Rickety nuts that can't rattle the ladder to THE ATTIC!

My previous post titled "Reflecting at the Attic" was an encomium to some of the greatest teachers/gurus I have met and been mentored by in my life. A lot of students and youngsters read my blogs, I wish to address to them about my experience as a research student/scholar at the Music Department of the Madras University for seven years. This experience involves many stories of rich learning, interactions and the opportunities to understand and appreciate the Banyan tree that is the Madras University and the history and legacy that is the Music department there enjoys due to the contributions of many greats including people like Prof. Sambamurthy, Prof. N.Ramanathan, Dr.S.Seetha and others.

But this blog is a truth telling of a traumatic experience that was my Ph.D completion with this department. Being a full time performer and a actor my life is very busy juggling between shooting spots, rehearsals, classes and performance. When I decided to pursue my Masters academically, many people laughed sayign Im going to need more than 24 hours in a day. But I did manage it all and also to everyone's astonishment I stood first in my classes. The burning desire to "Know more" itched me to apply for a doctoral degree.

Admitting me was the choice of the department. It was an exam that determines the aptitude of the candidate and I had it, it seemed, so there was no looking back. If you have read my previous blogs you might have understood the extent of joy I derived in this journey. I met so many scholars, worked with/ under many superb theoriticians, interacted with many simple but awesome people. Those have been the most rewarding years and for this I sacrificed many of my other commitments be it cinema, Television, friends, family, social life etc. I recognised that serious academic pursuit requires serious time allocation and I did so more than willingly.

My guide at the Music department was a woman of talent but also a woman of mighty mood swings. For someone like me from the profession of cinema where mood swings are considered unprofessional behaviour this was really new and amusing. But, everyone else at the department taught me to work "around" her. We would whisper, tip toe, avoid and just simply resist the temptation to retaliation every time we were pushed around by her temper.

She was as little involved in my work and its progress as possible. It turned out to be an ample opportunity to meet other truly great scholars. So, in fact I always say that I had not one guide for my work but many many greats!

Not withstanding all this I worked at this department for six and half years before submitting my thesis. The fact that I was a known face, and someone who was not only a mere student but also a professional was at sometimes a pride for them. I was flaunted as an important student at functions, NAC committee meets etc but when the time came they would use it to nag me. But life had over the years made me tough and taught me to be strong and stand above such judgements. My doctoral thesis was given the rare distinction of "highly commendable" by both the international and national examiners. It was the duty of the department to fix my viva voce date at the earliest.

But the last straw in the hat began then. The department and my guide played the dirty game of politics of prejudice and malice. They wanted to delay my getting my doctoral degree, it seemed for they suppressed the very fact that the evaluations had come in! Next my thesis copy at the department went missing! When I demanded to know where it had gone, it miraculously returned to the cupboard in an hour! I had to seek the intervention of the Vice chancellor to help give me a fair viva. Thereupon, the department conducted the most grudging viva, perhaps in its history.

First of all, the external examiner who came had not either read or was not given the thesis in advance or could not comprehend the work at all. For a work that was entirely on the Nayak period, most of his questions were on why I hadn't written about the Cholas! Secondly, I was refused permission any assistance in operating the laptop etc. I had to set it up, operate, sing, dance, speak etc. Never mind that all other candidates who had done their viva before me had used their students, friends to help them. In fact some of them even had others answer the questions that were asked. Such is the advantage of being in the "right" side of the department head, I supposed.

My viva was attended by students, scholars from various institutions and eminent persons. Those who asked questions or wanted to comment on my work, be it a department head of another University or a historian were all "shooshed and shut up-ed" by the irreverent guide as she was in a dashing hurry to be done with my viva. I was given a mere 15 minutes to present my work. The six years of work was capsuled in essence to 15 minutes, music, dance, script, videos, research included. But even those 15 minutes were interrupted with constant chattering between the guide and the external examiner! Both the audience and me were left shocked by this unprofessionalism.

