Similar and Dissimilar!
Similarly Dissimilar!!
Can opposites co-exist?
Though this might sound absurd
to some, it is this coexistence which gives that beauty to Nature and Life.
When I say Nature and Life, does this not mean Poetry and Music or for that
matter, any art form? Doesn’t this factor known better as ‘contrast’ give that
sense of aesthetics? Doesn’t it give us feelings so profound that we search for
words or even fall quiet, with this state itself elevating us to a level which
at best can be called ‘spiritual’?
One of the classic example is
this verse:
புள்ளது ஆகி வேதம் நான்கும் ஓதினாய், அது
அன்றியும்
புள்ளின் வாய் பிளந்து புட்கொடிப் பிடித்த
பின்னரும்,
புள்ளை ஊர்தி; ஆதலால் அது என் கொல் மின் கொள்
நேமியாய்
புள்ளின் மெய்ப் பகைக் கடல் கிட த்தல் காதலித்ததே?
Taken from a work called ‘Thirucchanda
Viruttam’ which is part of the Magnum Opus -Naalaayira Divya Prabandham-, this
verse composed by Thirumazhisai Aazhwar talks about birds.
Just birds?
Let us get deeper. Addressed
to Vishnu, the poet says – You took the form of a bird (swan) and recited the 4
vedas. You tore open the beak of a bird(crane) and killed a demon. You made a
bird (Eagle/Garuda) to be part of Your flag and also made him Your Vaahana. But
how is it that You are lying down quietly on a snake(Adisesha), a sworn enemy
of the bird (Garuda) which is Your vahana?
We get to see three different
species of birds- swan, crane, eagle- with each one being part of a single or
multiple acts. The bird as an entity takes three different forms and indulges
in positive and negative acts. Here we have similarities and dissimilarities.
But the clincher is the last line which makes a mention of two sworn enemies.
What does this indicate?
Same, but different?
Same, same, different?
Different, Different?
Keep thinking and you will
find an answer, well not the same answer but different answers!
Take this composition – Sangatamizh
kaviye from Manadil Urudi VeNdum(1987). It is a composition in three different
ragas. Is that the only attribute of the composition?
The veena sounds once. The bells
respond. The veena sounds again. The subtle bells respond yet again. It seems
like the lighting of the lamp with the spark gleaming and glittering. The veena
continues its journey weaving simple and intricate patterns in Abheri. The
melody from the flute which follows the veena, floats around and surrounds us
like a gentle breeze.
In between, just before the
journey of the veena begins, the tabla sounds ‘ta ka dhi mi/ta ki ta/ ta ki ta’-a
count of 10. However, the composition is set in Tisram, which has a cycle of 3
counts. Is there a fallacy here?
Not really. There are 2 micro- beats before ‘ta ka dhi mi’, which are left as kaarvai, giving a total of 12
micro-beats which is divisible by 3.
The Pallavi starts in the
voice of Yesudass, giving clear shades of Abheri. While the sketch of the raga
is shown in just one line with descending and ascending notes, the brilliance
and the aesthetic sense of the composer is revealed in the sudden appearance of
lower-octave swaras -pa.ni.- in daagam, which in a way also reflects the thirst
of the composer and in the interjection of flute between the lines -sung first
by Yesudass and then by Chitra.
The violins move softly in the
beginning of the first interlude, but there is a catch here. These play in
Bageshri, a different raga, but using the same swaras. Let me explain a bit.
Ragas in the Indian system of
music are formed by different sets of swaras which follow some set patterns
while ascending and descending. The swaras may be the same but the way these
are used are different. For example, the structure of Abheri is -sa ga2 ma1 pa
ni2 Sa/Sa ni2 dha2 pa ma1 ga2 ri2 sa, the first one being the ascending notes
and the second half being the descending notes. The structure of Bageshri is –
sa ga2 ma1 dha2 ni2 Sa/ Sa ni2 dha2 ma1 pa dha2 ga2 ma1 ga2 ri2 Sa. The numbers
against each swara denotes the variant and as you can see the variants of the
swaras in both the ragas are the same, as both are derived from the same parent
raga. Yet, these sound different from
each other!
Going back to the interlude,
the veena sways as it responds to the violins and then moves majestically after
the stream-like melody from violins. The flute which is reposeful as if
responds to the veena after each line, gathers momentum when the energetic
strings appear. The strings, flute and the flute combine together with
pulsating vibrancy and play the tisram beats – ta ki ta/ta ki ta/taam- thrice,
a la Carnatic concert.
The CharaNam continues in
Bageshri with the lines encapsulating the beauty of the raga. What is of
specific interest is the line ‘oru puram naan aNaikka’ for varied reasons, the
foremost being the sangati after that line in the voice of Yesudass which lasts
for 12 tisram cycles. The melodic charm, the sweetness and the softness, elevate
us to reach vertiginous heights. As if this is not enough, the phrases in the
lines that follow touch higher-octave swaras-even going up to ‘Ma’- which is a
rarity.
When the Pallavi is rendered
again, it is in Bageshri with the lower-octave swaras dha. and ni. Commingling
with the mid-octave swaras giving that contrasting shades again!
The tabla sounds ‘ta tai tai
taa’ thrice and the mrudangam responds with ‘ta ri ki ta taam taam’ thrice.
With depth and crispness, the strings play Madhukauns, a totally different
sounding raag which has the same ga and ni as Abheri and Bageshri but a
different ‘ma’(prati madhyamam). This one swara makes a huge difference to the
sound, the emotions and the feelings. The veena and the flute move sprightly in
the same raag sketching some unforgettable musical images. These alternate. It
is vibrant, vivacious and at the same time pensive.
The sounds coalesce finally
spreading radiance.
The CharaNam continues in
Madhukauns with the flute appearing between the lines oozing musical droplets
and the higher- octave swaras making it a heavenly experience.
Three ragas, two with same
swaras, one with almost the same swaras and with a different swara.
Similar and Dissimilar...
Birds and Snake..
Poetry..Music..Life..Contrast!
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