Raagam Thaanam Pallavi - Linear Algebra :-)

The comparison may seem odd but kindly don't feel offended... Raagam Thaanam Pallavi(RTP) is one of the most complex form of singing in carnatic music.. It is like "namma ooru kalyana saapadu" (south Indian Marraige feast). It will consist of all the items from payasam to aviyal.

RTP brings out the vastness of a raagam. It is also technically very demanding, especially the pallavi portion which involves a lot of mathematics.

Just to elaborate the complexity involved:

"What happens here is that, first the musician performs an elaborate neraval on the pallavi line. Then he launches into the mathematical innovations. Here the pallavi line is rendered in different speeds keeping the tala constant. Then on some occasions and when suitable to some talas, the pallavi is kept constant and the tala is changed to different speeds. These constitute the anuloma and paratiloma portions. So if a pallavi is set to Adi Tala 4 kalai, then the anuloma is rendered in the following way: The tala is kept constant and the pallavi is rendered in succeeding degrees of speed. So the next speed will entail singing the pallavi twice in a single tala cycle or avarta. Then tisra will be performed. Here the artiste sings the pallavi line three times in a single avarta. Finally the next speed where the pallavi line is rendered 4 times in a single avarta. In the case of pratiloma, the pallavi is constant and the tala is changed from 4 kalai to two kalai and then on to 1 kalai. After this comes the kalpana swara portion. This is usually followed by a ragamalika of swaras and sometimes another tani avartanam to the percussionists."

I tried to put the above theory in mathematical terms and the following is what I got:

Let T and P be Tala and Pallavi respectively

Case 1: T= X, where X is a constant

P = f(v)

Case 2: P= Y, where Y is a constant

T = g(v)

where v is the speed (swaras/sec) and f and g are functions of speed.

?%$#@@#%^^&&

( Please read the article @ http://archives.chennaionline.com/musicnew/CarnaticMusic/174th.asp

for better understanding of RTP)

But inspite of all this, I dont understand why Carnatic Music comes under 'Arts' Group. Infact, Carnatic Music should be a part of applied mathematics.

But when you listen to our T.N. Seshagopalan's RTP in shanmukhapriya, it looks so simple..as simple and elegant as Federer's aces.. Hats off to our T.N.S's genius.

Here is the T.N.S's Raagam Thaanam Pallavi in shanmughapriya raagam.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=06061c46c04184aaed24a2875c7fa58ea40e72e383fe8d845be6ba49b5870170

(Link for Download).

Joy of Giving Week @ XLRI!!!

Yesterday the Unveiling ceremony of 'Joy of giving week' took place at XL... (curious to know what it is?? check this link http://www.joyofgivingweek.org/). a wonderful initiative by an IIMA alumnus..

For an hour we went on a virtual ride to the other side of India... the one that we see daily on our way to offices, colleges, temples etc.. The side whose 'needs' form the bottom most portion of Maslow's pyramid.. and the speakers have indeed opened our eyes..

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one"- Mother Teresa

Give and let live!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Independence day!!!!!

Thai aval pol oru jeevanillai
aval kaaladi por sorgam veru illai
Thai mannai pol oru bhoomi illai
bhaaratham engalin swaasamae

Maa Tujhe salaam!!!!

Jai Hind

Redemption

Its been nearly an year since "I" visited my own blog, let alone others. I attribute it to the innumerous MBA entrance exams that I happened to write, the subsequent group discussions and interviews, the subsequent admission tensions, the subsequent struggle to get the relieving letter from a PSU and the subsequent first-term-at-a-top b school euphoria. Having crossed half the well(padhi kenaru) to be precise, 3-4th of the first term, 12.4555% of my MBA, I felt like visiting this chandramukhi-vettayapuram-Blog of mine. Nothing has changed, same posts are still there in the same place and more interestingly, no body has visited this dreaded place in the last one year. How sad? people talk about globalisation, flattening of the world, opening up of economy and all, but how come nobody is listening to me? I believe I must seek gyan from the Marketing prof's in my B-school and probably outsource the advertising division of my Blog to Rediffusion Y&R, just as Airtel did. but poor fellows, what will they do.. if airtel doesn't have towers for network conncetivity, how can AR Rahman increase the Airtel's revenues.

By the way, I came across an interesting ad of airtel recently. Here is the link.

http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/airtel_housewife?size=_original

So, i have decided to concentrate on my core competency rather writing some 'bakar' in my blog and thereby polluting the bloggosphere.

I will be writing about Music and more about Carnatic music.

Word of caution: Don't jump to a conclusion that this authour is an authority in Carnatic Music or whatever. NO. Iam just a learned fan of Carnatic music and so through this exercise, I learn and You learn.

So its WIN-WIN situation.

Lets start.