Sebastian and Sons: A Brief History of the Mridangam Makers

by T.M. Krishna

The mrdangam is an integral part of the Karnatik stage, its primary percussion instrument. Yet—startling as this is— the instrument as we know it is only a century old. T.M. Krishna investigates the history of the mrdangam and meets the invisible keepers of a tradition: the mrdangam makers.

The making process is an intellectually, aesthetically and physically taxing one. From acquiring the skins for the circular membranes and straps to the wood for the drum, from curing the material to the final construction, and at the end of it all, making sure that it has the tone that the mrdangam player wants, mrdangam-making is also a highly nuanced operation at every stage.

While several artists have been credited with the evolution of the instrument, including the stalwart Palghat Mani Iyer, none of them had knowledge of a fundamental aspect of the making: hide. The quality of the hide and how it is cured, cut, stretched, bound and braided impacts the tone, timbre and sound of the instrument. This requires a highly tuned ear and an ability to translate abstract ideas expressed by musicians into the corporeal reality of a mrdangam. Yet, their contribution to the art of the mrdangam is dismissed as labour and repair—when it is spoken of at all.

There are legendary mrdangam players, yes; there are also distinguished mrdangam makers, many of them from Dalit Christian communities, who remain on the fringes of the Karnatik community. Sebastian and Sons explores the world of these artists, their history, lore and lived experience to arrive at a more organic and holistic understanding of the music that the mrdangam makes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music, History, Biography, Cultural, India, Politics

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 20, 2020

About the author

Thodur Madabusi Krishna a.k.a T.M. Krishna is a Carnatic vocalist, writer, activist and author. Both of Krishna's parents had deep interest in the arts, especially Carnatic music. Krishna's parents ensured that he received exposure to the classical arts from a young age. They arranged for him to receive music lessons from a very young age. Krishna began his musical training under Bhagavathula Seetharama Sharma. He later underwent special Ragam Thanam Pallavi grooming under Chingleput Ranganathan.

Krishna's performing career began at the age of 12 with his debut concert at the Spirit of Youth series organized by the Music Academy, Chennai (India). He has since performed widely at various festivals and venues across the world, including the Madras Music Academy, National Centre for the Performing Arts (India), John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, to name a few.

His music is often appraised as being soulful and full of 'raga bhava'. Among his many renditions, some of the most popular among his listeners include 'Jambupathe' in Yamunakalyani and 'Manavinala' in Nalinakanthi. His music during the last decade was reputed for his powerful, deep voice and his ability to sing rapid swaras in many rare ragas. He now shows a focus on Neraval, an improvisational form which he believes has been distorted over the ages. He is also famous for his 'innovations' in the method he presents his concerts, one of the primary issues that purists have being that he renders varnams (traditionally introductory pieces) in the middle of a concert. He is also working towards a project in which Dikshithar compositions from the Sangeetha Sampradaya Pradarshini are rendered exactly according to their notation in the book.

Krishna speaks and writes about a wide range of issues, not confined to the cultural sphere. His interests span the breadth of leftwing activism, be it the environment, the caste system, social reform, religious reform, combating communalism, innovation in classical music and so on. He has started and is involved in many organizations whose work is spread across the spectrum of music and culture. Recently, he has spoken out against the revocation of Article 370, the destruction of statues.

Krishna is part of the team of activists that organizes the Urur-Olcott Kuppam Festival (Chennai Kalai Theru Vizha) in Chennai and the Svanubhava initiative in Chennai. He has been part of inspiring collaborations, such as the Chennai Poromboke Paadal with environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman. He has collaborated for performances with the Jogappas (transgender musicians) and has brought on to the concert stage the poetry of Perumal Murugan. He also speaks in various conferences and academic institutions, including Harvard University, Chennai Mathematical Institute, the Indian Institutes of Technology, and the Indian Institutes of Management.

Among his awards are the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award (2016) in recognition of ‘his forceful commitment as artist and advocate to art’s power to heal India’s deep social divisions’, the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration (2017) for his services in promoting and preserving national integration in the country, and the Professor V. Aravindakshan Memorial Award (2017) for connecting Carnatic music with the common man.

