Address At The Inaguration Of The Platinum Jubilee Celebration Of Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya , Bangalore

Music blossoms happiness

I am delighted to participate in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya, Bangalore. I greet the organizers, musicians, theatre artists, art lovers and distinguished participants. When I think of Classical music I find that any Raga has the purpose of directing the mind of the listeners towards God and his manifestations. The Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya which is now 75 years old, has nurtured many Gurus, practitioners, and scholars in the performing arts, who represent the nation?s highest achievement in Music.

Elevating the minds

In the material world, the human being is all the time busy with the day to day activities like a machine. This way of life leads to stress and ailments. In this competitive world we have no option but to follow this path. In order to overcome this phenomenon, there is a need to provide an alternative form of entertainment to the tired minds, which is what the music artists provide. Now I remember the famous lines from Rumi?s poem:

"Angel is free because of his knowledge,

The beast because of his ignorance,

Between the two remains the son of man to struggle"

How to come out of this human struggle? How to elevate the children of God to angelic state? Music could be one of the elevators.

Golden Period of South Indian Music

Some say, 15th century AD was the golden period of South Indian Music. Because, during this period, Annamacharya in Telugu and Arunagirinathar in Tamil and Purandaradasa in Kannada were contributing immensely to the cause of carnatic music in these languages. I have also heard about interesting interactions between Annamacharya and Purandara Dasa. Then comes another epoch led by mummoorthigal Thiyagaraja Swamigal, Shyama Sastrigal and Muthuswami Dikshithar providing the leadership for karnatic music. Karnatic music has become the backbone of southern music and I am very happy this Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya has promoted and maintained the tradition.

Music generates peace

Music generates peace, happiness and harmony which I have experienced in my own personal life when I heard many times the veena recitation by Duraiswami Iyengar and Hindustani music Shehnai by the great Ustad Bismilla Khan. The bliss of music enters into my body and soul and gives me a feeling of profound peace and happiness within. As a scientist, I am convinced that the nature functions as a rhythm whether it is a rhythm of heart beat, movement of electron in the orbit or the high/low tides of the sea. Everything is rhythmic and musical.

I also had the opportunity of listening to great exponents of music Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, MS Subbulakshmi, Dr Balamuralikrishna and several others. Many experts have shown that music has a therapeutic effect for both plants and human beings. The experience of listening to them leads me to think whether music can act as a binding force and can be used as a tool for ensuring global peace.

In recent years, terrorism is taking a heavy toll of many innocent lives. A research is needed to explore whether music can be used transform the violent minds. Can music bind the hearts when the minds are disturbed and hearts are heavy. Answer seems to be a positive "yes". It can.

In 1962 when India suffered a set back in the Indo Chinese conflict and the people of India were at its lowest. At that time many groups of musicians and artists went to the warfront close to our borders and gave musical performances which gave strength to the troubled hearts and elevated the spirits of the troops and the people of a nation.

Fusion of Music

Recently when I visited South Africa I attended a cultural programme at Chatsworth. There I saw a fusion dance in which Zulu dance form, Bharatnatyam and Ballet was presented in an excellent fashion. The coordination between the artists and the rhythm of music stole the show. In the same programme, one native African Patrick sang a Carnatic music kriti in Hamsadwani raga. It was a beautiful rendering. Such fusion demonstrates the principle that music does not have any borders. In Indian environment, I have seen such beautiful mingling of different art forms in fusion presented by Dr.L.Subramaniam, Raja Radha Reddy and Maestro Bismillah Khan.

Rashtrapati Bhavan Experience

To have deeper insight into our performing art culture and to pay a tribute to the India Cultural heritage we have started Indradhanush which organizes cultural events in the art theatre of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The aim of Indradhanush is to acknowledge the contribution of the renowned as well as the young budding artists. So far, we have organized many such programmes. In addition, we have also organized cultural programmes of young prodigies on various occasions like Childrens day, Holi, Teachers day etc. Though most of the programmes are held in the Art Theatre one programme was organized in the Moghal Garden Lawns on 8th November 2003 which was a full moon night, which I would like to share with you. As the moon light bathed the lawns of the Mughal garden of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, beauty was enhanced by the flute performance of Maestro Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia. So intrigued was Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia with the ambience that he was all set to transform the Moghal Gardens into Vrindavan garden with the soulful sound of his Flute. He commenced the programme with Raga Bhopali equivalent of Raga Mohanam of South Indian Carnatic Music. The performance progressed with the composition in Raga Hamsadhwani and concluded with Raga Pahari. He was accompanied by Tabla Maestro Ustad Shafat Ahmed Khan. We are going to have a similar programme in November 2004 with Maestro L. Subramanian, a famous Violinist.

The response from the invitees has been tremendous. The audience felt that it is the life time opportunity to listen to the maestros at such close quarters. They have been mentioning that it was an elevating experience to listen or witness the performance amidst their busy schedule, in the Moghal Garden environment. I am sure the Saraswati Sangeeta Vidyalaya can plan musical performances in full moonlit night in Lal Bagh or Cubbon park. This will add to the divinity of music and music lovers will increase manifold. This may change the ecology and make the world a better place to live.

Composite Culture Enriches our Tradition

Wherever I have gone in the country, I find that the rural folk and the tribal communities are nurturing the love for music and dance since ages. Many times they just need an opportunity to break into song and dance. It is here I find that our tradition and culture are being put to effective use by smoothening the rough edges of life in our countryside. Also, they are helping us in preserving, propagating and developing our cultural traditions since centuries. In fact, I might say that the evolution of our music, and dance has been woven by our rural folk into the very history of our nation. It gives meaning to the life of our people. The intermingling of diverse streams which make up our composite culture has fully enriched our tradition of artistic expression and should be actively encouraged by the Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya.

Preservation of our Cultural Heritage

I have few suggestions for the Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya as a part of Platinum Jubilee Celebrations:

a) The country has produced a number of artists in music and dance. Many of them have made life time contribution to the art form. Some of the names which come to my mind are Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Pandit Birju Maharaj, and Janab Ibrahim Elkazi. I would recommend celebrations of their work by the Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya by organizing a Musicians Meet. In this meet, the disciples of these luminaries can perform and communicate their learning experiences with these artists which can become the source of inspiration for the future generations to adopt.

b) Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya can carry out a survey on the traditional forms of music which are being threatened and may be lost for the nation so that the Government can take appropriate actions for preserving them.

c) You may also consider instituting young artists awards for motivating talents

Conclusion

With this background, I have a dream which I am sure can take a shape with the support of this audience and institutions like Saraswati Sangeet Vidyalaya. Just like Subramanya Bharatiar, Rabindranath Tagore, inspired this nation towards the freedom movement through their poetry. I would like to see the present day artists in Carnatic Music create a theme to visualize India becoming a prosperous, happy and peaceful nation. The theme, like the songs of Bharatiyar and Rabindranath Tagore, should be on the lips of everyone. The theme should also dream of our young people living in a prosperous India, living in a safe India and living in a happy and developed India. Wish you all the best.

May God bless you.