But the two things that hurt me and left me completely dislodged were how I was never allowed to take even a single photo during the viva in memory of that momentous day. Every one who has done their viva in the department had videographed their proceedings and I was categorically told to not take even a picture. Perhaps they wanted no evidence of the mistreatment of a candidate on tape! The "and the oscar goes to..." moment in every Ph.D viva is when the guide says "we recommend this candidate for the award of the doctoral degree". Those are the words that validate months, years of blood and sweat, toiling, burning the midnight oil, the sacrifices that one makes to get there. But, I never heard those words. That is right. My guide chose to never say these, not even conclude the viva with a thank you but simply get up and walk away for lunch. We presumed that the viva was over as she had adjourned to her room to eat!

Every family member and friend who was present in that room that day shed a tear, made a protest and empathised with me. But, I was washed over with a great sense of relief that I was a free person not bonded under such pettiness. I packed my bags and walked away from the department premises. My heart was filled with respect and gratitude for the great Madras University which had given me a new suffix; one that i had earned; one that did not mean I was someone's daughter or someone's wife but someone of my own! Dr. Swarnamalya Ganesh, it was. Make an announcement that I have been recommended or walk away for lunch, no one can take away from my work, I thought to myself.

Wanting to make "from the attic" was a dream that I had long cherished. I wanted to show the world, people what I had worked on. I wanted validation from connoisseurs, common people, the public, the audiences. They are the judges, I always thought. When I curated the exhibition, the lecture and the performance series of FROM THE ATTIC I always remembered how these were what I should have been allowed to share at my viva. A mortal guide or teacher (head) could not, did not want to give me, the deserved pat on the back for working hard, sincerely and for doing it through personal crisis, and other professional commitments. But the old adage "you will reap what you sow" is so true, for my sincere attempts and work was recognised and accepted and appreciated by people from around the world. Artistes, critics, scholars and others.

When I read S. Muthiah's  article about me I was hugely surprised for he is a man of great credibility and a hard nut to crack. His words reassured me that I was on the right track and that original work is always visible and never can be shrouded beneath some mindless boot licking. When I read his words were he had said this is really how a Ph.D work must be done and not a mere cut and paste job, I felt the blessings of TSP mama, TNR sir, Sarasa amma and many of my Gurus showered upon me. So also the impressions that many artistes and scholars who recorded after watching the performance at Music Academy of From the Attic. They were genuine and very encouraging.

This public (in every sense on the word) who were present during my lecture, my exhibits, my work and my dance reconstruction was the real thing! I had true people watching and critiquing my work. I finally had a REALLY PUBLIC VIVA! I have pictures, I had critiques and I had the verdict!!!

That's how God, the eternal GURU disposes what man proposes.

To that Guru whose presence I feel in all the great Gurus, I bow my head in reverence and touch your feet with all humility. To those who made the ladder to the Attic a bit rickety, what can I say except, thanks to you, I have learnt to hold the railings tighter and climb faster!

Rickety nuts that didn't rattle the ladder to the Attic!
Dr.Swarnamalya Ganesh

P.S: This blog is written today, some three years after the horrific experience of my viva because I saw this morning a picture taken by a Ph.D scholar who recently had his viva at the same department. he was flaunting his pic on FB and I was reminded of the lack of one for myself. The second reason is that today is GURU PORNIMA. A day to remember the Gurus. I remember all of them. But for them, imagine what my plight would have been upon the onslaught of those in the garb.
 P.P.S: S.Muthiah sir's article which is to me a viva evaluation and the impressions of artistes and audiences who saw FROM THE ATTIC premiere, a public viva voce

Making research come alive By S.Muthiah for The Hindu's Madras Miscellany

Reflecting at THE ATTIC

Almost twenty days past the 19th of March. The day FROM THE ATTIC performance series got premiered. After all the buzz, hectic hours of work, endless phone calls, piles of paperwork and sleeplessness, there is a certain quiteous that has returned to my everyday life. Much has changed forever though after the March mid week. I have made many friends and some foes. Many many have come forward to appreciate my work. People I respect, shared the evening with me, spent time understanding my thoughts and showed respect to my work. An evening that in many ways introduced my pre -occupations to the world. I am being asked to speak, share my work at various forums and Attic has managed to interest everyone in history, art and performance.

