From: umeshmo@microsoft.com (Umesh Mokate)
Subject: Re: Why are carnatic kritis mostly devotional?
Date: 29 Jul 92 19:16:38 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corporation

In article <1992Jul27.171142.11973@doug.cae.wisc.edu> budaraju@cae.wisc.edu (Srinivas Budaraju) writes:
>In article <9207231722.AA26682@cec1.wustl.edu> sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian) writes:
>
>>      I find that most of the kritis
>>  popular and performed often in the
>>  carnatic concerts are devotional in
>>  nature and one can't help thinking
>>  why people have written kritis mostly
>>  singing in praise of God.
>
>>                                - S.Pandian.
>
>I think it has to do with the patronage. In the
>north, the Palace was the patron and hence the 
>secular compositions in Hindustani music. In the
>south, temples were the patrons.
>
>-Srinivas			budaraju@cae.wisc.edu


I think it has to do with the composers. In carnatic most of the legendary work
is done by saints like Tyaagaraajaa, Puarandardaasa etc and naturally their
work is devotional in nature. It has nothing to do with patronage in south. Do 
you want to say that in south the kings did not give patronage to musicians?

In Hindustani, on the other hand, the legendary work in present day Kayaal 
singing is done by Hindus and Muslims together. In this case, palace patronage
of Muslim kings did have an influence and naturally it came out with various
shades. We find many devotional pieces in Hindustani too along with others.

Another point I think must be taken into account is that even though a piece
is devotional in nature, in khayaal singing, artists try to bring out the
mood of the raag rather than the devotional mood (i.e. words are given less
importance than raaga's abtract mood). So one does not feel the prominence
of devotion. If words are given importance, then it becomes a Bhajan. 
In Hindustani music, there were composers like Surdas, Haridas, who were 
saints well versed in classical music. But in general, in Hindustani music, 
most of the composers are not saints but artists from different backgrounds 
and it reflects in the variety of compositions available.

On the other hand, in Carnatic kritis, words are of importance because that is
how the founders sang it. I doubt if Tyagaraaja sang his kritis with raag
aalaapanaa, kriti, naraaval, kalpanaa swaram, etc. when he was going around
for alms. Also I doubt if he used to have "regular" meetings in which he
would sing his kritis in the above said manner along with the accompaniment
of Mridamgam and Veena. I would imagine he doing it like bhajan rather than
trying to bring out other moods in his music.  So the point is: most of
the composers in Carnatic are saints and they used the "vehical" of classical
music to bring out their devotion.  I feel that other parts (like aalaapana,
kalpana sawram, narawal, Tanni etc.) were added on by later artists to make
it "more" classical. If someone has references telling that Tyaagaraaja himself
used to sing/compose all his kritis in the manner they are rendered by 
present days artists, then please let me know.

Oh, I did not expect that it will become such a long comment! 

Umesh...




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