Pt. Venkatesh Kumar uses every instrument and technique to sink into the depth of the raga
Someone once told an experienced Carnatic musician about a lecture performance in music. “You mean these days they talk about music!” he asked in surprise. Pt. M. Venkatesh Kumar, though displaced by this commentary in time and space for more than five decades, is also a musician who sings only his own music. This is a unique feature at a time when most musicians are concerned when it comes to music – both in concert and otherwise.
Best, Pt. Venkatesh Kumar would pause his Ramdasi Malhar Bandish for a few seconds, saying, “When Guruji taught me this raga I didn’t dare ask him its name!” Saying this, his gesture is the same, when he is strumming with enthusiasm, his whole body catches the vibrations of the music.
This extraordinary musician from Dharwad of Kirana-Gwalior traditions recently sang a huge Gaur Malhar and Ramdasi Malhar at the Barkha Ritu Sangeet program organized by Barkha Tree in Bengaluru. He was singing the ancient raga Gaur Malhar, which is older than Miya’s Malhar. Raag Gaur is a combination of Shuddh Malhar, and is also packed in the colors of Bilawal.
With such complex features, the raga has the most interesting maneuvers – for example, as composer Rajan Parrikar writes, in the Purvanga activity you find groups of gaurs, before it is a phrase of pure Malhar or Bilawal in Uttaranga. launch with
committed artistry
Pt. Venkatesh Kumar gives you the feel of the beautiful Madhyama, covering the vast expanse of the raga with a detailed depiction in ascending scale, gradually moving down. The constellation of vocals and movements was a striking one each time highlighting this central note.
His desire to immerse the depths of the raga in his music and the way he uses every instrument and technique in this direction is seen. It is difficult to categorize his music into ‘feelings’ such as awe, sad etc because the quest for raga is the core of his concerts. The creation of a ‘musical experience’ is his pursuit, so contemplation is intrinsic to him, not the presence of his music. His progression from belated to rapid is neither a demonstration of technique nor virtue, but you can read it well that way. The frame is of committed artistry, and a change in tempo or change of cap are operational concerns. Kahe Woh is a beautiful bandish and Venkatesh Kumar delivers it in a memorable way. (It is worth listening to great masters singing the bandish; most recently Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar.) Whether it is vilambit or fast bandish, there is a definite celebration in Venkatesh Kumar’s music and I associate it with a sense of awe. Creativity comes from endless possibilities.
He rendered the popular bandish ‘Prabho Man Re’ in Ramdasi Malhar. The signs of the raga came out in the most eloquent way. Ramdasi Malhar and Gaur Malhar are both difficult ragas, but he embraced and expanded them with great fervor and energy. The impeccable tone, melody and clarity of expression make his music special. His singing is clearly informed by all the musical developments in the area; You see their colors in their rendering. He concluded the concert with a vachan and a devarnama.
He has the influence of many great masters on the great saint-teacher Pt. Puttaraja Gavai, and the field to which he belongs, yet Pt. Venkatesh Kumar has more than himself.
Journalists from Bangalore write on art and culture.
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