Carnatic Music, a different angle - Part 2
Carnatic music sahityam/lyrics has critical contributions from the Trinity - Saint Tyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. Their kritis are soaked in bhakti towards a specific Hindu deity (Rama, Shiva or the Lordess). apart from the Trinity, various composers like Oothakadu Venkata Kavi, PurandaraDasa, Gopala Krishna Bharati, Papanasam Sivan, et all wrote kritis expressing devotion towards a Hindu deity of their choice. Devoion or bhakti could also be expressed in various bhavas like nindha stuti and viraha bhavam. Carnatic music hence is exclusively Hindu devotional music as of now. Bhakti movement played a great role in giving a lyrics based niche to Carntaic music rather than a Raga based. "Sangeetha gyanamu bhakti vina" ! So sang St.Tyagaraja.
Why is this so? Ragas form the foundation structure for carnatic music system. Any feeling can be expressed very beautifully in this system. Any content matter in lyrics can be brought to beauty. Why are there not compositions towards Jesus, Buddha and Allah? Why are there not kritis popularizing rasas (bhavas, feelings, emotions) other than devotion?
Instrument players in Carnatic music, or any other form of music, learn the swaras/notes of the kirtanas. They play only the swaras, they cannot play the lyrics. Do they sing the lyrics in their mind when playing ? No, it cannot be as they will lose track of what they are playing. Do they digest the bhakti content of the lyrics before playing and then express bhakti in their playing? Have you experienced bhakti when "Entharo mahanubhavulu" is played in Veena or experienced Sri Ragam when it is played? Can one listen and appreciate this kirtana in Veena/Flute/Violin without knowing the lyrics of it?
there are very few compositions whose lyrics are not exactly expressing devotion to a hindu deity, thanks to Sanjay Subramaniam (and others alike) for bringing them to notice in their Tamil Isai. Sanjay has once sung a song about Time and what he does to mankind. There are various compositions for Dance performances that come to my mind - Padams and Javalis expressing lover's feelings. "Saki Prana" in Senjurutti is one such. the beauty of Senjurutti is magnificent in this slow paced Padam, even without seeing a dancer perform. Then there are these marriage and nalangu songs. Still these are either Sita or Gowri kalyanam only, not generalizing the occasion!
Why is this so? Ragas form the foundation structure for carnatic music system. Any feeling can be expressed very beautifully in this system. Any content matter in lyrics can be brought to beauty. Why are there not compositions towards Jesus, Buddha and Allah? Why are there not kritis popularizing rasas (bhavas, feelings, emotions) other than devotion?
Instrument players in Carnatic music, or any other form of music, learn the swaras/notes of the kirtanas. They play only the swaras, they cannot play the lyrics. Do they sing the lyrics in their mind when playing ? No, it cannot be as they will lose track of what they are playing. Do they digest the bhakti content of the lyrics before playing and then express bhakti in their playing? Have you experienced bhakti when "Entharo mahanubhavulu" is played in Veena or experienced Sri Ragam when it is played? Can one listen and appreciate this kirtana in Veena/Flute/Violin without knowing the lyrics of it?
there are very few compositions whose lyrics are not exactly expressing devotion to a hindu deity, thanks to Sanjay Subramaniam (and others alike) for bringing them to notice in their Tamil Isai. Sanjay has once sung a song about Time and what he does to mankind. There are various compositions for Dance performances that come to my mind - Padams and Javalis expressing lover's feelings. "Saki Prana" in Senjurutti is one such. the beauty of Senjurutti is magnificent in this slow paced Padam, even without seeing a dancer perform. Then there are these marriage and nalangu songs. Still these are either Sita or Gowri kalyanam only, not generalizing the occasion!
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