RAVI KIRAN

The foremost exponent of the Chitraveena today, Ravi Kiran is the recipient of the Sangeeth Samraat, Kalaimamani, Kumar Gandharva Samman, Sangeetha Choodamani, Chitraveena Gana Varidhi, Isai Peroli and Star of India awards.

In this exclusive interview to Janaki Subramaniam, he speaks of what it took to reach the level of excellence that he is famed for today.

I remember as a two-year-old on stage, I could identify ragas. My father used to be singing or practising the Chitraveena most of the time. Fascinated by this, I used to sit on his lap and try to play it.

One day, when I was about one and half years young, my father was playing the Chitraveena and I asked him what raga it was. He told me that it was 'Saranga'. Later, he was playing at a radio concert and I was able to identify the same raga. My father then started teaching me, and by the age of two I was able to identify 325 ragas (tunes), 175 talas (rhythms), theory as well as instinctive knowledge, the names of composers and the gamakas (modulation on a note). I started my career as a vocalist at the age of five.

I always had a fascination for the instrument. In my teens, I decided to take up the Chitraveena seriously. I started getting concerts and my career as a vocalist became secondary. But last year, I made a comeback as a vocalist.

What is the difference between the Veena and Chitraveena?

The Veena has frets between which you place your fingers to produce the right note, where as in the Chitraveena you have a cylindrical piece of wood that you have to slide over the strings. It has to be extremely accurate to get the right note. It is simply an exquisite instrument. The Chitraveena has a range of 4 1/2 to 5 octaves, which is the highest ever for a stringed instrument. The instrument is not very popular.

I write books, I teach and of course, I give concerts. The Chitraveena is a very demanding instrument. Easy to learn, but challenging to master.

They are aware of its general excellence, but not the specific details of our culture. There are many international events where Carnatic music finds a prominent place. In fact, I am the first Indian to be invited to participate in a collaborative event with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra as part of the millennium celebrations in October this year. You have established an institution called the International Foundation for Carnatic Music.

We have been organising workshops and lectures not only in India but also abroad. We have also published books and brought out audio productions. Most importantly, we have started the "Musician Benevolent Fund" in 1994. It is a scheme that rewards great artistes who have not been financially lucky in the music field.

It is an ultra Classical, ultra Carnatic group, which is devoted to disseminating high quality masterpieces of Carnatic music, which are hardly rendered in concerts. The group is a vocal-cum-instrumental ensemble. I direct the group.

I am working on a new production called "Om Ganesha" for which I have composed the lyrics and orchestration. It will be staged in the USA next month. I have composed for many other dance ballets. I have also composed varnams, kirtanams, javalis and tillanas (various dance items).

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