Gaanabrundam – a journey into Carnatic music by
Sangita Kala Acharya Smt. Seetha Rajan.
Guru Smt. Seetha Rajan, via the Bodhana system, offers enjoyable, structured and holistic learning opportunities for all.
The Gaanabrundam family invites you to help share and preserve our music, culture and heritage.
Welcome to our journey!
Guru Smt. Seetha Rajan’s extraordinary musical journey began at the age of three when her grandmother recognised her innate musical inclination.
Her parents nurtured this talent by placing her under the guidance of Sri Kittamani Iyer during her formative years.
At a young age, she received a national scholarship, which led her to the tutelage of Sangita Pitamaha Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, leading to the beginnings of her unique musical trajectory.
When her Guru, Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, expressed that “the next stage for anyone who excels in performance is to propagate music by teaching, by being a true musicologist, and by committing to the path of authentic and traditional music with sincere interest and dedication,” Smt. Seetha Rajan immediately decided to commit her life to achieving her Guru’s wishes.
The Uttama Shishya, from then on, strove to fulfill this vision, as her Guru Dakshina.
In 1992, Smt. Seetha Rajan and her husband, late Col. K. V. Rajan, founded Bala Brundam Gurukulam, a traditional institution for Carnatic music and allied learning.
Bala Brundam has created hundreds of worthy shishyas of Carnatic music, who have made a significant mark in most of the prestigious Carnatic music competitions, and have collectively won innumerable prizes, awards, and accolades.
Several shishyas have made their mark as academicians, researchers, guides, and scholars, and many are associated with globally recognised institutions.
The Gurukulam is recognised as having contributed substantially to the sustenance and propagation of Carnatic music in traditional form.
Guru Smt. Seetha Rajan has consistently experimented with new ideas in the pedagogy of Carnatic music.
In her words, the teaching methodology of “Bodhana” blends three pivotal aspects:
The Shakti (“power”/ “vigour”) aspect is addressed by voice culture techniques and systematic svara exercises.
The Buddhi (“knowledge”) aspect is honed by imparting musical knowledge in the form of theory and practice.
The Rakti (“soul”) aspect is inherent and emphasized through a deeper understanding of music and experiential learning with the Guru, through selfless singing and soulful rendering.
Hundreds of students have benefitted from training in this unique neo-traditional system, many are today accomplished artists and future gurus.
Today, Shishyas of Guru Smt. Seetha Rajan, her extended family, are entrusted with the custodianship of her “baani”.
We bring to you the best of her vast experience and creations, and aim to share Carnatic music with all.
We welcome you to a unique approach of easy and enjoyable learning of Carnatic music, using the Bodhana system as a foundation.
– The Gaanabrundam team
