The classical music programme was yet to begin. The chairs were gradually filling up with each person trying to find a spot beneath a fan. Thankfully, the hall had adequate fans and everyone could enjoy the music beneath the pleasant breeze of the whirring blades. There was something charming about seniors hobbling in and settling down. Although they looked frail, their looks revealed the eagerness to listen to the music.
The lamp next to the Thyagaraja idol was lit and seemed to wait in anticipation for the vocalist and his team to get onto the podium. Very soon without much fanfare they were ushered in and began taking their positions on the stage. While the percussionists and the violinist tuned their instruments and adjusted the microphones, the vocalist hummed softly, checking something on the tablet he had with him.
As I took in this quiet prelude to what promised to be a musical delight, my attention was drawn to a foreign couple in my row and an older foreign gentleman seated in a row ahead of me. In a couple of minutes, the couple moved to the front row next to him- maybe a way of bonding.
This was not the first time we had foreigners in this small ‘Bhairavi’ Sabha. Being in Pondicherry we were used to having international audience. Many came for few minutes or an hour or so and left. As I sat behind them I could not but overhear the exchange of their pleasantries and their introduction. I understood that while the couple were from Switzerland, the elderly man was from United States and they had come to the event based on online information. It was their first experience listening to Carnatic vocal music. I had an inner feeling that they may not enjoy the music and would leave soon. However, this time I was in for a pleasant surprise.
Once the music began, I became immersed in it but I also became aware of the bobbing heads and the appreciative claps of the three people in front of me. At first, I paid little attention to them but as the program progressed, their admiration for the melody became impossible to ignore. Nodding approvingly to many of the classical songs being sung in Telugu or in Tamil, despite not having knowledge of talas, gamakas and ragas as well as the lyrics the three were in raptures. While, the couple were silently appreciative, the elderly gentleman bobbed his head, swayed his body and made small joyful clicks with his tongue.
When the ‘tani avartanam’ started, it was past 8 pm and I thought that they would leave. Interestingly, the elderly gentleman began observing the vocalist and imitated the tala. Soon the couple followed suit. They did not miss a single beat as the mridangam player and the ghatam player went back and forth with their beats. The interaction between the two percussionists was an audio treat –playing high notes, low notes, fast and slow rhythms — up and down went the beats and the hands of many too kept the beat. This pont struck a chord in me and made me realise how music could bond irrespective of cultures and languages.
In spite of the recent discussions and debates and talk about so called elitism and high pedestal of Carnatic classical music, this incident made me realise that one needs to simply relish the melody, rhythm and pulse of music– be it classical, folk, tribal, western, hip hop or pop music.
In many ways, if you are a music lover, you cannot have boundaries. Let us just be part of the melody. As the seasons change and as the sun grows hotter or the coldness creeps in or the trees unburden their leaves or the rain spatters around, it is the melodies and music that vitalise us.
Very touching narrative, beautifully worded. Yes Music has no boundaries, be it any form of Music.. Carnatic, Hindustani or Western. Thoroughly enjoyed your interesting narrative. Thank you Dr. Kalpana.
Thanks a ton for the lovely comment. The inspiration for the article was the Bhairavi program. I am glad you liked it.