As I return to a normal pace of everyday routine of work, classes, writing, my reading and the stillness of my life, I am reflecting. What is the one thing that stands great people apart. My Gurus, Sarasama, the Tiruvazaputhur Kalyani Grand daughters, TSP mama, TNR Sir, Ramachandran Sir, Raghu mama and the many others. The women dance gurus of mine, may not be women of letters but were/are certainly not illiterate. I recognize literacy as a quality that nurtures equanimity, a sense of neutrality and personal integrity.

Life to these women has not been too fair. Actually, life is not fair to anyone but it is how we face that adversity that makes us the people we are. I found my teacher Sarasama's  ability to talk with ease and humor always very fascinating. She would hardly speak about her personal life. She was always surrounded by her students. She found a good quality (albeit funny) in everyone and appreciated them for it. Her humor was in many ways her shield from the harsh realities of life.
Jeeva teacher too is a bundle of joy and fun. Their endless childish bickering and arguments would have me in splits. TSP mama managed through the years on his wheelchair with his gregarious sense of humor and jokes. TNR's one liners are my staples, while Ramachandran sir (a man one would consider to be more serious) would break into an unexpected joke or impression, much to our delight. As far ad Raghu Mama is concerned, I would sing in between peels of laughter.

The core of their art (all of theirs) is couched in a simple innocence. Even while the world burdens them with layers of misnomers, criticisms and betrayals, it is the sheer strength of their personal integrity that stands them high.

Their strength also is "உற்றது சிந்திக்கும் உணர்”. Their knowledge of people and the world was/ is not  "paasagyanam" but a deeply intense “patigyanam". They seem to interact with people and the world with the intense philosophy of "மேவாமல் மேவுதல்” that is to work the ways of life without letting it affect their deeply held personal value.

I am stunned into silence when I reflect upon these. The merit of a teacher's integrity upholds their ability to for ever create an impression of unattainable purity both of their art as well as their heart, in the minds of their pupils.

I am indeed a very fortunate disciple of such gurus of great merit. If you too are, believe me when I say, their breed are a rarity and you can feel quite chosen.

Dr.Swarnamalya Ganesh
Reflecting at the ATTIC (a reflection of my Gurus's shining integrity)

Venkatamakhi, my musical mentor at THE ATTIC

The search for a  lost dance form or repertoire means it is a holistic search for its historical context, the narratives, voices etc. Putting each piece of this jig saw will reveal a better picture. Its a very exciting process but one that needs patience and perseverance.

Any research work unless with un disputable evidence is an intellectual guess. It has to ofcourse have  a methodology and a studied approach. During my work in trying to reconstruct some of the lost dance forms, I had (have) many many challenging moments. One of the most important aspects of the dance reconstruct was the identification and placement of the musical form and structure.

With the music in place, 70% of the dance would be done, i knew. But that wasn't as easy. The periods I was working on was the Nayak period. The 16th, 17th centuries. Now in the history of Indian music there are many systems that have been used from time immemorial. Bharata talks of an important system called the Sankirna Jati which is very similar to the paalai system that has been elaborated in the Sangam and later sangam texts and was in vogue clearly in the Tamil country. Incidentally Mahendra Varma Pallava had the title "Sankirna jati Mahendra Varma". This must mean that he was adapt in this system of music. According to me, the deciphering of the most important musical epigraph at Kudimiyanmalai (Pudukottai district) has to be done with the help of this system elaborated in the Natya sastra, although someone like Weidess has done phenomenal work on the inscription already. With much respect to him and his contribution this will throw a clearly light.

Coming back to my work, the challenge in understanding one important aspect of music which is the raga system (scale) was its contemporary evolution into the clearer 72 mela system and its earlier more lucid form that led to Venkhatamakhi's  seminal work called Caturdandi prakashika.

