Refined rhythms

Fingers have better dexterity than palms, wrist or arms. Therefore much better control over rhythm production is possible using fingers than anything else. Because Tabla is played using only fingers and to very less extent using palms, naturally the rhythm emanating from them is a lot refined than others when played well. Mrudanga can produce similar refinement but increased use of palm in Mrudanga actually reduces the tonality and also the ability to control rhythm production. Similar argument may apply to Maddale and Pakawaj.

For drums Chande that need drum sticks to play are best payed using the wrist. They can not produce bogglingly loud sound but can produce better tonality and sophistication in rhythms. Other way is to use arm and shoulders which undoubtedly produces less refined sound and reduces tonality.

Therefore playing hard and loud on any drum is not a virtue since it means use of parts of hands that have less dexterity. Amplification is best left to electronic devices of the day and drums can focus on better quality of sound rather than on being loud.
 

Which instrument is this?

Can you guess?

Ek Taala - Yakshagana using strange instrument

Ek Tala - Another variation - Tapatatapatatata 

Ravi kakka, I think in his youth gave a Yuvavaani programme for Badravathi Radio station (1988?). I learnt a little hearing him. We had jams lasting an hour sometimes. He is still the best in this with much better bass and envelope. I get more complicated groves into it but can not get it as elegant as his. I will record his performance and put it here sometime.

Here is one of his favourite groves it comes at the at of the following recording at the very end with faster tempo. Not a great music but much pleasurable.

Ravi Kakka Grove -- ChapaChapaPachaChacha

This so called Ek Taala is a popular folk grove which I tried show and convince you so many ways. But you do not believe me. So here is another I do that. I start with folk grove and transition to Yakshagana grove.

I call this record Dattanna Dattanna
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ಹುಳುಕು

ನೀ ಬರುವ ಹೊತ್ತಿನಲಿ ಮುತ್ತಿನಲಿ ಮಸುಕಿತ್ತು,
ಮುಗಿಲೂರ ಮೋರೆಗರೆ ಮುಸುಕು ಮುಚ್ಚಿತ್ತು.
ಹಿತ್ತಲಿನ ಹಣ್ಣೊಳಗೆ ಹುಣ್ಣುಗಳ ಹುಳುಕಿತ್ತು,
ಉ೦ಬುತಿಹ ತುತ್ತೊಳಗೆ ಕಲ್ಲು ಮಣ್ಣು.
ಕಣ್ಣುಗುಡ್ಡೆಗಳುಡುಗಿ ಕೆ೦ಪೇರಿ ಕೆದರಿತ್ತು,
 

...........

ಹುಳುಕು

ನೀ ಬರುವ ಹೊತ್ತಿನಲಿ ಮುತ್ತಿನಲಿ ಮಸುಕಿತ್ತು,
ಮುಗಿಲೂರ ಮೋರೆಗರೆ ಮುಸುಕು ಮುಚ್ಚಿತ್ತು.
ಹಿತ್ತಲಿನ ಹಣ್ಣೊಳಗೆ ಹುಣ್ಣುಗಳ ಹುಳುಕಿತ್ತು
ಉ೦ಬುತಿಹ ತುತ್ತೊಳಗೆ ಕಲ್ಲು ಮಣ್ಣು
ಕಣ್ಣುಗುಡ್ಡೆಗಳುಡುಗಿ ಕೆ೦ಪೇರಿ ಕೆದರಿತ್ತು
ಮೊಸರ್ಕಡೆದು ನೀರೊಡೆದು ಬೆಣ್ಣೆ ಕಮಟಿತ್ತು

....

Still conscious Kaurava marches alone -

My most favourite padya ever - Original by Kalinga Navuda

I spoke about it a year ago.

Dhaatugedaitaruva Kurukula Naathananu Kaanuttha Sanjayanothu

Vaarana Vadana - Yakshagana

                                     Varana Vadana - Yakshagana Style
Chaaru Baara Kanyapura varanilaya, Mrukanduja munivara saara manthra sthaapitha mangala kalaya
Saara Kapittha Phalorasa bhunjitha vaarana vadana, trailokya somohana varana vadana

"Dweller of the charming Barkur established by the blessings of sage Mrukandu. savour of wood-apple oh elehant faced, you captivate all three worlds." 

Pungi Muniyappa!

Prabha brings me Pungi from Gadikatte near heggodu from one "Havadiga Muniyappa Ramanna". We paid wooping 200 INR!!

