Palaghat R Ramprasad is a major exponent of Carnatic music in the country. Apart from achieving a level in music, Ramprasad is credited with academic records. Recently, he came to the city to perform at ‘Pranati’ on the sidelines of which, ‘The Hitavada’ talked to the vocalist about several prospects of Carnatic music. Excerpts from the conversation:-

Q. Before you stepped inside the ocean of music, you completed your PhD from the University of Georgia and were a post doctoral fellow at the University of Harvard. What motivated you to continue the familial tradition and take up music?

A. Coming from a musical family, music has always been a part of my life. It has never been whether I will come back to music but when I will come back to music. After completing my studies and working for a few years, I decided to go for music.

Q. Your grandfather Palaghat Mani Iyer was also a seasoned musician. What values have you inherited from him?

A. I can’t say whether I have inherited them but I have to inherit a lot of values from him. The most important aspect is the professionalism that he maintained throughout his life and the sense of commitment he had along with the sincerity and belief in hard work is something that I have tried to learn from him. For him, hard work was the most important thing. It was not dependent on whether you have received the highest honour, acclaimed to fame or is respected among the co-artists but the sheer determination in terms of proper practice and hardcore thinking. I have also tried to learn the fact that no matter how great you are, it will be also subsequent to the art. Secondly, the respect which he paid to his predecessors is also something which I tried to grasp from him. There can be a situation where I am more popular than my guru but that doesn’t mean that I know more than him or more than my seniors. Humility and gratefulness are the prime requirements for the art. They come when an artist realises that whatever he or she is today is because of the guru or artist.

Q. Going by the theory, Carnatic music is practiced in five states of the country, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Tamil Nadu and Kerela. But in reality, the music is just reduced to two states (Tamil Nadu and Kerela). In the other states, specifically in Karnataka, Hindustani classical music is very popular. Can you underline the reason behind this change?

A. Karnataka is a state which is much more open in terms of everything. Probably, Bengaluru has the highest number of foreigners next to Mumbai. So, the kind of cultural variety that the city offers gives way to several art forms to flourish. This means that as much Carnatic music is sung, Hindustani and film music will be also popular in the city. So, it is the nature of the city and state which fosters cultural flexibility whereas Tamil Nadu and Chennai are more conservative comparatively. I don’t have an alternative for conservative, that’s why I am using the word. So, Carnatic music is more popular now but that doesn’t mean that the music is only confined to these places, this can be easily understood by the fact that we are in Bhopal.

Q. Music is a form of communication and there are some barriers aligned to it. Do you think that the language barrier will be there to accompany you while performing? If yes, how will you manage to win over it?

A. It will be unfair to say that there will be no barriers. There will be difficulties but this is the challenge of an artist and it is I who has to take it positively. When I sang, there were around hundreds of people sitting in the audience who might not be aware of the language that I am going to sing in. This was my challenge to break those barriers and that’s why I am an artist whose duty is to transcend such differences and make them enjoy the raga. If oneness is to be achieved, it is necessary to transcend all the barriers. This can be attained through a variety of methods like the modulation in the lyrics.

Q. It is said that any individual can’t approach but it is the wish of music which allows someone to make his/her way through it. Can you recall any such incident for you?

A. I can’t say whether there is such an incident for me but I do remember such a moment. When my grandfather was on his deathbed and was on the verge of losing his consciousness, he was reiterating the names of the artists of his generations including G N Balasubramaniam, D K Patthamal, Dakshinamurthy Pillai and others. The only family member’s name that he took was of the young boy (Palaghat R Ramprasad) and asked the family to teach music to me. Neither I had the sense nor I know what it means, but I consider it a great blessing for me. I will always remember it till eternity and regardless of what destiny has planned for me, this will be the greatest blessing for me and nothing can match that.

Q. My question is in the fact that some scholars mention that there are 16 thaats or mels in the Carnatic music whereas some believe the number to be 72 citing Pandit Vyankatmukhi. Which one of the following theories is correct?

A. These classifications are basically grammatical rules to keep us in line. It is similar to asking whether it is necessary to stop at a red light at a traffic signal. It is a rule. So, they help us to behave in an orderly fashion. In this case, we have to understand the suitability. They are specific for the particular genre and hence they are helpful to keep one on track. It can be also compared to having parents at home which refers to that there is always someone who is greater than you and due to that rules are necessary.

Q. In a broader context, how do you see the applications of Carnatic music in the contemporary era?

A. Media has played a positive role in this regard. The music which was confined to a specific area is now being heard all over the globe. And not only the music is being heard but is also appreciated all over. This is not just Carnatic music but Hindustani music as well. More people are now listening to music irrespective of caste, creed, gender and religion. All the controversies and myths about the music being inclusive in nature is a myth. I mean when I performed, there were hardly any people who knew Tamil but then also they listened to the performance. Any true artist would want to take his art to a larger audience. There are many people who have popularised the form like L Subrmaniam, M Balmuralikrishna, Chitraveena Ravikiran and others.

Q. As other forms, Carnatic music evolved in the temples of the country and now it has transformed into a performing art. Are there any changes while performing at both settings?

A. Every setting is different. If I take a composition and sing the same at different venues, the vibe will be different. Changes will also occur at the level and nature of the audience along with at technical levels pertaining to what type of microphones will be used for instance. The vibes in every set-up are completely different. I believe in Bhakti marg. For me, music is the ultimate truth and I feel really blessed if the audience who came to listen to me are going back with a spiritual experience similar to what they would have in a meditation room.