Vina Cultured Voice
“In Tamil culture, a poetic aphorism goes ‘kural illaadavarkku viral’, suggesting that if one cannot sing, they should turn to playing a musical instrument. However, the beauty of this saying is illuminated when observing the unique artistry of playing the veena. As the fingers glide over the frets, they artfully ‘transplant the veena’s twelve tones into the body’. This process transforms into a potent vocal technique, empowering individuals to sing with unwavering conviction by tapping into the organic resonance of the veena.
This method places a significant emphasis on patience, as the ‘tonal seeds’ implanted in the body gradually germinate and flourish. Achieving mastery in this technique necessitates an initial induction to comprehend the intricate process of aligning the tones with the body’s centres. It transcends mere voice cultivation, evolving into a ‘veena-cultured-body singing’ technique. The body resonates harmoniously with the twelve tones, generating vibrations in distinct areas. Engaging in this practice becomes a transformative and meditative experience.
Here, my veena-student, Thenuga, who felt she couldn’t sing at all, self learns a Dakshinamurthy slokam with conviction in this method.” - Karaikudi Subramanian