‘Every concert is a new journey’

In our new monthly series on acclaimed artistes from south India, we profile renowned Hindustani classical musician and pioneer of the Kannada Khayal Dr Nagaraj Rao Havaldar.

A renowned Hindustani classical musician with an A-grade in All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD), and for both classical and devotional music, a respected teacher with a doctorate too in this field, a pioneer (of Kannada Khayal), music-composer for Kannada television serials and a prolific writer — Dr Nagaraj Rao Havaldar wears many hats and with elan.

However, unlike so many well-known classical musicians, he began his formal training rather late — at the age of 20. But, he had begun imbibing the art from an early age. As he explains: “My formal training may have begun when I was 20 years old when I was in my final year MA. But, I was singing from early childhood, influenced by my parents who sang traditional Haridasa songs. They were untrained, but possessed an innate sense of raga and taala. According to me, the passion and ability for good music are inborn, intuitive and instinctive.”

Another influence was the late, legendary vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. In fact, Havaldar has had a lifelong fascination for this great musician, which recently culminated in a biography titled Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, The Voice of the People (2018).

A lasting impression during his youth was a Kannada film song (from Sandhyaraaga), based on raga Pooriyakalyan sung by Pt Bhimsen Joshi. “It is not as if I started singing at 20, but my formal training began in Dharwad when I enrolled for the Sangeeta Ratna course in Karnatak University. After that, there was no looking back. It was my love and enthusiasm for the art that influenced me. No one directed my choices.”

A natural ear

Born and bred in Karnataka and now based in Bengaluru, it is interesting how Dr Havaldar choose the Hindustani classical stream over Carnatic music. He says AIR, Dharwad, was a big influence. As music lovers know, Dharwad in Karnataka has a rich Hindustani classical music heritage and has been the breeding ground for many an accomplished musician in that genre. “I had greater exposure to the Hindustani classical music stream since AIR Dharwad would broadcast Carnatic music only once weekly. Also, interestingly, vachanas and dasarapadas were sung in the Hindustani style in and around Hospet, Bellary, where I grew up. For all these reasons, I developed a natural ear for the Hindustani style.”

Dr Havaldar gave his first solo concert in 1984. He was trained under a long line of stalwarts at his university, namely Pandits Panchakshari Mattigatii, Basavaraj Rajguru, Sangameshwar Gurav and Mallikarjun Mansoor. From 1985 to 2010, he was under the tutelage of Pandit Madhavagudi, a student of Bhimsen Joshi; and from 1996 to 2006 under Pandit Panchakshari Mattitgatti, a student of Mallikarjun Mansoor. He received the Sangeeta Ratna degree, an MA in History and a doctorate, all from Karnatak University, with a distinction and gold medal at every stage. The coveted A grade in AIR and DD followed. He has established his own academy, Sunaada Art Foundation, in Bengaluru and has trained hundreds of students in India and abroad. He has performed in India and several countries, but mostly in the USA and the UK where he was visiting professor at Elmhurst College, Chicago and the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London. He adds, “My wife Sudhamayi is a tremendous support system. A musician needs some amount of ‘non-responsibility’, if not ‘irresponsibility’ from the mundane duties of life.”

He reveals that his study of history gave him a better perspective of art, its background, cultural orientation, etc., and enabled him to ask relevant questions to understand and analyse gharanas. In addition, his stint at the AIR archives, Hubli, helped him listen to old, live recordings of great maestros of the past, day in and day out and moulded his music.

Still a student

And like almost every other accomplished classical musician, Dr Havaldar adds that he is still a student: “Even a top musician is still a learner despite his/her age and reputation. For example, it takes years for a student to discern the difference between Marwa, Pooriya and Sohani ragas, as all have the same scale. As you mature, the raga becomes closer to you.

There are four stages of the musician’s relation with the raga. First, when you start learning a raga, it will care for you as a parent and be forgiving of your mistakes. If you persist with the same raga, for another 15 years, it will be your school-friend or college buddy — you have lot more mutual freedom and familiarity. If you do sadhana of the same raga for another 30 years, it becomes your life partner — there’s more to share, be it joy or grief. If you passionately practise the same raga for another 15 years, you have a strong chance of becoming its parent — it is willing to obey you. Hence, each concert is an examination, a new birth and a new journey.”

Was there any important incident or event that shaped his understanding of music and governs his approach to the art more than others? He replies, talking of an insightful incident involving his idol Bhimsen Joshi. “For me, learning music is not just about the grammar and aesthetics of the art. Gurus impart the values of life. I recall a time when I sang Raga Darbari for a personal audition in the presence of Bhimsen Joshiji. I was nervous. Not just Ga and Ni (which have a natural oscillation in this raga), all the swaras were oscillating, given my anxiety! After I finished in 20 minutes, the legend Joshiji asked me: ‘Were you nervous?’ I replied: ‘Yes’. He then asked: ‘Did your nervousness help you sing better?’ and then added: ‘Don’t be conscious of who is sitting in front of you. Just become one with the raga. It is a conversation between you and the raga. If others also want to enjoy, so be it’. Thereupon, I sang again, becoming the personification of the raga myself. Joshiji was happy and conveyed his appreciation saying: ‘This is your true potential’. This is the greatest music lesson I have learnt.”

Khayals in Kannada

Dr Havaldar has pioneered the singing of the Khayal, part of the Hindustani musical tradition, in Kannada. How and why did that happen? “Usually, we sing Khayals in north Indian languages. But, it’s essential to use our regional and contemporary lyrics to suit a raga’s mood. Ancient composers wrote in praise of their patron/king even in ragas like Miya Malhar, which is basically about rains and nature. Hence I chose ugabhogas and vachanas and adapted them to the Khayal format. I have also sung the entire Bhagavad Gita in Kannada. Music crosses all barriers.”

So, what does he have to say about the current trend of fusion in Indian classical music? He says though there are several examples of good fusion, this concept is being misunderstood by many. “Playing drums and rhythm guitars to a Thyagaraja kriti is not fusion. It’s like painting Indian god/goddesses in modern attire. Fusion is where two traditions are deeply understood and their ragas come together for an interesting confluence and conversation.”

Dr Havaldar gave up the security of a government job for a career in classical music and is today the father-teacher of two young musician-sons Omkarnath Havaldar and Kedarnath Havaldar and uncle-teacher to musician Sameer Havaldar.

What does he have to say to the younger generation? “The joy of singing and pursuing this great art is higher and more rewarding than any regular job. With my qualifications and experience, I could have easily climbed the ladder in AIR. However, music has given me everything. If youngsters ask me, I would certainly recommend such bold decisions. Classical music is not a part-time job. Learn with passion and improve your communication skills too.” Good advice indeed for the next generation.