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The new R.R. Sabha

August 28, 2017, 4:56 am
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By S. Sivaramakrishnan

The overcast evening of 26 August 2017 was special  as I was attending a programme in the renovated, multistoreyed, state-of-the art,  Rasika Ranjani Sabha; which was once the landmark R.R. Sabha in Sundareswarar Street, Mylapore, Chennai.

The Rudrapatnam Brothers in concert
The programme was a traditional Carnatic music concert by the  Rudrapatnam Brothers--R.N. Tyagarajan and R.N. Taranathan. The enjoyable event at the cosy auditorium on the third floor attracted a decent-sized audience. While the varnam in Darbar  raga seemed to endorse a very good ambience, the kriti in and on Saraswati was invocative of the Goddess glorified in  the mascot of the Sabha. Etavunara in Kalyani, the 'main' suite too was suggestive of the golden era.

When I clicked a photograph of the artists on stage I realised that I had  forgotten to take a picture of the new building earlier in daylight.  It was raining when I stepped out  but  my mobile phone helped me to 'document' the new structure drenched in rain and light.

 The RR Sabha
The R.R. Sabha and the music of the Rudrapatnam Brothers provided a 'sukham-sukhataram' experience.

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Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar

September 1, 2017, 3:34 am
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Birthdays & Anniversaries

1.9.1896 - 16.10.1974
Ananta Bhagavatar's wife Parvati Ammal gave birth to Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar in September 1896, and younger brother Subrahmaniam was born a couple of years later. Chembai was a 'bhagavatar' even at birth, for the tag of bhagavatar was a traditional family title, But Chembai lived to more than justify the title as  devotee of Guruvayurappan.

Ananta Bhagavatar initiated Chembai into music when the latter was but three years old. He put the boy through rigorous practice in the swara-s, a strong foundation for Chembai's future unerring swara and sruti purity. Also included was intensive 'aakara' practice.

When Chembai was five years old, his father thought of his academic education also. But the little village had no proper school facilities and could boast only of a 'tinnai' school, an informal teaching facili ty run in one of the houses, on the 'tinnai' or pyol in front. It was there that Vaitha started his school education.
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Vainika Mudhra Award for R.S. Jayalakshmi at Veenotsav 2017

September 1, 2017, 10:43 pm
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By C. Ramakrishnan

Veenotsav 2017, organised from 27-31 August under the aegis of  Mudhra, was inaugurated by Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao, Secretary, Music Academy on 27 August at the Infosys Hall, Bazulla Road, Chennai. Two concerts of 90 minutes duration were held each day at Mudhra's studio which was webcast worldwide  for rasikas. Such webcasts enable rasikas to listen to concerts on their PCs and mobile phones while sitting in their cosy living rooms or while on the move. 

During the inauguration, the Vainika Mudhra Award comprising a shawl, citation, medal and purse, was presented to vidushi R.S. Jayalakshmi—musician, teacher, and musicologist—by Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao. The award is given out of the endowment created by Chitravina N. Narasimhan in the name of his father Gottuvadyam Narayana Iyengar and Bapu Rajalakshmi Sundaram. 

R.S. Jayalakshmi, after completing the Teacher’s Training Course from the Music Academy, Chennai, underwent further training under noted veena vidwan R. Pichumani Iyer, after securing a Government of India scholarship. She also learnt padams and javalis from T. Muktha. An 'A' Grade artist of All India Radio, she is a faculty member of the Advanced School of Music run by The Music Academy, and the Haridoss Giri School of Music of the Narada Gana Sabha. Her lecdems on multifarious topics are proof of her scholarship and communication skills.
Pappu Venugopala Rao presenting the Vainika Mudhra Award to R.S. Jayalakshmi as Radha Bhaskar (Treasurer, Mudhra), Suguna Varadachaari, and Mudhra Bhaskar (Secretary, Mudhura) look on.
In his speech, Dr. Venugopala Rao quoted many anecdotes from his ten-year long association with vidushi R.S. Jayalakshmi. He described her as a simple, humble and unassuming scholar. She had assisted him in the translation of the Sangeeeta Sampradaya Pradarsini into English. Dr. Jayalakshmi has also been involved in the preparation of the syllabus, conducting of examinations, and has worked as examiner in universities in Singapore and Australia. She is also visiting professor in an American University. She is guiding a number of students in their doctoral work. Vidushi Suguna Varadachari was all praise for Jayalakshmi's sincerity and dedication as a teacher and researcher. She said the vidushi had developed many unique teaching tools for the benefit of her students.

