CHENNAI: Carnatic singer and prodigy Karaikal R Jaisankar is the winner of the Promising Differently Abled Artiste at this year’s Parallel Music Festival. Visually challenged, this 34-year-old vocalist has been singing since a young age, having earned recognition over the years for his musical prowess. However, he is humble about it. “I’m just a normal person who breathes and lives music,” he smiles.
Jaisankar does not hail from a family of singers but decided to learn it on a whim. “Until I was in Class 10, I didn’t take it too seriously. But in 1997, I joined Kalakshetra to learn music under the UG diploma course. Suddenly, music became my priority! Whenever I listened to a song, be it devotional or semi-classical, I could reproduce it in its exact form,” he shares.
Under the tutelage of his gurus, Vairamangalam S Lakshminarayanan and Thiruvalangadu Shri Jayaram, Jaisankar learnt the nuances through everyday practice and vigorous training. “We used to discuss other complex gharans, styles, and singings. Sometimes we’d even discuss temples. I have a huge desire to visit a lot of temples,” he says.
After the death of his gurus, Jaisankar further honed his skills under renowned vocalist N Vijay Siva. “Whether it’s dance or music, somehow in our system, we need a spark. Music has more science in it and we need more wisdom to get better,” he prophetically adds.
A typical day in this singer’s life revolves around music. He wakes up early to practice and also to teach as well. “I’ve been taking online classes since 2007 via Skype. I have a few students solely through word-of-mouth and my friend circles. Many are in the USA, Dubai, Europe, and a few around India,” he says. “I try to learn rare Kritis because music is infinitive, isn’t it?”
He likes to listen to discourses about epics with the same urge to learn more. “I want to keep doing this, learning and imparting music. Every recognition in my life, every award, makes it worth it.”
Jaisankar will be awarded at the Parallel Music Fest on December 4 at The Music Academy from 10 am onwards. The fest is an endeavour by the Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel to encourage differently abled artists and have them perform in parallel to the regular music festival during this season. The club holds this festival every year around December 3, — which is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Titled ‘East Meets West, this year’s programme will have Sangita Kalanidhi designate A Kanyakumari performing, with pianist Anil Srinivasan being a part of the event too.
For details, contact: 28112231