The Raga, The Melody

The Challenge

 The next day at school,

No sooner did I enter the gates than I was tickled to death by somebody. Oh, I knew who it was. Only one person in school knew my weakness.  Pavani. “You miss me?” She asked with her usual bright smile. I just walked past her “No. it was blissful. Can’t you take sick leave more often and get out of my hair?” She pat my back hard and said “Oh, now don’t be like that. I’m your friend.” I snorted and said sarcastically “Yeah, so is Batman.” She pouted and said “Hey, I wake you up most of time in class when the teacher notices.”  We walked into class and I said placing my bag on my desk “Mm-Hmm, then you would be called an alarm clock.”  She gave me an un-amused look “What’s got your panties in a twist today?”  “Nothing, save for your mindless babbling.” I said. Pavani just shook her head and said “Prick.”

The periods flew by and it was lunch. I stuffed the roll I had just bought from the cafeteria into my mouth and headed back to class. On the way, I heard someone play carnatic from the music room. I heard a wrong note played. Correction. I heard many wrong notes played. It frustrated me. Of course, I’m not saying that it is wrong to play wrong notes but only a tone-deaf person would continually make such mistakes with each progressive verse of the song. I came to a point where I couldn’t take it anymore.

I saw a girl inside playing a veena. “Hey!” I trod over to her. She stopped and looked at me, terrified. I said, with a vein popping on my forehead, “What do you think you’re playing?” She stammered “Uh…Umm…M-Manavyalakim….”  I felt another presence in the room and I was surprised that I didn’t notice him before this. Grenier with his cello. Does he carry it everywhere he goes?  “Grenier.” I said

“This girl here was kind enough to show me what this song sounded like on the veena. “ The corner of my mouth twitched upwards “Well, excuse me for interrupting but allow me to show you what it really sounds like.” I glared the girl away from the veena , sat down folding my legs and rested the two resonators properly. I began playing:

Song: Manavyalakim

Raga(Lyrical scale) name: Nalinakanti- The glistening lotus

Tala (Beats)- Adi. 8 beats

Composer: Thyagaraja

My mind and body were completely concentrating on every note and every beat of the song. I stopped, catching my breath. “Do you get it now? You weren’t playing according to the scale. Two out of the seven notes in it are augmented. I’ll leave it to you to figure that out.” I said to the girl. She looked at me, stumped and then nodded.

Grenier asked “Will you…form a group with me?” I blinked “Group? You don’t mean a carnatic group?” He said “Yes.”  I backed away “Oh no, no, no. I can’t do that. Besides, you’re a cellist.” “So?”

“So, that would be very odd.”

“A violin isn’toddbut a cello is?”

“……”

“I don’t do mainstream. Something tells me you don’t either.”

I frowned and said “Don’t act like you know everything. How much do you actually know about carnatic music?”  From the corner of my eye, I could see the girl sneak out of the room.

“Not much.” He admitted. “But I can learn.” I scoffed “And you’re thinking of forming a group. A little far-fetched don’t you think?”

“Just like you are a master of your art, I am also a master of my art.”

“Whoa whoa, I never said anything about being a ‘master’ of my art or anything. Don’t jump to conclusions.”

“It’s not hard to tell.” He smirked. I rolled my eyes. “Why am I even here talking to you? Look, there are people in school who are better versed than me and would gladly form a group with you. Go trouble them.”

“But I don’t see in others what I see in you.” I looked at him for a moment, wide-eyed wondering if he realized what he was saying. A massive blush covered my face. I turned away saying “You’re going to be really stubborn aren’t you?” I turned back with my annoyed face “Well so am I!” He started laughing really hard. I gawked at him angrily. “Let’s make this easier.” He said. “If I manage to play any composition of your choice on my cello without flaws within a week, you’ll join me.”

 Oh, he made a bad decision. I folded my arms and smirked “Alright. It should only be fair that you have a choice too: any of the Panchratna (“Five Gems”) compositions.” These are high-level compositions and it would take months for him to master.  He picked his cello up, putting it into the case “Fine. It’s a challenge.” I rolled my eyes again. He said as he left “Don’t you dare go back on your word.”  

Prove it first, Grenier.