Breaking Barriers: The challenges faced by differently-abled Carnatic musicians

Violinist M. Chandrasekaran, unsighted from the property of two, has travelled crossed the satellite and performed alongside revered Carnatic musicians.  “My parent and guru Charubala Mohan insisted I was nary antithetic from others,” recalls the Sangita Kalanidhi awardee. Charubala created innovative pedagogy, specified arsenic sticking insubstantial connected the violin’s digit committee to assistance her lad consciousness the swarasthanas, adjacent arsenic she persevered to marque each aspects of beingness accessible for him and others. 

Mridangist Erode Nagaraj, a elder pupil of Umayalpuram Sivaraman, cannot walk, and his arms are anemic with constricted scope of movement. He got polio erstwhile helium was two, and was bodily lifted oregon crawled agelong distances until helium could acquisition a customised wheelchair.

Born unsighted successful a household without philharmonic antecedents, N.S. Kamakshi learnt vocal and violin (from Parur M.S. Anantharaman, Sethalapati Balu and Suguna Varadachari), earlier focussing connected vocals. Her begetter and brothers helped her internalise captious aspects specified arsenic pronunciation and connection splits during practice. A regular performer, she says picking up co-artistes’ cues tin beryllium tricky when, for example, they mightiness accent rhythmic syllables. 

Ghatam exponent Suresh Vaidyanathan’s close limb has been affected by polio, making reaching venues and ascending stages exhausting. Suresh travels unsocial to concerts regularly the satellite over. 

While definite immunodeficiency trim bodily strain, helium chooses to not usage them to debar hassles for the others sharing the stage. “I don’t privation anyone to hold adjacent 1 other infinitesimal for me.” 

All these artistes accidental household is the crushed they person pursued creation and succeeded successful it. Chandrasekaran is escorted by his children oregon students, and his girl G. Bharathi performs often with him. “My mother’s petition for concessionary bid fares for the handicapped was implemented a twelvemonth aft she wrote to past railway curate Lal Bahadur Shastri,” helium adds.

Suresh’s household ensured helium could yet walk. Kamakshi’s household provided each the tools and enactment for euphony and academics. She lives with her brothers, including morsing artiste Nerkunam Manikandan and kanjira exponent Nerkunam Sankar, 1 of whom ever escorts and performs alongside her. Nagaraj’s parent lives with him and helium has siblings staying adjacent too. 

These artistes person transcended their disability, but galore others similar them languish unknown, unheard and unseen, getting fewer opportunities, if astatine all. Festivals dedicated to the otherwise abled are not the reply — what these artistes tendency and question is integration with the euphony community. 

There look to beryllium galore challenges, however, not each related to logistics. When Chandrasekaran got much applause successful a concert, immoderate co-artistes were unhappy, accidental Bharathi and her member Murali. Suresh mentions however helium was chosen for tours abroad, but dropped due to the fact that co-artistes thought helium would not beryllium capable to physically assistance them, and mightiness necessitate assistance himself. Nagaraj’s choosing to play lone astatine accessible venues led to offers dwindling. 

They besides consciousness atrocious astatine missing retired connected the joyousness of interacting with rasikas aft the concert. Many of them necessitate a wheelchair and they person to exit done circumstantial pathways successful the rear of the auditorium. “By the clip I travel out, astir attendees person left,” points retired Nagaraj. This besides means mislaid networking and show opportunities. 

But, enactment sometimes comes from unexpected sources. 

Nagaraj fondly recalls vocalist Vasudha Ravi’s begetter scoping retired venues and requesting Nagaraj lone erstwhile the determination is accessible. Kamakshi credits immoderate of her co-artistes with playing successful an intuitive mode that does not necessitate ocular cues. 

Nagaraj says that portion people’s kindness surely helps, immoderate things should go a portion of the system. Common consciousness and forethought tin amended accessibility, helium believes, suggesting that committees meant for the specially-abled see individuals facing difficulties. His questions are valid: Why does 1 request to instrumentality steps to get to the elevator? Why are the steps uneven with unstable railings? Why are braille signs truthful rare? Why are the restrooms not precise accessible? Why are wheelchair ramps not precise common? And, erstwhile they are, wherefore the mediocre design, wherever you request assistance to turn? Nagaraj recollects 1 ramp wherever the surfacing was installed successful reverse — due to the fact that of this, wheelchairs would accelerate portion descending and acquisition terrible friction ascending. 

Bharathi opines that successful today’s scenario, unless the families are well-heeled capable to wage for opportunities, differently-abled  musicians basal small accidental of being palmy performers. What helps astir of them, strangely, are teaching opportunities, abroad. Life is much accessible there, and Kamakshi and Nagaraj accidental that keeps their finances successful the green.

However, contempt changeless challenges, from some their bodies and the environment, these musicians show admirable spirit. There’s nary rancour. Nagaraj recollects a sabha caput telling him helium was paying him Rs. 80 for transport alternatively of Rs. 75, due to the fact that helium came successful a customised tri-cycle!