The technology revolution has helped Carnatic music keep pace with modern times, but there is a sordid side to the practice of this divine art, says G.S. RAJAN.

ONE SYSTEM of music in the world that has always accepted and experimented with technology is Carnatic music. Western musical instruments such as the clarinet, saxophone, mandolin, violin and many others including the electronic keyboard have been successfully incorporated by developing unique techniques to render its minute nuances.

Innumerable films, documentaries, cassettes and CDs, books and magazines, interactive CD-ROMS, machines for pitch and rhythm, etc. are easily available to Carnatic musicians. The newest tools are the Internet websites created by rasikas as well as commercial companies. These websites give information on works of selected composers, life sketches of eminent musicians , technical details of ragas, information on festivals, awards, articles, reviews and what not. One of the most rasika-friendly sites is www.kutcheribuzz.com, which has struck a balance between providing free information and selling advertising space. Another popular site is www.carnatica.net, which provides serious essays and features on Carnatic music. Then there is www.carnaticmusic.com, with news of forthcoming festivals and programmes and interviews with popular musicians.

Success lies in the adaptability of technology without forsaking the divinity of Carnatic music. Most of the practising musicians have their own website and are available on e-mail.

Well, development and competition have their flip side too. Sometimes technology only furthers ulterior motives. One major danger with the websites is that since anyone can create one, some put `scholarly' information that is not factually correct, and there is no one to check it. Also, personal websites are like brochures, praising the artiste sky high, only their reach is much greater. There is also the criminal kind of danger. For example, if you go to http://profiles.yahoo.com /kalakshetravandhana, you will find a photograph of vocalist Anuradha Suresh Krishnamurthi accompanied by a provocative description. In a telephonic conversation, Anuradha's husband, advocate Suresh Krishnamurthi clarified that the picture had been taken from her website without their permission. The person behind this profile sends abusive messages under the assumed identity of Kalakshetra Vandhana. On enquiring with S. Rajaram, Director, Kalakshetra, it became clear that the person whose name is being used is not even computer savvy.

And what can technology do about the situation on the ground? In the absence of professional impresarios in India, Sabha secretaries and sponsors become authorities, and in most cases push their favourites. Influence and support by politicians also figure in festivals and programmes organised by Government institutions, while so-called connoisseurs of music in high places express the wish to `get to know' the budding musicians in private, to shower opportunities and sponsorship on them. Some of them even spend huge amounts to buy awards for their favourites. This is bound to happen, since India has neither a cultural policy nor guidelines. Who is bothered about artistes' security?

Under the cloak of spirituality, many important issues are ignored. No one wants to talk about them for fear of being ostracised from the charmed circle of `rasikas'. So if an organiser makes an `indecent proposal' to a young female artist, for example, her well-wishers advise her to thank God she is safe and not ruin her professional chances in future by exposing the organiser. At the other extreme, some musicians are more than ready to pay any price - monetary or moral - to get programmes. Expensive gifts are given to influential people in Government. Special compositions are created in honour of politicians. In an art where sruti is considered the mother and laya the father, today it is money and opportunity that have become the parents.