The topic of the lecture by vidushi Jayanthi Kumaresh was ‘Tana and its impact on raga grammar’. She began by discussing the various movements in compositions, highlighting Tanam as one such dynamic and movement-based component in Carnatic music. The meaning of Tanam is somewhat complex and mysterious. According to her research, the word ‘Ta’ signifies ‘tattvamasi’ (a philosophical concept) and ‘Nam’ means ‘namaskaram’ (salutation). Thus, Tanam symbolically represents bowing to Brahma. Alternatively, Tanam could also imply something auspicious or joyful, which explains its frequent use in celebratory scenes in television and cinema.
Sarangadeva in Sangeetha Ratnakara described Tanam as an elaborative form meant to convey specific information. She further added that while we sing the Tanam, we use the words ‘anantam’ and ‘anandam’ which mean pervasiveness and happiness respectively.
Jayanthi then elaborated on the approach to playing a Tanam. Stress or accents typically occur on the first or third syllable in odd-numbered patterns, incorporating patterns of three, five or seven into its structure. The use of Talam strings, which are the fourth, fifth and sixth strings accentuates the Tanam further.
Jayanthi then explained why the Tanam sounds particularly beautiful on the veena. The talam strings in the instrument enhance the Tanam, adding what she referred to as a ‘fairy dust’ effect. This accentuates the staccato notes (short notes) and draws a colourful picture. Without the talam strings, the Tanam might sound plain.
She also touched upon the Ghana Raga Panchakam, describing Ghanam as being ‘pregnant with knowledge’. Historically, Tanam was also referred to as Ghanam. The Ghana ragas include Nattai, Gowlai, Arabhi, Varali and Shri, making compositions such as the Pancharatnam by Tyagaraja highly suitable for Tanam renditions.
She illustrated these concepts by playing a clip of Veena Dhanammal performing a Tanam in Nattai and Gowla. She emphasised that the secret to a good Tanam lies in finding the right tempo. She further discussed Dvitiya Ghanaraga, mentioning ragas such as Narayanagowla, Kedaragowla, and Reetigowla, and one such style of playing is the Chitte Tanam, where separating the fingers is also one way of achieving gamaka and this enhances tonal excellence of the veena. She also played a clip of Doraiswamy Iyengar explaining what the Chitte Tanam is. Another type she highlighted was the Ragamalika Tanam, a specialisation of her guru S. Balachander. In one concert, Balachander reportedly played almost 40 ragas in a single Tanam performance.
Regarding learning Tanam, Jayanthi recommended starting with Tana Varnams, which include jantai, sarali, and dhatu varsais, especially for the veena. She advised focusing on specific note ranges, such as Sa to Pa or Ga to Da, and emphasised the importance of gamakas. Smaller gamakas are suited for transitions, while larger ones should be used to conclude phrases. Symmetrical patterns, where the distance between the purvangam and the uttarangam are the same as well, shifts in octaves can also be added to enhance the Tanams. She also categorised ragas into Melakarta, Audava-Shadava, and Vakra. Using Kalyani as a melakarta example, she explained that such ragas often start on Jiva swaras. For example, Kalyani should start on a gandharam or shadjam but not on madhyamam. Techniques like yatis bhrigas and jharus add further richness.
Jayanthi noted that there cannot be the same Tanam templates for Audava-Shadava and Vakra ragas. Each raga requires individual practice. She shared an anecdote about playing a Nattakurinji Tanam with her guru, who repeatedly told her to include the panchama while playing the phrase ‘smgmndns’ as it was easier to execute on the Veena.
She described three styles of Tanam playing:
Gayaki style – Closely imitates vocal syllables. She played a clip of Padmavati Anantagopalan demonstrating this style in Pantuvarali.
Tantrakari style – More instrumental and technique-driven, exemplified by Emani Sankara Sastri’s clip of a Tanam in Ganamurthi.
Individual style – Phrase-based, showcasing personal interpretation, as practiced by S. Balachander.
She also discussed Tanams inspired by animals and birds such as Ashwa, Gaja, Makuta and Mayura and figurative patterns like Chakra and Vakra. Although some of these forms are more descriptive than practical, she emphasised their conceptual richness.
Dynamics play a crucial role in Tanam. She introduced concepts like Jod and Jhala, borrowed from Hindustani music, to create rhythmic variations. Jhala is used for slower variations and Jod is for faster. Jayanthi recommended using the full range of the veena and experimenting with three-finger techniques for enhanced dexterity. She also touched upon jugalbandis and the unique possibilities offered by instruments compared to vocal music.
During the Q&A session, the discussion delved into the nuances of instrument amplification, with Jayanthi highlighting the distinctions between the Mysore/Andhra veena and the Thanjavur veena. She noted that the Mysore/Andhra veena inherently produces clearer tones, whereas the Thanjavur veena often requires amplification to prevent a subdued sound, particularly in larger performance venues. Jayanthi argued that amplification has significantly enhanced veena performances, making them more accessible and impactful.
In his summary, vidwan T.M. Krishna reflected on the evolution of Ghana raga and tanam, pondering whether the dhrupad style ever influenced the ‘Ghanamarga’. He speculated whether the additional throat push often employed by vocalists during tanam singing is a relic of a bygone tradition. He also expressed gratitude to his guru Chengalpet Ranganathan for imparting the knowledge of Tanam, emphasising that his ability to sing Tanam today owes much to this education.
Published – January 11, 2025 05:43 pm IST
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