The Unifying Role of Indian Music - Part VI
Sangita Kala Acharya T. S. Parthasarathy

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It was Swati Tirunal, the Maharaja of Travancore (1813 - 1847) who effected a synthesis between the two systems of Indian music. During a short lifespan of 34 years, he built a musical empire that will last forever when compared to the small kingdom over which he ruled. His court was in fact a minaiture Bharat (India) in which flourished musicians and scholars from various parts of India, receiving equal patronage at his hands. Besides a host of Carnatic musicians, poets and scholars, the Maharaja maintained Hindustani Ustads such as Punjab Sulaiman, Allauddin and others. The most important of these was, however the Maharashtrian kirtankar named Meruswami for whom the king wrote two story compositions.

Swati Tirunal was a versatile composer and wrote Dhrupads, Khayals and Tappas in addition to Marathi abhangs and Dindis. Among his bhajans in Hindi maybe mentioned 'Sirsha Ganga' in Dhanashri and 'Ramachandra' in Bhairavi. His song -

'Devanke pati Indra, Tarake pati Chandra,
Vidyake pati Ganesh Dahka Bhara hari'

reminds one of Kabir's songs.

The twelve notes of Indian music are the same in the Hindustani and Carnatic styles although they have slightly differing names:

Apart from the swaras, the theory part of both the styles is the same. Terms like Vadi and Samvadi, Murcchana and Mela, Arohana and Avarohana and the rules for developing a raga are also common. It is only when we come to musical forms do we find different patterns like Dhrupad, Khyal, Thumri and Ghazal in Hindustani music and Kriti, Padam, Javali and Svarajati in Carnatic. Tarana is known as Tillana in the the southern system.

The 20th century witnessed the music of the North and the South coming closer to each other as never before. Instead of keeping aloof from each other, the musicians and musicologists of the two styles are getting together and trying to understand the respective idioms and approach to ragas. Hindustani musicians have started to develop Alaps of South Indian ragas like Hamsadhvani, Abhogi and Kiravani. When Ustad Amanali Khan (1884 - 1953) visited Mysore and heard the song 'Vatapi Ganapatim' in Hamsadhvani played by Vina Seshanna, he was so captivated by the tune that he composed a 'chhota khayal', Lagi Lagana Pati Sakhi, in the same tune.

In the last century, the musicians of the Hindustani and Carnatic schools would not have dreamt of performing together from the same platform although they respexted and appreciated each others' art. The question of a common platform was outside the pale of possibility for them. Jugalbandhis (duets) between Ustads and Vidwans have now become a regular feature in many parts of India. A sitarist now plays together with a South Indian Vina or Violin artiste and Tabla virtuosos play alongside Mridangam artistes. Musicians have realized that many ragas of the two systems have the same notes in ascent and descent and when played together they present the two styles in a unique light. Percussionists of the two styles have discovered that in spite of different nomenclature, the basic Tala elements are the same, resulting in delightful percussion jugalbandhis.

The barriers are thus breaking down and there is a greater awareness among the musicians of today that the music of India is one. The Hindustani and Carnatic systems are the two classical styles based on a common grammar but with different approaches and emphases. Students and musicologists from abroad recognize only these two classical traditions and study them together and not in isolation.

The significant contribution of Carnatic Music lies in its preservation of the purity of the art, unaffected by exotic influences and making sizeable additions to the theory part of Indian music based on the works of Bharata and Sarngadeva. The saint-composers of South India have pored out hundreds of compositions in Sanskrit as well as musical plays in prose and verse, which can be appreciated all over India. Venkatamakhi's daring scheme of 72 parent scales revolutionized the very concept of Melas in Indian music while on the practical side, the use of subtle srutis (quarter tones) has made Carnatic Music one of the most sophisticated classical systems of the world. The two sub-systems of Indian music have thus become true symbols of national integration.

CONCLUDED

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