The ‘rightful’ step forward towards creating a ‘musical’ heritage and a colossal ‘classical’ treasure.
Aparna S in conversation with the man with the classic touch - K S Nagarajan, music documentarian, expert and connoisseur.
As I leave his apartment on an early Sunday morning, the speed of my thoughts and the flood of emotions leave me pretty much, speechless. In conversation with K S Nagarajan, I am overwhelmed with his passion, perseverance and commitment for classical Carnatic music and his major accomplishments in the field. It is not easy to describe him and his fitment in this classical music world. He is an academician, a documentation scientist and specialist, his academic pursuits have been in the world of science and he retired from the Council of Scientific Investigation and Research in the 1980s. Then, even more, this is a pleasant paradox to see this scientist and academician nurture his love for classical music over the years, not only as an ardent lover of this art but also contribute in a way that has left a lasting impression in the classical Carnatic music history and future.
In simple words for all of us to decipher, Nagarajan has created and developed the most comprehensive Carnatic music database, a multi-indexed database which was initiated in 1994 and continues to grow even today. By sheer scope and definition, this is a mammoth and onerous task, which has taken a nearly indefinable effort and dedication to collate, format and complete! There are three key files or themes for his database – one: Carmucom (Carnatic Music Compositions) with over 15000 plus compositions from 11th Century, two: Vagyekar (lists over 1000 lyricists, poets and tunesmiths), three: Musbooks (a bibliographical database of books and manuscripts of Carnatic music)!!!!!!!
The energy, the indefatigable spirit, the sincerity and seriousness with which he has taken his projects all through his life is simply admirable! A vision, discipline and perseverance (and much more) is what it takes to take up a ‘cause’ and project like this. There are many other roles that he has taken on himself during this journey which includes being a music critic, a writer and a stint with many wonderful organizations dedicated to the cause of promoting and preserving art and culture, including Ananya, Gayana Samaja, Spic Macay and more. A great memoir for him to look back upon, now at 87, the enthusiasm, the life spirit, the warmth and dynamism, all comes racing at you at great speed from a distance of watching him!
Osmotic Internalization
For years, K S Nagarajan, watched, listened deeply, analyzed and internalized the various aspects of Carnatic music and its treasures – ragas, compositions, singers, lyricists, creators and connoisseurs and of course, the great legends! He has earned a tremendous ‘respectful affection’ from the music fraternity for his contributions and accomplishments. Perhaps, what stays in his mind and has left an indelible impression personally, will be his interactions and experiences with all the Carnatic music legends. As he rolls out the names of the legends and the classics one after the other…the great Balamurali Krishna, Semmangudi, Vedavalli, Doraiswamy Iyengar, Sudha Raghunathan, Bombay Sisters and many many more….the list goes on…these experiences have only enriched his knowledge, orientation, perspective and appreciation for this wonderful art! These interactions and experiences coupled with years of research and investigation has resulted in creating this treasured database. What helped was this ability to comprehend and internalize the huge fact files, data sheets and information collected from contributors, scholars, artists, journals and media, archive centers and libraries. Priceless, that treasure, isn’t it and for the fortunate few, I am sure!
An irreversible osmotic process and a rare one at that!
The database is structured and developed in such a way that it enables easy and advanced search for serious pursuers of the art. It has detailed information about the composition, the raga, tala, the composer, the year of composition, who tuned it, versions of it, if any, theme, where it can be found and any literature that is available on the same. Google might be interested to have a look, I am sure! And the sourcing stretches to boundaries beyond the state to include Chennai, Andhra, Pondicherry and more with the help of some volunteers. The best encouragement for this project has probably come from the Indian Foundation for the Arts (IFA) which has awarded K S Nagarajan a grant for the same. In addition, he has received recognition and felicitation from various music organizations and groups.
There are other efforts by other people in this direction but K S Nagarajan’s accomplishment is that by using technology, he has enabled this database to be accessed, distributed, shared and preserved forever, beyond time and space. It can go through generations and essentially because the application of this database was perhaps what he kept in his mind! A treasured gift for serious music lovers and pursuers, we are sure. It is also heartening to know that many musicians from the fraternity have encouraged and supported this project by providing information they had or their families had on the subject. In his entire journey of creating and continuing this project, Nagarajan has delineated a broader scope and various opportunities that exist with this project allowing it to grow and spread, making it that much more significant, relevant and impactful. This database is indeed a great boon for knowledge seekers and serious musicians and the music fraternity. Simply because of its scope and achievement, there is hardly a single location with so much of detailed, structured, segmented information about classical Carnatic music. And as I think more of his contribution and creation, I realize how deeper its benefits are! In another perspective, one can also see how rich our own musical and cultural heritage is!
An ocean full of treasures brought as much within a single panoramic view by K S Nagarajan!
