Divine Music 4 Mundane Love : How Pathetic?
Hi folks.. After a pretty long respite , it feels good to be blogging back again..Hope and wish u guys feel similarly..:) I have been thinking lately about the usage of Carnatic Music on movies (Tamil)..B4 me spewing out my thots, please do give a thot or two Ok, Let me try and voice out my thougts with an example from the movie "Anniyan" ..The song "Aiyangaaru Veetu Azhage" will be the song under focus.. The song is very classical in nature , starting with a few lines from one of the beautiful Pancharatna Krithis..Here is a rough translation of the first few lines The creator of happiness throughout the world ! The beloved of Sita ! Victory be yours ! anupallavi : The inheritor of Suryavamsa ! King of Kings ! You are worshipped by the Devas ! You bestow good things ! Now, the krithi was composed in the auspicious Naata Raga by Sri Tyagaraja to praise Lord Rama, the posseser of all the noble qualities. The Raga Lakshana was effectively used by Sri Tyagarjha . Now, does it really makes much of a sense to use such an auspicious raga to praise the mundane earthly love that happens between a man and a woman , that too with lyrics like "vaan mazhayil nanainthal payirgal uruvaagum aan mazhayil nanainthal uyirgal uruvaagum" By the way, "jagadhanandha karaka" is way too far beautiful when compared to this song. Anyways, Is the usage of the divinely ragas in films for such purposes justifiable? The saptha swaras are said to be of divine origin and Carnatic music is best used for the same purpose.I also am saddened by the increasing no of artists (don't want to mention their names as if no one knows:) that have great voices using their skills in the film industry just for the sake of money and for establishing names. Is this what the great singers and composers of the elder days did?? In fact, one of the Trimurthys' of Carnatic Music, Shri Muthuswami Dikshithar , never wanted to sing in praise of the kings. The same is the case with Shri Tyagarajha. I feel that when one has the saptha swaras dancing in his/her tongue (thru saraswathi Kataaksham) , he has got one of the greatest gifts in this kali yuga to reach the abode of god. Let him sing in praise of the infinitely noble qualities of the lord with devotion and refrain to make use of that talent for other purposes that are merely likened by the listener as pleasure simulators. Let it simulate Bhakthi both in the singer and the listener..If a young child gets to hear a Purandaradasa Krithi or a Tyagaraja krithi, would he/she ever like other forms of music??? I doubt. Also , when the singer attempts to sing the song , he gets to know its meaning and it will definitely leave a negative impression in his/ her mind adding more to the effects caused by maaya. This will definitely have at least a slightest bit of impact on the singer when he actually renders a carnatic krithi and that's exaclty why I find most of the young carnatic musicians lacking the Shradha and the Bhaava that is required barrring a very few. Thats' the enchilada.. Hoping 2 get at least a few opposing comments..:) Note : Please dont miss to check out the songs that I post on the "Get tuned to Divine music" section |
Comments on "Divine Music 4 Mundane Love : How Pathetic?"
Dear KRISHNA,
MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY! I have given up watching movies as I feel they are an impediment to developing the concentration needed for Bhakti. I listen only to those divine compositions of the legendary composers likr Dkshithar, Annamacharya, Purandara Dasa, Narayana Tirtha et al.
hope more people turn their attention to carnatic music as a result of reading this post.
SARVAM SRIKRISHNAARPANAMASTHU!
Well, its not just classical music or performing arts. Yesterday i saw a whole dance sequence of one of the "kuuthu paatu" being performed against the backdrop of Mahabalipuram's panchapandava ratha.
it hurt, and hurt real bad that people do not respect the monuments anymore, it was pathetic to see surya jump over nandi as he came forward to join the others in dance.
thats the state of our country. we need to respect these monuments which are religious in nature and preserve them as we do not have the expertise to build them again.
so much for national heritage and so much for ASI the protectors of these monuments
Krishna - I see this from a different angle..The likes of Thyagarajar and Ditchithar were saints..they renounced everything for the sake of God..So for them money was never an issue..moreover during those days - the temples would feed these saints..so money was never an issue..
