 Women composers
 Women have been making music since time immemorial, on a par with men. However, when it comes to acknowledging their works or their contributions to the cause of music, they share only a small space.
It is intriguing to note that most of the composers dealt with/heard, are men. Which makes us believe that women hardly made their presence felt in this domain; however they have very much been part of the music-making tradition, says Vasumathi Badrinathan, a musician based in Mumbai, who is planning to do an exclusive show on women composers.
'Stree Gaanam' is an attempt to present the works of such women composers spanning several centuries. These women hail from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and their polyglot compositions are an interesting revelation of the poetry of their times, an insight into the feminine mind.
Stree Gaanam will feature some of their compositions in a multi-media format with an all-women team of accompanying artistes in Carnatic music style.
"It is an effort to revive, salvage, preserve and present this work which, if not, will go completely unrecognised and lost to the music world." This is a rare attempt by a Carnatic musician to bring forth the contribution of women composers in Carnatic music.
Stree Gaanam will be premiered by Vasumathi Badrinathan on the eve of International Women's Day on March 7, in Mumbai.
The programme is supported by the Department of Culture, Government of India & co-sponsored by The Mysore Association, Bombay. Vasumathi also thanks musicologist T S Parthasarathy for his guidance.
Women composers in Carnatic Music
Bygone Composers
Andal
 Andal lived around the 7th century. The only woman amongst the 12 Alwars (poet-saint-philosophers), her status is an elevated one. Foster-daughter of Periyalwar, she composed several hymns collectively in praise of Krishna, in two celebrated works - 'Tiruppavai' and 'Nachiyar Tirumozhi'. The former is sung every month of Margazhi in Tamil Nadu and Nachiyar Thirumozhi remains an eternal testimony of love songs of all times. Andal is said to have merged into the divine shrine at Srivilliputhur and attained sainthood.
Akka Mahadevi:
 Akka Mahadevi of the 12th-13th century, lived in Karnataka. Married to a king, she renounced all worldly pleasures, sang songs called 'Vachanas' and attained sainthood at the shrine of her beloved Chenna Mallikarjuna. Akka Mahadevi's Vachanas (literally, "sayings"), are free verse lyrics written in the Kannada language. About 350 extant poems are attributed to her.
Princess Rukmini Bai Tamburatti
 Princess Rukmini Bai Tamburatti of the 18th -19th century was the elder sister of the famous composer Maharaja Swati Thirunal of Kerala. Though in oblivion, her songs have rich beauty.
 Andavan Pichhai
Andavan Pichhai is said to have reborn into a saintly life after a momentary death experience, and lived this incredible second life of song and devotion. She composed many a song, of high lyrical and musical value. She died in 1998.
Ambujam Krishna
 Ambujam Krishna of the 20th century is a prominent figure amongst women composers of Tamil Nadu. She has penned hundreds of pieces which occupy pride of place in many Carnatic concerts of today.
(To be continued)
R Rangaraj
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