Carnatic Music, Women and some Women Musicians
I strongly hold the view that women have been very instrumental in ensuring the continuing popularity of carnatic music. While the number of male musicians may be more, it is women in the form of mother and sister who have inculcated the taste for carnatic music in many a youngster. I can vouch for my own interest in carnatic music developing from my mother. She used to sing quite well, though she was not formally trained. I used to regularly take her help in identifying ragas and that slowly translated into a mammoth interest in this great art form. I know of many friends who also have a similar experience in their formative years. Another important thing is the number of rare krithis that many women (who are not musicians) know. When my classmate visited me with his family, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a rare Tyagaraja Divyanama sankeetam being sung by his wife. My colleague's wife rendered an outstanding 'Sree Bhargavi' of Dikshitar much to my surprise and awe !!!...