Reviews

[Gowtham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review


ஒரு தீவிர வாசகருடனான உரையாடலில் இந்த புத்தகத்தின் பெயர் அடிப்பட்டது, புத்தகம் வெளியிடும் சமயத்தில் பார்பனர்களிடையே பெரும் சலசலப்பை ஏற்படுத்திய புத்தகம் என்பதால் கூடுதல் ஆர்வம். அதன் பின் படிக்க தொடங்கி இந்த வருடத்தின் முதல் புத்தகமாக அமைந்தது கர்நாடக இசைக்கலைஞர் TM KRISHNA எழுதிய SEBASTIAN AND SONS.

மிருந்தங்கத்தை பற்றியும் அதை சுற்றி நடக்கும் சமுகவியல்/கலாச்சார/அரசியல் மாற்றங்களையும் மிக தெளிவாக பதிவுசெய்த்துள்ளார். புத்தகம் முழுக்க முழுக்க மிருதங்கம் செய்பவர்களை பற்றிய ஆவணம் அத்தோடு சாதி, வர்க்கம், பாலினம் என அணைத்து காரணிகளையும் தொடர்புபடுத்தி எழுதியுள்ளார். “மிருதங்கம் தயாரிக்கும் முறை” பற்றிய பகுதி அவரது எழுத்துக்கள் மூலம் கண்முன் காட்சியாக விரிகிறது.

TM கிருஷ்ணா பிறப்பால் ஒரு பார்ப்பனர் என்றாலும், அவர் தனக்கான சமூக சிறப்புரிமையை(SOCIAL PRIVELAGE) கருத்தில் கொண்டு இந்நூலை மிக பக்குவமாக அணுகியுள்ளார். கர்நாடக சங்கீதம் என்றாலே ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட சமூகத்தினர் தான் நினைவுக்கு வருவார்கள். கர்நாடக சங்கீதத்தில் வீணை, வயலின், புல்லாங்குழல், நாதஸ்வரம், கடம் என வாத்தியங்கள் இருந்தாலும், மிருதங்கம் தனிச்சிறப்பு உடையது,காரணம் அது தோல் வாத்தியம், மாட்டுத்தோல் ஆட்டுத்தோல், பலா மர கட்டை[தவிர] என இதன் மூலப்பொருட்கள் அனைத்தும் பார்ப்பனர்களால் தீண்டப்படாத பொருட்கள்.

மிருதங்கத்திற்கு பராமரிப்பும் மிக மிக அவசியமாகும், இதன் தயாரிப்பு மற்றும் பராமரிப்பின் காரணமாகவே சாதிய உற்பத்தி உறவு முறையில் மிருதங்கம் தயாரிப்பவர்களுக்கும்(makers of mirdangam), அதனை வாசிப்பவர்களுக்கும்(mirdangam artist) ஒரு தொடர்பு வாழ்க்கை முழுக்க இருந்தபடியே உள்ளது. தயாரிப்பவர்கள் பெரும்பாலும் தலித் சமூகத்தை சேர்ந்தவர்களாவே இருகிறார்கள், பின்னாளில் இவர்கள் காலனிய ஆதிக்கத்தின் காரணமாகவும் சாதிய ஒடுக்குமுறையின் காரணமாகவும் கிறிஸ்துவ மதத்திற்கு மாறியவர்கள். அவற்றில் ஒருவர் தான் செவாடியன்(SEBASTIAN), அவரது குடும்பம் தஞ்சாவூரை பின்புலமாக கொண்டது, பின்னாளில் ஒரு மிருதங்க தயாரிப்பு சாம்ராஜியமாக உருமாறியதால் நூலின் பெயரும் அவ்வாரே அமைந்தது.

நூல் முழுக்க மிருதங்கம் தயாரிப்பவருக்கும்-வாசிப்பவருக்கு இடையே இருந்த சாதிய முரண்பாடுகளையும், பிற் காலத்தில் நகர்மயமாதலாலும், நவீனமயத்தின் காரணமாகவும் அது எவ்வாறு மாற்றம் அடைந்தது என்பதையும் கதையோடு பிணைந்துள்ள யுத்தி சிறப்பு. இந்த உற்பத்தி உறவுமுறையில் பெரியார் கண்ட திராவிட இயக்கத்தின் தாக்கத்தையும் அவர் ஒரு இடத்தில் பதிவுசெய்கிறார்.

மிருதங்கத்தின் தயாரிப்பு முறை மிகவும் கடிமானது, மனித உழைப்பை உறிஞ்சி எடுக்க கூடியது, அதே சமயத்தில் கலைத்துவம் நிறைந்த வேலைப்பாடுகளால் ஆனது.