Dandi means stick or a holder. In this case he speaks of the four (catur) directional forms in music that are primary and significant of his times. They are Aaalaapa, Thaaya, Gita and Prabandha.
Aaalapa  as the name suggests is a rendition of the scale in akaaram. There are several sections in an aalaapam like the ayittam, eduppu, mukthaya etc.
Then is the thaayam which is very similar or the precursor to what is sung as Tanam today. It is set in talam and has to use the " ta nam ta ta nam ta" syllables.
Gita is the poetic section where there is a specified tala to the poem and it uses many varieties of lyrical meters and talas. Example is a gita in Jhumpada tala
Then comes prabhanda which is also a lyrical section. It has a lucid poetic free form. Its sections include the Suladi  etc and has a structure of a composition like varying tempos of vilamba, madhyama (slow, medium) etc.

If I had to reconstruct the dances the music had to reflect the sensibilities of this system and its early and later forms as this alone will allow me to see the shape and form of the movements in the dance. A detailed study of Caturdanti Prakashika allowed me to comprehend its similarities with its earlier counter parts like Sangita ratnakara, Sangita Kalanidhi etc, its contemporary works like Sangita Sudha and later works like Raga Lakshanam of Shahaji.

The division of ragams into desi (regional) and margi (pan national) is quite different from the Janani and Janya raga system. Many of the ragas we assume as suddha or rakti (mainstream) ragas now were grouped under the Desi or regional varieties.
Then the prayogams and raga lakshanam vary vastly from what we have imbibed today in our karnatic music concert singing format.
Someone like Venkatamakhi who is considered the landmark of the present system of music we follow was assimilating from many of his earlier sources. Which meant, I had to see those as well. For example for the reconstruction of a particular dance music, I had to seek the tribal lineage of Maharastrian medieval folk traditional music to correlate to the text and its descriptions of the music and dance.

I gave grief no end to the musical stalwarts who agreed to work with me by dumping on them large portions of information on what was done, how, what was allowed, what not etc. All this, many a times am sure left them wondering what they had agreed to from a crazy person like me. But their genius and comprehension of the importance of what I was seeking, combined with divine grace, gave me music that will transport both a connoisseur of karnatic music and a commoner alike in a time capsule to the bygone eras when music was free flowing and far from the present day concert (music and dance) format. It will reflect the complexities of the historic periods, the political assimilations and spiritual intercourse in all its glory!

R.Nithya and R.Vidya (very talented singers who are also my dear friends)  worked very hard at learning the various genres from these composers and accepting all my crazy research reflections, they know and feel the value of what musically awaits us at THE ATTIC.

Many times, I indulge in the feeling that Venkatamakhi is watching over us. He is perhaps...
Join us at FROM THE ATTIC to feel the magic.

http://fromtheattic.in/
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Dr.Swarnamalya Ganesh
Venkatamakhi, my musically mentor at  THE ATTIC

GYANAM (?!?) A Funny SIVAGYANAM at THE ATTIC

This is an experience I must share with my friends, readers, aspiring researchers and everyone. During my doctoral work one of the most important places of work for me was the Saraswati Mahal library, tanjavur. I still go there at least once in two months for all my continued work. It is a haven     for researchers. However, I always warn my friends and students that it's a place for precious primary sources and hence will be a tedious process. One must be familiar with the very elaborate cataloguing systems first. Learning to read through a catalogue is an art in itself. The TSSML has over 32000 manuscripts. That's right! The various subjects are catalogued and divided into languages, sections, type of manuscript, volumes etc. And then, there is the old catalogue and the newer eons that are in tandem with the GOML ( government oriental manuscript library) etc. So, if one needs to refer any work, they have to know where exactly it is, it's catalogue number etc to begin with. Then there is the issue of finding the right person to help you approach the section. I was lucky in the sense that as my initial work was a methodic understanding of my primary sources, the TSSML realised quite early that I was there as a serious scholar. I had to pour over several manuscript versions of even some published treatises in order to read the original of a reinterpretation, or the colophon.

Here is where my story begins. As I had written in one of my earlier blogs, TSSML became a home
away from home for me for over six years. Half a month there, every month meant I knew everyone by face and name. I would go in the morning at 9am and work till 5.30 when the clerk would ever so politely neck me out, only to return the next day. Many visitors to the gallery either presumed I had taken  permanent employment with  TSSML ir that there was a shooting going on there,

While everyone was always eager to find an opportunity to talk to me or converse with me, all I
wanted was to be left in peace as I wanted to work, un disturbed. But I could never avoid an occasional hi, an enquiry about my next film, the experience of having stood next to prabhudeva or something like that. I would usually give a very annotated answer and quickly return to the business
at hand. Thankfully, the pundits at TSSML were awesome, helpful and knew the gravity of my work and would give me the needed space.

