The Steadfast Vina Student
As she did every night, Amma switched on the iPod when the family sat down for dinner. Melodious Carnatic music flowed through the room creating a peaceful atmosphere. The music blended with the kitchen sounds and the conversation around the table.§
Once Amala asked her mother why she played music during dinner. Her mother smiled, “My dear, a meal should not be limited to just placing food in the mout chewing and swallowing it quickly. A meal is the time we gather as a family. Dinner is the last meal of the day, so we are often tired, sometimes stressed out, depressed or annoyed. Music helps to mellow our moods and put us in a calm state of mind.”§
Amala’s brother Ananta loved music. He could easily pick out the sounds of the different instruments. He noticed that the vina especially makes a divine sound. He asked, “Amma, can you tell me more about the vina?”§
His mother smiled and said, “Where should I start?”§
Amala, who loved stories, shouted, “At the beginning!”§
Mother began, “The vina is as old as the Vedas. In early times, all stringed instruments were called vina. While there were several such instruments in the ancient world, the Indian vina is one of the oldest. It is mentioned in the Rig Veda. The earliest vina had a curved body made of bamboo. Closely related to the vina is the vana, which has one hundred strings.”§
“A hundred strings? How could one person play that?” Ananta cried.§
Amma replied, “Two people played it together.”§
“Are there different types of vinas today?” asked Amala.§
“Yes, there are many. The Saraswati vina of South India is one of the foremost concert instruments. The latest form of vina is the Raghunath vina.”§
Ananta had heard enough. He was eager to learn the instrument.§
Their mother gladly agreed. She learned that Pundit Subramaniyam, a well known vina player, was teaching in their area. He was happy to accept the two children as his students.§
A week later, on a Friday, Ananta came back excitedly from school. The lessons were scheduled for five in the evening, and he was eager to begin. He quickly got ready and reminded Amala it was almost time to go. Amala looked at the clock. It was nearly five. At 5:30, her friend was to call her with news regarding a birthday plan. She had completely forgotten about the vina classes. Oh, no! She would miss her friend’s call. But never mind, she truly loved to join Ananta in his games and activities; and if he wanted to learn the vina, she would learn it along with him. The two left in time to reach Subramaniyam’s house at 5:00 pm sharp.§
His home was filled with the fragrance of flowers and incense. Pundit Subramaniyam was sitting on a carpet in the music room, his fingers moving swiftly over the strings of a vina. When he saw the children, he beckoned them in and, with a smile, invited them to sit on the floor. Ananta was awestruck at the music that flowed from his hands. Would he ever be able to play like that? He pictured himself in a white kurta, performing in front of an audience. He was rudely shaken out of his daydream by his sister, “What’s wrong with you? Pundit is calling you!”§
The teacher gave the two of them smaller vinas to use in the class. He also advised them on the kind of vina they needed to buy.§
As they sat in front of the master, a few more students walked in. Ananta looked at a boy who must have been around fifteen and a girl of around twelve. Ananta was twelve, and Amala was ten.§
The classes began, and the children learned how to hold the vina and how to pluck the strings. The next day, Ananta went to the music shop with his mother and picked one vina for them to share.§
As the days passed, Ananta’s eagerness to learn grew. He hated it when the one hour of class was up and they had to leave. Amala found the class okay, but she was not all that enthusiastic about it.§
As soon as they returned home, Ananta spent another hour practicing what had been taught that day. He found that this gave him the chance to see where he was weak in his technique, so he could ask his teacher for help in the next class.§
Amala was not inspired to spend so much time practicing. She had other hobbies. At the moment, she was busy stitching a frock for her doll. It was her habit to jump from one project to the next, never really completing anything.§
The weeks merged into months, and soon the two children had finished six months of classes.§
It was a rainy evening when the teacher announced that next week there would be a live performance at which he wanted his students to accompany him.§
Ananta felt a tingling sense of thrill. Here was his chance to perform on stage! He eagerly waited as the teacher announced the names of those who would accompany him.§
“I would like Amala, Rekha, Ragini and Suresh to play with me,” the master exclaimed.§
Ananta lowered his head. Tears were threatening to fall. His mouth suddenly was as dry as sawdust and his heart felt like a stone. How eager he had been, and yet the teacher had left him out!§
He lifted the vina, and, like in a trance, began playing. The sadness in his heart flowed into his fingers and a divine music flowed out.§
Subramaniyam gestured to the others to be still, and the entire class listened in complete silence. It was a simple tune, as the vina takes many years to learn. But still, even so early in his training, Ananta could put feeling into his notes.§
Several minutes passed, and slowly Ananta realized that he was not hearing anyone else. His eyes snapped open to see the class staring at him.§
Subramaniyam smiled at Ananta, “I was making an announcement, and before I could finish, you began playing. In a way, that was good. Your music only confirmed my decision.”§
The teacher paused and looked into Ananta’s face.§
Ananta felt his heart beating fast, “Have I not learned enough to accompany you, Punditji?”§
Subramaniyam smiled proudly, “Silly child, I was going to announce that I would like you to play a solo.”§
Ananta felt as though a thousand sweet birds were chirping around him. He sat still and gazed at the ground. This time he did not stop the tears of joy that flowed out. Finally he stuttered, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”§
On the day of the concert, the children huddled in the dressing room. Outside they could hear people talking and moving around. Amala walked to the stage, parted the curtains slightly and peeked out. More than five hundred people were sitting in the auditorium. She knew their parents were out there somewhere.§
As the gong sounded, Amala, Rekha, Ragini and Suresh assembled around Pundit. As they played, divine music flowed out to the audience.§
Amala’s mother and father watched their little daughter playing. “Why isn’t Ananta there?” asked Appa softly.§
“I don’t know. They were both mighty secretive about the concert. They just wanted us to come, and they wouldn’t give me any other information!” she smiled.§
“Wasn’t Ananta practicing enough?” asked Appa.§
“I don’t think that’s it. You know, it was only Ananta who really practiced. Amala is always busy with her dolls one day and something else the next.”§
“Yes,” nodded Appa, “that’s true.”§
As the concert neared its end, cleared his throat and announced, “Dear ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce a budding master to all of you today. He has just begun his training, but please listen to him before I say anything more.”§
Ananta walked on stage and sat down in front of the microphone. He looked out at the sea of faces. He picked up the vina, and soon all the faces merged and disappeared as his fingers flew over the strings. The music fl owed sweetly.§
When he finished, there was pin-drop silence. Then the audience stood up and gave him a thundering applause.§
Once the sound of clapping quieted, Pundit Subramaniyam came back on stage. He put an arm around Ananta’s shoulders and said, “This young man is Ananta. He came to me six months ago. His eagerness to learn, dedication and practice have resulted in what you all heard today. I want to congratulate the boy and wish him the very best.”§
Ananta felt tears flowing down his eyes. The tears wouldn’t stop, even when his parents hugged him. As he sat in the car on the way home, he noticed that Amala was unusually quiet. Ashamed that in his moment of joy he had forgotten to praise his little sister, he said, “Amala, you played so well tonight!”§
Amala caught her brother’s hand, “Ananta, you deserve the applause you got today. If only I had practiced more!”§
Ananta patted her hand and said, “You can do it, Amala.”§
“Yes. I will practice really hard from today onward.”§
Amma laughed, “It looks like I will have to buy one more vina now.”§
The children chuckled, and in the distance a temple bell sounded loud and clear, a blessing for their new undertaking.§
