There are some controversies going on currently where some renowned Carnatic music singers like TM Krishnan, have decided to sing and release CDs praising non-Vedic gods like Jesus and Allah in the traditional carnatic style.
They say that carnatic music is not just for the brahmins/Hindus and their vedic gods..So what is the problem if Kirtanas and bhajans are composed on Jesus and Allah and sung in Carnatic music concerts?
They also tend to make a point that brahmins had monopolized the carnatic music world in the past and this should not be allowed to continue. Great Legendary singers like MS Subbalakshmi had to brahminize herself to become acceptable or popular. But her old songs, recorded much before her brahminization are more soulful and her songs later are kind of filled with fear.
Analysis:
The above problem can be split to make it easy to comprehend:
1. Is it okay to compose or replace hindu god names in the existing carnatic songs with non-hindu god names and sing songs on non-vedic gods in both carnatic or hindusthani style?
2. Is the carnatic music world dominated by brahmins and if yes, is it a problem?
Answer 1:
Carnatic and Hindusthani style of music has been traditionally Hindu and so naturally the early composers and artists could not think any other gods outside of the Hindu religion. But recently many non-Hindu religious leaders, predominantly Christian and possibly some muslims have begun to adopt many cultural aspects of Hindu religion including traditional carnatic music, dance and so on
and obviously the prime purpose is conversion only as it will help new hindu converts to get the feeling that the non-Hindu religion is something not foreign but local.
Some people may also argue that it could be due to pure love for their partcular God and Jesus and so how does it matter if songs are composed and sung in concerts as music is universal. Yes, philosophically for Hindus it is not a problem as God in Hinduism is all pervading and so universal.
There are already many gods in the Hindu religion and adding few more extra names should not matter much. Infact all names and forms point to the same non-dual Hindu God who is the all pervading and indwelling spirit Self of all. All kinds of bhakti is nothing other than expressions of love for God who is the universal Self.
But culturally it may create confusion. Concerts could end up as pot-pourri of various culture which definitely will not be palatable for Hindus or for people of non-hindu faiths too. It is like mixing sweet, sour, bitter and salty dishes together. This will cease to entertain anyone.
There could be a another big problem for Christians and Muslims! As the basis of traditional Carnatic music is sapta swara and the adhara sruthi has its origin in the sacred syllable OM. Whatever may be the lyrics or God that is praised in the song, it is these swaras that finally stick to the mind and these mystic sounds and swaras gradually gives rise to atma-paramAtma jnana. This obviously goes against the tenets of non-Hindu religion.
Answer 2:
Actually people from all castes and traditions within the Hindu tradition have enriched the carnatic music. But it also a fact that majority of the early composers and contributors for Carnatic music were brahmins.
So traditional music naturally flows in the the community and so even today it can be said that it is dominated by brahmins. But true teachers who are also brahmins have never denied teaching non-brahmins. If there are many non-brahmin artists today it is because of their brahmin teachers. Also
these brahmin musicians have been singing songs composed by many non-brahmin saints and composers. So there is no point in trying to bring caste politics in the realm of carnatic music. True Brahmins are ideal practitioners of Hindu cultures comprizing of jnyAna, bhakti and vairagya. So what is the problem if it is dominated by them or if new comers mimic them?
This Brahmin or Hindu domination, is infact very legitimate as it was cherished and nourished by them in all periods of time. The presence of traditional Brahmins along with their non-brahmin students adopting the brahmin culture definitely poses a threat to the non-hindu cultures. Probably it is because of that the non-Hindu musicians are making these objections with the intention to
de-brahminize or de-Hinduize traditional music.
As already said even if non-hindu and anti-hindu practitioners try to separate brahminic or hindu aspects from the carnatic music tradition, they still cannot remove the sapta svaras, ragas and gamakas which has its roots in the sacred syllable OM. They cannot also separate Hindu ideas of all pervading nature of God, karma, dharma, punarjanma, jnana, bhakti and vairagya from the very structure of carnatic music. This definitely poses a threat to non-Hindu religions.
According to Swami Vivekananda, the ideal of Hindu Religion is to make everybody a Brahmin - meaning a spiritual person. So if Brahminism means spirituallty, then it is perfectly alright if carnatic music and dance is dominated by Brahmins and others who are adopting Brahminc culture.