But at present, if you dont have a job - u end up in the streets..So one has a talent to sing - y not use that to earn money - its their job - and they are doing it properly..They are doing their dharma properly..If they go and sit in the temples and sing - imagine what would happen to their families!
I dont see anything wrong at all..
Krishna,
You reflected on my sentiments too. For a long time I was wondering why some artists with very beautiful voice waste their energy to going into mundane planes. For that matter, I think M.S (I don't know much about D.K) was par excellent by just sticking on to bakthi. I don't know of a single good artist who refrains from singing cine songs. If at all there was someone, I am not sure how long they can hold on to it, given that good singers like Nityasree, Unni etc. have given yield to the maya of Indian film industry.
@anand..
very true..one can only hope 4 some kind of religous upbringing..let the movies add real value ..
@ kavitha
Yeah..cultural adulterations of the derogatory type can never be tolerated, be it any kind..
btw..do u tour often???:)
@arjuna..
They were great saints indeed...only those souls that have got lots of nice karma balance in their accounts will get 2 be born 4 the divine purpose..
But, wat about the carnatic musicians today??? Arent they making enuf money to sustain themselves and their families by performing in kutcheris?? Wat is the need 4 the additional greed 4 money and fame??Arent they taking the whole purpose of carnatic music and their skills for granted??
Also , it is very difficult for a family man/woman to be so devout. He/she is bound to get attached and 4 bhatki u need detachment to everything but god..
@Srini
Well said..One can easily feel the devotion in air when MSS renders any krithi/ bhajan or watever..DKP for sure lacks the devotion that MSS had tho some might say she's technically strong..
MMI is another person known for his simplicity (along with it one can also sense the devotion ) ..When he starts rendering a raga, one can actually sense all the beautiful qualities of the raga within the first few seconds..His mohanam, kamboji, shanmugapriya ,bhairavi .....are simply unparallel..
Out of the current generation, I think T.M krishna is doing a real good job but even he seems to have positive opinions about moving into the film industry..
Joshiji..
That was a wonderful explanation.
As u said
"Thus ideally man is supposed to remain unmoved under all circumstances like an ideal spectator of a drama who doesn’t cry when an actor on the stage/ screen, say is being maltreated by the mother-in-law!"
I clearly understand that we are not the actual controllers of wat is happenign around us..everthing will happen (as they have already happened ) as they are destined to.
I also understand that I and most of the other folks that arent noble enough 2 point out the mistakes shuldnt actually do ..rather we shuld stay muted ideally..corrections 2 the society are best done when done by such noble persons . Also , they are more effective..but mine and most others are opinions that are actually intended to keep the noble truths passed down to us by the great past in trend.
Also, my intentions are based on the Law of karma.. Am just trying to act noble without actually expecting the results ..:)
One request..Y dont u start writing a blog ??Am sure it'll be of great use to the reader..
joshi ji
With the IShwara kattaksha, I will continue seeking the TRUTH .As i say in blog description "these are just thots arising from
a Jignasu"..:)
Krishna You are right and I understand your angst. But Music is Divine Energy that can be and will continue to be put to any use from the sublime to the ridiculous - just as the same water is used to cook rice, make sambar or rasam, or cake or chicken kurma. If we just look deep into the two lines you have quoted from the song without analysis of whether they are good or bad, you will see the Truth of the cosmos there. Just have to relax for everything happens in God's World!
"just as the same water is used to cook rice, make sambar or rasam, or cake or chicken kurma"
Excellent analogy..
Thanks 4 ur input..
I go with you .. no objections. These people are senseless, responseless, have interest only in their selfish carnal interests, full of hypocrisy, these people are good only towards the destruction of the world.
These people who disturb the equilibrium of dharma go into the deepest hell
@saravana
Yeah...definitely those people are in the ignorant mode. Until they try to remove the veil ,they have to go thru the multitudinous fake qualities of maaya..
Wonderful blog & good post.Its really helpful for me, awaiting for more new post. Keep Blogging!
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