Swati Puraskaram for umayalpuram sivaraman

Submitted by UMAMAHESWARI on Mon, 2007-03-19 19:45. Kerala

Can a mrudangam sing?
Yes it can, if it is in the blessed hands of Umayalpuram Sivaraman.

Excerpts from the interview:
Born in 1935 Sivaraman had his debut performance at the age of 10. In an illustrious career spanning 55 years, he lent his mrudangam magic to great maestros like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar,Musiri Subramania Iyer, Palladam Sanjeeva Rao, Chowdiah, Rajamanickam Pilai, Dwaram Venkitaswami Naidu, GNB, Madurai Mani Iyer, Chembai, Semmangudi, and Balamuralikrishna.He has performed jugalbandi with Pt.Kishn Maharaj, Ustad Allah Rakka, Zakir Hussein. To Sivaraman goes the credit of introducing fiber glass mrudangam.

My father Dr. P. Kasiviswanatha Iyer was an accomplished musician. I used to play on whatever objects I touched upon, producing diverse talas.

My father noticed it and initiated into mrudangam. I mastered it under the guidance of Arupathi Natesa Iyer, Tanjore Viadyanatha Iyer, Palakkad Mani Iyer and Kumbhakonam Rangu Iyengar.
It is a pleasure listening to Umayalpuram Sivaraman as he explains his concept of music. One is instantly reminded of Umayalpuram Baani. AS far as classical music is concerned we have no gharanas. Our system is so comprehensive that we do not need one. It gives tremendous scope and freedom for creating ones own baani.

Artistes create with their dynamism, a new tapestry of innovation excellence beauty and aesthetic quality. In my case I had four and I was able to develop my own style which is deeply rooted in tradition yet novel in presentation. It has greatly influenced many artistes, and many drummers in the west.

You have made several innovations in the instrument. Has the music world accepted this?

DR. C V Raman had done yeoman service to the harmonics of true mrudangam. HE DID IT LONG BEFORE DECIDING TO SWITCH OVER TO OPTICS. I have studied the works of Raman and Prof. Ramakrishanan and began the work where they had left. Being a performing artiste of repute, and having traversed the realms of Indian music, I always consider Mrudangam an instrument par excellence. It is a king of percussion and queen of melody. The fundamental note, the overtones, the gamaka aspects and other inherent tones of aesthetic value are the greatest assets of mrudangam.

I have been giving lec-dems for long. I explain the nuances and the greatness of this instrument to the rasikas. When you go deeper, in search of nada, you find something unique, fantastic, unseen and unheard. All these resulted in my introduction of the fiber glass mrudangam.

My greatest contribution to mrudangam playing technique is the approximation to music. I am a strict follower of the gayaki style. If the technical virtuosity and the gayaki style are in a happy wedlock, then the artiste reaches a different plain far away from the mundane and becomes a nadajogi. I have been trying to achieve this goal all throughout my life. I am still trying.

This master has a number of disciples. The method of training is different.

To begin with I train my disciple to play for the taala. Then I train them to play for the music. Finally I train them to play fro a musician. The same musician will perform differently on different occasions.

Accompanying the musician or playing solo which one gives you more satisfaction?

Accompanying. The purpose of the mrudangist is to give full support to the main artiste, heighten the tempo of the concert, sustain the interest of the audience, giving life and energy to the recital and finally play a great taniavartanam.

You can take this cue from me. Do not take this as a hobby. Take it as an education. Kindly dedicate yourself to this divine to this divine thing called music. It would confer the best of gifts to you all.
The cultural climate is excellent.

A Law graduate Sivaraman has played mrudangam in the special feature the DRUMS OF INDIA in the USA. His Garland of Rhythm gave a new dimension to the concept of taniavartanam. He has been conferred the National Citizens Award by the Indian President.

A general tendency today is that they consider the tani avartanam part of a concert, as a time killer.

Some stretch their limbs and many simply sulk. But this is not the norm when Umayalpuram is on the mrudangam. The audience sit in rapt attention as they experience the Sivaraman Effect. They realize that if they fail to pay attention they run the risk of losing the chance of a life time. This is what differentiates this genius from the rest.

(This article on Umayalpuram Sivaraman was published in 2001)
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