From lanes of Mylapore to hallowed halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan, Janane Narayanan keeps Harikatha flame alive

CHENNAI: Anantha Narayanan isn’t one for emotions, but watching his 15-year-old daughter Janane Narayanan receiving the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar from President Droupadi Murmu, enveloped him with profound pride.

As a world of symphonic opportunities hummed through the early years for Janane, her parents have stood by her side ever since.

“This was a result of a diligent and objective selection process, and seeing our daughter mark our journey from the lanes of Mylapore, all the way to meet our President and Prime Minister, and standing alongside such talented awardees was truly overwhelming. It also reminded us of the responsibility we as a family have to live up to the expectations of this honour,” share her parents in a heartening tone.

Early beginnings

Janane’s rendezvous with Carnatic music began as early as the age of six, in 2016, when her parents—both ardent music lovers—enrolled her in Carnatic music classes. However, it was a video of renowned Harikatha exponent Vishakha Hari that truly ignited her passion.

“Harikatha combines storytelling and Carnatic music, and I found it deeply fascinating,” she shares. Inspired, she began emulating her role model by watching videos and learning the nuances of the art form.

Janane also had a knack to identify ragas and notate songs since then. She in many ways finds herself traditional, quite elusive from what you call the ‘gen Z’, and finding Carnatic music quite versatile, challenging and fascinating. “There is a strong structure to it, and at the same time, it does give endless space for one’s imagination and exploration. The bhavam and bhakti of it is seldom seen in modern music,” she elucidates.

Gurus of a lifetime

Janane has been scrupulously guided by Harikatha guru Vishaka Hari, Ramya Srinivasan- her Carnatic music teacher, and her Sanskrit gurus Rohit kumar, Anantharama Sharma and Snehal Deshpande. “I am ably guided by Padmashree Dr Sudha Ragunathan at regular intervals,” she adds.

A proud principal, and teachers of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan, Siruseri, where Janane is studying, have on numerous occasions provided her a platform to shine.

Homely Carnatic chimes

“Janane is very benevolent and positive. Whenever we visit our friends or relatives, she would want to stay back a lot longer and never return back home,” narrates Sudha Ranganathan, her mother.

Seeing her spend time with her mother, listening to Harikathas and Carnatic music is a common sight at home. “For all of my programmes, we both read, listen, and prepare the framework and content. My father would be my first audience. He reviews and refines the content, making it more poetic and engaging,” Janane says. Her father adds, “It was our dream to blend her into a genre which she would love to pursue in her lifetime. Something that is very close to her innate talent.”

Ahead of her age

While many teenagers incline towards contemporary music, Janane finds solace and joy in the classical. “I suppose it’s in my genes,” she laughs.

Janane’s dedication to her craft has resulted in over 100 performances in Tamil, English, and Sanskrit. From giving upanyasams at various temples in and around Chennai, concerts to appearances on television and renowned platforms like Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, her repertoire includes themes like Guruvayurappan Mahimai and Thiruppavai Series.

When her beanie toy puppies made it too

In the December chills of New Delhi, the family of three, accompanied by her four soft toy puppies, all made it to receive the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar. “She carries them everywhere. The toys have travelled with us to every country. How could they not accompany us on her most important day?” Janane’s mother grins.

Janane was awarded for her excellence in the field of art and culture. Receiving this award and getting the opportunity to interact with our honourable Prime Minister felt like a dream. “I am beginning to realise the responsibility that comes along with the award. The award gives further impetus to my life long journey with the art form,” she vows.

A future Janane envisions

Our country’s pride lies in its sanskriti and sangeetham. There is a long standing lineage to these classical art forms in terms of formation and transmission across generations. “I would strongly suggest young children to act as torchbearers of our great classical art forms,” she highlights.

This is a niche skill with the average age of audience over 40, which her father opines needs to be explored more. “There is certainly recognition from our State Government, schools and other institutions, but we have miles to go,” Anantha states.

Despite her deep commitment to Harikatha, Janane has other aspirations, including a potential career in medicine and teaching. “Harikatha will always be close to my heart, but I am exploring other avenues too,” she says thoughtfully.