It helps everybody to attain Brahman!
Namaste
Suresh
They say that carnatic music is not just for the brahmins/Hindus and their vedic gods..So what is the problem if Kirtanas and bhajans are composed on Jesus and Allah and sung in Carnatic music concerts?
They also tend to make a point that brahmins had monopolized the carnatic music world in the past and this should not be allowed to continue. Great Legendary singers like MS Subbalakshmi had to brahminize herself to become acceptable or popular. But her old songs, recorded much before her brahminization are more soulful and her songs later are kind of filled with fear.
Analysis:
The above problem can be split to make it easy to comprehend:
1. Is it okay to compose or replace hindu god names in the existing carnatic songs with non-hindu god names and sing songs on non-vedic gods in both carnatic or hindusthani style?
2. Is the carnatic music world dominated by brahmins and if yes, is it a problem?
Answer 1:
Carnatic and Hindusthani style of music has been traditionally Hindu and so naturally the early composers and artists could not think any other gods outside of the Hindu religion. But recently many non-Hindu religious leaders, predominantly Christian and possibly some muslims have begun to adopt many cultural aspects of Hindu religion including traditional carnatic music, dance and so on
and obviously the prime purpose is conversion only as it will help new hindu converts to get the feeling that the non-Hindu religion is something not foreign but local.
Some people may also argue that it could be due to pure love for their partcular God and Jesus and so how does it matter if songs are composed and sung in concerts as music is universal. Yes, philosophically for Hindus it is not a problem as God in Hinduism is all pervading and so universal.
There are already many gods in the Hindu religion and adding few more extra names should not matter much. Infact all names and forms point to the same non-dual Hindu God who is the all pervading and indwelling spirit Self of all. All kinds of bhakti is nothing other than expressions of love for God who is the universal Self.
But culturally it may create confusion. Concerts could end up as pot-pourri of various culture which definitely will not be palatable for Hindus or for people of non-hindu faiths too. It is like mixing sweet, sour, bitter and salty dishes together. This will cease to entertain anyone.
There could be a another big problem for Christians and Muslims! As the basis of traditional Carnatic music is sapta swara and the adhara sruthi has its origin in the sacred syllable OM. Whatever may be the lyrics or God that is praised in the song, it is these swaras that finally stick to the mind and these mystic sounds and swaras gradually gives rise to atma-paramAtma jnana. This obviously goes against the tenets of non-Hindu religion.
Answer 2:
Actually people from all castes and traditions within the Hindu tradition have enriched the carnatic music. But it also a fact that majority of the early composers and contributors for Carnatic music were brahmins.
So traditional music naturally flows in the the community and so even today it can be said that it is dominated by brahmins. But true teachers who are also brahmins have never denied teaching non-brahmins. If there are many non-brahmin artists today it is because of their brahmin teachers. Also
these brahmin musicians have been singing songs composed by many non-brahmin saints and composers. So there is no point in trying to bring caste politics in the realm of carnatic music. True Brahmins are ideal practitioners of Hindu cultures comprizing of jnyAna, bhakti and vairagya. So what is the problem if it is dominated by them or if new comers mimic them?
This Brahmin or Hindu domination, is infact very legitimate as it was cherished and nourished by them in all periods of time. The presence of traditional Brahmins along with their non-brahmin students adopting the brahmin culture definitely poses a threat to the non-hindu cultures. Probably it is because of that the non-Hindu musicians are making these objections with the intention to
de-brahminize or de-Hinduize traditional music.
As already said even if non-hindu and anti-hindu practitioners try to separate brahminic or hindu aspects from the carnatic music tradition, they still cannot remove the sapta svaras, ragas and gamakas which has its roots in the sacred syllable OM. They cannot also separate Hindu ideas of all pervading nature of God, karma, dharma, punarjanma, jnana, bhakti and vairagya from the very structure of carnatic music. This definitely poses a threat to non-Hindu religions.
According to Swami Vivekananda, the ideal of Hindu Religion is to make everybody a Brahmin - meaning a spiritual person. So if Brahminism means spirituallty, then it is perfectly alright if carnatic music and dance is dominated by Brahmins and others who are adopting Brahminc culture.
It helps everybody to attain Brahman!
Namaste
Suresh
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