K S Nagarajan has also a deep and long association with ANANYA. He speaks with great fondness and respect for Dr Ananya Raghavendra and quotes a friendship which goes back in years. In fact many of the musicians associated with Ananya are also enamored with Nagarajan. He has written several reviews and critiqued much of the wonderful work by Ananya and the organization is truly thankful to Nagarajan for the same. Dr Raghavendra says, “It is unbelievable to see Nagarajan bubbling with so much enthusiasm and dynamism that hasn’t changed all these years. That itself is a great teacher.” Having so much knowledge in this field, it is encouraging and a great boost for this organization to receive appreciation and acknowledgement from Nagarajan through this writings. In fact, there are innumerable topics within the framework of classical Carnatic music where he has expression his research, analysis and understanding. In one of the programs conducted by Ananya, K S Nagarajan gives his insights on allied ragas. It’s simply wonderful to read on his knowledge levels on the ragas and such expertise is highly valued in this field for sure.
In one of his themes in his databases, I came across a list he has put together on Women Composers in Carnatic Music from the late 1800 onwards. There was one more theme where he has provided details on A Guide to Phonetic Spelling (used in Roman Scripts) used to represent sounds in South Indian languages and Sanskrit. These were apparently used in the lyrics in Carnatic music. On another occasion, Nagarajan appeals to musicians to pursue rendition of rare ragas, it is captivating to read about his views on the subject where he questions, defines and delineates information about common and uncommon ragas. This database provides information by various parameters including rare ragas, compositions and unheard details of music history in its creation. This is somewhat humbling, I can say and you would agree with me, for having created such testimonies of our cultural heritage. One can look at that little section and begin one more detailed research article and create a new repository!
In fact, I recommend that all of you reading this article, must specifically request to read his seminal work on FIFTY YEARS OF CARNATIC MUSIC AFTER INDEPENDENCE (THE 4P NEXUS). It’s a wonderfully written work and needs much applaud and recognition. The seminal paper talks about the changing scenario or the transformation in Carnatic music especially on the concert platforms and provides a detailed analysis of the inter-connection between what he calls the 4P Nexus – Performers, Platforms, Participants and Patrons / Promoters. Also in this paper, he raises several pertinent and critical questions on aspects related to Carnatic music and encourages more audiences to support and patronize this wonderful art.
K S Nagarjan has created a classical, well documented treasure trove for musicians, music students and teachers, critics and reviewers and connoisseurs! A music ‘rasika’ and a ‘music documentarian’ is what technically defines his love for music and his work. But I see a great soul, a wonderful human being and a passionate music connoisseur beneath these titles. I also see a visionary for he has created a growing repository for classical Carnatic music, something that will live beyond definable time, something that the next gen can perpetuate using technology. Not to forget the commendable support and ‘life in humor’ touch provided by his beautiful wife, Smt Vatsala. We truly applaud this valuable achievement.
The ‘rightful’ step forward towards creating a ‘musical’ heritage and a colossal ‘classical’ treasure.
Aparna S in conversation with the man with the classic touch - K S Nagarajan, music documentarian, expert and connoisseur.
As I leave his apartment on an early Sunday morning, the speed of my thoughts and the flood of emotions leave me pretty much, speechless. In conversation with K S Nagarajan, I am overwhelmed with his passion, perseverance and commitment for classical Carnatic music and his major accomplishments in the field. It is not easy to describe him and his fitment in this classical music world. He is an academician, a documentation scientist and specialist, his academic pursuits have been in the world of science and he retired from the Council of Scientific Investigation and Research in the 1980s. Then, even more, this is a pleasant paradox to see this scientist and academician nurture his love for classical music over the years, not only as an ardent lover of this art but also contribute in a way that has left a lasting impression in the classical Carnatic music history and future.
In simple words for all of us to decipher, Nagarajan has created and developed the most comprehensive Carnatic music database, a multi-indexed database which was initiated in 1994 and continues to grow even today. By sheer scope and definition, this is a mammoth and onerous task, which has taken a nearly indefinable effort and dedication to collate, format and complete! There are three key files or themes for his database – one: Carmucom (Carnatic Music Compositions) with over 15000 plus compositions from 11th Century, two: Vagyekar (lists over 1000 lyricists, poets and tunesmiths), three: Musbooks (a bibliographical database of books and manuscripts of Carnatic music)!!!!!!!
The energy, the indefatigable spirit, the sincerity and seriousness with which he has taken his projects all through his life is simply admirable! A vision, discipline and perseverance (and much more) is what it takes to take up a ‘cause’ and project like this. There are many other roles that he has taken on himself during this journey which includes being a music critic, a writer and a stint with many wonderful organizations dedicated to the cause of promoting and preserving art and culture, including Ananya, Gayana Samaja, Spic Macay and more. A great memoir for him to look back upon, now at 87, the enthusiasm, the life spirit, the warmth and dynamism, all comes racing at you at great speed from a distance of watching him!
