Tunes of communal harmony
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When noted Carnatic musician N.P. Ramaswamy flagged off a Church festival at Vypeen on Sunday morning, it was a perfect example of communal harmony.
But curious onlookers were not aware that the fifth generation of Swati Tirunal’s family was on a mission -- to popularize classical music. In fact, Ramaswamy’s pupils include several priests from the Church, among others.
“Indian classical music is the purest form of music,” he smiles. “It should be embraced by all without any classification into religion or section,” explains the Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Academy Award winner, who has written four books on his favourite subject, besides composing 20 ‘varnas’, 40 ‘keertanas’ and two ‘tillanas’.
His current batch of students includes three priests and a sister. One of them — Father Joseph Thattasery, parish priest of the ‘Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour’, Ochanthuruth, has given a ‘desi touch’ to chapel bhajans by endowing them with the classical element.
The 80-year-old’s day starts early, at 3 am, when he begins his daily chores. The Carnatic lessons commence three hours later and run throughout the day.
Ramaswamy, a close acquaintance of national artiste Dr M Balamurali-krishna, makes it a point to conduct the classes to just one student at a time.
“Only then can I spot the mistakes. This would be difficult were I teaching a group,” he points out.
Among the memories that the vocalist treasures is a compliment by Balamuralikrishna in a foreword to his work, ‘Techniques of Manodharma Swara singing Made Easy’.
It goes as follows: “I was impressed when I listened to his music, knowing his lineage of composers and musicians who were asthana vidwans of royal courts…N P Ramaswamy has followed his family predecessors by creating his own musical compositions of varnams, kritis among others.”
Memorable words, cherished praise…
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