In her acceptance speech, the awardee thanked Mudhra and the eminent speakers for their appreciative words. Vainika B. Kannan, Trichy Murali, Rajashri Ramakrishna (HOD of Music, Madras University) and Lalitha Santhanam also offered felicitations to her after the main function. This was followed by a melodious veena concert by R.S. Jayalakshmi accompanied by M.S. Varadan (mridangam) and Trichy Murali (ghatam). The concert stood out for the vainika vidushi's manodharma, skill and stagecraft of the vidushi who was ably supported by her team.
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A double celebration for Guru Kalyani Sharma

September 2, 2017, 12:55 am
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By Janaki Krishnamoorthy

Guru Kalyani Sharma (3rd from right).
Mumbai based eminent Carnatic musician, Sangita Kala Acharya, Kalyani Sharma,  was  recently felicitated by her disciples and others, to mark two milestones in her life—her 80th birthday and 60 years of musical journey. The event ‘Guru Vandanam’ organised by her disciples in Mumbai, was inaugurated by four  leading ladies in Carnatic music—Bhagavathi Mani, Alamelu Mani, Radha Namboodiri from Mumbai and R. Subbalakshmi from Thiruvananthapuram. It was a mixed fare comprising felicitation by her  disciples, eminent musicians and reputed sangeeta sabhas, followed by a riveting documentary on her  life, and  group performances by her vocal, veena and violin  disciples, titled Sangeeta Samarpanam.

In the six decades of her musical journey, vidushi Kalyani Sharma, an A-grade artist of All India Radio  in both vocal and veena, has contributed immensely  to Carnatic music both as a teacher and as an artist. Conscientiously carrying forward the rich pristine music she has imbibed from three great gurus—Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, K.S. Narayanaswamy and T. Brinda—she has created a niche for herself in the world of Carnatic music.  Significantly, it is Mumbai’s music world that has largely benefitted from her rich musical repertoire as she has spent almost five decades in this city.

She has imparted training in both vocal and veena at reputed institutions including  her alma mater—the Swati Tirunal Music College, Thiruvananthapuram and Shanmukhananda Sangeeta Vidyalaya, Mumbai from where she retired as Joint Director in 1999. Since then she has been training senior students privately from her residence. She has created a large family of musicians, spanning across three generations, many of whom are performing artists and teachers residing in India and abroad. 

Kalyani Sharma has published three books—101 Keertana Mani Malai, A Compilation of Padams, and the much acclaimed Sri Kanchimamuni Pancharatna Haaram (a musical  tribute to the Paramacharya, composed on the lines of  Tyagaraja’s  Pancharatna kritis).

Many awards have come her way, including the Sangita Kala Acharya and Bodhaka from the Music Academy, Chennai, the Sri Mahaswamy Puraskar from Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham and  the K.S. Narayanaswamy Veena Sangeeta Ratna Puraskar from Veena Sangeetha Sangh, Thiruvananthapuram. She was also honoured by Sri Semmangudi Golden Jubilee Trust Chennai,  for her contribution to Carnatic music in 2013.

Even today, at 81, vidushi Kalyani Sharma is raring to do much more.  “With guru bhakti and guru’s blessings you can achieve anything. I was very lucky to have had such great gurus and it is their blessings that have enabled me to achieve whatever little I have today. I want to continue teaching and also learn more. There is no end to what one can do in music. Music has to go on,” she avers. 
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Needamangalam Meenakshisundaram Pillai

September 3, 2017, 10:35 pm
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3.9.1894
Birthdays & Anniversaries

Meenakshi,born on 3 September 1894,was the only child of  Deivayanai Ammal and Subramaniam,alias Kutti Ayya, of Chavadi Agraharam, Ayyampetai. His mother died when he was only 27 days old. He was brought up by Kamalammal, his mother's younger sister,with great care and affection.
When Meenakshi was four, his uncle Singaram Pillai began giving himles­sons in the 'family art' of tavil-play. A swift learner, he was able to play immediately what ever he was taught. His quick grasp and his retentive memory, as also his 'piercing eyes', so impressed Govinda Pillai that he took the youngster under his own wings for further training.