While I began to believe all was going just fine as for my reference and notes taking at TSSML was
concerned, God decided to play a trick on me. Well that's the best reasonI can come up with for what am about to explain. All my references I would usually write down in a notebook, date wise. But
when I discovered an un copied, unnoticed most valuable Telugu manuscript of the dance repertoire  that I was searching for, I was elated! Overwhelmed, I ran to Big temple that evening, sat in a corner and studied the colophon that I had copied down and read it a hundred times. I was stunned at what
destiny had dropped on my lap!  The most treasured document that was the key to unlock my quest to  find all the preciousness that I later found at THE ATTIC.

The next day, I sat at my desk at TSSML and realised that it was a large manuscript and I was going
to need every page of it. Therefore a Notes taking wouldn't help. I wanted to microfilm the  manuscript and take a copy so that I can append it as pat of my work and will be useful for dance historians in the future, I thought. TSSML being a government library, has the posting of an AO (administrative  officer). I had to submit to him a request letter asking for the micro filming. The Telugu pandit who was helping me told me that it would be best if I spoke to the AO and handed over the letter In person for speedy process. I remember vividly the first day I walked up to his desk. A stalky, dark man, in white and white pants and shirt, chewing paan he gave me a toothy smile (laugh, gurgle if you may) at and said "Good afternoon maadaaam ! Pluleesh sit down" the Telugu pandit who came along and was sitting beside me for courtesy was a very clever man, he excused himself and slipped away. I, being the protagonist of this whole story, of course had to sit through from lunch break till the day's bell rang at 5 announcing the closure of the library. From that day on, everyday I would make a special morning prayer to Brihadeeswara that I should escape the sight of this AO,  lest my day would be spent at his desk answering questions that he would torrent at me. The torture of the experience is truly inexplicable but I am here going to give you a sample of a few question and answers. I urge you to imagine this with a generous interspersing of hearty, loud laughter ( something like heeeheeeeheee), completely tamizhaised English, a need to speak ONLY in English no matter how torturously hideous the grammar is,  constant shaking of the legs, cups of lukewarm tea and mosquito bites.

AO: maaadaaam, good morning. What, research aaa? Sit down sot down. So, what is this Mozhi
movie story all about?
Me: ( looking at my watch) hmmm what do u mean story sir, please watch the film.
AO: oh hoo!  I have no times to wa(r)tch all this movies and all. Tell me maaadaaam, how was you
working with Maniratnam ?
Me: it was good. So when will I get my requests for micro film approved sir?
AO: it's ok maaadaaam. What salary film stars get? I heard vijay gettings five crores. Ish it true aaa?!!!!!

Me: don't know sir. U have to ask vijay that.
AO: heheheheeh so how much do you get madam? At least say me that noooo!!!

Me: smiling and sipping the damn tea
AO: two years ago I arrange one dance program in Hyderabad, their dance super madam.

Me: ( relief that he is back to a subject) oh really! Whose dance sir?
AO: don't know name and all but they do spitting and all on stage and dance, very nice maaadaaam.

Me: spitting !!!
AO: yes yes bharadanatyam boring for me...but  madam this is like that korattti dance nooo....like that and all...

Me: sir,.. My request
AO: of course madam tomorw itself I will try and do it.


2009,2010,2011 and 2012 came and went with hundreds of such dreadful encounters but the
microfilm request approval never  did. May be it was that AO's ticket to stall me and have inane chatters, maybe it was his way of showing me that no matter if I was a known face, he was in power there. I would have submitted atleast seven request letters in those years. But not without spending
hours hand coping the manuscript. By the beginning of 2012, I had fully hand written the entire palm leaf manuscript by myself. No more micro film needed. I appended my own hand written copy along with my doctoral work.

Thanks to AO sivagyanam (yes, that was his name) I was able to hand write and therefore thoroughly assimilate every word of the valuable manuscript that I had discovered as my most important source.

