TIRUCHY : On Monday T M Krishna performed at LV Memorial concert organised by Rasika Ranjana Sabha at Oorvashi Hall in Tiruchy. The show had a few bold variations like doing away with the Carnatic staple mridangam, and let the violin to lead. The concert generated much interest in the wake of Krishna’s response to trolls of singers OS Arun and Nityasri Mahadevan. But he did not render any Carnatic-style numbers on Jesus or Allah as he had promised to release such a song every month.
Krishna, however, re-affirmed his declaration to sing Carnatic renditions on Jesus and Allah in this e-mail interview.
Excerpts:
Why choose an aggressive step like releasing Carnatic number on Allah or Jesus?
It is surprising anyone will call this step aggressive considering the fact that people who have been attacked viciously have been Carnatic musicians. In the face of the onslaught the response has to be firm and musical. Threat was and is being used to control musicians and we cannot succumb to it. This is a positive response that celebrates the true nature of Carnatic music.
Wasn’t any other way considered to express solidarity with those who make or support Islam or Christian Carnatic music?
Please understand that there is no middle ground here. Either you believe that Carnatic music must be multi-religious or hold on to the parochial view that this is Hindu music. It is by singing songs on Allah and Jesus that we show solidarity for those who have in the past and present composed or sung such compositions.
The Carnatic music world has also seen itself as representative of upper-caste Hindu music and hence Christian and Islamic content have to been presented on concert stages to change this mind-set.
How has the response been so far?
It has been good. But this is not about responses, it is about making public a Carnatic repertoire that is all encompassing. This is a long journey.