10-04-2006, 09:46 PM
Book review from Pioneer, Oct., 4, 2006
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Ritual arts of sacred groves
Deepti Omchery Bhalla tries to restore the diminishing knowledge of glorious temple arts, whose oral traditions have not been well documented because of the apprehension that it would defile the sanctity and divinity of the genre, writes Utpal K Banerjee
<b>Vanishing Temple Arts, Deepti Omchery Bhalla; Shubhi Publications, Rs 1950</b>
Temples of central and south Kerala, with their consanguineous Kanyakumari district (earlier part of Kerala, but bequeathed to Tamil Nadu by an erstwhile Travancore king), house a cultural tradition that goes back to antiquity. Ritualistic music and allied arts of those spiritually associated places have been preserved for centuries, yet the sacred practices were seldom exposed outside the temple sanctum. Perhaps the apprehension was that putting the oral traditions in writing would defile the divinity and sanctity of the art forms, as it might distort authentic expression of many typical sounds and cadenza, intonations and accents. The author identifies these divine abodes at Thirvattar, Suchindram, Parassala, Tripparappu and the well-known Thiruvanathapuram, where her ancestral family had the privilege to become familiar with, and learn from close quarters, their rituals, arts and practices.
The sacred groves of the temple stages (koothambalams) harboured - and occasionally shared with temporary village stages (kavus) - their heritage of sacred (vaidika) music, later dividing into Marga and Sopanam systems dwelling into the temple sanctum sanctorum; secular (laukika) music, later thriving for the nobility and the hoi polloi; folk music as the fount head; and, theatrical (natya) music, combining the above three. Their sparkling varieties, natural freshness and simplicity, and hovering moods found expression in dance and rhythm as well, maintaining an aesthetic balance.
<b>The author outlines how the religious bards and composers of Vaishnavism (Alwars) and Shaivism (Nayanars) played a significant role under the benign patronage of Chola, Chera and Pandya kings to add to the corpus of spiritual melodies. The royalty planned and promoted different institutions of temple artistes who wholesomely participated in the daily rituals and festive occasions. The sacred groves (koothambalams), built to strengthen architectural foundations, go back to the eighth century. </b>
<b>The author attributes to Vaishnava saints of the 14th century the introduction of Gita Govinda, poet Jayadeva's exquisite musical opera, but probably she is alluding to the Bhakti savant Sri Chaitanya of 15-16th century, who had extensive interactions with the Jamorin king.</b> Also, the "general structure of Kathakali (Ramanattam) being more like Jayadeva's Ashtapadis than anything else" should perhaps be specific to Manjudhara tradition of Kathakali. The intimate associations of kings - Kartika Thirunal, Asvati Thirunal and Swathi Thirunal - with the temple arts have been seminal in the 18-19th century and find an honourable place here.
The harmonious balance in the triadic temple arts of vocal music (geetam), instrumental music (vadyam) and dramatic dance (nrityam) is the staple of this scholarly tome. <b>In folk music alone, Kerala as a gigantic storehouse of melodies that blends inseparably songs, dances and instrumental music.</b> Other than Carnatic music, which is a common legacy of the entire south, Kerala's dramatic music (Sangita Nataka) can be traced to the dance-theatre of Koothu, Kutiyattam, Ashtapadi, Krishnattam, Thullal and Theyyam, other than Kathakali. Sopanam system is the traditional music of Kerala, distinct from its Carnatic counterpart, with a remarkable style of singing: Initially slow and with few notes; treating every note in the raga as the Sthayee one, dwelling on it for long; and, going up or down, akin to Hindustani music's Alap. Interesting allusions are given to its practice by Buddhist and Jaina preachers, before adoption by the singing saints of Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
<b>Kerala's musical instruments are threefold: Classical, traditional (temple and theatrical) and folk.</b> Classical instruments like veena, tanpura, gottu vadyam, flute, nadaswaram, mridangam, ghatam, ganjiram and tavil are well-known. Maximum numbers of instruments are found in the temple ensemble (melam), where a chenda melam can display highly mathematical rhythmic skills. Kinnaram refers to cymbals, made of basins, accompanying sacred songs and alluding to mythic birds with high degree of musical power. While Ravana Hastam (same as the Rajasthani Ravan Hatta) is popular all over India, Kombu is a primitive metal-horn of pre-historic origin. Conch-shell (sankham) is the age-old trumpet in every temple. Edekka is a unique drum from the Silappadikaram times, suggestive of shadja, pancham and upper shadja, almost as a drone.
<b>Finally, Kerala's female temple-dancers were Thali Nankas, which has shaped the leading solo-dance of Mohiniattam.</b> Uttama Devangana (exalted temple-dancer) was treated as a virtual goddess: Silent and still, and often found in many communities and faiths.
Madhyama Sevangi: Visibly human and highly artistic, 'dancing like a creeper swinging in the gentle breeze and producing the splendour of a lotus sprout'. Adhama Dasysangi were the lowest, performing songs and dances, and even cleaning jobs. It is a pity the author has left out the highly interesting evolution of Thali Nankas into Mohiniattam out of her scope here.