Thank to sivagyanam, when I look back today I realise he was the much needed comic interlude amidst long, tedious hours of pouring over palm leaves and paper treatises( even without lunch
breaks).
So, researchers who visit MSS libraries must be prepared not only with catalogue sieving skills but also for the onslaught of sivagyanam -s.

God bless him and good news, he is no more the AO at TSSML. See I told you, God was playing a trick on me. It is truly SIVA GYANAM!



Dr.Swarnamalya Ganesh
Gyanam at THE ATTIC
www.fromtheattic.in

Staring into the depth of the faces at the Attic

In South India one cannot ever talk of sculptures or paintings without speaking of the Cholas! They are the holy grail of South Indian fine arts. No doubt. But often we will hear modern scholars eulogize chola art by comparing them to the later works of art like that of the Nayaks or Marattas. The truth is Chola art is incomparable. Which not only means they are extremely fine and beautiful but also that arts of other periods can't be looked at from the same prism. 

The one thing I have often heard about Nayak art is how it has very garish colors and disproportionate structuring. While I am not a fine art student, I would always think there is more to the understanding of these paintings than just calling them poor cousins of their Chola counterparts etc. The Nayaks ruled the South of India for over a 150 years. They have left an identifiable mark in temple renovation, construction and specially frescoes. One look at the bright colors, large figures and the strokes one will be able to say they are "Nayak" frescoes. Therefore they must have had a method and an idealogy. 

The art of painting during the Cholas period was highly evolved. They had a great sense of proportion, symmetry, color and aesthetics. If the Nayaks painted over them on the inner walls of the Tanjore Big temple, they surely noticed these and yet had a reason to do what they did. So, an artiste/ painter who saw such marvellous works didn't paint over them to spoil the originals. If that was their mindset, one of destruction or discontinuation of past glory and tradition they would have done many changes to the structure of the temple in a more obvious way and place. Instead they only added pieces of structures to  accentuate the original's awe. 
So then what drove them to draw over? 

To answer this I kept looking at the paintings of the Nayaks. As if a deep, penetrating stare will give me the answers. When you do stare at them, the way I did, you will find the characters almost staring back at you. In the art of painting there is a technique called caricaturing. The modern understanding of caricature is that they are exaggerated for an element of humor. But the elemental quality of caricature is to evoke a life like portrait image using simplistic or exaggerated ways. With larger eyes and mouths, louder colors and motifs and out of proportion images the Nayaks perhaps were trying to say something? A caricature always is to convey. It was for the immediate audiences and consumption. It was a socio-political statement. It is a next step in evolution of painting technique were the characters even when not real, were portraits of humans of their times. Even the images of Gods and Goddesses perhaps drawn with a striking resemblance to human beings. 

This would also explain the use of natural characteristics in actual sizes like the big nose, eyes, stalky hands, legs etc. Portrayal of acquired characteristics like finer lines, a paunch (that is reflected in the Nayak sculpture at madurai temple of the King himself in middle age. See my earlier blog for this reference). And the depiction of real colors, costumes, textures, hair styles, moustaches, beards etc reveal their evolution into depicting real people on their paintings. This was a few steps before the picture portrait era and a few more steps before the photograph era. Every Nayak painting was a  a weighty portrait. It was to convey to the people of the immediate context about important people, characters, features around them. Hence they needed the spaces that were in use in the temples etc. And therefore perhaps the painting over the Cholas at Tanjore temple with  the exaggerated features and proportions perhaps. 

The other important aspect is  the thicker lines or outer sketches that are starkly different to the other finer Ajanta or Cholas paintings. The pen as a brush or stylus for lines was adapted from the persian term "kalam". This concept of an inked pen to draw outlines filled with colors was employed from a persian influence both on cloth and walls. Just like painting on wet walls or damp walls was the fresco style of the Cholas, the Nayaks perhaps had the pen stylus painting. It was called "Kalamkaari" and was greatly patronized by the Vijayanagara Kings and therefore adapted by their feudatories, the Nayaks.  You will be surprised to know that Achuytappa Nayaka gave away villages near Tanjore to Kalamkari artistes as he realised the water (cauvery) in that rock bed had natural Alum (color fixing agent) in the water!! Kalamkari was traditionally used to also say/ convey stories, legends and myth.

