Krishna points out that within the upper-caste environment, Ambedkar has rarely been an important figure and his name appears in passing, once in a while. “We need him to become a part of the culture. Carnatic music, which belongs to the very same environment, has disconnected from the crucial conversations Ambedkar triggered and enabled. This song allows for that to change. Today, the song is being discussed and debated, and it is a sign that it has already made an impact. Even it makes people uncomfortable for various reasons, so be it. The discussion has just begun. I had originally tuned this song as a ragamalika in the ragas Kamboji, Lathangi and Madhyamavati with svaras in-between. When I informed Murugan, he told me that he had written and imagined it as a kavadi chindu, and hence I changed the tune to suit that form,” shares Krishna.