பலா மர கட்டைகளை சேகரித்து பதப்படுத்துதல், மாட்டுத்தோல் மற்றும் ஆட்டுத்தோல் தயாரிப்பு முறை, அனைத்தையும் தோல் கயிறின் மூலம் இணைத்தல், பின் சத்தத்திற்கு ஏற்ப முறைப்படுத்துதல் என சிக்கலான தயாரிப்பு முறையை உள்ளடக்கியது தான் மிருதங்கம். இதை பற்றி மிக விரிவாகவும், கள ஆய்வுகளுடனும், பல நேர்காணல்களுடனும் பதிவுசெய்த்துள்ளார்.

செபாஸ்டியன் குடும்பத்தை தவிர தென்னிந்தியாவில் மிருதங்கம் செய்யும் பிற தயாரிப்பாளர்களையும், அதில் மாறுபடும் விஷயங்களையும், அவர்களின் அனுபவங்களையும் பதிவுசெய்த்துள்ளார்.

இதில் வியப்பாக ஒரு பார்ப்பன தயாரிப்பாளரும்(maker), பெண் தயாரிப்பாளரும்(maker) இடம்பெறுகிறார்கள், ஒருவர் சமூக அடுக்கில் உயர்நிலையில் பல சிறப்பு சலுகைகளை அனுபவிப்பவர், மற்றொருவர் அனைத்திலும் பின்தங்கிய வர்கத்தை சார்ந்தவர், இவர்கள் வாழ்கையையும் அந்த துறையில் இவர்கள் சந்தித்த இன்னல்களையும் நேர்காணல்கள் மூலம் விவரித்துள்ளார்.

நூலின் அமைப்பே சிறப்பான முறையில் கையாளப்பட்டுள்ளது, அந்தந்த குடும்பங்களின் வரலாறும், அவர்கள் இத்தொழிலில் அடைந்த சரிவுகளும்,அதிலிருந்து கற்ற பாடங்களும் இவர்களின் இந்த பாரம்பரியம் தொடர பெரும்பங்காற்றியுள்ளது என்பது வெளிப்படையாக தெரிகிறது. இருந்தாலும் இவர்களின் வாழ்க்கைத்தரம் சாதி என்ற ஒற்றை காரணத்திற்காக பெரிய அளவில் பொருளாதார மாற்றம் பெற வில்லை.

மிருதங்க கலைஞனுக்கு கொடுக்கப்படும் அங்கீகாரம் அதனை வடிவமைக்கும் தயாரிப்பாளனுக்கு கொடுக்கப்படுவதில்லை என்பதை வருத்தமாக பதிவு செய்கிறார் நூல் ஆசிரியர்.

இந்நூலை நேர்மையாகவும், வெளிப்படையாகவும் எழுதிய டி எம் கிருஷ்ணா அவர்களுக்கு பாராட்டுகளும் அன்பும். இது போன்ற நூல்கள் சாதி அமைப்பையும் அதன் கொடுரங்களையும் தோலுரிக்க அவசிய தேவையாகும்.
தோழர்கள் அவசியம் வாசிக்கவும். தமிழில் எழுதி இருக்கலாம், அல்லது மொழிபெயர்த்து வெளியிடலாம் என்பது என் வேண்டுகோள்.

BOOK: SEBASTIAN AND SONS - a brief history of mirudhangam makers
AUTHOR: TM KRISHNA.

#must_read

[Vivek Anandh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely that a cover for a book can evoke such strong feelings within me. A bare-chested male with confident poise holding a mrudhangam in his hand. May not be out of place but for the large cross that hangs on his chest. A Dalit Christian wielding that instrument and pose with confidence itself is an aberration for everything that Karnatik music has come to be defined as for us all. Music - an expression of humankind's creative life force is unfortunately tied down by artificial hierarchies of caste, gender, and religion in our society. More so in the deified Karnatik music. Here only the caste can determine your visibility. Not your talent or creative audacity. More so when a person belongs to the fringes of caste hierarchy. No one could have imagined an instrument such as mrudangam is first touched by the lowest of the low in the caste hierarchy in its creation. Why do we not know that? Because that is deliberately hidden. Because the instruments’ creation involves ritually ‘impure’ work that the players of mrudangam does not want to associate themselves with. This book break opens the door to the world where the thin line between the creator himself becoming the artist smudges. It is the creator’s intuition that chooses the right skin, cutting it at the right place to the right size, treat it right, place it, shape it. It is with his first tap that it comes to life. But he is forgotten thereafter. The instrument itself finds a place in a mridangam player’s home, not so for the creator. He is a distant idea. He is merely a carrier of the instrument without any creative inputs of his own. The narration takes you on how? Why? From when? Of all these. Suppressed. Hidden. Forgotten. These subaltern ‘creators’ of music has been given their due recognition through this book. This is just the beginning of many. There are many more ‘Parlandu’ living amongst us deserving recognition and respect. Do read this.