Maybe the Nayaks who made these exaggerated frescoes had many stories and incidents to depict through their paintings (mythological and contemporary). The fact that these caricature like paintings may have been drawn with life like closeness and resemblance to actual people means, we are holding an entire visual documentation (like modern photos) into an era that we believe had not actually evolved to that stage. Their paintings of dancers and musicians means we are staring into the actual faces of our predecessors perhaps. WOW! 

This revelation allows me to take a closer look. And what do I see into the depths of those big eyes, fluttering pallus, bright fans, big maustaches and long breads....that's what you will find out at FROM THE ATTIC

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Dr.Swarnamalya Ganesh
Staring into the depth of the faces at the Attic

At the attic- Not at all asking "Indendu vachitira" (why have you come here?)

The one good lesson I have learnt in the many years now of interaction with scholars, pandits and great people is a precious secret of how we find sources. Often when I meet younger students they ask me how I go after my sources and where to begin etc. While that is a very complex question and the answer would vary from person to person, quest to quest, there is one simple truth of an answer in it. As my guru Sekeezaar Adi-p-podi Dr.T.N.Ramachandran sir told me years ago, when we persevere and go relentlessly after a fact or source, it may evade us now. It will. And it is at that point that we must invoke. We invoke a deeper sense and connection that we believe we have with the truth that is around us in this universe. Then, when we least expect it, these truths or leads or sources will start hounding us. They will reach us. The story below will explain this phenomenon.

The year is 1998. I am a young teenager who is learning dance and a very active performer on stage under my guru Sarasama. One day, from her rich repertoire she chooses to teach me a beautiful padam in Telugu "Indendu vacchi tira". True to her style of teaching for me, she familiarized me to the music and imbibed in me the musicality for Suruti (the ragam of the padam) and the misra chapu (seven beats) in its rhythm. At which point she told me "listen, go fetch the meaning and other details of the song from TSP mama for yourself". Now, who is TSP mama. When I met him in the earlier part of 90-s he was a young 75 year old man! Full of zeal for karnatik music, Indian dance (all forms), harikatha, bhajana sampradaya, history, archaeology, and what not. He was a polyglot, musicologist and a great friend of the arts and the artistes. He was the secretary of Music Academy then (with 30 years of service) and  was instrumental in bringing many a scholarly volume for us. I, from the age of 12 was his disciple! 72 would teach a 12 to spell and write words like "Natyasastra", "Abhinayam" etc. Such was our bond. He was my best friend, my confidant, my mentor, my motivator and much more. 

When I ran into his house one day announcing proudly that I have learnt the famous  "indendu" he said "aiyaiyo! (alas) you are in for trouble." I was shocked obviously and asked him what the matter was. When a dance guru from the hereditary community teaches any composition they would simply without much ado jump into its performative intricacies. There would be no discussion on the raga, tala, mode of the song, or any such academic analysis. The dancer no matter how old or young would simply watch and repeat and learn. It has a meditative quality to this process where the entire communication is non verbal and intuitive. Whereas, when a musicologist teaches anything they would begin with a long discourse on the context, history, date, name of the composer etc before teaching us the meaning or comprehensions of the song. I had the rare fortune of learning almost each piece from both these angles. What questions I couldn't ask Sarasama I would bombard TSP mama with. So, when I put a pen to paper mama told me, Indendu is a controversial padam. People usually say it is a Kshetrayya Padam but it is not, he said. Kshetrayya padams always will have the mudra (signature) of "Muvva gopala". This songs has none, also it uses a name Kasturi Ranga, therefore it has to be a composition of Kasturi Ranga perhaps, he concluded. As an obedient student of mama I believed that it was Kasturi Ranga, the composer. But slowly as the years rolled by and Indendu became an often repeated composition of my repertoire and as my own acedemic comprehensions started widening, , my mind would wonder as to how come there are no other compositions by Kasturi Ranga, if he was after all the composer of this famous padam? My TSP mama had passed away by then. Without a brain to storm this with, I let the internal conflict about the authorship of this most beautiful padam rest within me. 

