Today is the first day of Margazhi - the Tamil month that begins in the middle of December. Legends speak about Margazhi as the favourite month of the Gods. Many temples open up quite early in the morning for the ritual worship and devotees singing in praise of the Lord.
Margazhi also marks the end of the rainy days in parts of South India and the beginning of the Carnatic Music Season. In Chennai, the day typically starts with melodious carnatic music from the radio and television stations. Newspapers and magazines talk of music on their front pages. Sabhas announce a series of music, dance and other cultural programs by well-known artists. Bhajan groups become hyper-active with early morning Bhajan singing in a street procession. In some places, streets get decorated with colorful kolams decked with flowers. The whole month is full of celebrations and gaiety.
It is the right season for the lover of Carnatic music - a form of music that takes the music lover to ecstasy and stirs the deepest wells of emotion. Most of Carnatic music blends into devotion (Bhakti). Its melody is something that has to be experienced over a period of time; and Margazhi is the best month to enjoy the melody of this divine music. Over 50,000 listeners assemble in various halls in and around Chennai to listen to thousands of concerts by hundreds of musicians - all in the few weeks of Margazhi rightly called as the "Music Season" or just "Season." a matter of a few weeks. The Season has now become one of the world’s largest musical events.
In recent years, technology has enabled to share the melodious music with people living in various parts of the world. Through satellites and the internet, music lovers can enjoy the melodious music sitting in their homes thousands of miles away from the performers. Digital systems, mp3 players, sophisticated sound systems and online downloads are great blessings to the present day communities - something our ancestors missed.
Another trend that I see in recent years is the growing interest and participation by younger people in music programs. There are many teenagers entering the world of Carnatic music.
Carnatic follows a melodic system based on seven primary notes (12 tonal positions including the flats and sharps). The stress is on melody, the pleasant sensation coming together from different pitches called Ragams following a set of rules or "grammar of the music." However, a ragam is much more than this. Singers inject life into the Ragam through a technique called gamakam, the shaking of a note to sound neighbouring microtones. So, a ragam does not progress as a discrete series of individual notes but in a smoothly gliding journey from one note to another. And it must be learnt, by practice and dedicated listening. Estimates indicate there are over 34,000 ragas. Only a few hundred are sung regularly.
Enjoy the melodious Carnatic music in this glorious month of Margazhi. If you are not a fan of Carnatic music, why not make a beginning now?
Margazhi also marks the end of the rainy days in parts of South India and the beginning of the Carnatic Music Season. In Chennai, the day typically starts with melodious carnatic music from the radio and television stations. Newspapers and magazines talk of music on their front pages. Sabhas announce a series of music, dance and other cultural programs by well-known artists. Bhajan groups become hyper-active with early morning Bhajan singing in a street procession. In some places, streets get decorated with colorful kolams decked with flowers. The whole month is full of celebrations and gaiety.
It is the right season for the lover of Carnatic music - a form of music that takes the music lover to ecstasy and stirs the deepest wells of emotion. Most of Carnatic music blends into devotion (Bhakti). Its melody is something that has to be experienced over a period of time; and Margazhi is the best month to enjoy the melody of this divine music. Over 50,000 listeners assemble in various halls in and around Chennai to listen to thousands of concerts by hundreds of musicians - all in the few weeks of Margazhi rightly called as the "Music Season" or just "Season." a matter of a few weeks. The Season has now become one of the world’s largest musical events.
In recent years, technology has enabled to share the melodious music with people living in various parts of the world. Through satellites and the internet, music lovers can enjoy the melodious music sitting in their homes thousands of miles away from the performers. Digital systems, mp3 players, sophisticated sound systems and online downloads are great blessings to the present day communities - something our ancestors missed.
Another trend that I see in recent years is the growing interest and participation by younger people in music programs. There are many teenagers entering the world of Carnatic music.
Carnatic follows a melodic system based on seven primary notes (12 tonal positions including the flats and sharps). The stress is on melody, the pleasant sensation coming together from different pitches called Ragams following a set of rules or "grammar of the music." However, a ragam is much more than this. Singers inject life into the Ragam through a technique called gamakam, the shaking of a note to sound neighbouring microtones. So, a ragam does not progress as a discrete series of individual notes but in a smoothly gliding journey from one note to another. And it must be learnt, by practice and dedicated listening. Estimates indicate there are over 34,000 ragas. Only a few hundred are sung regularly.
Enjoy the melodious Carnatic music in this glorious month of Margazhi. If you are not a fan of Carnatic music, why not make a beginning now?
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