2/15/22, 8:37 PM Unsung Music (பாடப்படாத இசை)

Aflatoon Stage Production 2021-22

Unsung Music
(பாடப்படாத இசை)

written by

Aayush Sharma

CAST
R.Rahul - Rahul Unnithan
R. Vaishali/Jesinthamary - Dhwani Singh
C.V. Rajagopalan - Aaryaan Deveda
P.T. Martin - Mohak Gandhi
Edwin - Mohit Bagchi

Assistant Director
Ayushmaan Sharma

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ACT I
PROLOGUE

We hear Tanpura in C ringing throughout, the stage is dark,

RAHUL is sitting on stage.
RAHUL
Namaskaram, to everybody present here.
I want to say right away that I am not
going to sing just a composition.
Stage lights up, we find that Rahul is holding a concert.
RAHUL
I am here to have a dialogue. I think
as humans we all come with baggage.
All of us carry some form of baggage,
and as artists we try and make meaning
out of it. Today,by trying to hold a
conversation, I'd like to talk to you
about what little I know about the
form that I practice.
My mother was my first guru, she used
to say that this music is called
Carnatic because it's pleasing to the
ear.Karna-Ataka, pleasing to the ear.
Every musical form, I think, has what
you could call a sound, you know a
kind of a sound that encapsulates the
whole form. So, if you hear that sound
you would know that you're listening
to khayal, you're listening to drupad,
you're listening to carnatic, there is
this sound which becomes associated
with the form,it's not got to do with
a raga, it's not necessarily got to do
with a composition, or an
improvisation.
So, if I am start talking about
carnatic music, and what is the sound
that in a way.... 'defines' it to our
ears. I think that definition is an
important aspect to 'listening' to
carnatic music, because fundamentally
there is this sound that carnatic
music emminates, that is very distinct
and sometimes even 'disturbing' for
that ear that is not used to that
sound.
EDWIN walks on stage, wearing a Kattaikoothu headgear.

RAHUL
There are moments in this music still,
where I believe, th-that sound
somehow, atleast temporarily, makes me
see the ugliness with greater clarity.

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2.

The stage gradually goes darker and we hear a mridangam solo

in Adi Tala. As the lights come back we see Martin is sitting
with a mridangam.
MARTIN
The first thing in the process is the
kattai, the shell. The shell is not a
resonating chamber but has a sound of
its own. Most makers go for any
goodlooking jackfruit tree which has
grown near a temple, the wood is
exposed to temple bells and Vedic
chants,and the resonance of such a
wood is unmatched. While selecting the
wood, one must see that it shouldn't
have any scar, or a bud, or a kanu;
the eye from which a branch must have
grown. Rajaji does not like it if his
Kattai even has a single Kanu. It
should be blemishless.Everyone has a
different perspective, I like the
Kanu, I feel it has something to say,
it has a soul.
The Katai is not cylindrical, the
diameter increases as we move towards
the centre. But one should remember
that the Kattai cut from the lower
section of the trunk should be shaped
in a way that the toppi is closer to
the base, if it is inverted it would
spell doom for the Artist. According
to Rajaji the shastras say that a
person playing on such a mridangam
will not be Hale and Hearty, he will
not do well. I am quite certain that
there are no shastras written on
Mridangam making, if they were we
wouldn't have been doing this job, but
Rajaji is convinced about it. One time
he paid a fortune for a sandalwood
kattai, just because it's sacred.
LIGHTS SHIFT TO CENTRE STAGE
SCENE 1

A house's main hall is set up on stage, the front entrance of

the house is at the left, there is a small temple near the
entry of the house. The back entrance is on the right.
CV RAJAGOPALAN is praying, as he finishes his prayers he
checks the front entrance of the house.
CVR
Ahh..Vaishali, how is the Kolam going?
VAISHALI
(OS Left)
I am almost finished, Appa.
CVR
Ahhh... it looks beautiful Goddess
Lakshmi will definitely bless us
today.

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3.

CVR sees someone standing infront of the house.

CVR
(towards the wings)
Oh Martin! you are here early. Come
from the backgate you'll spoil the
kolam. I'll be with you in a few
minutes.
Martin enters from the back entrance of the house, he sits on
the floor, CVR sits on a stool and inspects the mridangam.
CVR
Brahminji, how's work?
MARTIN
Work is flourishing, sir.
CVR
You're travelling whole of Tamil Nadu
because of your mridangams, the most
sought after maker.
MARTIN
It's the Lord's blessings sir
CVR
You made Swami's mridangam right?
which he played at last night's sabha?
MARTIN
Yes, sir
CVR
Did you use Sunnambu Thol?
MARTIN
No, only pachha thol. I don't lime the
skin.
CVR
He has a very distinct sound.
MARTIN
It sounded the same to me.
CVR
You won't understand, I've never heard
that sound before.
MARTIN
I don't think he uses sunnambu thol,
like you, he doesn't like impurities
in his mridangam.
CVR
My mridangam never had a sweet sound
like that?

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4.

MARTIN
Sir the work that I do for most
players is the same.And why do you
worry? How can he be a great mridangam
artist if only thing he can offer is
his mridangam's tonality.
CVR
(after a bit of thinking)
Do one thing make a mridangam for me,
same as Swami's, put the finest
quality skin, don't worry about the
money.
MARTIN
Ok sir, and anything else?
CVR
No, just this, what is your son upto
these days?
MARTIN
Sir, he is the master of his own will.
CVR
Arre.. why are you letting such a
young boy go to waste, put him in
family business.
MARTIN
Yes sir, he needs to get a bit older
mridangam work is hard.
CVR
What is he? 22? 23?
MARTIN
20
CVR
He is the same age as my boy, put him
in he won't have time to learn later.
MARTIN
Yes sir, I shall take your leave.
Martin takes his bag, both stand up.
CVR
Tell Jesinthamary I said Namaskara
Martin acknowledges and takes his leave.
LIGHTS SHIFT TO FRONT OF STAGE
SCENE 2

We hear a lot of drum and dhol noise, people are celebrating

the release of the new Vijay movie. Edwin walks in and starts
dancing, Rahul enters.

