Ranjani-Gayatri
Encyclopedia
Ranjani and Gayatri are Carnatic
concert vocalists and violinists.
, Ranjani and Gayatri's musical talents were discovered at a very early age. They started their violin training at the early age of nine and six respectively from Sangita Bhooshanam Prof. T.S. Krishnaswami at the Shanmukhananda Sangeeta Vidyalaya, Mumbai.
Sangeeta Kala Acharya
P. S. Narayanaswamy
. They have learnt quite a few Bhajan
s from vocalist Seetha Narayanan. Their chance meeting with an amateur Hindustani
vocalist in Chennai
, Vishwas Joshi, an official of the World Bank
working in Washington
, from whom they learnt a few abhang
s and gavlis, paved way for further learning from Manek Bhide and Appasaheb Deshpande of Kolhapur.
Within barely three years, they won high praises from critics and music lovers all over the globe. Their music, imbued with a deep and abiding classicism, has been described as an exhilarating blend of vitality, melody and emotion. Ever since their debut in 1997, they have performed in all prominent sabhas in the December Music Festival in Chennai, and at premier institutions all over the country. They have to their credit several album releases, both violin and vocal. They give various world tours every year, touring many countries such as the United States
, Canada
, Singapore
, Malaysia, UK, Australia
and many more.
player of North India, Bharat Ratna
Pandit Ravi Shankar, was so impressed by their singing that he organized a concert of theirs in Delhi
. Here is a list of the awards and recognitions received by the sisters:
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
concert vocalists and violinists.
Early life
Ranjani and Gayatri were born to N. Balasubramanian and Meenakshi (a Carnatic vocalist as well). Born into a family deeply involved in classical musicIndian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
, Ranjani and Gayatri's musical talents were discovered at a very early age. They started their violin training at the early age of nine and six respectively from Sangita Bhooshanam Prof. T.S. Krishnaswami at the Shanmukhananda Sangeeta Vidyalaya, Mumbai.
As violin duet artists
Ranjani and Gayatri began their music career as violin duet artistes even before they reached their teens. Through their intense training from Sangita Bhooshanam Prof. T. S. Krishnaswami, they quickly established themselves as top-class violinists of international repute. The sisters achieved success as violin duet performers, and subsequently they also proved successful as violin accompanists. Both Ranjani and Gayatri have accompanied various artists on the violin, including D.K. Pattammal.As vocal artists
The sisters have given vocal concerts since 1997, after they became students of Padma BhushanPadma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
Sangeeta Kala Acharya
Madras Music Academy
Madras Music Academy, or simply Music Academy, is one of the premier and early Music Academies in the South Indian city of Madras, now Chennai. It plays an important role in encouraging and promoting primarily the Carnatic Music south Indian art form. It also played an important role in revival of...
P. S. Narayanaswamy
P. S. Narayanaswamy
Puliyur Subramaniam Narayanaswamy also spelt Narayanaswami is a Carnatic music vocalist. He learnt music from Tiruppambaram Somasundaram Pillai, T. M. Tyagarajan and later from Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. He awarded the Bala Gana Kala Rathnam at the age of 12...
. They have learnt quite a few Bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
s from vocalist Seetha Narayanan. Their chance meeting with an amateur Hindustani
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
vocalist in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Vishwas Joshi, an official of the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
working in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, from whom they learnt a few abhang
Abhang
Abhang or Abhanga is a form of devotional poetry sung in praise of the Hindu god Vitthala also known as Vithoba. Bhajans focus on the inward journey, abhangs are more exuberant expressions of the communitarian experience.-History:...
s and gavlis, paved way for further learning from Manek Bhide and Appasaheb Deshpande of Kolhapur.
Within barely three years, they won high praises from critics and music lovers all over the globe. Their music, imbued with a deep and abiding classicism, has been described as an exhilarating blend of vitality, melody and emotion. Ever since their debut in 1997, they have performed in all prominent sabhas in the December Music Festival in Chennai, and at premier institutions all over the country. They have to their credit several album releases, both violin and vocal. They give various world tours every year, touring many countries such as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Malaysia, UK, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and many more.
As composers
Apart from singing, Ranjani and Gayatri also have an interest for composing music. A few of the abhangs they sing at the end of their concerts have been tuned by them. They have also tuned many other thukkada pieces, including bhajans. Here is a list of some of the songs tuned by the sisters:- Bolava Vitthala - Abhang (Sant TukaramTukaramSant Tukaram was a prominent Varkari Sant and spiritual poet during a Bhakti movement in India.Sant Tukaram was born and lived most of his life in Dehu, a town close to Pune in Mahārāshtra, India. He was born to a couple with the family name "More", the descendent of the Mourya Clan with first...
) - Tuned in raag BhatiyarBhatiyar- Theory :Writing about the musical theory of Indian classical music is fraught with complications. First of all, there have been no set, formal methods of written notation...
