‘Magsaysay’ TMK Jai
Ho.
Following the early social reform movement and the birth of
Dravidian political parties, the status of Tamil Brahmins underwent a sea
change. They were the chosen ones of the colonial British bureaucracy and
enjoyed social and economic status following access to government jobs and
English education. Brahmin leaders like Subramania Bharati or Rajagopalachari
among others were prominent during the war for Independence in the state and created
classics in literature, history and art.
With the increasing popularity of Western music, the
classical and folk genres in Indian music have found their appeal on the wane.
Call Carnatic vocalist TM Krishna a lone ranger, but his efforts to take the
classical music form to the masses has had a revolutionary and supplementary
effect—that of breaking caste and class barriers. TMK—as the 40-year-old performer,
social activist, author and teacher is popularly known—organises charity
concerts and has also launched a programme to teach music to slum children in
Chennai. He also conducts workshops to teach Carnatic music to those
interested. Doing all this, he has liberated Carnatic from the elite.
Bagging the Magsaysay honour this year, TMK joins a long list
of Indians whose contributions to society have been recognised with the award
named after the former president of the Philippines, Ramon Magsaysay. TMK is
the third Indian musician, after sitar-maestro Ravi Shankar and Carnatic legend
MS Subbulakshmi, to be conferred the award. To say that he is solely a Carnatic
vocalist would be wrong as puritans think of him as the bête noire of Carnatic
music—he constantly breaks with tradition in the way concerts are conducted.
TMK has braved caste structures by giving Carnatic music—so far a preserve of
the caste elites of Southern India—a larger audience. His efforts have led to a
universalization of the musical form for the masses by emphasising that the
listener need not always be technically skilful and know the ragas, but be
affected by the music at an emotive level, to raise the value of it.
Krishna's thoughtful understandings and plea to make the
world of Carnatic music inclusive is met with cold insignificance with no other
musician from the state coming forward in public offering support.
Unlike the world of rock and roll where White musicians from
Europe embraced the blues of the Blacks to make it widely acceptable, Tamil
Nadu's musical giants like Illaiyaraja or AR Rahman have reached out and co-operated
with Carnatic musicians. They have used classical ragas for melodic compositions,
percussion and outmoded musical instruments in their film songs. From Carnatic
giants like Balamurali Krishna to today's Sudha Raghunathan or a Bombay
Jayashree, Grammy winner Vikku Vinayakaram or a Guitar Prasanna the
collaborations between Carnatic musicians and composers for films has only
produced astounding music from the state.
TMK wants to take Carnatic music to the ghettos that swing
to the beats of the gaana in Chennai. Let’s hope some phenomenal musical wonders
would happen in the days to come following ‘Krishna Leela’. From the bottom of
my heart I congratulate TMK for this wonderful feat. Yes, people would wish
that a great musician or a master like him must get ‘Sangeetha Soodamani’, ‘
Sangeetha Kalanidhi’ etc. Yet he has gone beyond to make the country and even
the award proud by his amazing contribution to the music loving community.
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