The 74th edition of the Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana promises an interesting start with the first session focussing on ‘Sugama Sangeeta’ (light music). A panel of experts will discuss the influence of poems on music and vice versa, the traditions of Sugama Sangeeta as well as the importance of composition in Sugama Sangeeta.

In a chat with Sunday Herald, well known singer C Ashwath, who heads the panel, traces the origins of light music, its contribution to the field of Kannada literature and the steps needed to take this genre of music forward.

“I am elated that the Kannada Sahitya Parishat has accorded this recognition to a genre of music that helps the poets to reach out to the common man. This recognition was  long awaited. But, it has also given an opportunity for us to acquaint the writers and poets with the possibilities this form of music can bring to their work. It is important here to recall the origins of this movement, if I may call it so,” he says.

According to Ashwath, the light music movement (also known as Bhavageete and later Sugama Sangeeta) is more than 70 years old. Indeed, B M Srikantaiah's (B M Sri) translation of poems written by English poets including Keats, Wordsworth and others called ‘English Geetagalu’ in the 1930s, during the Navodaya period, opened up the possibility of simple poems with lyrical quality that could be adapted to music. Poets including Kuvempu, Madhura Chenna, Vee See, Bendre all contributed to this cause.

“There were no takers for light music in those days as this genre did not have a ‘shastra’ of its own, unlike the two styles of classical music. The method of singing was not yet decided upon. Singers were mostly classically trained and if at all they selected poems, these compositions would have that classical flavour, which would be way above the understanding of a common man,” he adds.

It took the efforts of a person like P Kalinga Rao in the 40s and 50s to bring music and the poems together. A connoisseur of classical and western music and an expert in music composed for company dramas as well, Kalinga Rao knew what to do, even though he limited his role to giving it some basic structure.

Meanwhile, some Kannada poems were set to score by some Mumbai AIR artistes including Amir Bai Karnataki and Jayawanti. This led to the evolution of Bhavageete in Kannada. With the advent of cassettes and tapes, both light music and poems received a boost. Prof Nisar Ahmed’s album of poems, ‘Nityotsava’ created a rage in the 80s and the Kannada listener-reader got a chance to indulge both in music and literature at the same time.
But it was noted that the lyrics in bad taste also gained popularity because of Sugama Sangeeta. “I agree. But the common man has the ability, the intelligence to choose what is good for him. As in every field, there are sublime as well as cheap creations. The choice is yours.”

“Poets and writers had sneered at Sugama Sangeeta and were not happy their lyrics were used here. But these people should understand that unlike a steadfast and large readership for novels, stories, etc poems cannot boast of enough habitual readers. People like Bendre popularised recital of poems, however that kind of reading is yet to be cultivated here, I feel.

In this context, the role of light music becomes important. Light music draws the listener to it. First, he listens to the music; then he listens to the lyrics. Long after the music has faded, these lyrics and their meaning stay with him. Nowhere else in India is light music so well evolved.”

But, are you satisfied with the recognition? “No. Something more needs to be done to the development of not just this genre but the entire language and thereby our culture. The Parishat should organise more such conferences where these lyrics with their composition should be distributed freely. Then, Sugama Sangeeta should be introduced at schools as part of their syllabus. Groups of singers must sing in border areas. This will not only help popularising our music but our literary legacy as well. I expect the Kannada Sahitya Parishat to take the initiative here.”