[Ananth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book since I was curious why so much controversy around this book. T.M.Krishna indeed nailed the caste hierarchy and unspoken rules of the regime. Though the book explores the life of Mrudangam makers, the social imbalance and caste prejudice exist in all forms of the work. The glory goes to the upper class at the cost of labor sacrifices.

The fact that this book causes controversies itself as an example of prejudice. Reading this book in a way questioning my soul as I'm still part of this caste hierarchy and the unspoken prejudice rules still exist in my hometown.

[Sunil -സു-|-S- · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is a good book for Karnatic musicologists. TM Krishna as a musician, he wrote about the caste and social status of he mrdamgam makers. But the readers are not musicologists and their interest may vary. Readers are many types and I am one of them with many interests including political view. Sure caste is a problem, and as a person I am well aware of that. A reader trying to be politically correct, sure, he/she may aware of this caste issue. For them the book is nothing. But it do explain in details the history and making of mrdamgam. His First book Southern Music a Karnatic story was well written. About the controversy surrounding the book, I think, the book is for musicologists from higher caste. :)

Some quotes from the book:-

Contradictions emerge and, if we are looking for clear right or wrong political positions to adopt, we may never get one.

And rarely will they publicly and unambiguously acknowledge the mrdangam maker’s contribution to the improvement in their own playing or performance—or, indeed, to the development of the instrument’s calibre. These people are not acknowledged as equal creative partners in the process of this artistic engagement.

Palghat Mani Iyer is an etched memory in the national cultural consciousness, but Parlandu, Antony and Selvaraj are always on the periphery, if at all they exist there.

These are people who have been barred from the memory of culture and society, looked at as tools, their entire intellectual and emotional being reduced to the service they provide. They too are socialised to believe in this contract.

Mrdangam artists often say that no animals are killed specifically for the instrument. In an interview to S. Anand in Outlook magazine in 2003, Sivaraman had this to say: ‘Cows are not killed to make mrdangams. They are slaughtered anyway and we merely use the hide.’ In that same article, Rajamanickam had responded with: ‘Have these people ever been to a slaughterhouse to see what we do? We examine cows and choose the healthy ones that have good, lustrous, soft skin. The cow should have given birth at least a couple of times but shouldn’t be too old.’ This holds true for the buffalo or goat as well.

[Sharanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a book this has been!
The recent past has been a revelation in terms of the privilege I have enjoyed in this society just by the accident of birth. The trajectory from the Annihilation of caste to this book has been an eventful and an eye-opening one. Although not directly involved in the Madras carnatic scene now, I am intimately aware of its state there. Yet, passing through the same streets, my privilege has never seen these makers practicing their art, right in front of my eyes. How can this be possible? Turns out, it can. That is the virtue of casteism. But that's just the beginning of the chasm in our society.

This book snugly fits in this gap, presenting a wonderful cross-sectional view of the Carnatic music scene with a specific focus on the making of Mridangams. It takes you through the alleys to meet the different classes of markers, stops for a vada to explain the intricacies of the actual construction, travels in the electric train to mention the casteist demarcations of Madras' geography, and while sipping on a filter kapi, it states strongly the sexism involved in not just the makers and artists themselves, but also the inherent sexism in the types of skins used. Having done all this, we'd still be gaping at the sky at noon exclaiming 'Uchi veyil mandaya polakudu' without having gotten to even the second half of the book. There's lots more to be said, but best left to the reader to relish. My only caveat is that the book gets verbose at times, with too many specific details to remember. Otherwise, a complete treat. 4 stars.