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5.

RAHUL
AYE... EDWIN!!
EDWIN
What?
RAHUL
I got the tickets, good middle row
seats.
EDWIN
Good, come dance now
RAHUL
No, No I don't dance.
EDWIN
Arey...IT'S VIJAY'S NEW RELEASE.
RAHUL
I can't Dance
EDWIN
Dance to the beat ya, you are not
Rahul here, the son of great CVR.
RAHUL
None of these people know Appa anyway.
EDWIN
Than what's the shame?
Edwin pulls Rahul to dance and starts dancing, Rahul is
uncomfortable while dancing.
EDWIN
Arey... loosen your hip a bit, dance
like Vijay.
EDWIN
I can't dance like Vijay.
The scene shifts to inside the theatre. They are watching the
movie. They are eating popcorn from plastic packets.
RAHUL
How does he dance like that ya?
EDWIN
I don't know look at his hips.
RAHUL
How can a person move in that
position?
EDWIN
He is Vijay he can do anything.

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6.

RAHUL
Do you know they have used electronic
tabla for this portion.
EDWIN
Electronic Tabla?
RAHUL
Yeah, it's a gadget looks like the
face of a tabla, there is a lot of
electronic percussion around.
EDWIN
Is there electronic mridangam?
RAHUL
I haven't seen any electronic
mridangams but like there are devices
which can emulate mridangam's voice.
Ofcourse, it can't be the same as the
sound of a good muttu.
EDWIN
Also, how will one sing on an electric
mridangam.
Edwin starts singing in a mechanised voice, they both laugh.
Something happens in the movie and they both shout.
LIGHTS FADE TO BLACK
SCENE 3

As the lights come back, we hear mridangam beats, CVR is

practicing, Vaishali caters to someone who has come with an
invite.
VAISHALI
Appa, is in Sadhna right now, I'll
give him the invite.
She waits outside CVR's room.
VAISHALI
Appa?
CVR stops his practice.
VAISHALI
You've got your invitation for this
year's December Festival.
CVR
Who brought it this time?
VAISHALI
I don't know some old uncle. Are you
going to reject this time also?

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7.

CVR
It's not worthwhile anymore. It's a
stage for new and upcoming talent.
Vaishali looks at the mridangam which CVR was just playing.
VAISHALI
Can I play the mridangam for a while?
CVR
Your tender hands will break by
constantly striking it.
VAISHALI
I'll be fine
CVR vacates his practice space for Vaishali, Vaishali sits
and takes the mridangam on her lap, she holds the mridangam
inverted.
CVR
Hold it the other way, the toppi
should on your left.
Vaishali holds the mridangam in the right way, CVR corrects
her posture.
Vaishali tries to strike the mridangam the sound is not that
clear, CVR plays the same sound with better clarity.
VAISHALI
Appa, Did Amma ever play the
mridangam?
CVR
She never played, it's hard, sometimes
its like you're slamming your hand on
a rock, the skin is quite tough.
VAISHALI
Have you ever seen women play?
CVR
They can, but most women don't like
their handsgetting hard after playing
the mridangam. In my entire life I've
seenonly one or two women players,
that too not in like in any high
endconcert.
VAISHALI
What was the first beat that you
learnt?
CVR teaches a beat, Vaishali can't play properly.
CVR
You focus on your singing, the singer
gets more

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8.

respect than a mridangam player

anyway.
As the light fades, we hear a complex rhythmic pattern played
on the mridangam.
LIGHTS SHIFT TO CENTRE STAGE
SCENE 4
Martin and Edwin bring in buffalo skin from thewings, and lay
it on the floor, they start nailing the skin.
MARTIN
HARDER!
EDWIN
Trying.
MARTIN
You've got chicken hands.
EDWIN
No surprise, got them from you.
They're done nailing the skin, Martin checks the nails.
MARTIN
Nice
EDWIN
Ok, You're welcome, I am going now.
MARTIN
Where?
EDWIN
To work
MARTIN
What work?
EDWIN
I have stuff
MARTIN
Like loitering around in the market?
EDWIN
No...like-
MARTIN
Come work with me on the mridangam

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9.

EDWIN
No, come on.
Martin stares at Edwin as if he is about to beat him. Edwin
has to comply.
EDWIN
How come you want me to work on
mridangams all of a sudden?
MARTIN
Did you have any business to attend?
EDWIN
No
MARTIN
Okay busy man, it's time you start
learning the art.
EDWIN
I caan't work in this smell.
MARTIN
You smell like this everyday, It's the
smell of Kari. Come we need to take
the javvu out.
EDWIN
Javvu?
MARTIN
The flesh below the skin.
Martin takes out a knife and start taking out the flesh from
under the skin.
EDWIN
I wanna try.
Martin gives him the knife.
MARTIN
Tread the knife with utmost precision.
The knife shall leave no marks.
Edwin treads the knife and brings out small tattered chunks.
He gets tired, Martin starts laughing.
EDWIN
Ok I am done you do it.
MARTIN
(takes the knife)
you know I am kind of a maestro
myself.
The lights go off and come back, signaling the

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10.