. - Pagaivanukkarulvai (Subramanya Bharathi)
- Naachke Aaye - Bhajan (Ambujam Krishna) - Tuned in raag Sohini
- Raam Naam Mhanata - Abhang (TukaramTukaramSant Tukaram was a prominent Varkari Sant and spiritual poet during a Bhakti movement in India.Sant Tukaram was born and lived most of his life in Dehu, a town close to Pune in Mahārāshtra, India. He was born to a couple with the family name "More", the descendent of the Mourya Clan with first...
) - Tuned in raag Jhenjhutti - Sharana Sharana - Abhang (Sant TukaramTukaramSant Tukaram was a prominent Varkari Sant and spiritual poet during a Bhakti movement in India.Sant Tukaram was born and lived most of his life in Dehu, a town close to Pune in Mahārāshtra, India. He was born to a couple with the family name "More", the descendent of the Mourya Clan with first...
) - Tuned in raag PiluPiluPilu is a raga of Indian classical music. It is mostly used in light-classical forms, like the Khayal, of north Indian classical style.-Aroha & Avaroha :Arohana'P 'N S g m P N S''N S G m P N S'S G m P D S'S R m P N S'Avarohana...
.
Awards
Ranjani and Gayatri have received multiple awards and recognitions throughout their career. In addition, various music personalities from all over India have recognized their talent. Most recently, the sitarSitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
player of North India, Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna is the Republic of India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. This service includes artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna...
Pandit Ravi Shankar, was so impressed by their singing that he organized a concert of theirs in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. Here is a list of the awards and recognitions received by the sisters:
- Sanskriti Awards, instituted by Sanskriti FoundationSanskriti Kendra MuseumSanskriti Kendra Museum is a set of three museums namely, Museum of ‘Everyday Art’, Museum of Indian Terracotta and Textile Museum...
, New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, (recognizing their contribution to the field of performing arts) - Kalki Krishnamurthi Memorial Award (instituted by the Kalki trust in memory of the writer Sri. Kalki KrishnamurthyKalki KrishnamurthyKalki was the pen name of R. Krishnamurthy , a noted Tamil writer, film & music critic, Indian independence activist and journalist from Tamil Nadu, India.- Biography:...
) - Yogam Narayana Swamy Award
- National Eminence Award (by the Shanmukhananda Sabha, Mumbai)
- Title of "Isai Peroli" from the Kartik Fine Arts, Chennai in Dec 2005.
- Dr. M.L. Vasanthakumari Endowment Award, instituted by CMANA (The Carnatic Music Association of North America, Inc), USA awarded by Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai.
- Sarada Krishna Iyer Memorial Award for Outstanding Concert during December 2003 from the Music Academy, Chennai.
- T.S.Sabesa and Thanjavur Ponniah Pillai Award for ViruttamViruttamA viruttam or virutham is a Hindu devotional verse sung in Carnatic music concerts. Viruttams do not possess a set tala and are solely improvised using one or more ragams. It is one of many forms of manodharma in Carnatic music.A viruttam usually precedes rendition of a song...
/SlokaSlokaSloka may refer to:* Sloka, Latvia, a neighbourhood of Jūrmala, Latvia* Sloka meter, a Sanskrit meter* Śloka, a Hindu prayer* Sloka Gora, a small settlement in central Slovenia* Sloka...
singing from The Music Academy, Chennai. - Performed their debut violin duet concert at the Indian Music Group Festival of Music when they were thirteen and ten years old respectively.
- Recipients of the Government of IndiaGovernment of IndiaThe Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
Talent Search Scholarship from the age of ten. - Winners of the First Prize in the All India RadioAll India RadioAll India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
National Competition for Violin. - Recipients of the title of "Sangeeta Shanmukha Mani' conferred by Shanmukhananada Fine Arts and Sangeeta Vidyalaya, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. - Won The Outstanding Violinists Award for four consecutive years from the Music Academy, Chennai from 1994 to 1998. Won the Award for Best KirtanKirtanKirtan or Kirtana is call-and-response chanting or "responsory" performed in India's devotional traditions. A person performing kirtan is known as a kirtankar. Kirtan practice involves chanting hymns or mantras to the accompaniment of instruments such as the harmonium, tablas, the two-headed...
a Rendering for their vocal concert from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in 1999.
Albums
Ranjani and Gayatri have various albums to their credit. Here is a list of some of the albums that have been released:- Kurinji Malar (Live Concert)
- Anandam - Journey Into Bliss
- Un Thiruvadi Charanam (Live Concert)
- Paramaanandam
- Pravaaham
- Rama Bhakti
- December Season 2001 Kutcheri (Live Concert)
- Madrasil Margazhi 2003 (Live Concert)
- Madrasil Margazhi 2004 (Live Concert)
- Madrasil Margazhi 2005 (Live Concert)
- Madrasil Margazhi 2006 (Live Concert)
- Madhuryam - Violin Duet
- Dual Harmony
- The Awakening
- Thendral
- Samaanam
- Saravanabhava
- Ambujam - Krithis of Ambujam Krishna (Live Concert)
- Paadaravindam (Live Concert)