[Madhupria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I always believed that discriminating groups of people can never be an informed, intellectual act. T. M. Krishna exposes the hypocrisy and the cognitive dissonance that is necessary to maintain an oppressive system. The nuance of how caste operates in these modern times was illuminating. I also appreciated that gender-dynamics were discussed not just with regards to the musicians, but also with regards to the makers. A must-read, especially for the people in the music industry.

[Mohan Prashanth · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this, I don't think anyone would deny the fact that TM Krishna has made the sincere effort to research and document the unacknowledged genius of mrdangam makers and the casteist Carnatic arts milieu they operated in/ continue to operate in.

Despite that, the reason for my rating is the heavily technical details the second half goes into and the highly academic exercise of introducing every possible character without giving them enough book-time to register in the minds of the reader. As for the technical details, either the reader would need to be a mrdangam player to appreciate it or the author must have generously used more illustrations or elaborations to take the average reader along.

All this makes Sebastian and sons a laborious read after a point.

[Harsha Raghuram · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would first like to thank the author for writing this book. This is something every Karnatik musician and music lover should read and learn to recognise what goes behind the making of a Mrdangam. Just the fact that it is an instrument that has membranes made of animal skin, and that animals are specifically selected to be slaughtered for this, that there is a stark caste divide at play, that the Mrdangam makers are often relegated to the status of 'repairers' without acknowledging the fact that the artist only plays it and barely knows anything about even repairing it, escapes our minds unless someone like Krishna points it out. He has painstakingly conducted interviews with the makers and their families, collected oral history from both the makers and the artists and written this important book.

The book can be edited better: the first two chapters feels like the author is trying to find his voice, similar to how some vocalists need to sing a piece or two at the start of a concert to set their voice right; the anatomy of the Mrdangam contains mostly Tamil words (understandably so) which makes it for readers not fluent in Tamil to keep track of what they mean, and this makes it hard to follow the detailed descriptions. This could be fixed by adding a glossary (instead of or in addition to the pronunciation guide).

[Padmaja V · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded to 4! Sebastian and sons is an important read especially for those who either dabble in or listen to carnatic music. There is a whole world of artisanship and industry that our privilege blinds us from. Although highly informative and insightful, the writing style is inconsistent and could be better.

[Karthik Shashidhar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely well written. And a brilliant story. Five stars for that.

Minus one star for all the Marxist ideology that you need to filter out in order to enjoy this book.

[Kavitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read to understand the nuances of caste in the unseen world of Carnatic music. Also, reads like fiction.

[Subbarao · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very detailed scholarly research about the family that made mrdangam in the 20th century Tamilnadu, or in South India and the makers interaction with the mrdangam artists. Krishna has dealt in detail about the caste dynamics between the converted dalit christian makers and the brahmin (mostly) artists in the earlier days and also how things are now in a rather polished way, the recognition given to the artists Vs the recognition to the makers etc. It is not a book written sitting before a pc. He has done a lot of field work and his quest for finding who made all those changes that happened in the making and playing of mrdangam has given us this well researched book.
Unlike other instruments, mrdangam has to be taken care of by the maker himself and so the maker and player are to in constant touch always. In this professional interaction caste also interacts and Krishna beautifully brings out where they are friendly and where the strict line of caste is drawn.
In total it is not only a book on mrdangam makers, but a commentary on the caste dynamics of Indian society at large.
My greetings to Sri.T.M.Krishna...