passing of time.
MARTIN
Ok, I think the skin has dried now.
Martin takes a chalk and starts bifurcating the skin,first he
divides the skin in half and then makes circles to make the
thattus.
EDWIN
How many thattus can this skin have?
MARTIN
9 I guess
EDWIN
And the varu?
MARTIN
Rajaji doesn't like leather varu, he
prefers varu made of teflon or
polyester.
Edwin starts following Martin and starts drawing circles on
the skin.
EDWIN
So, we killed this buffalo to make a
mridangam out of it?
MARTIN
We didn't kill it the butcher did.
EDWIN
Was it specifically killed for the
mridangam?
MARTIN
Yeah, for the mridangam, it is always
the skin of the female animal that is
used. Skin of a female that has
delivered at least twice. It's more
stretchy.
EDWIN
All this while, I thought that the
mridangam is made from the skin of a
dead animal.
MARTIN
Who told you that?
EDWIN
Rahul
MARTIN
Most Ayyars think that way, if they
went to the slaughterhouse they won't
last 5 minutes. When they slaughter
the animal, the neck is slashed. So
that all the blood is pumped out and
the veins below the skin are drained
of blood. This makes the skin

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11.

stretchy. In an animal that dies a

natural death, the bloodclots, and the
skin becomes like cardboard. If we put
that skin in water and stretch it, the
leather would break.
Sometimes sellers try to cheat by
applying salt on an old animal's skin,
that's why always taste the skin
before buying.
Edwin licks the skin, its's dry.
Lights go off and on, signaling the passing of time.
EDWIN
Appa, play the mridangam, yeah?
MARTIN
Bring me the mridangam.
Martin plays a solo
EDWIN
Why don't you play the mridangam
often?
MARTIN
I used to, when I played for our
area's Koothu troupe.
EDWIN
Did you try professionally?
MARTIN
Are you stupid, do you think the
brahmins wil let us play? Have you
seen a mridangam player from the Issai
Vellalar community?
EDWIN
TK Swaminathan Pillai
MARTIN
He is the only one, when he plays the
mridangam, half of the people are
shocked by his technique, and half are
shocked by how an issai vellalar is
playing better than Rajaji.
EDWIN
Do you do something in the Muttu for
him?
MARTIN
No, My job is to make the best
mridangam for every customer. Also,
Rajaji has been my customer even
before Swami started playing. He is
the one who gave me recognition.

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12.

EDWIN
Can you play classical music as well?
MARTIN
There is nothing as classical music or
folk music.When folk music goes up the
social ladder it becomes classical
music.
EDWIN
So you live your life like ayyars? To
climb social ladders?
MARTIN
The only way you can gain the respect
of these ayyars is if you prove you're
pure, they won't touch anything
impure.And to be pure you have to live
like them, Eat vegetarian,sleep early,
pray etc. etc.
EDWIN
But if they can't touch anything
impure, why do they touch the buffalo
or cow skin while playing the
mridangam?
LIGHTS FADE TO BLACK
SCENE 5

Vaishali and Rahul are practicing raag aarabhi, he has a

problem with the Taala. This laaso disturbs Vaishali's
rhythm.
VAISHALI
You are lagging.
RAHUL
I know
VAISHALI
If you know then you can try and be on
time
RAHUL
I just can't get the hang of it, I am
constantly messing up my laghus.
VAISHALI
Is it too fast for you?
RAHUL
I wouldn't say so, it's just the
second speed.
VAISHALI
Sing
Rahul sings, he is having a difficult time staying on beat.

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13.

VAISHALI
Don't try to catch the beat. Every
swara has it's own time, rather than
cramming swaras between two beats try
and find where they belong.
Vaishali takes Rahul's hand and starts doing the Avartana on
his hand. They sing together and Rahul starts falling in
line.
RAHUL
Nice, who told you that?
VAISHALI
Amma, used to do this whenever I had
problems with Taala.
RAHUL
She didn't teach me that.
VAISHALI
You were too young.
RAHUL
We have a one year age gap.
VAISHALI
Still...
RAHUL
(jokingly)
She loved you more than me, didn't
she?
VAISHALI
(offended by that joke)
She loved us equally, how can you say
that?
She stands up, packing her stuff.
VAISHALI
Do you know this was mother's
favourite song.
RAHUL
I know, but I don't know why it was?
VAISHALI
When Grandpa heard this song for the
firt time hewanted to name her
Saraswati, but our great grandmother
wanted to namethe child from 'B'. So
he named her Bharati, the other name
of GoddessSaraswati. Grandpa used to
say, she didn't sing like others
andlistening to her felt like
listening to Goddess Saraswati.
RAHUL
Do you remember the lullaby she used
to sing to us?

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14.

Vaishali and Rahul try to remember the song, once they get
they start singing it.
VAISHALI
Get up, aren't you hungry?
RAHUL
You go, I'll come.
Vaishali exits singing the lullaby.
RAHUL
(to the audience)
People flocked in like crazy to hear
my mom in theDecember festival. She
was splendid. Our father had a famous
storywhere our mother actually
manipulated our father into marrying
her, byprecisely hitting a few notes
in a complex raga.
The Carnatic Academy never gave her
the respect she deserved, I mean she
was respected among those who had
heard her sing,but when it came to
giving her a place in the music
academy, she wasasked to take care of
her family. These uncles are running
the musicacademy for as long as I can
remember.
You're all here for me aren't you?,
you don't knowwho plays the mridangam,
you don't whether violin belongs to
carnaticmusic, but you want to hear
me.
SCENE 6 [CONTD.]
Edwin enters wearing a Kattaikuttu headgear. Rahul is
shocked.
RAHUL
Edwin? What are you wearing?
EDWIN
Oh! This is a Kattaikuttu headgear,
there is also a Kattaikuttu costume,
the kattai, but I didn't have the
money.
RAHUL
What are you doing here?
EDWIN
Well you were telling everyone about
Carnatic Music.So, I wanted to share a
bit about artforms that are practiced
in our community.
RAHUL
Kattaikuttu?
EDWIN
Yes

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15.

