Ageless voice, unmatched spirit

MUSIC MAESTRO

But it is not his longevity that is his claim to fame now. A celebrated artiste for nearly eight decades, it is his lucid music that makes him a star vocalist on the concert circuit even to this day. Srikantan can render a three-hour concert that resonates with the vigour of youth and the mellowness of experience, his powerful voice and impeccable shruti alignment continuing to be the hallmarks of his chaste music.

He is also the only classical musician, be it in the Hindustani or Carnatic stream, to be actively performing both in India and abroad at that age. When Srikantan enters his 92nd year on January 14,  it will be an occasion to toast classical music itself, not merely for his ability to sing at that age, but because he is one of the few musicians from Karnataka who has been able to hold his own in Chennai, the bastion of Carnatic music.

The last of the surviving veterans of traditional Carnatic music, Srikantan is the one tenuous link between the older generation of musicians and the younger crop. But he talks of change as ‘inevitable’. How such changes will impact classical music is what he is concerned about. “Humility, discipline and devotion are the pre-requisites to learn music. The face of classical music, in teaching methodology and concert format, is changing. Showing off one’s technical perfection is becoming the sum total of a concert, leaving audience satisfaction far behind,” is how he describes today’s music trends.

His R K Srikantan Trust, set up 15 years ago, was precisely for this reason - to uphold tradition and provide a platform to musicians through the annual Sankranthi Music Festival that coincides with his birthday. And the best mascot for the event is Srikantan himself - unflinching adherence to shruti, even tempo sans pyrotechnics, clarity in the enunciation of sahitya, and a bhakti-filled rendition, have been the substance of his music, steeped as it is in tradition.

Although Rudrapatna village in Hassan district, from where Srikantan hails, has given Karnataka some of its top  musicians, the extra dimension to Srikantan’s music canvas was garnered through his sustained exposure to music legends even as a child. “I picked up their plus points and tried to internalise them. For instance, Semmangudi’s style of aalaap, and his imaginative stringing of sangathis, Musuri’s bhava, clear sahitya, and laya in vilambakaala, are aspects that influenced me,” he says. 

This also gave him the Thanjavur baani, while developing his own distinctive style. Was he not tempted to move to Chennai to further his music prospects? “I wanted to be among my own people. I have no regrets. There is nothing more to aspire for,” he says.
Krishnarao Pandit, Faiyyaz Khan and Goharjan were as familiar to him as Carnatic stalwarts. “I had heard about their relentless riyaaz, and it was Hindustani music that inspired me to practice for long hours and work on my akaara,” he says.   

Another facet of his music was his popularising of Haridasa compositions, which also brought his creative ability to the fore. Srikantan held aloft entire concerts only on daasa sahitya, with an emphasis on diction and effectively communicating the philosophy of sahitya, while buttressing the compositions with elaborate aalaap and suitable sanganthis. 

“A concert is a mission to give satisfaction to the audience, and transport them to a different plane of consciousness. Where are the expert teachers today, or those from a hoary musical background, to inculcate these values?” he asks.

When Srikantan says his long innings at the All India Radio enriched his music, one is reminded of his popular and educative radio programmes such as Geethaaraadhane, Bhaava Geethe, and Gamaka, which brought literature, poetry, and light and classical music on to a single platform. These programmes remain one of his lasting legacies.

Discipline and a sense of balance have been the key words in his life. Srikantan’s simple lifestyle is as evident in the small house that he has lived in since 1961. With his mental faculties as sharp as ever, the sprightly nonagenarian still teaches, and is busy with workshops and concerts.

His musical forays are also reflected in his published works, including two volumes on Haridasa compositions with detailed notations in three languages, and Karnataka Sangeetha, on the evolution of music. 

Among his children, R S Ramakanth and Ratnamala Prakash have etched their names in music, while M S Sheela, T Satyavathi, Nalina Mohan, Gowri Kuppuswamy, and Shanthi Rao are among the torch-bearers of Srikantan’s tradition. Achintya, his young grandson, is showing promise of continuing the paramapara.

A Srikantan concert is a sedate, soulful experience, where the nuances of the raga come into full play, as do laya, shruthi and sahitya shudhhi. Yet, when he says, “I would like to sing with more bhaava,” it reveals why his music continues to captivate.