The DNA of Indian music
The concert began with the same invocatory hymn “Oam namah praanvarthaya suddhagnanaikya moorthaye” which the legendary MS used to sing at the beginning of her concerts. This time, it was her great-grand-daughters Aishwarya and Soundarya who were singing. They are granddaughters of Radha Viswanathan, stepdaughter of MS. MS herself was daughter of a veena player of distinction, Shanmuga Vadivu. Thus, we see a continuity of talent and propensity for music in a family over several generations.
This is true of the Maharajapuram family, Parur family, Lalgudy family, Palghat Mani Aiyer family, DK Pattammal family, Rudrapatnam family and many others who have preserved and passed on from generation to generation the style and flavor of their inheritance. A gradual unfolding of a raga in alaapana or a structured build of Kalpana swaras midway in a keerthana has a stamp that is unique for each family.
Even among the exponents of Hindusthani music we see Amjad Ali Khan of sarod fame is a decedent of Ghulam Ali Bangesh (1790-1858) who came from Afghanisthan and was court musician of Gwalior. His sons Aiyan and Aman are now carrying the torch. Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar’s daughter Anoushka Shankar is an acknowledged player of that instrument made famous by her father. In contrast, we do not hear of a son of Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Ringo star or Dave Brubeck following in the path of their musician forebears. The stamp of a musical DNA is unmistakable in our culture.