Here is the sample sound.

Listen:

Pungi G dominant.

Its frequency stuff: Peak at 350 Hz this time.

ಮಹಾಬಲ ಹೆಗಡೆ ಕೆರೆಮನೆ

೮ ವರ್ಷದವನಿದ್ದಾಗ ಅಜ್ಜ (ಪಟೇಲ್ ಮಹಾಬಲಯ್ಯ) ಮತ್ತು ಅಜ್ಜಿ (ಮೀನಾಕ್ಷೀ) ಜೊತಿಗೆ "ದಕ್ಷಬ್ರಹ್ಮ" ಆಟ ನೋಡಿದ್ದೆ. ಯಕ್ಷಗಾನದ ಕೆಲವೇ ವಿದ್ವಾ೦ಸರಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬರು. ಆವರು ಈಶ್ವರನ ಪಾತ್ರ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದರು. ದಾಕ್ಷಾಯಿಣೀ ಅವಮಾನಿತಗೊ೦ಡು ಆತ್ಮಾಹುತಿ ಮಾಡಿಕೊ೦ಡಳೆ೦ದು ಕೇಳಿ ಕ್ಷುಬ್ಧನಾಗಿ, "ವೀರಭದ್ರಾssss!" ಎ೦ದು ಜಟೆಬಡಿದು ಮಗನ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಮಾಡುವ ಸನ್ನಿವೇಶ ಇನ್ನೂ ನೆನಪಿದ್ದು. ಅವರ ಮೊದಲ ಪ್ರಸ೦ಗ ನಾನು ಕೇಳಿದ್ದು ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಕೃಷ್ಣಸ೦ಧಾನ", "ಸುಭದ್ರಾ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ" ಕ್ಯಾಸೆಟ್ಟು. ಯಮ ನಿಯಮ, ನೀಯಮ, ನಿಮಪ್ಪಯಮ ಹಾಸ್ಯ. "ಹರ ಹರಾ ಈ ಮಹಾ".

ಆವರ ಭಾಗವತಿಕೆ ಯಾವಾಗಲೂ ನಿಧಾನಗತೀ, ತಾಳ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯದಲ್ಲೇ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ತೋರುವುದು, ಉಚ್ಚಾರ ಅಸ್ಖಲಿತ.  

  ಬೇರೆಯಾರು ಹೇಳಿದರೂ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ಅರ್ಥವಾಗದ, ಅವರಿ೦ದ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಲ್ಪಟ್ಟ ಕೃಷ್ಣಸ೦ಧಾನದ ಅವರ ಒ೦ದು ಪದ್ಯ

ಹೀಗಿದೆ:

ಎ೦ದೊಡುಸುರಿದ ಗೋಪನ೦ದನಗೆ ಎಮ್ಮೊಡನೆ ಇ೦ದೇನು ಕಜ್ಜ, ನಾಳಿನಲಿ,

ಬ೦ದರ್ ಐತರಲಿ ಪೇಳ್ ಎನುತವನ ಕಳುಹಿಸಿದ ಅ೦ಧನೃಪನಣುಗನ೦ದಿನಲಿ.

[ Listen Here ]

ಅಳುಬರುತ್ತದೆ......... :(

[  ಚಿಟ್ಟಾಣಿಯವರ ಮಾತಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕೇಳಿ - use Internet Explorer ]

 

South India

Australian diplomat Walter Crocker in his biography of Jawaharlal Nehru, published in 1966 observed that "south India has counted for too little in the Indian Republic. This is a waste for India as well as an unfairness to south India, because the south has a superiority in certain important things—its relative lack of violence, its lack of anti-Muslim intolerance, its lack of indiscipline and delinquency in the universities; in its better educational standards, its better government, and its cleanliness; in its far lesser practice of corruption and its little taste for Hindu revivalism. If the English language is to be saved to India as a living language it is the south that will save it".

Chakorange Chandrama - My version

I do not have access to lyrics. Because I know little bit of Kannada, I find following mixtakes. There could be more. Feel free to correct. It is not hard to note I am off here and there and at the end notably where I was confused and ended up in bring a different dhati. At least it was not what I wanted. Rhythm is off here and there too. Overall not bad. I kinda got a good kick out of this.

Chankorange Chandramana - Basavanna Vachana

: 1 : Bramarange parimaLavaa bandumba chinte.

: 2 : Enage namma koodala sangama devana neneva chinte.

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