TUKKADA FESTIVAL-1999

Karnatic concerts can be broadly divided into two parts-

The pre-tani avartanam session & the post-tani avartanam session. The part before the tani is generally of a more classical degree focusing on serious music. Most of the improvisatory music like alapana, niraval, svaram and the tani avartanam are completed within this section and after this follows the Tukkadas which are music of a lighter variety. They offer great relief after the heavy music preceding it.

The most striking feature of earlier concerts is the relative smallness of the number of pieces constituting it. Apart from the Pallavi, only two or three pieces were sung in a full length concert while the modern tendency has been to include more number of compositions. The lilting pieces which come towards the end of a concert are lively and appealing to everybody.

The Tukkada forms in Karnatic music are numerous. Tukkadas thus have a very distinct role to play in concerts and their contribution can in no way be underestimated.