RAHUL
Ok, go ahead.
EDWIN
(to the audience)
Kattaikuttu, Kattai means the costume
which I am notwearing right now, and
Kuttu means Theatre. It's a rural
artform,practiced majorly by people
from the lower middle class. These
areovernight performances in some area
in a village or a town. The storiesare
majorly from the Mahabharata, but
sometime they do Ramayana andother
epics as well.
RAHUL
What's a performance like?
EDWIN
Ok,one of the most famous scene is of
Draupadi's Disrobing.
Vaishali stands on a stool as Draupadi. Both Edwin and Rahul
are shocked.
EDWIN
Yes exactly like that and two people
covering her.
Two enter to cover her.
EDWIN
And then..
Edwin turns into Dushasana and starts playing Dusahana's
part. Everyone on stage starts enacting the scene from
Mahabharata.
DUSHASANA
Draupadi, Your Freedom, Your Honor,
Yudhishtir has lost everything.
DRAUPADI
If you lay hands on me you'll be burnt
to ashes.
DUSHASANA
We'll see
As Dushasana gets hold of the sari, Draupadi starts her song.
DRAUPADI
O Grandsire,
This does not happen in our house
To protect oue own kin
We slay bodies of ravagers.
Born in Ganga's womb, O son of Ganga
What makes you a hero?
When you stay shut during your
family's humiliation.

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16.

The chorus sings the last lines of the song.

DUSHASANA
O panchali,
You are a slave now
Don't blabber about righteousness
When you are incapable of holding that
knowledge for yourself.
He pulls her Sari and Dances around with it, then he pulls
another Sari.
DRAUPADI
O Sage, I cannot call you a teacher.
I cannnot stay mute now
You taught both of these clans
You gave them lessons on weapons and
scripts
What gave them the arrogance to become
gods now?
O Learned Sage, Guru Drona
What makes you a hero when you stay
shut and your education is humiliated.
He pulls her Sari and keeps on pulling it, the performance
ends with Dushasana tired of pulling the sari. Rahul sings a
carnatic song.
RAHUL
(after ending the song)
That was quite raw don't you think?
EDWIN
What do you mean Raw?
RAHUL
I mean like it has moments of
brilliance, but not really made into
anything.
EDWIN
So, the performance is not polished?
RAHUL
Yeah, like I liked the excitement that
the performance gave me but there was
no emotion.
EDWIN
So that's why you sang?
RAHUL
what?
EDWIN
So you sang because the performance
lacked emotion? Like using your
carnatic vocals to beautify the scene?

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17.

RAHUL
It helped improving the aesthetic of
the scene don't you think?
EDWIN
No, I think the performance didn't
need your carnatic vocals.
RAHUL
I shouldn't have sung?
EDWIN
It did not make a difference.
A brief pause
EDWIN
I want to ask, what do you mean by
raw?
RAHUL
It's not polished enough.
EDWIN
But if this is the finished product?
RAHUL
what do you mean?
EDWIN
Would you ever call Bharatnatyam raw?
RAHUL
No
EDWIN
Why?
RAHUL
Because, Bharatnatyam can't be raw,
every mudra,every step has to be sharp
enough, it has been polished for over
1000years. It's you know complex, it
has compositions, abhinaya, adavusetc.
etc.
EDWIN
This has its own complexities, I don't
know as complex as Bharatnatyam but it
is complex, not raw.
RAHUL
Ok, its not raw, what's the big deal?
EDWIN
Nothing, just raw feels like
uncultured.
Edwin exits.

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18.

RAHUL
Ed..Edwin. I didn't mean tha-
Rahul is alone on stage, he looks at the audience, it's an
awkward moment for him. He calls out Vaishali.
Vaishali enters with a tangled rope.
VAISHALI
Rahul, can you help me with this
please?
RAHUL
Vaishali I-
Vaishali has exited, Rahul starts working on the rope, he
gets it more tangled.
VAISHALI
Ohh Rahul! You're making it worse.
Vaishali and Rahul start working on the rope together.
RAHUL
Vaishali, you remember you told me how
the story of Bharatnatyam is not what
we percieve it to be?
VAISHALI
What you weren't listening the last
time?
After a sigh, she starts the story.
VAISHALI
You know art is a product of society
that it is practiced in. The
traditional dance form of Bharatnatyam
was earlier called Sadir, it came from
traditional dance families or the
Devadasi families.Who came from a very
specific caste, It was a very caste
based thing.Still Devadasis were part
of the creme de la creme of Tanjore
society,They shared Karnatik music and
Sadir with the Brahmins and the men of
their community.
As the british came, all the royal
families, started stepping back on
this practice as they wanted money
from the british. So, the devadasis
had to struggle and survive, they had
to convert their dances into more
explicit, erotic dance forms. Or some
of them would have to stray into
prostitution and stuff like that. And
asthe abolition of the Devadasi system
gained prominence, they were
stigmatised as prostitutes.
The men who patronised or abused these
women continued to be patrons or
musicians but the

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19.

devadasis were effectively removed

from the practice of Karnatik music
and Bharatnatyam. The men in the
devadasi community refashioned
themselves as dance gurus teaching
brahmin women, while the Devadasis the
preservers of art, were erased.
Sadir became a dirty word, while
Bharatnatyam went on define Indian
classical dance.
LIGHTS FADE TO BLACK.

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20.