[Sudharshan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an account of the lives of mrdangam makers who are the unsung backroom boys of the carnatic music world and the complex relationship between the makers and their patrons.
The author has put in painstaking efforts in tracing the families, conducting interviews with the makers in an attempt to reconstruct the history over the last fifty to seventy years.
The key points around which the book revolves are:
The hypocrisy of bramins in using the mrdangam made of cow hide while claiming ritual purity.
Outsourcing the unenviable job of slaughtering the cow and making the mrdangam to dalits and living in a world of pretence (don't worry about the origin of the river or of the rishi).
Not giving the makers due credit for their contribution and attributing the good work to a divine force for bringing together the wood, leather and the artist to produce heavenly music.
Artist going on an ego trip and making unnecessary and unreasonable demands on the maker which resulted in extreme physical hardships for the makers which the artist themselves (bramin 'weaklings') were not capable of.
All of the above points are valid and works like this would go a long way in correcting a historical wrong giving the makers their due credit. However, the biggest issue marring the narrative is the author's privilege.
Krishna comes from an affluent and privileged background. His contemporaries like Sanjay subrahmanyan probably worked twice as hard to reach a similar status and not everyone gets to write in the "The Hindu". Thus, he is very much part of the inner circle that he is being critical of. His extreme self-awareness of his privilege has resulted in Krishna superimposing 20th century values on feudal men who seemed benevolent judging by their times.
The book revolves around Palghat Mani Iyer and his obsession with improvising the mrdangam and to be fair to Krishna he quotes the interviewee verbatim/states the facts before adding his interpretation. Iyer comes out as a fair person who is passionate about his work and respects talent, While Krishna tries to paint him as an opportunist providing concessions to the makers to gain an edge against his rivals by having a better instrument.
To quote a few :
One Vaidyanada Iyer pays only the bare expenses to the makers and keeps the rest in safe custody. Krishna interprets this as a feudal lord controlling the socio-economic status of the lower class. But elsewhere the family members of the makers state that any surplus cash would be spent on liquor (once can argue iyer had no business to decide how they spent their money) and later the author also states that vaidyanada Iyer and Mani Iyer give money to parlandu (one of the makers) for building a house and also buy some land for him. Parlandu also spends the night in the crematorium when (V) Iyer dies. The author attributes this to complex web of emotions including servitude.
Elsewhere Parlandu is said to have threatened one of Palaghat’s Iyer’s manager with dire consequences if he ever visited the “Cheri” again when he had (one of the many) fallouts with Iyer. But Iyer seems to treat these episodes with benevolence (for a man of feudal times). Contrast this with one of his leading contemporaries (Palani) who brooks no insubordination from Parlandu and refuses to work with him after that.
Iyer on the other hand seems to genuinely appreciate the makers talent and seems to treat them fairly from a financial perspective. He asks his manager (another Iyer) to collect Parlandu’s urine for tests when the latter is debilitated with diabetes.
Similarly, some of the makers seem to think that the brahmin artists have moved on and caste discrimination has reduced. Krishna attributes this to compulsions of living in urban spaces and desperation for availing the makers services and keeping them in good humour. He makes a similar observation when one of the makers mention that a particular artist treated him like a son.
While the makers deserve due recognition, sometimes one feels Krishna overstates the case and to my mind the below episode answers the question for the lay reader:
Mani Iyer believes that his rival Palani has a better mrdangam and asks Parlandu to finetune his instrument. After many iterations, Iyer is not satisfied and he scornfully questions Parlandu’s ability. Parlandu Retorts “ Ayya it is not the instrument, it is his hands”.

This would have been a more soulful book if written by an insider( like Bala Sarawati’s biography by Knight).

[Aruna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It must have been cold there in my shadow; To never have sunlight on your face; You were content to let me shine; That's your way," sang Bette Midler in her famous song "The Wind Beneath My Wings". That's what came to my mind when I read this book.

I admire TM Krishna for delving deep into the lives of the unknown Mridangam makers as well as the art and science of Mridangam making. It captures the history and lives of these craftsmen for posterity, and I hope it motivates us to look for an d recognise all those people who are the wind beneath our wings.

TMK's writing style makes for easy reading of a difficult subject, and I look forward to what his next book will focus on.

A must read for all students of Carnatic music.

[Manoj (BooksPoetryandMore) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebastian and Sons tracks the earliest Mrdangam makers, the artists who worked on the wood gave it a shape. It records what efforts and experience are required to procure the wood (usually from Jackfruit tree), and the entire process of how it is converted into the frame of Mrdangam.. What all stages it goes through to finally reach to the artisians who do the the leather work.

The Mrdangam maker, who actually works with the animal hide (cow, goat and buffalo). The entire process of skinning the hide, preparing the skin to be used in the instrument. Once the skin is ready, then the job is to fix and fit it in the Mrdangam, which itself is a skillful job and requires various steps, which is captured in detail.
The details provided in the making of the Mrdangam are gut wrenching, the amount of effort and physical work done by the artisans in abysmal conditions will make you feel sick. This brings another facet of people like us who take things for granted and always look at the finished product and never think about what happens in the background. Who are the actual people who are making or creating these products that we are consuming. What are their working conditions? Are they paid as per the work they do? Do they have any post retirement security? and many such other questions that we choose to ignore.

