On
17th September, 2000, Lalgudi turned 70 - an event worthy of celebration.
Very few are blessed with a fruitful life in which one gives much more to
the world than one takes from it. Fewer still are those who are associated
with a noble art and an illustrious career, like Lalgudi. He can look back
upon decades of triumph, glory and achievements, with pride and
satisfaction. My association with him covers more than half of his 70 years
and when I too look back with him, I recollect a remarkable event that
occurred about 23 years ago.
A large audience sat spell bound under the soothing shower
of melody from Lalgudi's violin in his solo concert at Anushakti Nagar in
Bombay. One rasika was so overwhelmed by the moving quality of the music
that he approached the dais with calm and steady steps, tossed a gold chain
on to the lap of the artist and, as calmly as he came, walked away, before
anyone could grasp what had happened. There was no semblance of an impulsive
or theatrical behaviour in what he did. On the contrary, it looked like a
deliberate and spontaneous tribute to Lalgudi's music.
In fact, it was one of those performances of Lalgudi which
transport the discerning music lover to a blissful state where anything
mundane seems trivial. It is not an attribute ordinarily acquirable by mere
training, duration of practice, a rich collection of songs or mastery over
the instrument or voice. It has much to do with the attitude towards music,
awareness of its origin and understanding of its character and purpose. Like
all arts in India, Carnatic Music has a spiritual origin, with its roots in
"Bhakti". It has been nurtured and assiduously developed by saintly
composers like Purandaradas, Ramadas, Thyagaraja, Dikshitar, Syama
Sastry, Jayadeva, Kshetragna and others. Lalgudi's understanding and
appreciation of this truth is deeper and far more intense than those of most
of contemporaries. In this particular aspect he belongs to the class of
Papanasam Sivan and Mysore Vasudevachar.
Also, this understanding is truthfully reflected in his
performances, in every note emanating from his violin, in every raagam,
kriti or even in swaraprastharam. This is his distinction, his virtue that
distinguishes him from most of the other musicians, who set store by the
mere mastery of the science and grammar of music and consequently revel in
the exhibition of virtuosity, bereft of spirit.
The spiritual approach to Carnatic Music was inculcated in
Lalgudi from his childhood, by his father and "Guru" Shri V. R. Gopala Iyer.
Shri Gopala Iyer was a pious person, simple, humble and free from the
worldly wiles and guiles. His mind was filled only with music and divine
thoughts, always alert and active. Those who learnt music at his feet tell
us how much he emphasised and enforced discipline and a sense of dedication
while teaching. Music, for him, was not just like science, geography or
arithmetic, to be learnt with academic interest or for scoring marks. Music
was "Saadhanaa" in his view and he would insist on every student always
remaining conscious of its spiritual link. This concept forms the bedrock of
"Lalgudi School" even now.
Shri Jayaraman made his entry into the world of Carnatic
Music Concerts, when he was just 12. He set out with his bow and violin,
armed with the knowledge, skill and understanding imparted to him by his
father. There was no patron like "Viswamitra" for Lord Rama, to escort him
into the world which was then dominated by a galaxy of musicians like
Ariyakudi, Mahjarajapuram, Semmangudi, GNB, Alathur Brothers, Chowdiah,
Rajamanickam Pillai, Palghat Mani Iyer, Palani Subramania Pillai, to name a
few.
Like Lord Rama, he lost no time in giving proof of his
profound talent, undaunted by the formidable reputation of the stalwarts
whom he accompanied on the concert platform. Apart from his sincerity and
adaptability, what singled him out as a peerless accompanist was the ready
responses he gave to the best efforts of the main artist in Aalapanaa,
Neraval or Swaraprasthaaram, with matching sparkle and imagination.
Every musician realised that having Lalgudi as the
accompanist would surely elevate the quality of his concert to heights
otherwise not easily possible to reach. Though, for reasons not difficult to
guess, none of them would come out with an open acknowledgement, in those
days. No "laya" based exercise, however intricate or complex it might be,
was beyond his grasp. Alathur Brothers, whose exceptional prowess in the
"laya" aspect was well known, would prepare a Pallavi, replete with compelx
rhythmic calculations, in uncommon "Thaalams", practice and rehearse
thoroughly and delight the knowledgeable audience by presenting it in the
concert with characteristic gusto. With any other violinist accompanying
them, they would just pass over to the next item. But with Lalgudi by their
side, they would make a subtle challenge to him to play that Pallavi, with
the anuloma or prathiloma they had so deftly performed. An astounded
audience and exultant Alathur Brothers, would watch Lalgudi playing that
Pallavi back, impromptu, with precision and equal gusto. This was a feast
performed regularly, only by Lalgudi and none else.
