A small article about " Aadi Thalam "

Aadi Thalam :

Adi talam (Sanskrit ādi tālà आदि ताल, literally "primary clap"/"primary rhythm" also spelled aadi taala, adi talam) is the name of one of the most popular tala or rhythms used in Carnatic Music. Its full technical name according to the Carnatic Music's tala system is " Chaturashra-jaati triputa thala"

Structure Of Aadi Thalam :

This tala has eight aksharas consisting of '1 Laghu & 2 Dhruthas '. Many kritis and around half of the varnams are set to this tala.
  In a carnatic classical concert, Usually a main performer chooses Aadi thalam to sing or play a main song of the concert & Mridangam artiste plays thani  avarthanam in that particular song & exhibits his talent & skills.

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Mysore L Vadiraj - YouTube Channel

Hi all, I'm sharing my YouTube channel here for benifit of Indian music lovers. I have uploaded many videos of mine & also artistes  such as My guru Thiruvarur Bhakthavatsalam, Zakhir Hussain, Parur Ms Gopalakrishnan, Maharajapuram Santhanam & others.

Through my channel I'm uploading various Mridangam lessons composed & played by me for the benefit of Mridangam lovers & also for students around the globe.  

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCON9r3EgY4E20CUqnr0-LdA

"Mysore L Vadiraj" - A short info about me

As I didn't mention clearly about myself, I'm just giving brief info about me

Mysore L Vadiraj
A Professional Mridangam artiste of more than 17 years of experience. Started learning Mridangam from Karnataka Kalashree Sri PG Lakshminarayana in mysore at the age of 13. Later learnt from Vidwan Sri H.S.Sudhindra of Bangalore for an year. Then joined his Dream Guru Mridangam Maestro Sri Thiruvarur Bhakthavatsalam, learning the nuances of Mridangam in a traditional Gurukula System from more than 6yrs & settled in Chennai.

Mysore L Vadiraj is a Graded artiste of All India Radio, Chennai.
Has won appreciation from various senior Musicians for his Naada soukhya & Krithi Oriented Playing. Has been Performing Regularly in all Major Sabhas across the Country.

Mridangam is a Nada Vadhya, Carnatic percussion Creatively combines the underlying mathematics of Rhythm with Nadha Soukhya, an artist can express his bhavam through his instrument. Expression of the instrument is essential in carnatic music.
Mysore L Vadiraj is also teaching many students both in Chennai, Mysore & also outside the country & creating awareness about Mridangam through workshops, lectures & solo concerts.

Participated in many Percussion Ensembles
Laya Madhuraa Mridanga Yagna -"108 Mridangam Artistes ",
Laya Madhuraa's 20 Mridangam ensemble, &
Dashamukha -10 Mridangam ensemble.

      Awards & Titles:
Bhajan Samrat season 3 tittle , A reality show conducted by Sree Sankara Channel.
Vellore Ramabhadran endowment award from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha,Chennai in 2015.
Best Mridangam Artiste from Sri Nada Bramha sangeetha Sabha, Mysore in the year 2009.
Yuva Chethana Prathibha Puraskar, by Government of Karnataka in the year 2006.
Padmanabha Dasa Award in the year 2007 by Sri Vidhya Pratishtana, Bangalore.

Also received Scholarship from Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy, Karnataka & Tamilnadu Iyal Isai Nayaka , Tamilnadu. Mysore L Vadiraj has secured 2nd Rank in Examination (Mridangam) from Karnataka Secondary Education Board (K.S.E.B) in the year 2014.

Contact:
Mysore L Vadiraj
48/91, Old Mambalam Road,
Near Jones Lane. West Saidapet
Chennai-600015,India.
mobile: +91- 9962238396/9986238396
www.mysorevadiraj.blogspot.com
Facebook page: Online Mridangam class
Email: mysorevadiraj@gmail.com

 

"Mridangam - deva Vadhyam"

Mridangam :
                      In ancient Hindu sculpture, painting, and mythology, the mridangam is often depicted as the instrument of choice for a number of deities including Ganesha (the remover of obstacles) and Nandi, who is the vehicle and follower of Shiva. Nandi is said to have played the mridangam during Shiva's primordial tandava dance, causing a divine rhythm to resound across the heavens. The mridangam is thus also known as "Deva Vaadyam," or "Divine Instrument".

