Dr N Rajam: A Life In Music, Discipline, And The Gayaki Ang Legacy

The graceful octogenarian Dr N Rajam has charmed audiences wherever she has performed. Dignified, she is a musician of few words, belonging to an older generation of stately artists. Her style of violin playing, the ‘gayaki ang’ has revolutionized instrumental playing in North India – the ‘tantrakaari baaj’ or instrumental style is no longer deemed a must on stage, even for instrumentalists. Recipient of the Padma Vibhushan award last week, Rajam ji remains humble and grounded.

It was an honour and pleasure to chat with her; though not loquacious, she does not avoid any subject.

I asked about her early life. Rajam ji shared “though my family belonged to Kerala, we lived in Madras. I started learning how to play the violin at the age of 3, from my father. He was a veena and violin player; passionate about music. He taught all 5 of us siblings. My brother (Padma Bhushan Vidwan T N Krishnan (1928-2020) played in the Carnatic style; and I too was taught in that style for 10-12 years. I also trained under the great vocalist Vidwan Musiri Subramania Iyer (d1975). I had accompanied none other than Bharat Ratna Smt MS Subbulakshmi ji herself, travelling to various cities in India as a mere 12-13 year old. It was a golden opportunity for me”

I was curious about why she switched to learning in the North Indian style, when she was already known as a Carnatic violinist. Rajam ji laughed, “it was meant to be. My father had moved to Bombay, and he got very interested in Hindustani music. My father used to meet all the greats like Pt Vishnu Digambar, and he was totally sure that one of his children would learn the North Indian style.

It so happened that I could not get admission in college in Bombay as I was under age; I was 14 years and 6 months old at the time, 3 months short of the stipulated age for college admission. So, my father decided I would study in the Banaras Hindu University, in Banaras. Once there, it was totally appropriate that I learn Hindustani music there; that’s how the whole story of Hindustani music and me started.

In Banaras, I met Pt. Omkarnath Thakur ji, one of the greatest vocalists at that time. He heard me play and agreed to take me on as a disciple. I was an accomplished violinist and could reproduce any music I heard.

My learning from him was by following what he sang. When I went to him, I knew ‘ragas’, knew ‘raga vistaar’, (how to unfold and embellish a raga) but what I wanted to imbibe was the spirit of Hindustani music. Within a year or 2, I was able to grasp nuances, and my Guruji worked very hard with me. I started to love Banaras, and did my BA too there.”

Rajam ji lived 40 years in Banaras, teaching and performing. That was very unusual; I asked how it happened.

Rajam ji replied “I loved Banaras, when a vacancy for a teaching job arose at a music college in Banaras, I asked Guruji if I could apply; he encouraged me, and though the process took 3 years, I got the job. Once I moved to Banaras, I remained there for 40 years! My husband, T S Subramanian is a chartered accountant, and he had a job in Banaras then. But for him I would not have been able to achieve what I did in music.”

I urged the maestro to tell me more about her concerts, over the years. Rajam ji reminisced “I accompanied my Guruji many times, since 1957 onwards. He introduced me as his disciple, I remember at a concert at Rang Bhawan, out in the open.

Ustad Bismillah Khan always gave me fatherly affection; despite being so much more senior than me, we shared the stage many times, all over India. I also shared the stage with N Ramani, the Carnatic flautist, and of course my brother TN Krishnan.”

Unlike many senior musicians who bemoan falling standards in music, and shorter concerts, Dr N Rajam is a rare optimist. “I feel nowadays people don’t have the time to listen too long, I feel 90 minute concert is fine. One can play a main raga and then something small, light. I feel one should adhere to the Hindustani time theory of raga as far as possible, after all the tradition has been around for so long, it has to have some merit. Though, when we record for All India Radio concerts, of course we record any raga at any time and that’s ok too”.

Changes in our field must happen; changes have happened throughout, and it’s not only inevitable but good.”

An inspiration to anyone who interacts with her, Dr N Rajam is a strict disciplinarian, in all spheres of life. She shared “the discipline I have observed all my life in the practice of music extends to every activity – eating, sleeping exercising. I think it’s due to this discipline that I enjoy good health even at this age. For me, music is relaxation. I don’t need anything else to relax”

I asked, when you look back on your career of more than 70 years, what do you think has been a major contribution. Dr N Rajam pondered “My contribution I think has been in my teaching. I trained Sangeeta my daughter, she is a SNA (Sangeet Natak Akademi) awardee, my grand daughters Ragini and Nandini play all over the world. So many students are performers.” I reminded her of her teaching her violinist niece Kala Ramnath, also a SNA awardee; Rajam ji agreed.

Ever modest, Rajam ji laughed when I asked about the influence of her vocal style of playing. “They speak of my creating a vocal ‘baaj’ which now so many instrumentalists have adopted – I think it just happened organically. I had been trained in Carnatic music, which follows the voice. So, I played Hindustani music the same way. In Hindustani music it’s new. Those instruments where you can get continuity of notes, like the violin, are totally suitable for ‘gayaki ang’.

In conclusion, I asked the veteran musician what she was currently focused on. Her reply “I am trying to revive teaching under the Gurukul system. We had land outside Bangalore, in a small village, we have named our retreat Swar Sadhana Tapovan. We hold periodic retreats where students can come, live with us, imbibe in the old way when the shishya lived with the Guru. I would of course love to do the same in UP too; it’s been my ‘karma bhumi’.”