His emergence, as a soloist exclusively, marks the second
phase of his career, in which he found unlimited freedom to give expression
to his illimitable imagination. His solo concerts regaled large audience not
only in this country but in UK, US, Canada, Middle East, Malaysia and
Singapore as well, notwithstanding the fact that he never resorted to
populist techniques or puerile innovations like clothing Carnatic Music in
the garb of Hindusthani Music. Not once has he indulged in the common place
over emphasis on rhythm to build up a noisy climax, for gratifying the
gallery. Playing to the gallery has always been anathema to him. He has
never digressed into a vulgar display of virtuosity, though he is second to
none in his mastery of rhythm or mastery of the instrument.
His forte is in using his mature aesthetic sensitivity to
build an edifice of any raagam he chooses, like a sculptor chiselling a
statue of exceptional beauty - bring out its splendour in all its facets,
render the kriti with appropriate sangathi's to highlight the "bhaavam" or
mood inherent in it and to make swaraprasthaaram a veritable feast by
weaving patterns of amazing symmetry that merge with the selected phrase of
the kriti with unobtrusive effort but conspicuous effect. Mere virtuosity
and command over "laya" are purposefully subordinated to the principal
objective of integrating sruthi, layam, rasa and bhaavam into one
homogeneous and delectable treat that showers on the audience a blissful joy
different from the sensuous and earthly kind - His imagination, his bow, his
fingers and his violin, in unison produce that kind and quality of music
which the genius Saint Thyagaraja envisaged. when he sang "Svaadu phalaprada
Sapta swara raga Nichayasahitha Naadaloludai Brahmananda mandave"
What he cherishes in his mind for the art of music is a
feeling akin to "Bhakti", that keeps urging him to give creative expression
to the surging waves of imagination within. It did not permit him to rest
content with being a performing violinist and ushered him into the third
phase of his career in which his creative genius was activated and directed
towards composing Varnams, Tillanas and songs for dance drama and opera.
Tillanas in Tilang and Desh appeared in the early
seventies. Renowned dancers like, Kanaka, Kamala, Alarmel Valli, Chitra
Visweswaran and others choreographed dances for his compositions. Varnams in
Nalinakaanti, Asaveri and Bowli followed, all of them with a perceptible
qualitative difference from the varnams and tillanas by other composers,
thereby representing an advance in concept, structure and tempo. Behag and
Kaapi Tillanas in Tisra Nadai, Revathi, Yamuna Kalyani and Pahad Tillanas in
misrachaapu and Tillanas in unusual raagams like Vasanti, Karna Ranjani, in
Hindusthani raagams like Madhuvanti, Raageshri and Baageshri constitute an
amazingly rich variety of magnificent pieces that could dawn in the mind
only of a gifted musician who has truly imbibed "Raagasudhaa rasa Paanam",
over a period of half a century.
The innovative aspect in all these Tillanas in the creation
of an outline in the Pallavi and Charanam to provide scope for filling in
with innumerable variety of swara phrases. Tillanaas in Sindhubhairavi,
Maand, Hamsaanandi are brilliant examples of this feature. The commonly held
belief that "tradition" and "innovation" or "creativity" do not go together
has been disproved by Lalgudi by demonstrating that adherence to tradition
is not opposed to or an impediment to achieve creative excellence, and that
there is no paradox in remaining faithful to tradition and being creative as
well.
Excelling all these accomplishments, what can be rightly considered as of
monumental stature is the musical score by Lalgudi for the dance drama "Jaya
Jaya Devi". The lyrics and tunes are so much in harmony as to bring out the
rasaa and bhaavam with telling clarity, lending an unbelievable degree of
realism to the scenes. The elegant words and phrases in the lyrics and the
descriptive and narrative passages offer abundant scope for abhinayam and
the setting in different Thaalams and Nadai, for Nrityam. The depth of his
involvement with the theme, the context, and the moods vivified in the drama
is evident in the choice of the raagam, the form of composition and the pace
of rendering; the whole creation is a choreographer's delight. By all
standards this achievement of Lalgudi is extraordinary, unequalled and
invaluable. It is a work, a masterpiece that brings to mind Naukacharitram
of Thyagaraja; Raamanaataka Kirtanas of Arunachala Kavi and Nandanaar
Charithram by Gopalakrishna Bharathi.
Lalgudi stands alone at a height well above the rest in the
quality of his music, the quality of his creations and the quality of his
contribution to the wealth and growth of Carnatic Music.
In the greatness conferred on him by the astonishing
versatility he has displayed, he stands alone not only in the
contemporaneous scene but also in the wide span of the entire 20th century.
His contribution will certainly be recorded in golden letters when the
history of evolution of Carnatic Music is written. May God bless him with
good health, active mind, an intellect of undiminishing sharpness and long
life.
