• Home

    Home


  • Articles

    Articles


  • Happenings

    Happenings


  • Eksentriks

    Eksentriks


  • Community

    Community

  • Home
  • Asian Arts Magazine  ▾
    • Arts
    • Culture
    • Films
    • Literature
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Photography
    • Poems
    • Stories
  • Artist Registry
  • Arts Community
  • Happenings

  • Log In
  • Submit Stories & Poems
  • List Your Events
  • Get Featured
  • Donate

  • What Is Eksentrika?
  • Get In Touch With Us
  • FAQ
  • Join Our Monthly Newsletter
  • Eksentrika Facebook
  • Eksentrika Instagram
  • Eksentrika Twitter
  • Eksentrika Linkedin
  • Eksentrika Telegram
  • Home
  • Get Featured
  • Asian Arts Magazine
  • Artist Registry
Arts & Culture Malaysia | Eksentrika
Eksentrika Login
ESSAY | The Artiste by Shobha Janardanan
Shobha Janardanan

Written by Shobha Janardanan

ESSAY | The Artiste by Shobha Janardanan

Share this article via


She walked with gentle, dainty strides in a flowing white crepe saree, studded with red beads, into the hall of her home in Brickfields. Her face glowed with artistry and her eyes danced with anticipation of performing, as she sat cross-legged on the floor and placed the veena* on her lap.

It was 5.30pm and the guests invited for a private recital were seated. They were all known faces; aunts and uncles, cousins and friends. Silence prevailed as the instrument was plucked and tuned by her nimble fingers. She twisted knobs on the stem of the veena, to get just the right pitch, before starting to play.

When her left hand began pulling the veena strings, the sound was pure, as though emanating from her heart rather than her fingers. The crowd was lost in musical bliss. I was awestruck by her musicality, grace and presence. The way in which her hands tugged at every string in my heart, drew me to her soul.

The woman mentioned, is one I’ve adored since I was a child of eight.

She is my aunt Asha. She had her beginnings in music at Kalakshetra, a school of music and dance situated in South India. Though her musical education was cut short by the then-tradition of marrying off women early in life, she never forsook playing the veena and singing.

At every family function or community gathering, no matter how small, a medium framed woman clad in only the most tasteful saree, walked in with a four foot wooden instrument in hand. She was always ready to play, to share, to bestow her art. Music for her, though cut short, was never to be sidelined.

Despite the bane of arthritis, my aunt Asha continued to sing for the next 40 years, alongside her Kalakshetra comrades who had the good fortune of completing their 5-year course in India and returning to musical careers. She sang into her late 60s, often using her left hand to rest on a walking stick, and her right to hold a microphone.

At 78 today, aunt Asha has left me her legacy of musical notations from a time when she wished to spread her wings as an artiste. With a tearful smile, she hands me the string bound pile of handwritten treasure and blesses me with a gentle kiss. It feels like she is sharing something much heavier than a small bundle. It is a legacy, a wish and the hope for posterity.

The way she inspires the singer in me is something I will never be able to articulate. I only know that our hearts are one, in the love for music. She will forever be the inspiration for every belted note. The only gift I can give her now is to visit her intermittently and sing any number of her favourite songs, as is (rightfully!) demanded of me. They are each to serenade her like lullabies, gently rolling her from a dull afternoon wakefulness, into delightful dreams of crepe sarees, a 4-foot veena and an enchanted audience.

*** The veena is a string instrument measuring about 1.5 meters. It is considered the most ancient instrument in India and in the right hands, is known for sound that penetrates the soul. Header image by Siyamala.

Are you a writer or a poet? Share your short stories and poems with us at [email protected]. Read our FAQ before submitting. Read this too!

ESSAY | No Pain, No Gain In Physiotherapy by Jane Ng

Hey guys, this was an enjoyable read. I want more content such as this in my inbox.


Tags: Shobha Janardanan
  1. Anonymous says:
    August 26, 2019 at 10:21 am

    5

Contribute to Us

We accept short stories, poems, opinion pieces, and essays on a complimentary basis.

SUBMIT

Other Stories You May Like

3 Features Of Nyonya Food That Make These Cuisine Special

3 Key Reasons Nyonya Cuisine Is Extra Yummy And Special

Catherine Leong

4 Cultural Facts Of Baba Nyonya And Peranakan In Malaysia

4 Interesting Cultural Facts Of The Baba Nyonya In Malaysia

Catherine Leong

Mak Yong Kelantan

How Mak Yong, Kelantan’s Traditional Art, Fans The Spirit Of Women Empowerment

Catherine Leong

4 Batik Types By Colours, Patterns, & Techniques In Malaysia

3 Easy Ways To Know Batik By Colours, Patterns, And Technique

Jennifer Rodrigo

3 Creatives Join Forces To Celebrate Sarees And Secrets

3 Talented Creatives Join Forces To Celebrate Sarees And Secrets

Ista

How Climate Change Is A Culture Problem That Art Can Solve

How Understanding Culture Can Help Artists Make Better Climate Change Art

Sukhbir Cheema

About Eksentrika

Eksentrika is an arts community and an online Asian arts magazine with an artist registry. Join us to get inspired and find Asian artists here!

Quick Links

  • About Eksentrika
  • Contact Us
  • F.A.Q.

Join Our Newsletter

 


All Rights Reserved © 2021 Eksentrika | By eJeeban Web Design Company

  • Eksentrika Facebook
  • Eksentrika Instagram
  • Eksentrika Twitter
  • Eksentrika Linkedin
  • Eksentrika Telegram