T.M.Krishna – A Musician then, an Activist now!
So, T.M.Krishna (TMK) did manage to sing in Delhi yesterday, at the original appointed date though under a different aegis. Originally TMK's concert was to be under the aegis of SPIC-MACAY and supported by Airports Authority of India (AAI). Quoting some bizarre reasons, AAI pulled out of the event and SPIC-MACAY had to cancel/re-schedule the show. It was clear that the reasons for the cancellation were not straight forward as they were professed. It was more to do with people from the Right wing trolling TMK for his views against the Central Government, his open rebellion against the Carnatic establishment, his open declaration to sing songs of other religions on Carnatic concerts and in general for going against the tide on many issues related to music and everything else.
As an ardent follower of Carnatic music, I have been following TMK for many years now. He is a talented singer and among the younger generation of singers, he is right at the top. I live in Mumbai and I usually don't miss his concerts as long as they are in the weekends! While on stage, you can see through his passion and involvement in his music. Usually he is so consumed by his music, I wonder if he really sings for the audience or himself! His style of singing is very different. In Tamil, we say 'Konjam izhu izhunnu izhuthu paadarathu' (Stretch and stretch while singing) He doesn't usually sing the very popular Kritis which people generally are familiar. He picks up not so familiar and tough Kritis and delves into them. And in the past few years, one can notice that he doesn't stick to the established format of a Carnatic Kacheri. One can cite many examples but his rendition of the Kriti 'Hiranmayim,…' in Raga Lalitha or the more popular 'Krishna Nee Begane,… in Yaman Kalyani are samples of his talent and brilliance. In the current crop of singers, in my books he is right up there. Watching him, his expressions and his way of communicating with his co-artists on stage itself is an enjoyable experience.
Being a genius that he is, naturally he has got a big following among Carnatic music lovers. But, I see that something has changed. And this is not all of a sudden. As per me, it is since 2013 when his book on Carnatic music titled "A Southern Music – The Karnatik Story" got published. Till then, TMK was a gifted Carnatic musician but with the release of the book he also became an author and a controversial one at that. (Confession – I haven't read the book yet and it is on my bucket list). In the book, TMK kicked up quite a bit of storm questioning established thoughts and ideas on Carnatic music not leaving even the spelling and saying it is not Carnatic but "Karnatik"!!! In the run up to the release of the book and after, TMK started ruffling quite a few feathers! And since then, I have been noticing that among the Carnatic followers, he has become a bit of enigma! An individual who is extremely talented in singing but who is a rebel and an eccentric!
True to his now established image of a rebel, TMK stopped singing in main line Sabhas during the very popular December "Season" in Chennai. He started a parallel forum called "Urur-Olcott Kuppam Festival" to take the Kacheri to slums of Chennai. TMK even kicked off "Kacheri on the move" in a moving bus in Chennai during the season – all in an attempt to take Carnatic music out of the Sabhas to the streets! Such initiatives soon earned him the Ramon Magsaysay Award early in his life in 2017 and as the citation claimed in recognition of "his forceful commitment as artist and advocate to art's power to heal India's deep social divisions"! And also a bunch of critics! Still, he went about his mission of breaking the class divide that exists in Carnatic music by collaborating with transgender community on stage in his Kacheris, setting Tamil writer Perumal Murugan's lines to Carnatic music and singing them in his concerts and so on!
In the meantime, I observed that TMK also started articulating his thoughts on matters outside the music domain as well. He started taking up issues related to environment strongly. His 'Porambokku paadal' music video was an initiative to use music to highlight the environmental damage done by the Ennore Power plant. Soon, we started seeing him being part of many other issues like taking on Hindustan Unilever against dumping toxic Mercury in Kodaikanal,… He is now a regular columnist and the topics are not restricted just to music. He is a strident critic of the present Modi Government and anything to do with Right wing!
Now in my known Carnatic fans circle, I see a sea change in their outlook and attitude towards TMK and his music. He is no longer the genius he was a few years ago in their eyes when he just limited himself to Carnatic music. He is today labelled a leftist, Naxal supporter and a publicity seeker! He is today accused of raking up issues which is not his domain just to stay in limelight!
I am not hence surprised that TMK is subject to constant trolling on Social media. Even his erstwhile fans are calling to boycott his concerts as he is a "gone case" as per them! This is where I have a big problem. As I mentioned before, I am an unapologetic admirer of his craft. I am in agreement with some of his thoughts and ideas. I don't agree with him on many counts. His take on M.S.Subbulakshmi for example, I thought was a lot of conjecturing. Yet, I have no problem in listening to his music. When I listen to his music, I don't think of his views on Indian politics or Narendra Modi!
There could be a happy ending here! By constantly trolling him, the right wingers and others are in the verge of achieving something that the Carnatic aficionados haven't been able to, all these years – That of taking Carnatic music beyond the ears of just South Indians! I heard that TMK had a full house in Delhi yesterday at the concert with people even standing for full two hours to listen to his music! And If I go by the tweets with #TMKrishna, I can make out that many probably went to a Carnatic concert for the 1st time in Delhi yesterday and came out intrigued by the form of music!
Today, Thodur Madabusi Krishna might have turned an activist. But he is a musician first. And an extraordinary one at that. So, my appeal to fellow Carnatic followers is, if you don't like his views, ignore them! But, leave him alone. But, it doesn't make any sense to call for a ban on his singing! Lest, Music's loss could become some political party's gain!
Image courtesy: India Today
November 18, 2018 anandkumarrs	Carnatic controversy, Carnatic Music, Carnatic music season, Chennai Music season, Indian Classical Music, Right Wing, South India, T M Krishna
10 thoughts on "T.M.Krishna – A Musician then, an Activist now!"
Anand – Well covered n wonderfully articulated piece. I am of the view that being a great singer, doesn't automatically make him an expert in areas outside of music. I do believe there is some merit in people criticising him for being attention seeker. Perhaps he uses his fame (gained thru' music) to seek legitimacy/credibility to his non-music views
P.S. I really didn't understand why he was awarded Ramon Magsaysay prize, was it for his singing or something else ? May be he wants to be remembered more as a Messiah than a musician 😊😊
Thank you Mukund!
savitha's Blog says:
I just read of him because of this controversy. Till then didn't know much of TM Krishna. What I don't understand is if a particular person has some say regarding the current govt, is trolling a way of showing him his place. Where's the freedom of speech? If politicians can say statements and conduct crimes against anyone why no action taken against them and do they offer an apology? Isn't that a greater crime than all this??
Agree with you! Thanks for writing in.
shubha says:
I dont think he wants to be left alone. He is using the politics to expand his opportunities while ignoring the damage caused to fellow artists (like this AAI sponsored festival). He wants all this brouhaha and is doing everything needed to create it, for there are brighter talents among the next generation of Carnatic musicians(the ones younger to him).
Thank you Shubha for leaving your comment.
Very well written. When listen to him – differentiate the music in him and the activist in him – like or criticise his music … Distinctly away like or criticise his activist stances. By mixing the two – Anand – you have put it very nicely – we may loose a great musician… And that too loose to what … Some low undeserving causes …
Thanks Hema. You and I are in sync on this.
saiprasad Krishnamurthi says:
Useless musician who have spoiled by himself alone. He was really cursed by the Saint THIAGARAJAR for illegally duplicating his krithis for PAVADAI FELLOWS.
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