Many debates have happened and many stalwarts have been banished from the courts of Music in India on this topic of whether a music composition should be left as is or can it be experimented with to enhance the experience for the current time and age. In my discussions with several artists, the common aspect that all seem to agree on is that Music like everything else needs to adapt. When we have adapted new technologies such as iPhone, iPod for listening to music, we are using Raagini Tanpura box instead of a real Tanpura, a Mridangam box instead of a real Mridangam then what is wrong in adapting to a new approach to singing an old composition? I am not advocating or supporting one way or the other, this is an open dialog. I can see the purists listening to Sikkil Gurucharan sing Sarvam Brahma Mayam and getting really agitated, or listening to Omkara Karini composition by Dr. Balamuralikrishna with only 4 notes and saying that he is an outcast who is disrespecting the traditions or listening to Sri Rama Charanam by TaalMenz and calling them renegades ruining the bhajan tradition. Music is a fine art and a wise artist said “There are no mistakes in Art!”.
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