By the time he was nine,Meenakshi began providing tavil accompaniment to the local nagaswara player.When­ever he was free,he would also go to the temple and play there during the rituals. Probably he was then hardly big enough to carry the tavil, let alone play it standing up.


To read full story, visit sruti.com and buy Sruti 121
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Kishan Maharaj

September 3, 2017, 10:52 pm
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Birthdays & Anniversaries

3.9.1923
Born  in  1923  in  Varanasi,  he is  a  disciple  of  the renowned  tabla exponent of the Benaras gharana Kanthe Maharaj. In a  career  spanning  five  decades, he  has come to be  known as  a  performer  and  teacher of  high distinction. He  has, over the  years, accompanied almost every Hindustani musician of note, both vocalists and instrumentalists.  He  has  also  excelled  in solo presentations and provided accompaniment to maestros of Kathak dance. Notable awards include Padma Shri (1973), the  SNA  Award (1984),  Padma Vibhushan (2002); Honorary D.Litt. (Jivaji University, 2004).
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C.K. Balagopalan

September 3, 2017, 10:59 pm
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4.9.1939
Birthdays & Anniversaries

The Natyarangam award (see p. 50) could not have gone to a more worthy artist. For decades during the Rukmini Devi era, Balagopalan was one of the star performers at the annual Kalakshetra art festival. From his teen years to age sixty, when he retired, he remained the enthusiastic, devoted dancer, springing with the sprightly vigour that made him an early favourite of the grande dame of that institution. Ascene from Choodamani Pradanam, a Kalakshetra production in the Ramayana series several years ago. A forlorn Seeta is sitting under a tree and bemoaning her fate when Hanuman jumps down from a tree and surprises her into open-mouthed wonder. Even as the audience waits with bated breath, for it knows what power and artistry the dancer playing the monkey-god is capable of, the curtains have to be brought down hurriedly, as he has evidently twisted his ankle rather nastily. It is, indeed, a bad injury and the foot swells like a balloon. A doctor in the audience happens to have just the right medical supplies in hand, and soon C.K. Balagopalan, the veteran dancer playing Hanuman, is administered an injection that numbs the injured area, and he is able to resume dancing as if nothing has happened.

To read full story, visit sruti.com and buy Sruti 313
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More madhyama sruti kritis?

September 5, 2017, 12:13 am
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By S. Sivaramakrishnan

I have observed that several core  kritis of the Carnatic idiom in ragas like Punnagavarali, Kurinji, Nadanamakriya and Chenchuritti, which are normally sung in madhyama sruti of a given pitch, have been traditionally taken up only in the ‘tukkada slot’. As a result we are unable to listen to madhyama sruti compositions in the  first  half  of  the  concert.  The historical, yet practical reason could be that in the past  (before the advent of the e-sruti box), it took a lot of time to adjust the panchama swara string of the tambura  to suddha madhyama for such kritis and again re-align it back to panchama. This was probably seen as an interruption to the flow of the kutcheri.
However, the tukkada segment of the golden era was really grand and once the tambura was tuned to ‘M’, several kritis—from tough to light, including ashtapadis—would be rendered one after the other like a ‘kadamba-mala’ or a garland of different flowers. A kriti like Ehi Annapurne (Dikshitar) in Punnagavarali is an example. In a recent concert in Chennai by a leading young vidwan, there were only a few to listen to this great song because it came only in the tukkada session, much late in the recital.
With the advent of digital sruti boxes and a variety of electronic gadgets and apps, I consider that one or two weighty ‘M sruti’ kritis could be easily accommodated  in  the  first  half of the concert itself to restore their pride of place. The only thing the artist has to do is to shift to madhyama sruti which is possible by the mere touch of a button in the pitch gadget. Even those who use a tambura on stage these days keep a stand-by digital box and hence this should not be a problem at all.

Of late, due to compulsions (read ‘popular demand’) for singing bhajans, abhangs, and ‘trendy’ numbers based in ‘M sruti’, core kritis get relegated. A specific kriti in this category is Swati Tirunal’s Nandasuta tava jananamin Kurinji (Misra Jhampa) on the glory of Lord Krishna’s birth on AshtamiRohini. There are numerous such compositions of the great vaggeyakaras, including the utsava sampradaya kritis of Tyagaraja. It is likely that shortage of time compels singers to skip some of the core kritis planned. I suggest that ‘M sruti’ based padams of Kshetrayya be sung in the first one hour of kutcheris for their sheer musical value without being sidelined as tukkadas. Such strategies are necessary to preserve the identity of Carnatic music and to improve the level of appreciation of rasikas. Let us take care of the first  ‘golden  hour’  to  save  core Carnatic music.
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Two wizards at their best

September 5, 2017, 12:53 am
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By Meena Banerjee

In a rare gesture tabla maestro Zakir Hussain played the double role of a soloist and an accompanist during one event. The occasion too was rare. Mumbai’s packed-to-capacity Tata Theatre witnessed this memorable event organized by the family and friends of Pandit Arvind Parikh, some months ago, to celebrate his birthday as he entered the ninth decade of his life – scripting success as a businessman, musician, musicologist and guru of numerous dedicated disciples from all over the world. The introductions by Snehal Parikh and Poorvi Parikh, industrialist son and vocalist-businesswoman daughter, were steeped in musical tehzeeb, love and veneration.

Arvind Parikh (2nd from R) and his family members with Shivkumar Sharma and Zakir Hussain
Zakir Hussain's solo recital in the first half of the evening, proved that Indian music has its root in contemplation based instant creativity, where the tuning of the instrument and the alignment of voice to the chosen pitch also denote an inner sanctification. The tone and the rhythm vibrate within the musician and the whole exercise of innovation is aimed at achieving an inner and outer equilibrium, a oneness that merges the artist with the art. With the steady nagma, measuring the tala-cycles with precision, by harmonium virtuoso Ajay Joglekar, he played Teental with innumerable intricate designs between two beats that gave glimpses of a world of rhythmic innovations. Those who understood it went numb; those, who came only to see the handsome star in action, were in raptures!

Apparently, the essence of this rich musical tradition is somewhat at stake in the present state of metropolitan confinement; but not when maestros like Shivkumar Sharma, whose name is synonymous with the santoor, share the stage with someone like Zakir Hussain as the accompanist. In the final part of this grand melodious celebration, Sharma chose to play raga Jhinjhoti.  He gauged the mixed crowd before announcing the raga, but not without a good-humoured satire, "Even if I do not announce the raga, the initiated listeners will recognize it; and a different name will not make a difference to those who are not familiar with the raga!"


Despite all, he did etch the features of this sweet evening melody with utmost sincerity of a devotee. The elaborate alap explored the intrinsic beauty of this oft-heard evening melody in a fashion that made it appear like a freshly bloomed flower bathed in crystal clear dewdrops. The jod segment came as a pointer that intricate rhythmic patterns are going to form the remaining body of the presentation. When the beautiful gat-bandish, set to Roopak tala (7 beats) did arrive, Zakir Hussain joined in very quietly. Together they facilitated impeccably designed complex laya-chhanda with awe-inspiring ease. There came a point when the santoor ventured out on an eight-beat track within this seven-beat cycle with innumerable melodic patterns, the tabla pointed out the bars of Roopak by gently hitting at first and fourth beats with computer like precision; and then replied with matching designs. This was electric!
Shivkumar Sharma with Zakir Hussain
A swaying gat-bandish, set to sitarkhani, displayed delighting saath-sangat (in which both the musicians anticipate the next melodic or rhythmic move and play almost simultaneously). This amazing prowess of mind-reading became the core of the jhala in super-fast Teental later. There were encores for a Bhairavi-dhun but Sharma was in a mood to play Pahadi dhun and decked it up in chromatic-notes-based delicately beautiful phrases. Since Arvind Parikh, in his own words, is a "bhakti-margi" musician, his two musician colleagues made it an event suffused in spirituality, springing out of unrelenting life-long sadhana that becomes the last word of finesse.

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Sikkil Neela

September 5, 2017, 10:34 pm
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6.9.1940-13.11.2010
Birthdays & Anniversaries 

With  flute  genius  T.R.  Mahalingam  and his  remarkable  sishya  Sangita  Kalanidhi N. Ramani  for  close  relatives   on  their  mother’s  side,  the  sangeeta  gnanam  of the  renowned  Sikkil  Sisters,  flautists,  has  been  no surprise. Probably  the  only  successful  flute  duo  of  their  time, certainly  the  first  female  pair  of  instrumentalists  in Carnatic  music,  Sikkil  Kunjumani  and  Neela have continued  the  vocal  style  of  flute  playing  that  Mali (Sruti 24)  launched  so  memorably  during  their lifetime,  changing  the  history  of  the  pullankuzhal irreversibly.....

The  age-difference  is  almost  eleven  years  between Kunjumani and Neela, the younger of the two sisters. For  Neela,  the  journey  was  more  strenuous.  “I  learnt with  difficulty,  I  must  confess,” Neela said.  “You  know, a  girl  child  normally  begins  to  speak  when  she  is  less than a year. I started to speak only when I was four or so. There  was  an  idol  of  Krishna  in  our  house  which I  adored.  When I  wanted  someone  to  fetch  it  for  me, so  I  could  play  with  it,  no  one  understood  my  prattle. I then sang “uttani begene baa o.” Even if the words were not  clear,  my  audience  recognised  the  song Krishna  nee beganeyas I got the tune right. I already loved the flute.” Neela  recalls,  “I  was  seven years  old  when  my  sister Kunjumani  initiated  me  into  the  flute.  I  took  a  good year  and  a  half  just  to  learn  the  sarali  varisai.  Since  my fingers  were  very  small,  I  had  a  problem  holding  the flute.  I  had no  grip.  The  guru  would  prod  me,  ‘Play, you can easily do it’. Luckily for me, I could effortlessly remember  my  everyday  lessons  without  having  to  write them down all the time.” “It  was  1946  or  47.  My  arangetram  was  in  the  Sikkil Singaravelar  temple.  Ramu  Bhagavatar  accompanied me on the violin and my father gave mridanga support, so  uplifting  to  the  performance  of  a  small  girl!  Then I  started  participating  in  small  events  and  school functions.  In  the  Krishna  Jayanti  Utsavam  at Thiruthuraipoondi  conducted  by  the  local  mirasdar I  was  honoured  in  a  separate  function  with  a  gold medal,  and  the  title  Apoorva  Venugana  Balakrishna Avatara.”.....

Kunjumani  and  Neela  played  the  flute  as  a  duo  for  the first  time  in  the  Kasi  Viswanathar  temple  at  Tanjavur. Their  first  major  concert  together  was  in  1953.  Then, as  the  demand  for  performances  gradually  grew, Kunjumani’s  husband  allowed  her  to  perform  regularly with  her  sister.  There  was  no  looking  back  after  that.


To read full story, visit sruti.com and buy Sruti 314
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Bishwanath Ghosh's New Book

September 7, 2017, 9:10 pm
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Random Notes
By V Ramnarayan

Two men from the world of Carnatic music warmed the hearts of listeners with their concern for issues beyond music expressing it in the most eloquent yet sensitive words while discussing recent political trends in the country.
Speaking at the launch of Bishwanath Ghosh's fourth book titled Gazing at Neighbours (Travels along the line that partitioned India) at GRT Convention Centre, T'Nagar, both TM Krishna and Sriram V showed solidarity with the marginalised in our society while regretting the rising tide of intolerance that has been claiming the lives of dissenters from the mainstream discourse.
(The book has been published by Tranquebar Press, an imprint of Westland Books...Price Rs. 399)
What impressed me most about the two speeches was not just the courage it takes to make statements against the orthodox view but also the absence of finger-pointing, and the plea for love of all concerned as a means of achieving peace and amity amid communities.
In his speech, Krishna questioned the idea of nation and borders that impose artificial restrictions on people and their movements. People, Hindus and Muslims and others live in peace for centuries before an imaginary line like the Radcliffe Line divides friends and families, sundering centuries-old friendships anhe world of Carnatic musicd relationships and demolishing institutions. Sriram spoke of the unspeakable horrors of partition in some detail.
With Gazing at Neighbours, Bishwanath Ghosh has embarked on a heartwarming narrative of the partition, a narrative that focuses on those living on the border on either side of the imaginary line dividing India and Pakistan, on both the west and the east. The people on both sides view those beyond the border as neighbours and normal acquaintances if not actual friends, neighbours with whom they can coexist, even share the few essentials that they have.
On his travels, Ghosh meets many stalwart denizens, whose hearts are large and whose vision is wider than the narrow lens of partisan politics and media frenzy.
Here is a sample of Ghosh's story from page 61:
"As the conversation livened up, it struck me that even though India and Pakistan are considered long-standing enemies by their own people, there is always a bit of India in Pakistani homes, and vice versa; each day, truckloads of tomatoes and other vegetables go to Pakistan, just as truckloads of cement bags come to India.
"I found it ironical that in Punjab, where houses were destroyed because of the creation of Pakistan, homes were now built with cement from Pakistan¾and I mentioned this to the people in the room.
"Kulwinder Singh smiled and, adopting the expression of a sage, said, 'End of the day, we are the same people, only the religion is different. Pakistanis¾I am talking about the common man¾are nice people. I am sure they think the same about Indians. It is only the debates on TV that make you believe that India and Pakistan are constantly at each other's throats.'
"Harpal Singh, smiling all along, suddenly turned sombre and said, 'Common wants peace, and as far as the common man is concerned, there is peace."
Sriram, who spoke of a Hindu family he knew in Delhi protecting Muslims at grave personal risk, gave the audience a taste of the Madras connection of partition, by his mention of Lt. Col. GS Gill of Gill Nagar (sometimes Tamilised to Kill Nagar) fame, who helped the 1947 refugees from Punjab settle in Madras. I remembered that one of the greatest cricketers of Tamil Nadu, AG Ram Singh, had moved here with his parents soon after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, fell in love with cricket, and in time founded an extraordinary cricketing clan.
Both Sriram and Ghosh made humorous references to how the refugees of Punjab and Bengal developed differently, the former working hard and succeeding in a competitive milieu, even becoming millionaires, and the latter bemoaning their fate and forever waiting for jobs commensurate with their social status.
Krishna was on the other hand reluctant to categorise a whole region as the northeast. "How can we say drought in the northeast, when we mean drought in Tripura?" he asked. He spoke of our indifference to the poor and marginalised, including the tribals displaced by progress or national boundaries.
At the end of an evening of a high level of conversation embellished by readings from Ghosh's book by Sharanya Manivannan, I came away with much food for thought occupying my mind, thanks to the courage and wit of the speakers.
These were two important voices in Carnatic music. What do they know of music who only music know?



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Three Srirams of Carnatic Music

September 7, 2017, 9:54 pm
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Random Notes 

by V Ramnarayan

If you are a Carnatic music enthusiast, chances are that you will come across the name Sriram or Shriram at least once everyday in the newspapers or social media. I refer to Sriram Parasuram, RK Shriramkumar and V Sriram, the first two performing musicians, and the third a writer on Carnatic music and a music and heritage historian.
Each of them is a leader of renown in his field, each excelling in unique ways. I happen to know all of them personally, and I have known them for longer than the time I have been actively involved in music journalism, if you can call editing Sruti magazine that.

Of  the two violinists here, I first heard Sriram Parasuram in concerts, as both a soloist and an accompanist. It must have been a couple of decades ago when my mother-in-law, a great fan of his violin playing, my wife and I haunted his concerts. Another link was Sampradaya, the archival institution I used to visit. Sriram Parasuram was its director for a while. I later got to work on a music-related project  along with Sriram, when I first saw glimpses of his deep knowledge of music and his superior aesthetics. 
The project proved abortive, but I spent many hours in his company, benefiting from his generous sharing of knowledge, and enjoying the hospitality at his home, where I gained first hand insights into his wife Anuradha's musical gifts. More recently, I have been a regular beneficiary of Sriram's brilliant lec-dems.