Years rolled by. Many Indendu performances too. One day, I was sitting at my desk reading some manuscripts of a Telugu yakshaganam for my research. I was also simultaneously scribbling the geneologies of various Kings, their contributions, the vageyyakaras (poet musicians) whom they patronized. 

This King in the line of the Madurai Nayaks was Kasturi Ranga Nayaka (15th century). He was a weak but nevertheless patronizing king and was an early contemporary of Vijayaraghava Nayaka (the Tanjore Line) in whose court  was patronised Kshtrayya. When I was writing this down, it suddenly struck me that Kshetrayya traveled to the court of Madurai and Srirangam many times during his lifetime. More importantly I found enough evidence (with many many other examples) to understand that Kshetrayya did not use his mudra Muvvagopala while writing eulogy compositions (padams ) on Kings but only when he addressed the hero to be his favourite Krishna, Muvva gopala. I sat at my desk at 3 am. (yes I work those timings)  wondering if this solves my long quest for an answer of whose composition Indendu was. It could very well be Kshetrayya's. Subbarama Dikshitar is right, I thought to myself! We can vouch Kshtrayya quality in this padam with the lovely language and musicality. But if he didnt sing it on Kasturi Ranga, the King, he perhaps sang it on Kasturi Ranga (the Utsavar of Sri rangam- The Azagiya Manavalar)!!!One way or other, it is Kshetrayya with historical context. Not a improbable, evidence less some random Kasturi Ranga (TSP mama would have been thrilled with this revelation of mine with evidence, I thought)

"Mandara giri dharudaina Kasturi rangesa..."

In all, TSP mama gave me the puzzle and TNR sir helped me find a vision to perhaps find an answer to it.

Dr.Swarnamalya Ganesh   www.facebook.com/fromtheatticcomingsoon

At the attic- Not at all asking Indendu vachitira (why have you come here)

Please listen to this beautiful rendition of Indendu is the Veena Dhanammal Patandaram...it is a stunning visual of what musicality is rendered...

Covenant with the Attic

He was the most illustrious of his dynasty. The moment we hear his name our minds will wander to the temple city of the South- Madurai 

He ruled from Madurai between 1623-59. This mighty king was not just a great ruler but also a very keen connoisseur of the various arts. It was in his court that the legendary Nilakanda Dikshita, nephew of the celebrated advaitin, Sri Appaiyya Dikshita was. He was also patron to Sri Kumara Gurupara Swamigal who wrote the beautiful Maduraikalambakam describing the various lilas (acts of playful deliverance) of Lord Sundareshwara, the presiding deity of Madurai.

According to the traveler's accounts of Taylor in the Oriental Historical Manuscripts "He was seated on a the beautiful gem studded throne placed at the natakashala where he would spend his evenings watching dancers sing, dance and perform the various dances in the light that glows from the torches that would illuminate the room"

He was a great patron to Tamil scholars, painters and sculptures. Speaking of sculptures, did you know that there are several sculptures of this famous King in the Madurai temple which depict him as a young lad (as a Prince), a youthful king in his prime and then also as a middle aged man (with a paunch) and a beard! 

When you walk around the Aarukaal Pitham  of the Minakshi amman temple at Madurai do not forget to see Him standing majestically with his reigning Queens in tow!!!

When I was shooting for a production of Mr.Bharathiraja called "tekkatti ponnu" I was travelling every month for several days to Madurai, Dindugal and Theni. To me that was God sent time to spend with my "heroes" I would wander around these palaces and temples for hours in between my shoots, staring at each of the stones, sculptures and paintings. In my research, when ever I would have doubts, pauses in thought process, a hiatus, I would go back to stare at these faces, places and take a waft of the atmosphere in...and there I would somehow find an answer, a solution, some what like a covenant between them and me! Will tell you more in detail

watch out for more 

https://www.facebook.com/fromtheatticcomingsoon

Dr.Swarnamalya Ganesh

Covenant with the Attic

Tekkatti Ponnu stealing her moments with her
heroes

Nataka shala- covenant