National 8 (Spotlight Weekly)

Shared Culture

Sapthaakshara, a classical Indian music group, demonstrated the cultural similarities existing between Nepal and India

By A CORESSPONDENT

When T.H. Vikku Vinayakram and his other six member team started to perform the classical Karnataka music, nobody thought they would perform the chorus dedicated to the lord Shiva. Vikku Vinayakram began his performance by paying respect to lord Shiva. Vikku's first performance had a spiritual value which was deeply shared by the people of Kathmandu, where the famous temple of Lord Pashupatinath exists.

Although Vikku's group first time came to Nepal to perform classical music of Karnataka, it seemed Kathmandu had centuries old attachment with Karnataka, the south Indian state. Katmandu's culture and religion have evolved in and around the common tradition practiced in different parts of India.

Vikku and team : Sacred steps

For centuries, Kathmandu valley's culture and religion has been borrowing religious, cultural and other practices followed in India. Nowhere in the world does people of any two countries share such deep-rooted similarities. "Nepal and India maintain harmonious relations for centuries sharing culture, religion and history," said prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, before the musical program began at the Birendra International Convention Center (BICC) on August 15.

One of the Kathmandu's most beautiful and revered temple - Taleju temple, which is built in a pagoda style at the Hanuman Dhoka area - was built to restore the goddess Taleju Bhawani brought to Nepal in 14th century by Hari Singh Deva, a Karnataka King who used to rule the small kingdom of Simroanghar.

Whether Vikku's team has noticed the valley's tallest Taleju temple which has centuries old link with Karnataka or not, his seven member team has definitely reminded Nepalese that we have inseparable and unbreakable parallels.

Despite enormous cultural and religious commonalties shared by the large sections of people of two nations, these factors are often ignored when it comes to promoting bilateral relations.

At the land of lord Pashupatinath, Vikku dedicated most of his ragas and songs to the lord Shiva and the music and chorus were performed in tune with Shiva's dance. "We are proud to be here at the land of Shiva to present our musical performance and this tradition is itself developed from Shivaji's musical instrument Damaru," said Vikku,

Organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations of Indian Embassy on the occasion of the 57th independence day of India, Vikku's team composed of his dedicated family members including his sons.

Vikku himself played Ghatam; N. Ramkrishnam played another traditional Karnataka musical instrument Mridangam, and Kanjeera by V. Selvaganesh. V. Umashankar played Ghatam and Konnakol while V. Uma Mahesh's vocals thrilled the audience. A. Ganesan played Morsing and N. Rajaraman performed Geth, another ancient percussion instrument.

The magic of South Indian Classical Percussion springs to life with Sapthaakkshara. The band draws its name from the number 7, which is the number of instruments played by the group, the seven-syllable system used in South Indian Carnatic Percussion system and the seven members in the group.

Vinayakram who is affectionately known as Vikku has transformed himself into an international celebrity with his arresting drumming on the Ghatam, a pot. Vikku's father, T.R. Harihar Sharma brought the concept of "saptha laya sokattu" also called the seven syllables used in the South Indian Carnatic Percussion system. Carnatic music has a total of seven 'swars' or musical notes by which ragas and melodies were created.

The group presented the movements in three ways. The vocalist sings the spiritual slogan and each rhythm then translated into its own tone after the serial replay, all of them combine together and follow the melody.