In an exceptional amalgamation of ancient verse and classical tunes, esteemed Carnatic vocalist T.M. Krishna and distinguished Tamil writer-educator Perumal Murugan are reviving a taste of history with a modern twist. Their collaboration has been both profound and expansive, aiming to broaden the horizons of the Carnatic music thinkscape. This includes not just the infusion of socio-political themes into the music but also expanding the traditional musical repertoire to encompass a myriad of contemporary issues and otherforms of life.
Krishna’s voice has given melody to Murugan’s lyrics that range from naturalistic themes such as those of a sparrow symbolizing glad tidings, sung in raga Mohana Kalyani, to thoughts on joy and introspection, employing the haunting notes of raga Reetigowla for a keertana about an owl. Their explorative journey did not end with beautifully metaphorical and naturalistic works. It extended to songs about B.R. Ambedkar, issues of manual scavenging, farmers’ protests, and reflections on the philosophies of Periyar. Krishna embraced these compositions, including them in his concert repertoire with fervor.
Their creative efforts have brought 40 of Murugan’s compositions into the limelight, joining the chronicles of the Carnatic musical tradition. Krishna’s performances have not been limited to purely literary compositions; he has also vocalized the ancient edicts of Emperor Asoka, the verses of Narayana Guru, and poignant 12th-century Kannada vachanas.
At the forthcoming The Hindu Lit Fest 2024, the duo will engage in a dialogue about their latest endeavor, ‘Introducing ‘Sangam Poetry into Carnatic Music’. This new project aims to explore the intriguing and beautiful thematic landscapes in Sangam literature. Murugan and Krishna collectively recognized that Sangam poetry, which embodies a spirit of universalism, deserves to be celebrated in the realm of classical Carnatic music.
So far, they have performed three concerts featuring Sangam poems, garnering packed audiences in Tiruchi, Nammakkal, and Presidency College, Chennai. The enthusiastic reception signifies a growing interest and the impact of this confluence of the historical and the classical.
For Murugan, the task required thoughtful consideration as Sangam poetry encompasses over 2,000 poems. He faced the challenge of not only selecting poems but also translating them into the keertanai form of Carnatic music, delving into a year-long research journey primarily referencing the critical editions by renowned scholar U.Ve. Swaminatha Iyer.
By choosing words still prevalent in contemporary Tamil and cautiously replacing archaic terms with modern expressions, Murugan has been able to recreate these poems so that they resonate more closely with today’s listeners. From the two major thematic categories of Sangam poetry—Akam (inner) and Puram (outer)—Murugan selected 10 poems, each belonging to a specific thinai, or minor genre contextualized by location. Crafting these ancient works while giving them a contemporary feel was vital for Krishna, harmonizing the original context with modern expressions.
The partnership between the poet and the musician has not been without philosophical contemplation. Krishna resists the notion of romanticizing the past at the cost of implying a decline in contemporary times. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining an ongoing dialogue between the past and the present.
Krishna was mesmerized by the depth of sensitivity within Sangam poetry—its profound introspection, its alertness to societal structures, and its intimate connection with the natural world. He recalls how encountering a particular poem naturally evoked the melodies of the rigorous raga Thodi.
When it came to incorporating Sangam themes into traditional Carnatic formats, Murugan employed an inversion technique, positioning the climactic twist often found at the end of a poem to serve as the pallavi, while the remaining verses were adapted into anupallavi and charanam sections.
Through this endeavor, Krishna, along with fellow musicians R.K. Shriram Kumar, Arun Prakash, G. Ravikiran, Rithvik Raja, and Vignesh Ishwar, composed engaging tunes, enriching the Carnatic soundscape. This initiative further extended the genre by addressing and evoking an array of emotions, stepping away from solely expressing the traditional bhakti sentiment prevalent in classical compositions.
Krishna’s transformative journey through Sangam poetry has seen him sing ragas like Bahudari and Mukhari, capturing the hearts of non-traditional Carnatic music audiences, imbuing them with a newfound admiration for this genre.
As they break barriers, Krishna and Murugan continue to navigate new terrains and creatively engage in a dialogue between tradition and innovation. The upcoming session titled ‘Finding the Song in Sangam Poetry’ at The Hindu Lit Fest will serve as another milestone in their journey of merging the antiquity of Sangam poetry with the timeless allure of Carnatic music.
