The stage was set for the performance. The violinist, vocalists and the mridangam artist took their respective places. The programme commenced with Ganesha stuti. A string of melodies enthralled the audience. The performers received a huge round of applause!
The students were beaming with joy. It was their first performance. They thanked their Guru for helping them achieve their dreams. This big day had come after years of hard work and dedication. These aspiring singers always yearned to learn more but their Guru insisted on teaching them the importance of music first. Singing in tune or memorizing the lyrics isn't enough. A soulful rendition also known as ‘Manodharma’is the ultimate goal in music. How does one achieve that?
Sangeetha in sanskrit means a Good Song. "What makes a song good?" The students had once questioned their Guru. “A song connects the Atma to the Paramatma" she said. “Since the paramatma resides in our heart, sangeetha is a way of worship. He who sings with heartfelt devotion does not have to seek the supreme god elsewhere! Thus a song is a celebration of this beautiful relationship!” remarked the Guru. “There is no competition in music, no one superior or inferior. It is an individual's connection with his creator.”
“Why do we perform then?” asked another student. “Don’t people sing to impress?” He added. “No!” said the Guru.” “We perform to share our joy with others!”
Since then the students had put in their heart and soul into every kriti (composition) they learnt. Classroom had become a centre of spiritual enlightenment. Bhakti rasa, karunya rasa, vatsalya rasa, veera rasa, shringara rasa...so many emotions came alive with their respective ragas. They also learnt about great spiritual leaders like Basavanna and Akka Mahadevi who through their vachanas(compositions in the form of prose or poetry) strived to eradicate the social evils such as discrimination based on caste and creed, prevalent in those times. The dedication of the Sangeetha Trimurtis- Saint Thyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar and Shyama Shastri inspired them to be more passionate about their work.
As they delved deeper into the vast ocean of knowledge their understanding of life improved tremendously. Their vision extended beyond the unseen, unknown, infinite and inexplicable. Their Guru helped them emerge from the darkness of ignorance. Vande Guru Paramparam.
