Musical Explorations: Beyond the Saraswati Veena
While the veena is my primary voice, I often find myself pulled toward other sounds. This collection captures those spontaneous moments where I explore the sitar, mridangam, and vocal compositions that simply could not be ignored.
I am not a sitar player, but the raga Miyan ki Malhar was too addictive to resist. Please bear with the flaws, this was just me exploring the beautiful sound of the sitar.
I had just changed the strings on my sitar, and the sound was so enchanting it got me to sit with it for a few hours. This is an exploration inspired by a beautiful thumri.
It had been a long time since I sat with the mridangam. This is a short, inspired flow, and I recommend using headphones to catch the nuances of the percussion.
The cover art for my track 'Nijagada Sa'. I practiced this Ashtapadi and couldn't resist adding a mridangam layer to my veena rendition. It's available on all streaming platforms.
An excerpt from 'Udayadri Pai', a beautiful and haunting song. I learned this from a recording some time ago and wanted to share my vocal interpretation of it.
I recently learned this moving abhang, 'Sukhache Je Sukh', after hearing a version by Mahesh Kale ji. It's a profoundly moving piece of music, and I wanted to share the joy it brought me. Panduranga Vittal!
A short vocal exploration of the beautiful Tamil composition 'Poonkuyil Koovum'. It has been a while since I sang this, so please bear with the facial contortions.
A raw, imperfect vocal rendition of 'Neene Gati' in raga Patdeep. Sometimes it's just about the emotion and the power of the music, even if the singing isn't perfectly in tune.
A beautiful, impromptu musical conversation with Aadithyadev V. Punnayurkulam. After a concert, I happened to sit with a harmonium at his home, and we ended up exploring songs for over two hours.
About Musical Explorations
You will notice these recordings are raw and unedited, much like a private practice diary. I share them not as polished studio tracks, but as moments of genuine curiosity, whether I am navigating a Hindustani raga on the sitar or finding rhythm in the mridangam. These explorations inform how I approach my main veena recitals, and if you listen closely, you can hear the questions I am asking myself while playing.
Why I Explore
Music is a constant experiment. When I pick up a sitar or sit with a mridangam, I am not trying to become a master of that tradition. Instead, I am looking for the 'naada' or resonance that connects all forms of Indian music. For example, practicing a thumri on the sitar helps me understand the fluidity of notes and the emotional weight of a phrase, which I then bring back to the veena.
The Role of Improvisation
Many of these clips feature 'manodharma' (improvisation). Whether I am singing an abhang or exploring a new rhythmic pattern, the goal is always to find the connection between the math—the kanakku—and the melody. I believe that if you feel the structure but do not get bogged down by the arithmetic, the music stays alive.
A Note on These Recordings
These are home recordings and spontaneous sessions. They are captured in the moment, sometimes imperfectly, but always with full intent. If you enjoy this approach to classical music and want to hear how this philosophy translates to a formal concert setting, feel free to reach out. I am always open to discussing how these elements can be adapted for private chamber concerts, corporate cultural programs, or lecture demonstrations where we can deconstruct these concepts together.
Ramana Balachandhran
I am Ramana. Music is a constant experiment for me, and I treat every instrument—whether it is the veena, sitar, or even my own voice—as a new way to understand rhythm and melody. If you are looking for someone who engages with music as a living, breathing dialogue, let us connect.
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