Thread by @Rnb129

A lot has been said about appropriation in the wake of the controversy over #TMKrishna's wanton provocation. One middle path favoured is that it should be okay if there are separate and new Christian or Muslim devotional material in Karnatic, not plagiarised ones @NamasteNiHao

That has riled a few feathers too, of many who believe Karnatic music shouldn't even be used, let alone as separate songs. The problem is it only gives the "art is universal" liberal brigade the perfect excuse to scream "Brahminical patriarchal exclusivity" and shift goalposts

The first question: Who is the arbiter of what is Karnatic and what isn't? Purandaradasa devised the basic structure and the teaching format, and Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar the sabha convert format. But beyond that? Where does one draw the line?

A rather melodious rendition by M G Sreekumar, would this, for example qualify?
Ragam: Sindhu Bhairavi
Taalam: Aadi

Would that be "Karnatic"? You decide.

Or this? Another really good one
Ragam: Kaapi
Taalam: Aadi

Blasphemy? You tell me!

As it happens, Malayalam songs are heavy on Karnatic ragams and I have to choose from a treasure to cite examples. Hell, even their item numbers are set to a Karnatic ragam!

Sample this, with the raunchiest lyrics and picturisation. Sindhu Bhairavi again!

Blasphemy? I think that would be splitting hairs. You can take the notes of a raga, and make a new song. But can you manufacture a feeling of divinity? You cannot, however much you try to incorporate Karnatic music motifs into film songs or other devotional songs.

And besides, how much can you stop someone making songs in an oft-used Karnatic raga? As you can see, film songs are a dime-a-dozen. Are we going to split hairs over it? That would be useless. Just like it would be over someone coming up with a Jesus or Allah song

What we CAN do is to take a stand against plagiarising Karnatic songs and using it for other religions. Particularly when most symbols are being appropriated anyway, and reciprocity is conspicuous by its absence.

Make note of who the artistes are. Vote with your feet. Very few artistes will put their money where their mouth is. Take, for example Nithyashree's contrite apology. She's realised her fan base is everything and the same org she sang Jesus songs for, wouldnt support her forever!

You cant be a #Karnatic performer singing soulfully of the Gods and sup with the very people who want to defile it, deride it and subsume it into theirs. That's whats wrong with the plagiarism. And with the people you sing for.

Take #Bhima Jewellers' principled stand, asking their ad agency not to advertise with #Matrubhumi paper after that crass article on temple-going women. Matrubhumi's subscriber base has tanked too. To nobody's surprise, economic boycotts are beginning to work wonders. Leverage it!

If you're the "moojik is moojik" kind of "free-thinker", would you be fine with Virat Kohli in a green shirt, playing for Pakistan, if Dawood got him the right price? After all cricket is cricket, and sport is universal, isn't it? Or is it only a one-way-street?

Karnatic Music is not just an assemblage of nice notes. There is an emotion of Bhakti, of oneness with the Lord attached to the songs, which is why learning music is rarely disengaged from religious practice.

It's for this reason Thyagaraja had exacting standards for how his songs should be sung, and rarely taught the same song to two disciples. Not everyone can recreate the bhaava exactly for a particular composition

It's also why Shyama Shastri composed his songs on the spot, extempore every day, as he did pushparchana to the Goddess. That's the spontaneous outpouring of Bhakti expressed as music. Not for nothing do many artistes say Shyama Shastri is the toughest of the 3 to learn/perform!

Here's how the greatest of them all, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer put it, in a conversation with renowned neurologist Vilayanur Ramachandran:

"When we sing swarams, it is like decorating the raga devadai with flowers. It should come spontaneously, flowing freely like a pravaham"
It shouldn’t seem like a spelling. It should be soaked in bhava."

"Today, many seem a little obsessed with calculations to show their virtuosity rather than bring out the bhava of the raga, which is what is unique to our music"

The Karnatic musicians who are okay with dabbling in such inanities like other compositions, are obsessed with appearing "different" and "maverick" for the crowd, instead of asking themselves what made them like and take to Karnatic music in the first place.

How's this if you want to be "Maverick"?
Prince Rama Varma, with this lovely Telugu song and his own Malayalam commentary, of the "other, lesser known" Mallekonda Ramadasa.
"It hurts me to see that such a beautiful composition hasn't come out for so long"

@sonali_rr looks like the chickens are coming home to roost :D Remember what I told you about bhakti in today's concerts? :)

@NamasteNiHao This is what I meant. A really melodious composition calling the Islamic faithful to observe Ramzan fasting, and recite the Quran with piety. Whatsay? :)

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