Sangeetasikshapeetam

 Just finished two days of the online Sangeetasikshapeetam workshop. This particular workshop was a homage to Bombay Ramachandran, a noted guru who passed away in 2013. He was a bachelor who was supposed to be wedded to his music, his teaching and his disciples. Hearing that reminded me of Vamanan, who too was wedded purely to his music. Feel he was taken from us much too soon. I just had this flashback of three of us sitting in a Bandra apartment late one monsoon evening singing Evarun( the Vasudevacharya varnam in Navarasa Kaanada). We did not realise that he had already entered the apartment and promptly shut up. I remember him saying" What is wrong... continue.. continue.. you were all singing well"

One must begin by lauding the efforts of Vinod Vetri Iyer and Dr Nanditha Ravi, who have started this initiative and the teachers who are devoting their time and energy to this. Totally laudable. 

Yesterday was a composition in Malavi( a raga I have not learnt anything in). And from the first few minutes, I was haunted by it's resemblance to Poornachandrika( Telisi Rama) even though Malavi has N2 against Poornachandrika's N3. Especially in phrases like PMGMR, I still need to understand how to clearly distinguish between the two. What are the distinct phrases, signalling each of these. Taught by Geetha Raja. What a lovely teacher. Patient, crystal clear. 

One of the interesting things about today's Sahana is the way the Daivatam is handled in quite a few phrases( new to me). We are all familiar with the PMD,( flat D,) or even SNSD,( where the D, is this beautiful curve down from the Shadjam). But this was a different Dhaivatam for me. The anupallavi begins as D,NDP,,, where the D, is straight and towards the end becomes NSND.. actually it is not even that, since there is a drop. So maybe MSND..interesting... has to be heard. 

I need to get back to this blog. The detailed notes on the last Pancha Bhoota is still pending. 

But before I quit I want to just say a few words about this exquisite composition I have just learnt( still learning...work in progress).. Elateliyalero in Durbar. The Pallavi has maybe some ten sangathis. I have seldom before experienced such an incredible development of sangathis.. each one leads to the next and the next and the next. The Pallavi is almost a Master class in the development of Durbar.