One thing though, you need to keep a note of Tamil words as they come, because there are quite a few and if you don’t keep a note you might loose track. Also, lot of people are interviewed for this book, so it would be good if you refer to the family chart provided at the end of the book to get an a broad understanding of who the author is speaking about.

A must read if you have a thing for anthropology and want to know about caste and its effects.

[Chandar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mridangam is the lynchpin for a Carnatic classical music concert and enjoys pride of place among percussive instruments. In an art form overwhelmingly dominated by Brahmins, the makers of this complex instrument, however, are mostly outcaste dalits. Particularly because it involves the use of animal hides.

T.M. Krishna, an accomplished vocalist himself, caught a lot of (un)friendly fire from the orthodox Tamil Brahmin community for unapologetically stating in the book many unpalatable aspects of mridangam making (including the use of cow hide) and the caste relations between the artistes and the makers and the hypocrisies involved! As far as I could see, Krishna treads a fine line between making value judgements and quoting his sources, though it does seem a little forced at times when every minor detail is scrutinized through the lens of caste. That said, this is an extraordinary book showcasing detailed study of the intricacies of making the instrument as well as a larger sociological study of a niche in society where self-interest brought two ends of the caste spectrum together. It is also the history of the 'first family' of mridangam makers over four generations, largely unsung, unknown.

[Manoharan]

വിഖ്യാത സംഗീതജ്ഞൻ ടി.എം. കൃഷ്ണയുടെ പ്രശസ്തവും ഒരുപാടു വിവാദങ്ങൾക്കും ചർച്ചകൾക്കും ഇടവുമായ പുസ്തകത്തിന്റ മലയാള വിവർത്തനം. ജോണി.എം.എൽ.വിവർ ത്തനം ചെയ്ത് മാതൃഭൂമി പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ച ഈ പുസ്തകം അസാധാരണമായ ഒരു പ്രമേയം ആണ് കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്നത്. മൃദംഗ നിർമ്മാതാക്കളേയും അവരെ അകറ്റി നിർത്തിയ അവരുടെ ജാതി പിന്നോക്കാവസ്ഥയേയും ഡോക്യുമെന്റ് ചെയ്യുകയാണ് ടി.എം. കൃഷ്ണ . വിഖ്യാത മൃദംഗ കലാകാരന്മാരുടെ വാദനം ആസ്വദിക്കുന്നവരാരും ആ മൃദംഗ നിർമ്മാണത്തിന്റ പിന്നാമ്പുറം അന്വേഷിക്കാറില്ല. അതന്വേഷിച്ചു ചെന്നപ്പോഴാണ് അസ്പർശരും ദരിദ്രരും ആയ മൃദംഗ നിർമ്മാതാക്കളുടെ ദളിത കഥകൾ അനാവരണം ചെയ്യപ്പെടുന്നത്. മുഖ്യമായും ചെന്നൈയിലേയും തഞ്ചാവൂരിലേയും മൃദംഗ നിർമ്മാതാക്കളേയാണ് ടി.എം. കൃഷ്ണ പഠന വിധേയമാക്കുന്നത്.
മൃദംഗവാദകരേ പോലെ തന്നെ പ്രധാനമാണ് മൃദംഗ നിർമ്മാതാക്കളുടെ കലാവിരുതും എന്ന് ഗ്രന്ഥകർത്താവ് സ്ഥാപിക്കുന്നു. മൃദംഗ നിർമ്മാണത്തിൻറ വിവിധ വശങ്ങളും വൈവിദ്ധ്യങ്ങളുമെല്ലാം വിവരിക്കുന്ന ഇത്തരമൊരു പുസ്തകം അത്യപൂർവ്വമാണ് എന്ന് നിസ്സംശയം പറയാം

[Lakshmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're not remotely interested in the Karnatik Arts or have never been exposed to said world, this will be a difficult book to get through. T.M. Krishna intends to shed light on the Mrdangam makers, their process, and, most importantly, their dynamic with the Mrdangam artists. However, the reader only gets a sprinkling of anecdotes, superficial observations of the caste politics between the makers and artists, and a convoluted explanation of the mrdangam making process. Keeping track of all the names of the makers and artists and their family relations is tedious. The stories about Parlandu and Mani Iyer's professional and personal relationships were the highlight of this book, which could have been better with more such stories.

