20 August 2007

Folklore - a measure of our cultural heritage

Folk singers are a treasure for the society.


Nagamma, a local female singing for me, in praise of Madeshwara, the God.

I cant just explain my joy when I come across such people. I just congratulate them for all the art they possess. Just listen to that amazing voice. She is an ignored woman, and unfortunately, her art is on the extinct way today. Can there be some solace to at least the art she possesses?

She is Nagamma, and today she begs at Talakadu, a historical place near Bengalooru.

P.S. I am more concerned about the huge collection of such folk songs she possesses. Will she be passing them on to the gen next?

16 comments:

mouna said...

that's really sad! music, songs, instruments, goods, dialects.. all on the vanishing list.

apparently the earlist settlers of india are found on the andaman islands. this particular tribe is on the verge of extinction. some 15-20 remain, ashte. they hold important links to our history. a few years from now, they would have disappeared from the surface of the earth.

globalisation and capitalisation, bekagitta? the former, to some extent, but the latter is so harmful to our culture. due to this, most of our small scale industries are facing crisis. it's so depressing :(

ರಾಜೇಶ್ ನಾಯ್ಕ said...

shrikant,

great post. fell in love with her rendition of that folk song. thanks for catching things we tend to ignore easily.

ರಾಜೇಶ್ ನಾಯ್ಕ said...

i am posting this comment after listening to her again. THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF YOUR BEST POSTS. The way she ended the song was great not to forget the lovely smile in the end.

Anonymous said...

This is undoubtedly one of your BEST posts. This is so good...so appropriate...

As for the lyrics itself, I am sure it won't die a premature death. Karim Khan and the likes, plus 'Janapada Loka' currently are doing quite a wonderful job of making sure we don't forget folklore.

And, there are several thousands of Nagamma's and they will pass this on to their children. But hey, just like so many other things in this world, there is certainyl a danger of such art vanishing and I agree with you that we have to work more to keep this alive.

I second Rajesh Naidu's comemnt...the ending is beautiful...such an innocent smile....We have lost that, haven't me? Damn education....

Who took the vid?

Nagamma's mention of Akashavani reminds me, when Amma was still working in AIR, she had so much contact with hundreds of these singers. Some of them would get vegetables from village and try to bribe my mother to give them more programs :) My mother would scold them and ask them to take back the vegetables. Pverty...right.....eah program would give them a few hundred ruppes...so the more programs they got, the more money they would get. They hoped to barter vegetables with money. It didn't really work as they planned, at least with my mother :)

Anonymous said...

Many many hapy returns of the Day.. guru..

mouna said...

srik, today is your birthday is it?

happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear srik, happy birthday to you! :D

may everything that u dream and wish for come true! amen!

anonymous, super thanks! ;)

Srik said...

mouna, Yes, in our struggle to live in present, what we are losing is our glorious past which has direct implications on our future. The first Indian tribe is gone, and with them the link to our roots is gone. We might have to start from scratch some day further down. Unfortunate!

Rajesh, You know what, her face had a glow of 1000 watts when I approached her to ask her to sing the song for me again. She had no complaints when I asked her to repeat so as I get it recorded. I guess, such people strive for the listeners, and when someone comes up, they try to treat the other with whatever they have. Hats off to such a tribe.

And regarding the best post, all credits to Madesha and his sincere servent Nagamma.

DS, Thats an incredible news. Yes, I have heard of Janapada academy and all. But how many care to visit Janapada Loka, which is after all 30KMs a drive from the city. When my cousins asked me to join them in a drive to Janapada loka, I was thrilled, but sooner I got their intensions. All they wanted was a lazy Sunday break fast at Kamat Lokruchi, which is a hotel next to Janapada loka. To tell you frankly, I myself have not visited Janapadaloka! Hopefully, Janapadaloka people doesnt expect me(my tribe) to visit them to get motivated!

That Aakashavani story is good :-) That displays the innocence of these 'illiterates', and their thriving to give the world their extrordinarily ordinary looking skills!

Srik said...

Annon the spoiler, Who art thou? ;)

mouna, Thanks a ton.

Anonymous said...

huTTu habbada shubAShayagaLu kaNayya.....

Srik said...

DS, ThanQ.

Anonymous said...

I feel they should remix all thses, so that they all will be alive for longer.
remember "ello jogappa nin aramane?"

Anonymous said...

Bach,

I sure hope that was a joke :)

reborn said...

This post really brought tears in my eyes ..her innocence , sincerity is so evident ...so different than '"' so called big stars on TV and Cinemas "" .There are so many folk singers and artistes who are in similar condition.. They are literally begging ..and we r all responsible for it right ?

And for what are we expecting them to pass on that art to next generation ?? Definately they would nt want their children to lead a similar life , struggling for smallest things, end up begging like this ...

reborn said...

ohhh.. belated happy return of the day to you .. Do I expect a treat atleast this time ????

Srik said...

Bach,
I second DS. These songs are so great that they can touch and move anyone without the beats. You dont sure hope them to be played in the discos, they are absolutely not meant for such things. These songs are a part of our heritage, as evident. Whether it is for Nanjangud God or Mahadeshwara or Virupaksha... they all inspire true feelings spread across.

Yello Jogappa ninna aramane was a song inspired from the folklore, true, but that was with a new lyrics, meant to produce new results not matching the original score.. The movie folks tried reinventing some folk songs, getting remixed in some recent movie, forgot the name, but the album had 'Nimbiya banada myage' and such songs... remixed versions are nowhere near to our no-drum versions... You can call me an old fashioned idiot, but thats how I felt at it.

Srik said...

reborn, I share your sentiments... but there are so many artistes in that arena that they are living on their art, but the art is so great that it is winning them the bread they require for themselves.. And I hope that art doesnt vanish some day, for all the energy that these songs possess to touch, move and inspire a generation about the context of them.

And thanx for the wishes. Sure, I never said no to a treat request from you right. ;)