Over the years, the mridangam evolved to be made of different kinds of wood due to its increased durability, and today, its body is constructed from wood of the jackfruit tree. It is widely believed that the tabla, the mridangam's Hindustani musical counterpart, was first constructed by splitting a mridangam in half. With the development of the mridangam came the tala (rhythm) system. The system of talas (or taalams) in Carnatic music may be the most complex percussive rhythm system of any form of classical music

The importance of Playing has changed over the years. In the old days, percussionists only used to accompany the lead player like the vocalist but this time their development is not restricted to accompaniment only but also to play one instrument shows.

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"Suladhi Saptha Thalas"

Suladhi Saptha Thala's:

     There are 7 Basic thalas in Carnatic Music. Though there are many complicated thalas in our music system, Sangeetha Pithamaha Sri "Purandara Dasa" formed these 7 thala's as basic thalas,In which a student can learn music without much complications.

|| Dhruva mattya roopankanchaiva
   Jamphe Tripura evacha ||
|| Ata thaleka thalancha
   Saptha thaalam Prakeerthithaha ||
                                     - Sri Purandara Dasa
They are :
1. Dhruva Thalam
2. Mattya Thalam
3. Rupaka Thalam
4. Jhampha Thalam
5. Triputa Thalam
6. Ata Thalam
7. Eka Thalam

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God Of Mridangam

"God Of Mridangam"

"Lord Nandikeshwara" is considered as a god of Mridangam.

According to Indian mythologies, Lord Nandi (Bull), who was the escort of Lord Eshwara who used to accompany Mridangam for 'Rudra Thandava- the divine performance of lord Rudra'.

Another myth also adds that that the mridangam apparently was created because an instrument was needed that could recreate the sound of Indra (the Hindu counterpart of Zeus king of Gods) as he moved through the heavens on his elephant Airavata. That is why mridangam is called the 'Deva Vaadyam' or the instrument of the Lords.

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Basic strokes of Mridangam

Basic Strokes of Mridangam:

Chapu : Vibrating tone played with the small finger on the right hand side, between the black patch and the outer layer. The sound is tuned to the Shruthi/ tone of the tambura. This chapu is a melodic & divine naadham(tone) which has a soothing effect on a listener. The sound clarity of chapu is so important for a Mridangam player as it embellishes the song when played asthethically.  

Tha : Non Vibrating tone played at the centre of left hand side of the instrument. 

Dhi : Non vibrating tone played on middle of blackspot on the right side of the instrument.

Thom: Viberating tone played on outer side of left side of the instrument.

Nam:  Vibrating tone played on the outer layer of the right hand side using index finger with the support of ring finger or middle finger on black patch ( Saadham / Karanai )  to minimize vibration of black portion. 

Ghumki: Bass tone produced by playing on the inner layer of the lower end of the left hand side & simultaneously, A player should rub side of his/her thumb on the inner layer. This beautiful Sound can be produced only when there is a paste of semolina /rava / synthetic pastes. Usually 'Ghumki'  will be taught in advance training.This is a very effective & special sound which gives 'Bhavam' to the song when played with Nadai( Sarvalaghu/ Teka) with suitable combinations which requires rigourus practice.   
Lots of other strokes such as Ki Ta, Ara Chapu & many complicated sollukattus (Rhythmic syllables) & complex calculations which helps to form korvais &  complex mohras during tani avarthanam.

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Aadi tala Mohra - My new composition

This is my newly composed Aadi Thala Mohra with new sollkattus (rhythmic syllables). Thought of sharing with you all . Please contact for online Mridangam classes by email or phone : 
Email:   mysorevadiraj@gmail.com
         onlinemridangamclass@gmail.com

Mobile : +919962238396 / 9986238396

https://youtu.be/fxecaJy3pFo

Mridangam maestro sri PG Lakshminarayana - My first guru

I wanted inform you all about my first Mridangam Guru Sri "PG Lakshminarayana", from whom I learnt Mridangam from beginning up to a concert performer. Who was a wonderful teacher, great performer & more over a great human being. He was inspiring me in all the ways, he didn't teach me Mridangam, but he taught me a 'Life'. He was such a guru. He was the one who always motivated me to become a Professional Mridangam artiste & gave me courage. He was making all of his students to listen other stalwarts playing. So I thought of writing few things about my guru Sri PGL.