The erudite scholar-author could possibly separate her general text for the common reader from the advanced sections: Meant for the initiated. It would help a lot: To retain the dual focus.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Ritual arts of sacred groves
Deepti Omchery Bhalla tries to restore the diminishing knowledge of glorious temple arts, whose oral traditions have not been well documented because of the apprehension that it would defile the sanctity and divinity of the genre, writes Utpal K Banerjee
<b>Vanishing Temple Arts, Deepti Omchery Bhalla; Shubhi Publications, Rs 1950</b>
Temples of central and south Kerala, with their consanguineous Kanyakumari district (earlier part of Kerala, but bequeathed to Tamil Nadu by an erstwhile Travancore king), house a cultural tradition that goes back to antiquity. Ritualistic music and allied arts of those spiritually associated places have been preserved for centuries, yet the sacred practices were seldom exposed outside the temple sanctum. Perhaps the apprehension was that putting the oral traditions in writing would defile the divinity and sanctity of the art forms, as it might distort authentic expression of many typical sounds and cadenza, intonations and accents. The author identifies these divine abodes at Thirvattar, Suchindram, Parassala, Tripparappu and the well-known Thiruvanathapuram, where her ancestral family had the privilege to become familiar with, and learn from close quarters, their rituals, arts and practices.
The sacred groves of the temple stages (koothambalams) harboured - and occasionally shared with temporary village stages (kavus) - their heritage of sacred (vaidika) music, later dividing into Marga and Sopanam systems dwelling into the temple sanctum sanctorum; secular (laukika) music, later thriving for the nobility and the hoi polloi; folk music as the fount head; and, theatrical (natya) music, combining the above three. Their sparkling varieties, natural freshness and simplicity, and hovering moods found expression in dance and rhythm as well, maintaining an aesthetic balance.
<b>The author outlines how the religious bards and composers of Vaishnavism (Alwars) and Shaivism (Nayanars) played a significant role under the benign patronage of Chola, Chera and Pandya kings to add to the corpus of spiritual melodies. The royalty planned and promoted different institutions of temple artistes who wholesomely participated in the daily rituals and festive occasions. The sacred groves (koothambalams), built to strengthen architectural foundations, go back to the eighth century. </b>
<b>The author attributes to Vaishnava saints of the 14th century the introduction of Gita Govinda, poet Jayadeva's exquisite musical opera, but probably she is alluding to the Bhakti savant Sri Chaitanya of 15-16th century, who had extensive interactions with the Jamorin king.</b> Also, the "general structure of Kathakali (Ramanattam) being more like Jayadeva's Ashtapadis than anything else" should perhaps be specific to Manjudhara tradition of Kathakali. The intimate associations of kings - Kartika Thirunal, Asvati Thirunal and Swathi Thirunal - with the temple arts have been seminal in the 18-19th century and find an honourable place here.
The harmonious balance in the triadic temple arts of vocal music (geetam), instrumental music (vadyam) and dramatic dance (nrityam) is the staple of this scholarly tome. <b>In folk music alone, Kerala as a gigantic storehouse of melodies that blends inseparably songs, dances and instrumental music.</b> Other than Carnatic music, which is a common legacy of the entire south, Kerala's dramatic music (Sangita Nataka) can be traced to the dance-theatre of Koothu, Kutiyattam, Ashtapadi, Krishnattam, Thullal and Theyyam, other than Kathakali. Sopanam system is the traditional music of Kerala, distinct from its Carnatic counterpart, with a remarkable style of singing: Initially slow and with few notes; treating every note in the raga as the Sthayee one, dwelling on it for long; and, going up or down, akin to Hindustani music's Alap. Interesting allusions are given to its practice by Buddhist and Jaina preachers, before adoption by the singing saints of Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
<b>Kerala's musical instruments are threefold: Classical, traditional (temple and theatrical) and folk.</b> Classical instruments like veena, tanpura, gottu vadyam, flute, nadaswaram, mridangam, ghatam, ganjiram and tavil are well-known. Maximum numbers of instruments are found in the temple ensemble (melam), where a chenda melam can display highly mathematical rhythmic skills. Kinnaram refers to cymbals, made of basins, accompanying sacred songs and alluding to mythic birds with high degree of musical power. While Ravana Hastam (same as the Rajasthani Ravan Hatta) is popular all over India, Kombu is a primitive metal-horn of pre-historic origin. Conch-shell (sankham) is the age-old trumpet in every temple. Edekka is a unique drum from the Silappadikaram times, suggestive of shadja, pancham and upper shadja, almost as a drone.
<b>Finally, Kerala's female temple-dancers were Thali Nankas, which has shaped the leading solo-dance of Mohiniattam.</b> Uttama Devangana (exalted temple-dancer) was treated as a virtual goddess: Silent and still, and often found in many communities and faiths.
Madhyama Sevangi: Visibly human and highly artistic, 'dancing like a creeper swinging in the gentle breeze and producing the splendour of a lotus sprout'. Adhama Dasysangi were the lowest, performing songs and dances, and even cleaning jobs. It is a pity the author has left out the highly interesting evolution of Thali Nankas into Mohiniattam out of her scope here.
The erudite scholar-author could possibly separate her general text for the common reader from the advanced sections: Meant for the initiated. It would help a lot: To retain the dual focus.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->