ACT II
SCENE 1
Martin is sitting near the mridangam.
MARTIN
The thongs, these are the varus. We
use the varu indifferent ways. Each
type has its own name. A varu can be a
Thangavaru,Poivaru, Pinnrasattai or
Ul-Sattai. While tying the varus the
mostimportant are the Thangavaru and
the Poivaru.
Poivaru is a false varu which holds
the skin togetherin high tension so
that the thattus can be braided
together. TheThangavaru are the four
support varus that are added after
that, theyare like friend you can lean
on. Poivaru, the false varu is
thendiscarded as it has completed it's
purpose. This is how a thattu becomes
a Muttu.
CVR gets a phone call.
CVR
Hello?...Oh hello Simmaguddi....how is
everything in Chicago..yes,yes I read
the Express....I know both of them are
doing realy good, I think they
areready to sing in the December
Festival....Ah you were 18 when you
sangin the December Festival for the
first
time.....Chicago?.....Academytold me
it was in Jan-.....Right
after?...ok....but we can chooseright?
who we want to send?.... yea ofcourse
they'll make it to theprobable
list....ok ....ok one of them
yea...ok....ok bye.
Rahul and Vaishali are drinking coffee.
VAISHALI
Rahul, please let me to go chicago.
RAHUL
Go, the the plane is waiting for you
outside, see runway.
VAISHALI
You know what I mean.
RAHUL
I don't have your boarding pass.
VAISHALI
You have, you know only one of us can
go, right?
RAHUL
I know, but you can go if you want.
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21.

VAISHALI
Appa, won't let me go.
RAHUL
Why do you want to go to chicago
anyway?
VAISHALI
Because I'll get to sing, here either
I can sing in march in the women's day
festival, in october during navratri
or in December where all Carnatic
music parents send their Carnatic
music children to perform.
Rahul starts giggling
VAISHALI
I am serious.
RAHUL
Ok, how am I gonna ensure you that
you're the one choosen for Chicago. I
am not talking to Appa.
VAISHALI
Don't talk to Appa, just sing badly in
the festival.
RAHUL
That I can't do.
VAISHALI
I mean, not good enough for Chicago.
RAHUL
Done, but what is gonna change in
Chicago, ok you'll be on tour but it's
like the same people.
VAISHALI
Atleast, they have U.S. Education.
RAHUL
So what? Haven't you hear Simmaguddi
mama bashing North Indians and their
music all the time?
VAISHALI
I don't know, but I guess it will be
better than here, where they all see
me as daughter of Bharati
Raghunathan,someone that they can call
whenever they have to show diversity.
SCENE 2

CVR and Martin are drinking coffee, outside Martin's shop.

MARTIN
Welcome, sir

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22.

CVR
Brahmanji, so how's the mridangam
going?
MARTIN
It's coming out well, next week you'll
have it with you.
CVR
You'll have to finish it quickly, I am
playing at the December festival.
MARTIN
But sir, didn't you reject earlier?
CVR
Yeah, I've been rejecting for two
years. Everytime Irejected they called
Swami, but this year he isn't
performing he wantsto go to Chicago
early for the tour.
MARTIN
Yeah we're getting a lot of orders for
Chicago.
CVR
Also, I haven't played in a while, I
thought it would be a good chance to
show people that I've still got it.
MARTIN
Aren't you like filling in Swami's
place.
CVR
Don't worry about that everyone knows
I always get asked first.
MARTIN
(giggling)
But they also know that you always
reject, it'scomplimentary to ask you,
because you're older and you've been a
legendof the mridangam.
CVR
Yeah, I know but it is what it is. So,
will the Mridangam sound like Swami's.
MARTIN
It should. Why are you so obsessed
about sounding like Swami?
CVR
No, No I don't wanna sound like him,
it's just thathis mridangam has a
sound which I've never heard before.
Maybe that'swhy peole like him a lot
nowadays.

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23.

MARTIN
I could never tell the difference.
CVR
Are people fools that they call me a
legend.
MARTIN
No, sir.
CVR
I just want to have that sound for
once before Iretire, I wanna play that
in a concert, and not look at the
audience while theyare just shocked by
this sound.

SCENE 3
Edwin sneaks around in the Festival venue and catches Rahul.
RAHUL
Hey what are you doing here?
EDWIN
I wanted to see what the festival is
like, before you go to chicago.
RAHUL
How do you know about chicago?
EDWIN
We've had a surge in orders, and all
the bigfamilies want their children to
go and it's not gonna happen that
thegreat CVR is gonna let his children
stay here while their peers get atour
in Chicago.
RAHUL
Ohh, But i am not going to chicago,
Vaishali is going.
EDWIN
Really? I thought I am gonna see you
for the last time.
RAHUL
Ohh, you were going to miss me?
EDWIN
No, but like, you are my Thangavaru.
RAHUL
Thangavaru?

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24.

EDWIN
Yeah, Appa told me that the first four
support varus of the mridangam are
called Thangavarus, like friends you
can lean on.
RAHUL
You're lucky then, I am not going.
Edwin looks at the people around them
EDWIN
Oh man! even the audience is rich.
RAHUL
Well they're the elites of Thanjavur
society, half of the audience is from
Chennai.
EDWIN
There kids are not even performing?
RAHUL
Their Kids are too small to perform.
They're just here to listen to quality
Carnatic music.
EDWIN
Man, look at the quality of their
clothes.
RAHUL
H&M Shabyashastri
EDWIN
What?
RAHUL
Most of them are wearing H&M
Shabyashastri.
EDWIN
What are you wearing?
RAHUL
I have no clue.
Edwin takes a look at the cloth tag
EDWIN
(nods his head)
H&M Shabyashastri
RAHUL
(tries to look at the tag while
turning his head)
Really?
EDWIN
So, how did your concert go?

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25.

