A TAAL VADYA KACHERI is an assembly of musicians and audience in the context of Carnatic and Hindusthani Percussion Music. It is presented in the concert format where the music fraternity of connoisseurs and common people assemble at the katcheri venues to listen to classical music concerts of the highly revered musicians Etymologically the word "katcheri" is derived from Urdu language and in Hindi to mean a court of law.
The word katcheri used in the context of South and North Indian Music has its origin in the Hindi language word commonly used as "kachehri". Its adoption to connote the Hindustani and Carnatic music is traced to its initial meaning as a court, a government office where people gather. During the Maratha rule in Tanjavur of present-day Tamil Nadu, it was probably adopted in the lexicon of Karnatik music, as, during this period, it was the durbar of the king. It was not a separate or remote place, but a hall, a venue where people were given an audience by the king to dispense with matters of the state. It also happened to be the place where people from all walks of life presented their "aspirations and concerns" before the king. It was at this place that musicians presented their musical achievements before the kings. It is this commonality of events at the same venue as the court or durbar that the musical soirees presented by musicians of repute came to be termed as the Kutcheri. This, over the last more than a century, has not only literally known to represent a venue but also signifies a select gathering connoting the cultural significance of music. This is the origin of concept of musical concerts which has dominated the music scenario of India.
The modern format for the katcheri conceived by Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar in the 1930s with a rich blend of traditional Carnatic and Hindustani music rendered by the past masters, particularly the Trinity of Carnatic music of Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, was best suited to the wide and varied gamut of audience tastes; the aim was to make it just long enough to sustain the interest of the public in Percussion Music. The katcheri also catered to the need of commercial entertainment and aesthetics.
The concert starts with a varnam, a form perfected by musicians of yore as it created a relaxed atmosphere to the vocalist leading to a wide spectrum of musical compositions. This is followed by many kritis (musical compositions) and ragas (melodies). This sequence riveted the mood of the audience and enabled the performer to go through the performance with elan. The classical songs are preambled by an extended elaboration of melody called the alapana with balanced rhythm topped by pallavi (thematic lines of the song). The concert is concluded with rendering of padam (a musical composition), javali, and songs with national themes which would hold the attention and appreciation of the audience.