Osmotic Internalization
For years, K S Nagarajan, watched, listened deeply, analyzed and internalized the various aspects of Carnatic music and its treasures – ragas, compositions, singers, lyricists, creators and connoisseurs and of course, the great legends! He has earned a tremendous ‘respectful affection’ from the music fraternity for his contributions and accomplishments. Perhaps, what stays in his mind and has left an indelible impression personally, will be his interactions and experiences with all the Carnatic music legends. As he rolls out the names of the legends and the classics one after the other…the great Balamurali Krishna, Semmangudi, Vedavalli, Doraiswamy Iyengar, Sudha Raghunathan, Bombay Sisters and many many more….the list goes on…these experiences have only enriched his knowledge, orientation, perspective and appreciation for this wonderful art! These interactions and experiences coupled with years of research and investigation has resulted in creating this treasured database. What helped was this ability to comprehend and internalize the huge fact files, data sheets and information collected from contributors, scholars, artists, journals and media, archive centers and libraries. Priceless, that treasure, isn’t it and for the fortunate few, I am sure!
An irreversible osmotic process and a rare one at that!
The database is structured and developed in such a way that it enables easy and advanced search for serious pursuers of the art. It has detailed information about the composition, the raga, tala, the composer, the year of composition, who tuned it, versions of it, if any, theme, where it can be found and any literature that is available on the same. Google might be interested to have a look, I am sure! And the sourcing stretches to boundaries beyond the state to include Chennai, Andhra, Pondicherry and more with the help of some volunteers. The best encouragement for this project has probably come from the Indian Foundation for the Arts (IFA) which has awarded K S Nagarajan a grant for the same. In addition, he has received recognition and felicitation from various music organizations and groups.
There are other efforts by other people in this direction but K S Nagarajan’s accomplishment is that by using technology, he has enabled this database to be accessed, distributed, shared and preserved forever, beyond time and space. It can go through generations and essentially because the application of this database was perhaps what he kept in his mind! A treasured gift for serious music lovers and pursuers, we are sure. It is also heartening to know that many musicians from the fraternity have encouraged and supported this project by providing information they had or their families had on the subject. In his entire journey of creating and continuing this project, Nagarajan has delineated a broader scope and various opportunities that exist with this project allowing it to grow and spread, making it that much more significant, relevant and impactful. This database is indeed a great boon for knowledge seekers and serious musicians and the music fraternity. Simply because of its scope and achievement, there is hardly a single location with so much of detailed, structured, segmented information about classical Carnatic music. And as I think more of his contribution and creation, I realize how deeper its benefits are! In another perspective, one can also see how rich our own musical and cultural heritage is!
An ocean full of treasures brought as much within a single panoramic view by K S Nagarajan!
K S Nagarajan has also a deep and long association with ANANYA. He speaks with great fondness and respect for Dr Ananya Raghavendra and quotes a friendship which goes back in years. In fact many of the musicians associated with Ananya are also enamored with Nagarajan. He has written several reviews and critiqued much of the wonderful work by Ananya and the organization is truly thankful to Nagarajan for the same. Dr Raghavendra says, “It is unbelievable to see Nagarajan bubbling with so much enthusiasm and dynamism that hasn’t changed all these years. That itself is a great teacher.” Having so much knowledge in this field, it is encouraging and a great boost for this organization to receive appreciation and acknowledgement from Nagarajan through this writings. In fact, there are innumerable topics within the framework of classical Carnatic music where he has expression his research, analysis and understanding. In one of the programs conducted by Ananya, K S Nagarajan gives his insights on allied ragas. It’s simply wonderful to read on his knowledge levels on the ragas and such expertise is highly valued in this field for sure.
In one of his themes in his databases, I came across a list he has put together on Women Composers in Carnatic Music from the late 1800 onwards. There was one more theme where he has provided details on A Guide to Phonetic Spelling (used in Roman Scripts) used to represent sounds in South Indian languages and Sanskrit. These were apparently used in the lyrics in Carnatic music. On another occasion, Nagarajan appeals to musicians to pursue rendition of rare ragas, it is captivating to read about his views on the subject where he questions, defines and delineates information about common and uncommon ragas. This database provides information by various parameters including rare ragas, compositions and unheard details of music history in its creation. This is somewhat humbling, I can say and you would agree with me, for having created such testimonies of our cultural heritage. One can look at that little section and begin one more detailed research article and create a new repository!
In fact, I recommend that all of you reading this article, must specifically request to read his seminal work on FIFTY YEARS OF CARNATIC MUSIC AFTER INDEPENDENCE (THE 4P NEXUS). It’s a wonderfully written work and needs much applaud and recognition. The seminal paper talks about the changing scenario or the transformation in Carnatic music especially on the concert platforms and provides a detailed analysis of the inter-connection between what he calls the 4P Nexus – Performers, Platforms, Participants and Patrons / Promoters. Also in this paper, he raises several pertinent and critical questions on aspects related to Carnatic music and encourages more audiences to support and patronize this wonderful art.
K S Nagarjan has created a classical, well documented treasure trove for musicians, music students and teachers, critics and reviewers and connoisseurs! A music ‘rasika’ and a ‘music documentarian’ is what technically defines his love for music and his work. But I see a great soul, a wonderful human being and a passionate music connoisseur beneath these titles. I also see a visionary for he has created a growing repository for classical Carnatic music, something that will live beyond definable time, something that the next gen can perpetuate using technology. Not to forget the commendable support and ‘life in humor’ touch provided by his beautiful wife, Smt Vatsala. We truly applaud this valuable achievement.