RAHUL
Nah, I just sang average so that
Vaishali could sing better than me.
EDWIN
What did you sing?
RAHUL
Entha Muddo Entha Sugaso in Raga Bindu
Malini
EDWIN
Sing
RAHUL
What? Here?
EDWIN
Arre..sing anyway I am not gonna get
entry in the auditorium.
RAHUL
Ok, where's my shruti box
Rahul takes out the shruti box from his bag and starts
singing the song.
EDWIN
(as the song ends)
What does it mean?
RAHUL
Something like how lord Rama is so
charming and soelegant, it's like a
song in praise of Lord Rama, Tyagraja
wrote mostof his Kritis on how great
Lord Rama is.
EDWIN
Did he ever criticise him?
RAHUL
Umm...
(to the audience)
No, he didn't. And sometimes how we
should recieve his songs today, in the
same song he follows with-
Rahul sings the charnam of Entha Muddo Entha Sugaso.
Where he says that no matter how great
men are they fall trap to lust. His
lines treat women as perpetrators who
exploit the sexual vulnerabilty of
men.
He was part of the Holy Trinity of
Carnatic Music. The greatest composer
who ever lived. I mean why wouldyou
want 24 sangatis in one composition.
The

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26.

Ragas he invented and thecompositions

he composed are sung in every Carnatic
concert. He was considered a devotee
of Sri Rama, and people said that it
was not him,but Lord Vishnu or Lord
Rama himself who were composing
through him. Idon't believe in that
people believe what they want to
believe.
Most of his compositions were on his
reading of theValmiki Ramayana, but I
didn't get anything on Lord Rama's
killing of Vali, testing Sita's
purity, and banishment of Sita from
Ayodhya. I know about one composition
which I am always doubtful when I am
singing.
Rahul starts singing Dudukugala, Martin comes in and plays
the Mridangam. As the song ends Rahul starts explaining the
song.
RAHUL
This is the 9th charnam, in which
Tyagraja says, I forgot to appreciate
the great value of having born in
first born caste. I was slave to
carnal desire and other evil thoughts.
Though I have been born in the highest
Brahmin caste,I have been performing
functions, which are deeds of the
lowest caste. I have continuously
sinned.
Tyagraja might be writing in
accordance to the conventional
morality of his time. But music that
we sing today should not ignore the
sheer casteism in these lines.
Whenever I sing this song, I am always
reminded ofthe story of Shambuka. In
Lord Ram's Ram Rajya the people of all
varnasfollowed their duties
diligently, people used to have long
lives but suddenly a Brahmin's 14 year
old son died. He blamed Lord Ram for
thedeath of his son. After
deliberations, it was found that a
shudra waspracticing penance on the
bank of a lake on the side of the
ShaivalaMountain.
Edwin enters wearing Kattaikuttu headgear.
RAHUL
(to Edwin)
You're not upside down?
EDWIN
I am not upside down.
RAHUL
But according to Shambuka's story,
shambuka was upside down.
EDWIN
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27.

Rahul and Edwin start playing Ram and Shambuka.

RAM
O Ascetic, I am Ram, the son of
Dasratha, what is thepurpose of your
penance? Are you a Brahmin or a
Kshatriya? Are you aVaishya, or are
you a Shudra?
SHAMBUKA
O highly illustrious Ram, I am a
Shudra and my nameis Shambuka and I am
intending to reach the region of the
celestialswith my body. I am willing
to conquer the region of gods. But
beforeyou kill me can I ask a few
questions?
(a slight pause)
RAM
Yes?
SHAMBUKA
What is Maya?
RAM
The feeling of 'I' and 'Mine' and
'You' and 'yours' is Maya.
SHAMBUKA
What is Knowledge?
RAM
Knowledge is creation, directed by
God, free from all blemishes which
sees the supreme spirit equally in
all.
SHAMBUKA
In your Ram Rajya, do you think
Knowledge is akin to Maya?
RAM
No, it can't be, Knowledge bound in
Maya is not true knowledge.
SHAMBUKA
Then why are you here to kill me?
RAM
Because your penance has led to the
death of a fourteen year old.
SHAMBUKA
So, only Brahmins and Kshatriyas can
reach the realm of celestials, they
are the only ones who can seek
knowledge?
RAM
Everyone is following their Dharma.

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28.

SHAMBUKA
Who decided my Dharma? Why can't I
decide it on myown? Are we truly free
if we can't decide it for ourselves?
Arecitixens in your Ram Rajya free if
they can't decide their own Dharma?
Ram stays silent.
SHAMBUKA
Kill me Lord Rama, kill me and
liberate me, because Iam the
transgressor. To manatain the system
of Chaturvarnaya in yourRam Rajya,
you'll have to fulfill your duty. Now
your sword is mysalvation.
LIGHTS FADE TO BLACK

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29.

ACT III
Lights on Stage Right, with Martin on the mridangam. He is
cutting out a toppi for the mridangam
MARTIN
You must have done this in school
where you fold acircular sheet in
Triangles and cut the upper part to
make a big holein the circle.
He cuts the hole and shows it to the audience.
MARTIN
The Toppi is ready now we just have to
sew it. Thistoppi gives the base sound
of the mridangam. If you look at
theMridangam you might feel it's a
very masculine instrument. But I
can'thelp but revel in it's beauty.
For most mridangam makers the
mridangamis an extension of their
masculinity.
Martin does an action to show that a bigger mridangam feels
more masculine.
On the net, you might find a picture
of Rajaji witha 30 inch mridangam that
I made for him, itnever found a space
on theperforming stage, it's
physically impossible to play.
SCENE 1

Martin wakes up Edwin.

MARTIN
Edwin wake up, wake up you swine its
4AM, we have to get the stones.
EDWIN
(taking off his sheet)
It's four already? I had just slept.
MARTIN
Get ready, we'll have to leave.
EDWIN
(takes his sheet back on)
You start I'll follow you.
Martin kicks him, Edwin cries out and sits up.
MARTIN
Come, we have a whole day's work to do
EDWIN
Where are we going?

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30.

