Madras Music Season

After many many years, I am in Madras during the Music Season. I am surprised at how few non-Madrasis know about this festival. However, in Madras it is HUGE. Of course, only amongst a certain class and caste of people, but it is covered in detail in the newspapers. I havent seen much of it on TV, but then I havent really been watching for it either!

What happens is that the 30-odd cultural Sabhas (clubs?) become active during the Tamil month of Margazhi (16 Dec to 15 Jan) and hold all day programmes that include music, dance and drama - meaning that there are some 200 performances every day! The programmes start as early as 7:00 am (by when half the day is over for all good Madrasis) and end by around 10:00 pm. The programmes include lectures on the arts and performances by artistes of all calibres - youngsters to veterans. The main performance for each Sabha is the last one in the evening when the best musicians, dancers and actors are called in. The weightage given to the arts is in that sequence - music, dance and drama. So attending a dance performance is looked down upon and going for a drama (never a play) is not even discussed by the true blue. Which is always why it is called the Music Season rather than Music, Dance and Drama Season. Also, much of this music is strictly Carnatic Music with some Hindustani Classical thrown in but not much. The dance is Pan Indian, while the drama is strictly Tamil.

Of course, with the various ...lisations (globa, libera, etc.) taking place, the music festival starts by the first of December and goes on to the end of January.

Now, I know nothing of music, dance or drama other than to enjoy it.

Though I did learn Carnatic music as a child for five years till my guru fell at my feet and begged me to stop as I would never learn it. Convinced that she was just jealous I enrolled with another guru who was more diplomatic - merely making me change my seating till I went from front of the class to just next to the door. I finally understood that the world was not ready for Cacophonix' sister and gave up my attempts. Except at home where my tone-deaf mother always maintained that "singing child happy child" even when my singing drove my sister to tears and not-so-happy. I guess one happy child at a time is good enough.

What this means is that I have no clue about the raagam or taalam or anything. Raagam - "Raag" to you north indians and "sequence of notes" to non Indians; Taalam - "Taal" or "beat". And there are a whole lot of other jargon and I have no idea what they mean. When I was younger, I used to try very hard to figure it out and watch the people in front of me and respond as they did. Now I dont care. If I like the music, I respond, else I sit still. I am yet to attend a dance performance this season, but those are easier to understand. And of course the dramas are the easiest.

Typically, a music concert will have four people on stage - the main performer, an accompaniest on a stringed instrument and two more on drum like instruments (I dont even know the technical word in English for that!) The main performer leads the whole show while giving ample opportunity to the others. They perform alone, in twos, in threes and all four together. The musicians also share jokes through the language of music and laugh out aloud and generally look like they are enjoying themselves. They usually perform seven to ten compositions (not songs) one of which is the main piece which goes on for an hour or so. The whole concert could be from two hours to three hours. In January this year there is one slated for four hours. Usually no break is given during the concert. You sneak in and out between compositions to visit the loo or the canteen.

Ah yes, the canteen. It is as important as the main performance itself. You have to eat there either before the programme starts or after it is over, or of course, in between. But you have to eat there. Ask a veteran music festival goer, "how was yesterday's programme?" and you are as likely to hear, "the vadai was not so tasty - it should be more crisp" as "he missed a note in the madhyamam in the neraval". Both are equally important. Those who cannot (due to our orthodoxies) or will not go to the canteen, will bring their own snacks and proceed to eat them at some point during the performance.

The crowd typically consists of all ages 6 to 80, is gender equal for a change and well dressed. ALL are well dressed. This is the only time in Madras that the weather is pleasant - no, we dont have a winter like all you others do, but we feel cold all the same. The temperature range at this time of the year is 20 C to 30 C. So all good Madrasis will wear their silks - saris, kurtas, veshtis - and of course carry along their shawls and monkey caps!!! Next time you shiver in the cold think of us poor Madrasis. To add to the cold, the Sabhas typically put their air-conditioning on maximum. While I was not sympathetic earlier, my last concert resulted in cold, 'flu, sore throat, body ache... From now on I carry my shawl and monkey cap with me.

Typically Madras is a poorly dressed city - it is too hot and sultry to care about clothes and while one would like to wear the bare minimum, Indian "modesty" prevents us from doing that. So we wander about looking terrible. However, during the music season, everyone turns out in their best. Silks and stuff. And definitely diamonds glinting in the ears and noses. Since most of the crowd is Tamil Brahmin - TamBrahms. The footwear of course is to be ignored. From head to ankle a person may be exquisitely turned out in Chennai - but the foot has to be encased in only torn Bata. We are like that only!

Most of the people who throng these concerts actually know their music and dance very well. So the programmes are usually not announced. Before a few notes of music has wafted down to you, the maami in front will name the raaga and the maama will start putting taalam as soon as the song starts. Sometimes, if it is a rare raagam, then the main performer will make an announcement. Newcomers could be lost, but hey, doesnt EVERYONE know music? Everyone energetically puts taalam after a while and usually dont miss a beat. I used to join in during my youth and make several errors, but now I dont even try. I just simbly enjoy the music.

As I said when I started out, I have not been in Madras during the Music Season in many years. This year I am determined to attend as many performances as possible. The entire schedule came out in the newspapers on the 1st of December. I have made a spreadsheet marking out what I want to attend - am impressed with myself! And have actually been to five concerts so far. Not bad, right? I am going to use this blog to give my reviews of the performances as well - of course, I reiterate that I know NOTHING about music. So stay tuned.