is from
a live concert, and the accompanying artistes are M.S. Gopalakrishnan
and T.K. Murthy:
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/sr_abheri.ram
< -- G.N. Balasubramaniam
The last clip is an allied raga, Shuddha Dhanyasi (SgMPnS"/S"nPMgS).
We hear a composition of Harikesanallur Muthiah BhAgavatar. The
recording is from a live concert of G.N. Balasubramaniam [6] in Bombay,
with M.S. Gopalakrishnan on the Violin and C.S. Murugabhupaty on
the Mridangam:
http://www.sawf.org/audio/bhimpalasi/gnb_shuddhadhanyasi.ram
All recordings were made available by M.V. Ramana.
References:
[1] Musiri Subramania Iyer (1899-1975). Received training, among others,
from T.S. Sabesa Iyer, who was a disciple of Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer (who
belonged to Tyagaraja's shishya parampara). Musiri's first concert in
Madras was in 1920, and within a decade, he was recognized as a master.
His creativity and technique came to the fore in his Neraval singing.
The musical community was quick in recognizing his leadership qualities,
and in 1939, he accepted the post of Secy-Treasurer of the Tyagabrahma
Mahotsava Sabha in Tiruvaiyaru. He became the first Principal of the
Central College of Music, Madras in 1949. The Tamil Nadu Government
renamed Oliver Road (in Madras, where he lived for the most part of his
life) as Musiri Subramania Iyer Road, after his demise. For a
biographical sketch of Musiri, the reader is referred to Sruti, Vol.
175&176, 1999.
[2] Born in 1967, Vijay Siva first learnt music from his mother Smt. Akhila Siva, and subsequently from D. K. Jayaraman. He is also an able Mridangam player, trained by Kumbakonam Rajappa Iyer. Vijay Siva is the Founder Secretary
of the Youth Association for Classical Music, Madras.
M. Balamuralikrishna -- >
[3] M. Balamuralikrishna (b. 1930).
See http://www.balamuralikrishna.com
[4] M. L. Vasanthakumari (1928-1990). One of Madras' illustrious progeny,
M.L.V. as she is universally known, received her training from one of
the great Masters of Indian Music, G. N. Balasubramaniam.
"Sruti" (Vol. 41, 1987) observed that M. S. Subbulakshmi, D. K. Pattammal
and M. L. Vasanthakumari constituted the "female Trinity" of Carnatic Music.
For a detailed biography, the reader is referred to Sruti, Vol. 75&76, 1990.
< -- M.L. Vasanthakumari
[5] Papanasam Sivan (1890-1973). He was not named Sivan at birth, nor
was he born in Papanasam. Born in Polagam as Ramiah, he came to be
known as Papanasam Sivan. He is one of the greatest composers of
Carnatic Music. During his life time, he received several honours, but
the first title that was conferred on him, (by the eminent musician Simizhi
Sundaram Iyer) "Tamizh Tyagayya" (The Tyagaraja of Tamil) says it all.
He used the mudra "rAmadAsA" in many of his Kritis. Sivan became an
ardent nationalist after the Jallianwalabagh massacre. His nationalism
found expression in "TyAgabhoomi", a film in which he acted. He also
wrote several patriotic songs.
[6] G. N. Balasubramaniam (1910-1965). A brilliant musician who
projected Carnatic music at its best, G.N.B. blazed a new trail and
established a style that had, and still has, hundreds of musicians
trying to emulate and/or assimilate it. Even his detractors grudgingly
admit that "raga alapana acquired a new sheen with the music of GNB".
On his best days, his music had the depth of Amir Khan's and the beauty
of Bade Ghulam's. For a detailed analysis of the Master's music, the
reader is referred to a video cassette released by the Sruti Foundation.
It has approximately six hours of GNB's music, along with a critical
analysis by a panel of experts.
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