[Fernando Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Author has brought about quite a sensitive and difficult dynamic in very free flowing thought and easy reading in homely style which makes one feels at ease with very different environments and settings in which music lives. Whatever limits and landmarks one might prefer to have as his or her own basis for identity is definitely the most unfortunate and ugly face of a weak sinful humanity. But masters in the musical order prefer to transcend these pitiable demarcations with gentle agility while the devils display their own devices to stratify division among men. Sebastian and Sons is a very good read for those who appreciate "We all are just one human family" - The Vasudaiva Kutumbaham - The Kingdom of God. It was joy to read this work. Thank you.

[Yashas Yajur · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that curates physics, materials science, biology, music, acoustics, and most notably the socio-political and caste dynamics among individuals of unmatched wizardry in their fields of expertise. I think everyone who appreciates or is interested in Karnatic music should read this book. This sure will offer a surprising, often contradictory but necessary perspective, and throw light on some of the (questionable) blind spots. One goes to a concert and praises the artist's excellence and sound, but I think it's rare for one to truly appreciate the craftsman–the maker without whom the sound wouldn't even exist. It's about time that the Parlandus, Arogyams and Anthoys among us get the respect and recognition they deserve. A great read.

[Megh Krishnaswamy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much needed commentary on a severely under-researched subject. Readers must bear in mind that this history is being presented from the lens of someone inclined to be preachy, who can’t go five paragraphs without presenting his commentary.

The blog A Contrarian World sums up my thoughts on the book well: "Essentially any gracious act is driven by transactional motivation and anything less than egalitarian is exclusively due to caste differences. Nuances, subtleties and complexities are all thrown to the wind in becoming a ‘burn the house down’ activism and an unseemly desire to playing to the gallery”.
[http://contrarianworld.blogspot.com/2...]

[Prathap · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into the history with deep dive into the lives of Mrdangam makers, T M Krishna's Sebastian and Sons addresses the caste issues that plague the Carnatic music scene. It's especially remarkable because Krishna, accomplished though he is, comes from a privileged background with significant clout in the industry. Krishna breaks down the politics of caste that has kept the hard work of Mrdangam makers - whose job it is to process the animal hide involved in the making of the instrument, making them subject to social ostracization - always away from the limelight. Brilliant book.

[Soundar Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complete history of Mrdangam makers and the process of making the instrument been explained.

Also this work of art explains the relationship between the player and the maker. Wouldn't like to reveal the content but be ready for some Madras history as well as class issues.

The makers gave the tool to the players to do their work for which they received their mere compensation.

1)Why the players doesn't think that the makers has get paid premium pricing for what they provide as a service. (Race? Class? Religion? Caste? Power & Authority? Way to suppress the makers?)

[Mathangi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a well-researched and amazingly well-written book!

Despite being well-versed in Carnatic music, I never knew much about the makers until I read this book. It questions privilege, caste and identities and pushes the reader to think and question themselves. A definite 5-star read!

As TMK says “Caste is not just a physical obstacle; it limits the relationship, reduces human respect, equality and, above all, results in a ‘forgetting’. It is a violent dehumanisation that is not easily overcome.” Powerful lines and a powerful book.

[Revanth Ukkalam · Rating 4 out of 5]

One could not ask for a better introduction to the technicalities of the 'Mrdangam' - the skill involved, the history, and the very texture of the object and its sound. However the argument of Krishna could have been made more sound if he had jettisoned the method of the activist. Do explain the word 'casteist', 'Brahminical', 'discriminatory' to us.

[Amritha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important piece of work full of rich research uncovering the history and lives of mrdangam makers. Though the writing is a little dense and could use more structure, the richness of the content and the socio-cultural commentary around it is well worth the read. I could see this work significantly more impactful in a documentary format.

[Priya Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read book!

I am amazed that the Gandhian values of Equality have come back alive with this book! So heart felt appreciation to the Author TM Krishna. It's a must read for all those who believe that 'Equality is Democracy'!

[Sudarsan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written. The author has very well covered the interplay between the maker, user and overall caste dynamics, which is his pet topic. And nothing wrong in truth being told. The ode to wizard Parlandu is brief.

[Deepak Prabakar · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book that pays attention to the play of caste and religion in Carnatic music. Although it's important that the book pays homage to all these oppressed artisans, the sheer volume of names of people and places made the book a bit of a drag.

[Shru · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who studied or was exposed to carnatic music. A good book that helps confront caste and challenge other barriers such as womanhood.