Address At The Annual Function Of Indian Music Academy, New Delhi
New Delhi : 09-04-2007
Music Unites Minds;
"Music enters into body and soul and:"
I am delighted to participate in the annual function of Indian Music Academy. My greetings to the organizers, dancers, theatre artists, musicians and all other distinguished participants. I extend my congratulations to the award winners Maestro Ali Akbar Khan, Vidhwan Dr. Balamuralikrishna, Smt Girija Devi, Maestro Illyaraja and Asha Bhonsle who have been selected for the Indian Music Academy awards for the year 2006.
Unity of minds
When I see the exponents of music, it gives me great happiness to honour you with this prestigious award. The nation is grateful to you for the great contribution you are making in preserving music and promoting unity of minds among the billion of the nation of multi religion, multi culture and multi language. Indeed music is a great integrator of minds of 22 million persons of Indian origin settled in various parts of the planet.
Music brings peace to the disturbed minds
Recently, I had a discussion with Pandit Jasrajji. He gave a very happy news to me. Pandit Jasrajji mentioned that he gave a special performance on 26th January 2007 to the inmates of the Alipore Correctional Home at Kolkata on the invitation of Shri Sharma, Inspector General of Police. Pandit Jasrajji performed for two hours Hindustani classical music commencing with Rag Madhuvanthi. The highlight of the event was singing of bhajans like ?Om Namo Baghavate Vasudevaya? and ?Allah Om?. I came to know that the music gave peace and cheered in the minds of the inmates and gave hope
On another occasion when Nadaswaram Vidwans - Sheikh Mahboob Subhani and Smt Subhani gave a beautiful Nadaswaram recital at Rashtrapati Bhavan. A suggestion was made to them whether they can exclusively give certain performances for the mentally challenged people. The nadaswaram team has given number of performances for mentally challenged people in southern part of India. The type of social mission should be spread by performing artists in all parts of the country for removing the pain of the people.
Beautiful dual role of music
Music has the power to cheer a person inspite of his/her physical or visual handicap. But most important aspect is the mission of the physically or visually challenged person is deriving happiness by singing for others. This I have witnessed on two occasions, which I thought of narrating to you. In the first one during the Sangeet Natak Akademi awards function 2005, I was about to give the award to Smt Gayathri Sankaran, a visually challenged lady. She whispered in my ears Can I sing for you?. I said of course you can sing for a minute. Then she sang a beautiful Thyagaraja Keertana. The second occasion was when I was meeting number of people from various walks of life at Coimbatore during my recent visit. One person entered in a wheel chair, with cheerfulness radiating from him. I was amazed to see a physically challenged person with no legs, no hands. What makes him so cheerful, I was asking myself. His name was S R Krishnamurthy. I asked him you please tell me what I can do for you. He gave me another surprise by saying I want to sing in front of you in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Then he narrated how he started his music lessons with his sister and later he continued his training from Meenakshiammal, a disciple of Vidhwan Tiger Varadachari. He told me that he is a Grade ?A? artist of All India Radio. He has won many awards. He teaches music at home. He has given many concerts. I observed one significant thing: while narrating all these he was smiling and was grateful to all those who helped him. Music has become part of him and makes him always cheerful. After the discussion, he sang a beautiful Keertana. Here is another example how music has a beautiful dual role. In this unique case I have seen music has removed the ego in him and also the pain of a physical challenge. In giving music, he derives happiness. It is a great lesson for all of us.
Radiating Divine Music
Dear friends, I will now talk to you about mother of Carnatic music M. S. Subbulakshmi. First time in the year 1950, I heard her when I was studying in the college at Trichy during Thiagaraja festival at Tiruvaiyar, in January every year. I attended this festival with my close friend music lover Santhanam. I heard MS Subbulakshmi singing the famous Thiagaraja keertana ?Endaro Mahaanubhavalu andhariggi vandanamulu? This song really entered into me and blossomed happiness in my body and soul. The meaning was so powerful; I was moved and became a lifetime fan of M S. I started liking her statement in the music Akademi, linking music with Bhakti.
Bhakti is nothing but the devotion we show to the divinity that resides within us. Once we regard the divinity within us with devotional fervour, we are bound to develop the same affection towards everything outside. The reason is that the same divine truth runs through all things. When the devotee has attained this state, service to the world becomes his creed.?
I used to meet her in music concerts. It was a great joy for me when M. S. was honoured with Bharat Ratna in 1998 at Ashoka Hall in Rashtrapati Bhavan. I was sitting by her side. She touched my head and blessed. That was my greatest moment in my life. She gave one statement which I would like to recall ?Any raga has the purpose of directing the minds of the listeners towards God and His manifestations?. When she passed away on Dec 12, 2004 I was there in her house. Seeing her at eternal peace, I paid my tribute to her:
Sri Ragam
"You excelled in Sriragam
And achieved great heights in Bhakti Sangeet
You excelled in the keertana of Annamacharaya
Purandaradasa and trinity of Carnatic Music!