MARTIN
To Rattipalayam, to collect the
stones.
EDWIN
But, that is so far
MARTIN
That's why we have to leave early
EDWIN
(take his sheet back on)
Let's go tomorrow
MARTIN
Ok, Then I'll eat all the Payasam on
our way back.
Martin exits. Edwin wakes up hearing Payasam.
EDWIN
PAYASAM? I want payasam. WAIT!
SCENE 2
MARTIN
Earlier, there used to be a paddy
field here, and a pathway that led to
a stream. The land was flat with dry
shrubs allover, and palm trees;once
Tamil Nadu's pride,limited the stream
Edwin walks through the puddles
MARTIN
There was not much water here, just
bushy bamboos grown close by
EDWIN
Where are the stones?
MARTIN
The stones are around the banyan tree
near the Ammantemple. Y'know, when we
dug for the stone in my days scorpions
wouldcome out.
EDWIN
)
(startled
SCORPIONS?
MARTIN
Arre nothing will happen.
As Martin and Edwin reach there they start digging.Martin dug
all the big stones and Edwin dug all the small stones.
Theycompared the stone sizes and put them in their bag.

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31.

MARTIN
I remember, when I first came here
with my father, he dug up up all the
big stones and I dug up all the small
stones.
EDWIN
My area just has small stones.
Martin digs Edwin's area and takes out a big stone.
MARTIN
And then my father took out a big
stone from my portion.
Martin puts an arm around Edwin.
MARTIN
Then he put an arm around me and said,
no matter whatyou become in life, no
money or no status can tell you what
is thatmakes the mridangam sound like
that. This is our secret, a secret
thatwe hide from the world. No one can
steal this knowledge from you.
Martin starts digging and collecting stones, as he isfinished
he stands up and bows to the temple. Edwin follows him.
Bothexit.
SCENE 3

CVR is sitting in his room, he calls Rahul.

RAHUL
Yes, Appa?
CVR
What happened to you at the Festival?
RAHUL
I got nervous, felt little bit low on
energy.
CVR
Were you nervous or tired?
RAHUL
Both, might have over practiced.
CVR
Will the same happen in Chicago?
RAHUL
Most probably, I’ve lost some
confidence in some of my swaras.

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32.

CVR
Go to Chicago, Simmagudi mama will
help you practice.
RAHUL
No, no I don’t wanna go to Chicago,
you should send Vaishali.
CVR
I am not sending you to buy groceries,
the way you’re putting it on Vaishali.
It’s the Chicago tour, year long tour
of the United States. If you sing well
you caneven settle there.
RAHUL
Yeah, I feel she should go, she is a
better singer than me.
CVR
No, no, you just had a bad show at the
festival otherwise you’re good singer.
Certainly good enough for Chicago.
Vaishali enters the room, she is listening to the
conversation.
RAHUL
What would people at the Academy say?
Vaishali sung better than me at the
concert.
CVR
You don’t worry about them, I toldthem
you just had bad throat that day and
you are a much better singer.Sent them
some of your old tapes.
RAHUL
I don’t want to go to Chicago.
CVR
What do you mean you don’t wannago?
Are you an idiot? Didn’t you hear?
What would people think if theonly son
of Rajaji and Bharati doesn’t want to
go do a tour which everymusic family
in Thanjavur is doing.
Vaishali exits hearing this. Rahul looks at Vaishali.
CVR
You don’t worry about her, I’ll make
sure she has a flourishing career
here.

Lights shift to Vaishali

VAISHALI
(remembering her mother)
It's hard to remember you Amma, it's
like this house

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33.

has grown accustomed to your absence.

But I haven't grown. When will I grow
up? When will I get use to you not
being around?
Vaishali sings her mother's lullaby.
VAISHALI
(to CVR)
What would people think? What would
people think if the only daugter of
Rajaji and Bharti Raghunathan will
stop doing Bharatnatyam. If it waasn't
for amma you wouldn't have let me
leave Bharatnatyam. Nobody cares what
that Guru does to the little girls in
his class, and especially those who
don't seem to have the talent for this
dance.
No one should you forget you right?
Like when you stopped Amma from
singing at the year end festival
because your performance would be
forgotten. Amma didn't die of cancer
she died because you were busy basking
in your own glory.
CVR
Vaishali, can you serve today's lunch?
VAISHALI
Yes Appa
SCENE 4

We hear stone stricking on stage, Jesinthamary is stricking

the stonesto make them smaller. Lights on other side of the
stage where Martinand Edwin are resting.
EDWIN
Amma, has started breaking the stones.
MARTIN
Sleep, it’ll take her 4 hours to
finish this.
EDWIN
And then after this?
MARTIN
She’ll cook some rice and mix themwith
the powder and make a paste to be
applied on the Mridangam,
thesadam,this sadam gives the
Mridangam the chhan chhan on the one
sideand the larger skin will give the
gillu gillu sound.
EDWIN
Did she always used to do this?

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34.

MARTIN
She has been doing this since we got
married.
EDWIN
So the inherent sound of the mridangam
is from the stones?
MARTIN
Yeah, the paste made from stones.
EDWIN
So, it’s not you who is responsible
for the sound of the Mridangam.
MARTIN
Aaye who do you think brought the
stones? Who brought the Mridangam it’s
shape.
EDWIN
No, I thought that you were
responsible for the sound that comes
out of Rajaji’s hands.
MARTIN
Umm, if a Mridangam player issolely
dependant on the Mridangam than yeah,
than I am the one who madethe sound,
but sometimes there are a few players,
who can find newsounds. One which
people like us can not even imagine.
EDWIN
Do they know, how much science is
needed to make one.
MARTIN
I doubt that, it’s an art and we’re
the artist, if they acknowledge that
it’s more than enough.
(an awkward silence)
Edwin once I made my first Mridangam
with my father, he told me, we are the
ones give a sound toCarnatic music. We
have been doing this work for
generations, Without us the Ayyars
can’t sing praises of their Lord. They
need our art for theirart to flourish.
Edwin and Martin look at each other.
MARTIN
You've made your first mridangam with
me, you've learnt the art, do you want
to be the artist?
Edwin looks at Jesinthamary she keeps striking the stones.
SCENE 5

