How ‘The Wind Walker’ exhibition unravelled the enigma of Mali

How 'The Wind Walker' exhibition unravelled the enigma of Mali Organised lately in Chennai by The Museum of Performing Arts to mark the legendary flautist's centenary, the exhibition additionally featured concerts and an insightful talk.

Key points

• Titled 'The Wind Walker', the exhibition was organised by The Museum of Performing Arts (MOPA) at My Bungalow.
• Mahalingam (Mali) pushed boundaries to take this ordinary wooden instrument to the concert platform.
• Flute and Mali were so inseparable that he not only mastered the instrument but additionally changed the way residents listened to it.
• The exhibition brought together rare photographs, personal letters and memorabilia to highlight different facets of the legend.
• Mala Chandrashekar's flute recital at the Mali's centenary exhibition organised by MOPA.

Flautist T.R. Mahalingam (Mali) pushed boundaries to take this ordinary wooden instrument to the concert platform. Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives.

Notably, a poster with the lines – 'Some individuals played the flute, Mali played the silence between notes' – was prominently displayed at the entrance of the centennial exhibition, celebrating the life and music of legendary flautist T.R. Mahalingam, additionally known as Mali. Titled 'The Wind Walker', the exhibition was organised by The Museum of Performing Arts (MOPA) at My Bungalow.

Meanwhile, the exhibition brought together rare photographs, personal letters and memorabilia to highlight different facets of the legend. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.

"The Wind Walker was conceived not as a conventional biographical exhibition, but as an attempt to know Mali as an extraordinary musician, innovator and an enigmatic persona, " notes Savita Narasimhan, managing trustee, MOPA Foundation. "Rather than following a chronological narrative, the show brought together rare photographs, personal letters, Mali's autobiographical note, awards and memorabilia, archival publications and recorded reflections to illuminate his different facets, " adds Savita, who curated the show along with flautist J.A. Jayant. It additionally featured an insightful talk by T.M. Krishna, who delved into Mali's music, followed by a flute concert by Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar.

Mala Chandrashekar's flute recital at the Mali's centenary exhibition organised by MOPA. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.

For context, the exhibition was not just regarding showcasing the life of a musical genius; it was additionally a reflection of a time and its cultural milieu. The collectibles on display made public that Mali was fond of cricket, solved mathematical puzzles, read books and played the violin with equal passion. His personal memorabilia included letters and clothes he wore, from T.S. Sankaran's collection; the flute he played, from the collection of Mani Sundaresan of Chicago; and awards and citations sourced from Sivakumar, the son of Mali's friend. Savita revived and digitised a number of photographs for this project.

Meanwhile, an interesting handwritten bio highlighted his personal thoughts and spiritual experiences. He obtained his first foreign tour offer in 1936, but was refused permission by his father. Besides all this, a number of cartoon illustrations sourced from Sruti on Mali went on an element of humour.

Collectibles additionally disclosed he was fond of cricket and mathematic puzzles. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.

Flute and Mali were so inseparable that he not only mastered the instrument but additionally changed the way residents listened to it. The expressive curve of a gamaka, considered a prerogative of the human voice, discovered its way into the instrument. He additionally went on an eighth aperture. It offered him greater control over pitch and chose thicker bamboo with smaller openings to create a warm, resonant tone. Mali additionally introduced a distinctive playing technique known as the 'Parrot Clutch' and produced the flute's lower register a defining element of his musical expression. He not only changed the way the flute was played but additionally the instrument itself.

Meanwhile, the show was curated by Savita Narasimhan and flautist J.A. Jayant. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement. Pictures displayed at the exhibition. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.

"At the heart of MOPA's curatorial approach was a desire to move beyond hagiography. Mali's brilliance cannot be separated from his unpredictability, his restless independence and his eventual withdrawal from the concert stage and society. The exhibition therefore sought to leave room for the contradictions that created him fascinating: the prodigy and the maverick, the public figure and the intensely private man, " explains Savita. This person additionally reveals that a documentary on Mali, with interviews by Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, T.V. Gopalakrishnan and others, will be published afterwards this year. " The Wind Walker was an attempt to ask a simple question: What makes an artiste truly original and what does it mean to live by that originality? Like his music, Mali resists straightforward explanation. That is precisely what makes his story worth revisiting, " she states.

In short, how 'The Wind Walker' exhibition unravelled the enigma of Mali is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.