Vocal and Violin concert
I was pleasantly surprised to receive an invitation from my son’s guru SP Ramh for a concert of debut performance by Nerujan Sehasothy at the Vani Mahal recently. But I had never heard about this boy 
anywhere in the vicinity at all. True ! Nerujan though born in Germany has been groomed in an environment rich in Carnatic Music; his parents being musicians teaching in countries like Germany and Switzerland. He is training under SP Ramh in vocal and G.J.R Krishnan in violin. Besides he is proficient in singing German songs too. Nerus’ Carnatic music programmes have been telecast in several Tamil language television channels all over Europe. Nerujan earlier had his arangetram in vocal and violin in Switzerland in Aug 2007 and has played accompaniment on the violin with many renowned musicians visiting Europe.
It was a Sunday and the concert was at 4.30 in the evening, a very convenient hour for music enthusiasts like me. But the rain played spoilsport and I also had to contend with the huge parking problem near Vani Mahal as the roads are were being dug up, a perennial problem for Chennaites, which has almost become a way of life for all of us! Finally, I scampered to the hall with my son.
The concert had already begun .After Valaji varnam Nerujan’s lathangi – ‘Sivan’s pirava varam tharum’ followed by Saravan bhava were memorable. The soft gamaka that he introduced at the tail end of the phrase still rings in the ears. Being an ardent admirer of the Lalgudi Bani I was immensely pleased to listen to his music .The Lalgudi bani lays emphasis on the swara gnana. It is not easy for a student of vocal music to develop swara gnana. In fact, this is a much neglected aspect. Arming a student with the ability to decompose a phrase into the underlying notes is similar to breaking down a word problem into a mathematical equation. This was well evident in the performance of Nerujan who rounded off his vocal concert with Jai jadeeshwari in Raga Ahir Bhairav.
After a 1 1/12 hour performance there was a break and most people wanted to leave. I was on the verge of leaving when Nerujan’s violin concert started. Niravati sukha dayi pulled me back and I decide do stay. The next piece of RTP that commenced with Dharmavati, a composition of GJR Krishnan was equally compelling and
then onwards, it was only the flow of the instrument. His flawless and fascinating style, graceful and original, yet not divorced from traditional roots gained him numerous fans.
A short break had Veenai Gayathri showering praises on SP Ramh, the Violin maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman and the Lalgudi Bani. Nerujan concluded his performance with the melodious Mand Thillana. It is significant to note that a young lad, Srilankan by birth and born and brought up in Germany has taken to Carnatic music. How about our own sons of the soil tilting to Western and fusion music? I wondered coming out of the hall after listening to a wonderful performance.
-Mallini Shankar
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The Future of Classical Dance
A Rasika's Viewpoint
The following article is a compilation of some of my observations as a rasika, and not a dancer, of several trends that I see in the world of Bharatanatyam . My hope is
that the comments and questions in the article will generate a discussion and debate by those more knowledgeable than I am in these matters. In my view, Bharatanatyam does indeed have a great future but is currently undergoing a sea change that could have a profound impact on the art form. This article aims to discuss certain trends that I have observed over the past few years and attempts to raise some important questions for dancers and scholars in this field.
Trends in Bharatanatyam
Technique:
Bharatanatyam is slowly but surely moving towards more athleticism. Although no one can doubt the strength and endurance required for dancers to competently perform a whole margam, there seems to be a marked emphasis on athleticism by some dancers on stage. The athleticism almost borders on acrobatics and gymnastics. This type of dancing seems to have a certain appeal to audiences and I wonder if more dancers will follow this fad.
Another related point is the faint importance given to Abhinaya to nritta. It is commonplace for jathis to last for several minutes tiring both the dancer and the audience. The pace is often fast and furious. Sometimes this pace sacrifices the crisp completion of each adavu. Is this desire for speed being driven by the attitude of the audience? Are dancers worried that without some spectacular footwork, the audience will not stay interested? With regard to padams and other abhinaya-oriented pieces, are dancers worried that they will not be able to sustain the audience’s attention with a slow-paced piece solely focused on mime?
Another issue is the apparent loss of importance of the Araimandi stance. It is very rare to see dancers with proper Araimandi. Here I must mention that the best Arai mandi posture even today is done By Vyjayanthimala Bali. Credit goes to her, her Guru ( is it Vazhuvoor or Kittappa Pillai ?) Today the perfect Araimandi stance is missing or not consistent. What surprises me is the minimal impact that the lack of Araimandi has . Perhaps lack of Araimandi is a result of dancers increasing the speed of their nritta.
Content:
A highly visible development over the past few years is the move towards more thematic programs. Modern social issues are often the themes chosen. Is the traditional margam no longer enough to sustain the attention of the modern audience? Are dancers making efforts to educate rasikas on the complexities of a margam? Anita Rathnam and Mallika Sarabhai are taking the classical form to a different platform altogether! Do they feel that through classical margam they cannot fully express their thoughts? Already, the Shabdham has more or less made its exit from the margam. What is next? Javalis? As many Bharatanatyam performers are young (especially at the amateur level), how can they be expected to exhibit the maturity required for performing these more intense items? It is interesting to see the relatively recent incorporation of the Pushpanjali into many margams. It is quite possible that other items from a margam will be added or deleted as the years go by. Another trend is the broadening of the music used for Bharatanatyam. Traditional Carnatic music is being supplemented with compositions in other Indian languages. it is not beyond the realm of imagination to think of a day where compositions in a non-Indian language like English could become acceptable. Western classical and contemporary music are also being experimented with by some dancers. Obviously, over time and with enough dancers moving in this direction, the music of Bharatanatyam will not stay static.
Fusion of dance styles and music is the rage in some circles. Although group performances are not a new concept, there seems to be a feeling among some that the more Bharatanatyam dancers there are on stage, the better the show. Perhaps it is an economic issue as well. The more dancers you have on stage, the more friends and family that may attend which will result in increased ticket sales. As there are more and more group performances, will there be any negative impact on the scope for a solo artist?
Teaching and learning:
Bharatanatyam seems to be developing in two parallel tracks – the professional and the amateur. The vast majority of dancers treat the art form as one of their extra curricular activities, not as a profession. The dancer’s arangetram is seen by many as the culmination of training rather than the traditional ascension of the stage and the start of the dance career.
Particularly among Indians settled abroad, Bharatanatyam is viewed as an important tool in teaching Indian culture and values to children being raised away from the cultural influences that shaped their parents.
There appears to be a noticeable trend away from the mastery of the fundamentals. Children who are often not ready for the stage are bedecked in beautiful costumes and jewelry for the visual consumption of their families and friends. Praise is lavished a little too freely and the epidemic of standing ovations for mediocrity is spreading. Is it any wonder that audience sizes are dwindling?
It is also very interesting to observe the generational shift among Bharatanatyam dance teachers. The great gurus of the 20th century were themselves taught by great nattuvanars who were keepers of the Devadasi tradition. The gurus of the 21st century will be composed of dancers a generation or two removed from the great gurus. In the modern age, the strict gurukula pattern of learning dance is almost extinct. As the decades pass by, it is not unreasonable to expect that what is being taught is going to change. As an extreme anecdotal example, a teacher, herself trained rigorously by a great guru, teaches only a set of Thattadavus and Nattadavus as the foundation before moving on to teaching items. I fear that this type of teaching is not just an isolated event but is something that is spreading. It is alarming to think that a student receiving this kind of training may someday go on to become a Bharatanatyam teacher.
The debate does not end here. In the meanwhile, you too can send in your views on the subject.
-Malini Shankar