Martin comes to CVR's house to deliver the mridangam,CVR gets

a bit excited on seeing the mridangam. He takes it out
withutmost care and

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35.

puts it on his lap, he strikes it a few time and he isabout

to play lights fade to black. We hear mridangam beats.
Lights come back on CVR and Martin are standing on different
corners of the stage.
CVR
It doesn't sound like Swami.
MARTIN
Sir, there's no difference.
CVR
You are making something for him that
you don't make for anyone else, not
even for me.
MARTIN
With all due respect sir, I don't
think the sound is in my muttu, it's
in his hands.
LIGHTS FADE TO BLACK
SCENE 6
Rahul enters, concert stage is setup at centrestage. He is
dejected and looks at the audience for a while.
RAHUL
When I came back from Chicago a lot
had changed,Chicago had changed me as
a person. For the first time I was not
looking at this music through the lens
of what my father taught me.Carnatic
music is complex, but it being
classical or not is not amatter of its
complexity. Some of the qualities that
we place on the classical podium are
antiquity, purity, complexity and
tradition. Arethose a meter of what
music 'should' be? or a certain
community 'wants'their music to look
like? To end today's Sabha I'll leave
you with questions I can't find
answers to-
Edwin enters and interrupts Rahul.
EDWIN
Wait, how can you end the sabha.
RAHUL
The story has ended.
EDWIN
What about my story?
RAHUL
I told your story.

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36.

EDWIN
Who gave you the right to tell my
story?
Edwin looks at the light which is lighting Rahul on stage.
EDWIN
Rahul,How long have you been in this
light?
RAHUL
What do you mean?
EDWIN
How long have you been in this light
which alwaysshines on you? You, the
singer, you're the only one who is
visiblenothing else is visible on
stage.
Rahul stays silent, Edwin is livid and pulls Rahul's face
towards the light. The light intensifies.
EDWIN
Why doesn't your face burn while
soaking in all thislight. Here take
all of it.That is what you want all
the time. Only thesinger shoud be
visible.
RAHUL
(getting out of his hold)
It is my Sabha!
EDWIN
Your Sabha hasn't ended. You're
missing an importantpart of the story,
and it's best it is told by those who
sufferedthrough it. The light has to
shift.
The light shifts to stage right. Martin walks in with Alcohol
in his hand.
MARTIN
I never drank, but I will drink now. I
am done withthese egomaniacs who
govern this music. Rajaji can never
play like Swami, because he has lost
it. He lost the magic, and even he
knows that. Why do you think he
rejects concerts? because he has
played enough? NO! NOT AT ALL! He
doesn't want to show himself as a
sorry shadow of his past. Even he
knows that. I saw him when he put the
December Festival on fire, with my
mridangam. I saw him at his prime. He
was magical. But this man can't see
someone to rise up and take his
place.These Brahmins will always
remain at the door and not let anyone
enter.
A rumour was spread. I don't know who
spread it, butthis is not the first
time a rumour was spread about someone
Created fromCeltx
using our community. If you don't like

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2/15/22, 8:37 PM Unsung Music (பாடப்படாத இசை)

37.

some maker's work spread a rumour and

noone would buy from him. I never
thought a rumour would be spread about
me. After all, I used to make Rajaji's
mridangam, but maybe I didn't,maybe I
just nurtured his big bull like ego. I
thought I was safe under Rajaji, I was
a fool.
Most people think that Dalits drink,
especially dalit makers drink a lot, I
kept myself away from all this, lived
my lifelike a brahmin. But as the
rumour spread, for my customers I
had'maligned' the mridangam. There
mridangam was not pure now. There
Mridangams were NEVER PURE! It is made
from the blood and flesh ofCows,
Buffaloes and Goats. I with these
hands purify it so that you cankeep it
in your Temples. When somebody asked
Rajaji about the rumour hesaid,
"They're all good but drunkenness is a
problem in the community".30 years I
worked with this Man, 30 years with
this EGOTIST.
What was left then, some goons from
one of my crazycustomers demolished
the shop, all unfinished mridangams as
good aswaste. Mridangams will never be
the same in Thanjavur.
Martin takes a sip of the alcohol.Lights shift to Stage Left
on Vaishali.
VAISHALI
In this industry, it's very difficult
to survivewithout a "patron". You
might sing well, but your career is
dependanton grants, scholarships,
awards and none of this can happen if
youdon't have someone backing you.
It's a closed industry and to
besuccessful you need someone to back
you. And with those "patrons",you'll
have to make "arrangements". My father
wanted to shield me fromall this, but
how long is he going to do that. He
knows I don't have acareer without
him.
So, he is marrying me off, I don't
know his name buthe is quite
influential, it's not a marraige of
two people, but of twofamilies who
might be able to have a far greater
influence on what willremain relevant
in carnatic music. Appa, told me that
I will have thesame career trajectory
as MS Subbulakshmi. He always ignores
that notonly her career changed after
marriage but also her music. I can't
helpbut just think about, all the
time, how Appa made an "arrangement"
of his own daughter.
Lights
Createdshift to Centrestage, Rahul is in concert.
using Celtx

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2/15/22, 8:37 PM Unsung Music (பாடப்படாத இசை)
RAHUL
With whatever little courage I have
left, I wouldlike
38.

to invoke a man, who fought for the

rights of the marginalised. Beit,
Caste Class, Gender, he fought for the
social reform of not justour houses
but also our society. The man who
wrote our constitution, Ihope that you
don't need any explanation on why I
choose the end thesabha like this.
Rahul sings a song in tribute of Babasaheb Ambedkar.
BLACKOUT

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