           P G Lakshminarayana:   

Mridangam maestro Vidwan PG Lakshminarayana (7-9-1936 to 12-12-206). He was a disciple of Vidwan Sri M.R.Rajappa, who was an Asthana Vidwan of Mysore Palace. Sri PG Lakshminarayana was fondly called as 'PGL' by his friends & colleagues. He was a foremost Mridangam exponent of south India. He was also an expert player in MORSING instrument. He has also worked as a staff artiste (Mridangam) for All India Radio, Mysore.
     He has accompanied galaxy of musicians in his career of over five decades. He has accompanied Sri Violin virtuoso sri Mysore Chowdiah, B Devendrappa, Sri Titte Krishna Iyyengar, Mangalampalli Balamurlikrishna, MS Subbalakshmi, Sri DK Pattamal,Bombay Sisters,  Sri ML Vasanthakumari, KJ Yesudas, V.Doreseamy Iyyengar, Sri T R Mahalingam, sri Lalgudi Jayaraman, Parur MS Gopalakrishnan, Sri Kunnukudy Vaidyanathan, Sri DK Jayaraman, Dr.N Ramani,  Sri RK Srikantan, TV Sankaranarayana,Sri RK Suryanarayan, M Chandrasekharan, TN Sheshagopalan, TV Gopalakrishnan, Bellary brothers, Sri Mysore Mahadevappa, Kadri Gopalnath, Mandolin U Srinivas, Mysore Brothers(Sri Nagraj & Dr M Manjunath), TM Krishna, Sanjay Subramaniam, Chitraveena Ravikiran, Ms Sheela, Sri Kamala-Rajalakshmi (Mysore Sisters),Sri RK Padmanabha etc & also encouraged a lot of youngsters of Karnataka & accompanied them in concerts
        He has received wide acclaim for his Jughalbhandi concerts with Verna Doreswamy Iyyengar & V.G.Jog., Usthad Amjad Ali Khan & many others & participated in many International Percussion ensembles.
He has widely toured South eastern countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Srilanka, Bangkok & carried our Indian culture especially of Royal Mysore. 
His tonal quality of Mridangam, Nada sowkhya, complex mathematical calculations was a Hallmark of his Style.

  Awards & Tittles:
* He was an Asthana Vidwan of Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda Ashram, Mysore.
* Mridangam Virtuso 'Palani Subramanya Pillai' Award & ''Laya Kala Nipuna" award from Percussive Arts Centre,Bangalore,
* "Gana Kala Bhushana" tittle from Bangalore Gana Kala Parishath & also he was elected as a President of the conference by expert musicians committee in the year 2002. 
* "Karnataka Kalashree " from Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya academy.
* "Swaralaya shrunga" from Suswaralaya college of Music, Bangalore.
* He was decorated with many tittles like 'Kala Tapasvi', Layavadya Bhooshana, Thalavadya Vidya Varidhi, Thalavadya Praveena..etc, from his fans & various music sabhas 

Disciples:
Vidwan Sri PG Lakshminarayana dedicated his entire life to Mridangam, He breathed only music & stayed bachelor in his entire life. He was a 'Bhishma Pithamaha' for Mridangam in Karnataka. He trained numerous students wholeheartedly without monetary expectations. He was always surrounded fondly by his disciples.He was an university & gifted many talented musicians who has excelled & earned reputation in the music arena. Few of them are: Mridangam & Ghatam Vidwan sri M.A.Krishnamurthy, Sri G.S.Ramanujam, Morsing Vidwan Sri V.S.Ramesh,Sri RK Prasanna Kumar, Sri T.A.Ramanujan, Sri A.Radhesh, Sri Mysore L Vadiraj, Sri B.S.Raghunandan, D.Vijayanand, M.N.Keshav Sundar, Shyam,Jagadhish & many more. He passed away on December 12th 2006, His disciples & music lovers are paying tribute on every December 13th & 14th by honouring musicians & Organising concerts& also doing Charity to Orphanage in his name.