‘Manodharma’

Once Sri. K J Yesudas was asked in an interview, what is the difference between singing film songs and Carnatic music.  He said, ‘While singing film songs on a stage, even if I make small improvisations, people think I didn’t sing it correctly.  But while singing Carnatic music, the audience expect and appreciate improvisation of the original composition’.  Such improvisation in Carnatic music is known as ‘manodharma’.  The word ‘manodharma’ means ‘order of the mind’ in Sanskrit.  In music, it refers to on the spot improvisations arising out of the creativity of the artist.  However, while improvising, the artist has to strictly remain within the structure of the ‘raga’ and ‘tala’.  This requires vast experience and deep knowledge of music.  So, a typical music student starts by singing compositions exactly in the same way as was taught to him.  Once he achieves certain level of mastery over the ‘raga’, he tries experimenting with ‘manodharma’.  

Recently during a discussion on teaching with one of my friends, we touched upon ‘manodharma’ in teaching!  It may sound strange, but I have given a serious thought to the idea of ‘manodharma’ in teaching.  Let me explain.  Someone who is new to teaching would always start by teaching the concepts exactly the same way as was taught to him or learnt by him.  But, over the years as he gains mastery over the subject, he has to train his abilities to teach the same concept in different ways, without missing the core aspects of the concept.  This is possible only with experience.  But experience alone is not enough.  A teacher has to carefully and consciously develop the skill and ability of teaching the same concept in different ways. 

But in reality, many teachers fall into the trap of teaching the same concept exactly the same way every time they teach.  The modern technology tools such as Power Point, in a way, force the teachers to deliver the lectures exactly the same way repeatedly.  I consider a teacher to have mastery over the subject only when he/she is able to explain the subject to different audience in different styles.  For example, if I am teaching the basics of Finance to a set of engineering students, whose interest is just to know the concepts, I would teach in a certain way.  But when I teach the same concepts to students of MBA specializing in Finance, my style would be different.  Again, I may be teaching the same concepts in an executive development programme, but in a totally different manner.  Unless a teacher makes conscious efforts, he/she can not do this.  So, when someone claims to have 10 years of teaching experience, I jokingly ask, ‘is it 10 years of experience or the first year repeated 9 times?!’

I related the concept of ‘manodharma’ to teaching.  I am sure you can relate it to any profession you are in!