Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai

Ragam-tanam-pallavi is experiencing a resurgence, thanks to the fillip given by the Pallavi Project of the Sruti Foundation. A good number of musicians are now ffering : pallavi-s in their recitals, although the greater frequency of ragam-tanampallavi has yet to be matched by a more elaborate approach of rendering it, consistent with established requirements. Many of those who gave recitals in the recently concluded Gokulashtami music festival of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in Madras offered pallavi-s. And then there was a special four-day ragam-tanampallavi series con- ducted by Saraswathi, the sabha with a difference. The pallavi, also described as manodharma sangita, is-as stated in an earlier article in SRUTI (April 1984)-perhaps the brightest aspect of Carnatic music, since it calls for a high degree of creative skill as well as mastery over rhythm. In contrast to raga alapana, it is measured music; it complements raga elaboration.