Mano Dharma

Attitude is the nearest word in English for Mano Dharma. The mano dharma is used in carnatic classical music also. Each singer has a mano dharma. He/she end any song in a specific style. In fact you could feel the difference in the same song sung in different styles. Some singers are bookish. They don't even allow one swara (note) to go out of place. In fact you admire the way they sing. So perfect. But as a connoisseur of music, if you have real good ears, you feel something is missing. The notation of Bhakti. Take for example one and only M S Subbulakshmi Amma. She sings and others also sing the same songs. But there is a small difference, in fact it makes a big difference. The song has that lilt of others, but also an ocean of devotion along with the song. If she is singing about Subrahmanya or Narayana or could be any of the devi, you feel as if that particular God would and enjoy her singing. She is like that. The melody is one thing. But the devotion is outstanding. No wonder even today when she sings Rangapura vihara I mean the recording, even today gives me goose bumps when she sings sankata harana govinda venkata ramana mukunda. Only when she finishes rendering it three times, I shall move on. Till then my ears are 'stuck' to her rendering. Great singers are born rarely.