Even though you may have merged with time
Your music with beautiful deeds
Will live for a long time to come.
You are born in music
Lived with music
Now forever you are merged with divine music!
Music has Universal Appeal
Music is an expression of creativity. Its development requires inherent talent, training, consistent hardwork, audience to appreciate and encouragement from professional fora. It gives concentration, elevates the mind, its appeal is universal. From ages music influences human behaviour has been perceptible. Music touches the heart and mind and evolves good human beings and society. Music indeed reinforces creativity among persons. Recently, I was reading the book ?The Music of Life? by Denis Noble uses the experience of music to describing the evolving field of system biology which will characterize life. Music also expresses many ideas of relationship with divinity, social situations, folk life and different aspects of evolution of culture in different parts of the world. It brings unity of minds. It will be interesting to study how these various forms of music have evolved with time and how creativity is endless. Let me discuss how musicians can participate in societal transformation.
Music with a Social Responsibility
Wherever I go one question is being asked by the citizens to me,? What can I do for the development of our country??. Musicians can play significant roles. Musicians can sing songs of development. Dramatist can give shape to the vision of the nation. The choreographers and dance can portray development themes and educate rural population on many ideas such as on hygiene, health, literacy Our country has talented artists and today I am happy to be in the midst of those who have rendered sustained, meritorious service and have given happiness to the hearts of our people and the nation. I am fully convinced that art, music, dance, drama gives connectivity to the multiple variants in the society. Music can reduce the mental pressures and heaviness in the heart. Dramas can make people to forget their day to day worries and also to reflect. Dancers can take you to a meditative world. Music indeed integrates minds, brings peace to the agitated minds and leads to positive thinking. Social organizations, corporate houses, and government agencies have to evolve a methodology for using the classical music for bringing harmony and peace in the society.
Promoting classical Music
In continuation of the effort of promoting classical music among the youth, in a natural environment of Mughal Garden, in Rashtrapati Bhavan a new musical garden has been created. The classical music and the fountains have been matched. In the environment of the musical fountain in the garden Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma gave a full fledged Santoor recital on a full moon night. This indeed gladdened thousands of hearts with classical instrumental music. Rashtrapati Bhavan is considering the opening up of musical garden on nominated days when artistes can perform in the backdrop of musical fountain.
While I am with this audience, I would like to share with you a memorable and poignant musical event which took place on 4th March 2006 in the Mughal Garden, in Rashtrapati Bhavan. On that day, music Maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan accompanied by Dr. Soma Ghosh, a renowned Vocalist held the audience in rapt attention. Ustad started the evening in Rag Vihag with a very old Bandish ?Latt Ulajhe Suljha ja balam?. However, soon the audience were in for a surprise, when Ustad Bismillah Khan started singing. What was planned as a Jugalbandhi between the Vocalist and an Instrumentalist turned out to be a duet. Indeed it was a rare experience for the audience, when they heard Ustad Bismillah Khan giving Vocal recital instead of Shehnai recital. As destiny would have it this unique event became the last public performance of the illustrious Bharat Ratna whom we lost there after on 21st August 2006 leaving the Shehnai silent for ever. I am very happy that the Sangeet Natak Akedemi has instituted the Young Artistes Awards for excellence in music and performing arts as a tribute to Ustad Bismillah Khan.
Conclusion
At Rashtrapati Bhavan during the last four and a half years, we had organized over 43 programmes. Artistes in the age group four to experienced have been giving vocal, instrumental, classical dance and folk dance performances as part of these programmes. After witnessing these programmes, I feel that nation has a tremendous potential in music and performing arts. Particularly, our North-Eastern States have unique talents in music and dance. All our efforts should be directed towards bringing the best of these performances to the people belonging all parts of the country. Institutions like Sangeet Natak Akademi, Indian Music Academy, State Music Academies should come together and promote the best of musical talents available through out the country. In one of the missions, I am working with the Department of Culture for mobilizing the students from various performing arts institutions to give performances in correction homes, prisons, orphanages and schools for special children. To enable organization of such performances Rashtrapati Bhavan will provide Rs. 10 lakhs. A mechanism has to be worked out for the formation of a trust which can be entrusted with this noble mission.
Once again let me congratulate all the award winners and my best wishes to the members of Indian Music Academy success in their mission of preserving, nurturing and promoting music in India.
May God bless you.
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam