SHADES OF MUSIC
Rama Sundar Ranganathan
Indore Gharana
A versatile artiste, Rama is a performing Hindustani Classical vocalist, a painter, a published author and a poet. She is a shagird of Pt. Tejpal Singh ji and is also a research scholar under the guidance of Padma Bhushan Dr. L Subramaniam
Rama's Musical Journey
Rama Sundar Ranganathan was initiated into music by her mother Smt. Prema Raghavachari. After learning Carnatic music as a child, she later chose to immerse herself in Hindustani classical music. She was guided by the late Smt. Shanti Sharma. Afterward, since 2009, she has been under the tutelage of Pt. Tejpal Singh ji, of Singh Bandhu fame, the foremost disciple of Ustad Amir Khan Sahab. Currently, she is engaged in learning the intricacies of Indore Gharana.
Rama believes in the unifying power of music, the idea that 'music binds'. This is reflected in the choice of her themes for her content rich concerts in subjects such as Lady saints of India, Gandhiji's vows - classically and Saguna-Nirguna Bhakti , all of which have been performed extensively. She was awarded the Kala Ratan Samman award 2023 by the Gurgaon District Administration and Kalagram. Dr Alka Pande has featured Rama in her book 108 Portraits of Indian Music for her aesthetic sensibilities.
ABOUT RAMA AND HER MUSICAL JOURNEY-A FILM
KHAYAL GAYAKI- INDORE GHARANA
RAGA PURIYA DHANASHRI
The Punjabi composition चाहींदड़ा जगदा was believed to have been composed at the durbar of Muhammad Shah II when he ascended the throne of Delhi, sung in celebration. Sadarang enjoyed his patronage and many of his compositions pay tribute to his emperor a.k.a Sadarangeela.
Rama Sundar Ranganathan, a disciple of Pt. Tejpal Singh ji(Singh Bandhu) has elaborated Raga Puriya Dhanashree through this bandish.
The Ektaal dhrut composition तोरी जय जय कर्तार was immortalised by the great Ustad Amir Khan saheb in the film Baiju Bawra.
This raga has a similar scale to the Carnatic raga Panthuvarali.
A full rendition from a live concert
Puriya Dhanashri
A live concert at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
AN EXPERIMENTAL JUGALBANDI
Here's a clipping from Rama's jugalbandi with a Carnatic musician.
THEMATIC CONCERTS
Rama specialises in content rich, thematic concerts backed with extensive research and guidance from experts in the field. Presented below are some of her themes - a brief summary of the theme and youtube links.
Vachanam
Music Of Lady Saints Of India
Rama has studied the poetry of saints across the length and breadth of India to find a convergence in their thought and teachings. In this series she explores the baani of five lady poet saints belonging to different states of Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kashmir. Their poetry in the forms of Bhajans, Vachanas, Pasuram, Abhang and Vakhs gives us a glimpse of the medieval society and the hardship faced by them. The poetry depicts bhakthi in various forms- madhurya, vatsalya, kirtan and atma-nivedan. The music is in the format of Khayal gayaki and classical in its treatment having been composed by the legendary vocalist Pt. Tejpal Singh ji, Singh Bandhu.
This concert was featured by Gunijan Sabha at IHC, New Delhi as an open and interactive concert. This was also featured by IGNCA on International Woman's day 2022
Sankalpam
Interpretation of Gandhiji's eleven vows through the poetry of our seers and rishis performed for Seher at Gandhi Utsav, Jaipur, October 2019, Sarvodaya Foundation, Delhi, Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore, Lok Kala Manch Delhi, Indira Nagar Sangeetha Sabha Bangalore, Kalagram Gurgaon, October 2021, Gandhi Smarak Thiruvananathapuram 2022, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Delhi 2023. Museo Camera, Gurgaon 2024
Parasparyam
Saguna-Nirguna bhakti
A concert at The Sacred River Festival, Maheshwar, 2020
Tribute to Ganga
A ragamala depicting Ganga and her tributaries
IN THE NEWS
Music reviews of Rama
Reviews by renowned music critics of The Hindu
CONCERT PICTURES
ABOUT INDORE GHARANA
Ustad Amir Khan Sahib is considered the founder of Indore gharana which is known for its slow, studied style and meditative quality of music. The poetry of the composition is considered sacred. Jhumra tala is widely used. The gharana also popularised a few ragas from Carnatic music, as well as taranas featuring Persian couplets.
Shudha Kalyan, Nand, Hamsadhwani, Charukesi, Puriya Kalyan, Kalavati are some of the ragas which are sung widely by musicians of this gharana.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN OTHER ART FORMS
Children’s book writer :
Published books with Rupa&co, Bright Sparks, children’s section of Infomedia, Shloka Publications, a division of Birla Group and Navneet Publications.
Books :
The Walking Talking Vegetables
Adventures of Daffy
Counting numbers with Piggy Wiggy
General Knowledge series
Rama's poems have been published by Muse India. Her poems are inspired by her music and subcontinental painting
Art Shows:
Participated in many exhibitions in Delhi, Singapore and Bangalore
Volunteering jobs:
Art Workshops with Artreach, Delhi
Rama has a post graduate degree in Commerce from Bombay University and an MBA from the United Kingdom. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in music under the guidance of Padma Bhushan Dr. L Subramaniam
MUSIC INSPIRED PAINTINGS
"Devotion - Form and The Formless
Interpretation of the poetry of mystic saints
Upcoming Events
SaptaSwaraFri, 23 AugNew Delhi
Music of the Charkha- Gandhi's RamSat, 20 AprNew Delhi
My published pieces on music
From my blog in TOI
A MUSICIAN’S DIARY: THE TRAVAILS OF A PERFORMER
April 27, 2019, 11:39 PM IST Rama Sundar in Ramatoons | Lifestyle | TOI
“Where are the audience?”, I asked the organiser, also simultaneously wondering if the audience is singular or plural. Certainly singular where classical concerts are concerned.
“They must be tuning in as we speak.”, answered the organiser. Did I detect a hint of guilt in his voice?
“What do you mean by tuning in? Am I to perform for the empty chairs? It’s so disheartening”, I said. This is what the legendary Kishori ji would have said, I thought. But then she wouldn’t have had this problem ever in her career.
“Don’t worry ma’am, we are webcasting the whole show and there are hundreds who will tune in.”
Yeah, sure!
I decided to throw a tantrum and flounced out with my accompanists in tow. I left without performing, forfeiting my appearance fee … wait a minute … I was not being paid anything, remember. I would have received a shawl, a male shawl, had I performed.
Why this Kolaveri di, you ask? I may not be an icon, but I too have my standards.
Imagine this for a minute. What would Ariana Grande have done if the organiser had with great grandiose presented her with a male shawl at the end of her rocking show and nothing else? He’d be lucky if she just gave him a fake smile and said thank you, next. On the other hand, Justin Beiber wouldn’t even deserve getting a shawl, male or female. One can’t forget his show in Mumbai where he lip synced all the way much to the disgust of his fans. We classical musicians would never do that, never.
“Views?”
“How many views do you have on your youtube upload?”, asked yet another organiser, repeating the question as if he was talking to an idiot.
Truth be told, I was buying some time to answer this one. Should I fib or stick to the facts?
“1200 when I last counted. Believe me, it multiplies manifold every day”, I added desperately.
“Come to me when it reaches a million”, he said dismissively.
Is there an app for buying views?
More importantly, isn’t getting an audience the job of the organiser? How does, for example, a Beyonce show get a crowd of million fans screaming and throwing their most prized possession onto the stage? The only things I have been thrown at are wah-wahs and that too by the poor accompanist who took it upon himself to build some excitement. Sometimes I wish I had a family of established musicians to back me. I would have cheerily waved the flag of nepotism instead I choose to be an outlier who is waiting to be recognised for her genius.
Salaam Vasant
A field of slender stalks
Like a blanket of canary yellow
Swaying delicately to the cuckoo’s songs.
Why does the Saras retreat?
Why must seasons change?
Why must the show go on?
A glissando by Bhimsen, in response
To get to the heights of the melody
Is it a carol about the change of season
Or a hymn in praise of the Almighty?
The maestro sees no difference
In ecstasy, treats both with the same reverence
Rama Sundar Ranganathan
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
Rama's illustrations on music and music fraternity
