Sangeet Kalanidhi: Carrying on the eight-decade-old tradition

Every year music lovers eagerly wait to know which composer has been selected for Sangeet Kalanidhi. Since its inception in 1942, the award is considered the highest honor for a Carnatic musician. Furthermore, over the decades, the recipients have been veteran artists with a distinctive style and dedicated following. Hence the recent announcement by the Sangeet Akademi about felicitating four artists this season has infused a new energy in the world of music, which has been badly hit by the pandemic. As for the Rasiks, they are looking forward to an individual December music session after a two-year hiatus.

Neyveli Santhanagopalan

Singer, teacher and composer Neyveli Santhanagopalan for the year 2020, Sangeeta Kalanidhi, known for emphasizing on the purity of nada. He was initiated into music by his mother Jayalakshmi Ammal. He later honed his skills under Madurai TN Seshagopalan.

As well as the exponent of the veena, the singing style comes in his playing. Also proficient in percussion instruments, Santhanagopalan is popular among the viewers of ‘Sarigamapa’ on Jaya TV, where he guided the young contestants. His daughter and disciple Sriranjani is making a special place for himself by following in his footsteps.

One critic described his Bhairavi alapana, delivered in a classy, ​​partially closed-mouth style, the hallmark of Santhanagopalan. He often experiments with vocal sequences, for example, while singing the composition ‘Pratyaksha Parameshwara’ on Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati in Raga Poorna Chandrika, he embellishes the Chittasvara with elegant vocals. His crisp vocals in ‘Tatvamaria Tarama’ in Ritigovala and ‘Umayyur Bhagne’ in Nattai are also highly appreciated. So nirval in the charanam line, ‘alarmelmangai manala, ambuj nabha dayala’ in pieces of latangi, in ‘Venkata raman’. An artist who appeals to knowledge, in recent times, Santhanagopalan has been performing in the morning slot during the season, and Margazhi is making the audience experience the joy of morning ragas.

His passion for Tamil is evident in his renditions of Thiruppugazh and Divya Prabandham in his concerts. An expert in Papanasam Sivan songs, Santhanagopalan’s expertise in Manodharma Sangeetham comes to the fore when he experiments with swara sequences. Despite being a teacher who believes in traditional values, he is probably the first to use modern technology in training the students.

Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam

According to Thyagaraja’s Sriranjani work ‘Sogasuga Mridanga Talmu Jata Gurchi Ninnu Sokkajeyu Dhirudevado’, the true spirit of music comes to God only when the work is accompanied by Mridangam and Taal. For 2021 Sangeeta Kalanidhi goes to Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam for Mridangam. He took training in Gurukulavasam from his maternal uncle Thiruvarur Krishnamurthy and started accompanying musicians from a very young age. He has crossed continents for performances and has disciples all over the world. Bhaktavatsalam, though belonging to the Thanjavur style, developed his own unique way of accompanying, leading the ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) to take him on a world tour.

He had the rare privilege of playing in the opening ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games held in Barcelona, ​​Spain. She was honored with the title of ‘Mridang Vadhya Mani’ by Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati.

On the occasion of Ganapati Satchidananda Swami’s 68th birthday celebrations in May 2010, Bhaktavatsalam gave a rare musical performance, ‘Laya Madhura Mridanga Yagya’, in which 108 mridangam artists dedicated a new raga Satchidananda to Swamiji. The raga is woven around the four swaras Sa, Ga, Pa and Da which represent the four rhythmic chakras – Chaturam, Tissaram, Khandam and Misram. Four Korvais were also presented. Got due recognition as being included in the Limca Book of Records. He has also led a troupe of 76 Mridangam artists in Kancheepuram. In February 2019, he was invited by tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain for a tribute performance in memory of Ustad Alla Rakha.

Bhaktavatsalam is the founder-director of Laya Madhura Sangeet Vidyalaya, which provides systematic training to young enthusiasts. His Laya Madura ensemble features traditional instruments like nadaswaram and flute. The annual Laya Madhura Sangeet Utsav, organized by him in Chennai, honors the stalwarts of Carnatic music. He is the secretary of the Mumurtigal festival held annually at the Thiagarajaswamy Temple, Tiruvarur. He has performed in many fund-raising concerts for social and national causes such as Kargil Fund, Shankar Netralaya, Cancer Society and others. He is known for his lectures for youth organized by SPIC MACAY.

Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam | photo credit: R. ravindran

GJR Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi.

Sangeeta Kalanidhi 2022 goes to violinists Lalgudi GJR Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi. His father Lalgudi Jayaraman, a direct descendant of the Thyagaraja disciple tradition, was an exceptional artist, lyricist, composer and teacher, all rolled into one.

Jayaraman’s great-grandfather Rama Iyer learned at the feet of Tyagaraja, who had gone to Lalgudi, and sang there in praise of the deity. Jayaraman’s father Gopal Iyer was a scholar and musician. Remember Mohana Kalyani’s piece ‘Thamadham Thagadhu Aiya’?

Lalgudi Jayaraman established his own bani and composed kriti, thilan and varnam and nritya by combining raga, bhava, tala and songs. In 1966, he introduced a new concept of musical ensemble with violin, venu and veena.

Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi have carried on this legacy even as they carve out their own niche. When the trio – father, son and daughter – performed on stage, the audience felt the echo of the sublime music. He was the first to introduce Ragamalika Swaraprastara on the musical stage. ‘Sukhi Evaro’ in Kanada, ‘Solavallayo’ in Ragamalika, ‘Sringara Lahiri’ in Nilambari and ‘Santhamu Leka’ in Sama are among the many pieces that have left a deep impact. In the Tukkadas section, Bharathi’s ‘Theiradha Vilayattu Pillai’, especially his rendition of the phrase ‘Kallal Mayanguvathu Pol’, was a celebration of both poetry and music.

When the Lalgudis performed, it brought to life Periyajvara’s description of Krishna’s music, which had a mesmerizing effect on nature.

The siblings have imbibed their father’s impeccable technique and the perfect blend of rhythm and melody. Ravi Shankar, a fan of Pt. Lalgudi Jayaraman, told Vijayalakshmi in 2015, “Your music has touched my soul.” His bani comes closest to the singing style.

Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi, who are also musicians, have participated in Jugalbandi with Hindustani musicians. They have demonstrated excellent aesthetic sense, rhythm skills and perfect understanding around the world.

The writer from Chennai is a connoisseur of Carnatic music