True to his name, he was an embodiment of all good virtues, topmost being 'renouncement' ( of material pleasures). Thanks to him and his contemporaries, Carnatic music survived. Thousands of artistes make a living out of singing his compositions, more than twice that make a living out of teaching them, millions make a life out of being 'just rasikas'.But today, the great saint was made a sacrifical lamb, by us,the very people who benifited from him. His 'samadhi'did not echo his name with love, devotion,respect and gratitude but with what is called 'pandemonium'. Noise born out of egoistical,disrespecting,self-obsessed musicians singing his mammoth pancharatna krtis to absolute violation of melody, harmony and bhava. What ill-luck would befall on these musicians if they just decide to follow some rules while singing in a group ? Why dont they ever think that it is sometimes more important to be silent than to speak, or sing in this context ? Don't they ever realize how bad it sounds when every one of them wants to outdo the other only to let down the dignity that our karnatak sangeetham has upheld for so many centuries ? Pity our music is going in this direction. Would western or hindustani musicians compromise their music's integrity in this manner, never am sure.
Today the spirit of the bard of Tiruvayyaru would have died.. A death,to our music and our self-esteem !!
On this day,a completly-ashamed-of-myself me pays respects to this great saint in silence, for am too ashamed to sing for him...
Monday, January 08, 2007
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