It is by now common knowledge in music circles that with his engineering degree, MBA and doctorate in ethnomusicology, Sriram Parasuram is probably the highest educated musician in India. He is also amazingly versatile, a concert musician in both Carnatic and Hindustani music as a violinist as well as vocalist, besides training in Western classical violin. He has been a popular presence along with Anuradha on television with a long-running programme linking classical and film music.
RK Shriramkumar is almost family to me, as he and my wife Gowri travelled together with Carnatic music icon MS Subbulakshmi. He belongs to an illustrious family of musicians, and his grandfather RK Venkatarama Sastry was his inspiration and guru. 

There have been other gurus and mentors in his life, including his uncle RK Srikantan and the Rudrapatnam Brothers. Sangita Kalanidhi DK Jayaraman was also his guru, and so was his elder sister DK Pattammal, while violin maestro VV Subrahmanyan opened a grand new world of music for him. Another major influence has been N Rajam, the renowned violinist who chose Hindustani music over the southern counterpart in which her elder brother  TN Krishnan is a leading light.
Shriram came under the benevolent gaze of MS Subbulakshmi decades ago and accompanied her in concerts all over India, and on a US tour. His violin playing, clean and traditional to begin with, has acquired tremendous polish and depth over the decades.

Belonging to the small community of Sanketis who speak a distinct dialect, Shriram is a rare blend of brahmin orthodoxy and openness to new ideas. A Sanskrit scholar and composer of merit, Shriram guides a number of top rung youngsters in the Carnatic music field, besides forging a superb partnership with singer TM Krishna. He is also one of the nicest human beings in the field.

The third Sriram of  this column is V Sriram, whom I first met on one of his famous heritage walks, perhaps his inaugural Mylapore walk. More than through his thorough knowledge of famous landmarks and personalities, Sriram impressed me with his familiarity with less known people, places and facts. I was completely bowled over when he pointed to my great grandfather's house on Luz Church Road, which now houses a commercial enterprise, and related its history.


Sriram was at the time partnering vocalist Sanjay Subrahmanyan in bringing out the music website sangeetham.com, and was soon to become a regular speaker at Mr RT Chari's southern heritage lectures at TAG Centre, Mylapore, a series that has been running for well over a decade. Sriram and I (and our respective life partners) soon struck up a friendship. I remember asking Mr S Muthiah, Sriram's senior partner in crime in matters heritage, to watch out for this new star on the horizon. "He'll become Chennai's best public speaker," I told him, and for once, I made an accurate forecast. 

With his phenomenal memory and sharp wit, Sriram has gone from strength to strength, and with several books to his credit, is probably the most prolific writer in the city after Mr Muthiah. Of late, he has assumed the role of promoting young writing talent in a fitting manner. As an official of the Music Academy, he is now also a pillar of the Carnatic music establishment!
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Vidyadhar Vyas

September 7, 2017, 11:01 pm
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Birthdays & Anniversaries

8.9.1944
The seminar ended with  a nice,little vote of thanks by Dr.Anjali Mittal. Compering was done, quit eably ,by another Reader of the Music Department, Dr.Suneera Kasliwal, who also looked after the stage arrangements. The principal reason for the academic excellence of the seminar, I repeat , was the variety of view points from which the participants spoke on the subject. But from the view point of actual music, as distinguished from theorizing on the art, the most fascinating moments Of the entire seminar were provided by two glorious recitals , one by Prof. Vidyadhar Vyas (vocal), and the other by sitar maestro Uma Shankar Misra. Whereas all the participants were full of praise for the excellent arrangements , the organizers themselves felt deeply grateful to the sitarist , not only for his Enthralling top class recital ,but for agreeing to perform at very short notice. Such gestures of gentlemanliness are no less important than performing ability. However, mention must also be made of the excellent rhythmic accompaniment provided to the sitarist by Dal Chand Sharma (pakhawaj) and Subhash Nirman (tabla) . 
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T.S. Parthasarathy

September 7, 2017, 11:06 pm
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Birthdays & Anniversaries

8.9.1913-13.10.2006
Very often we say of some one, "He was an extraordinary person" and more often than not it is just hyperbole. Once in away, however, we come across a really "extra ordinary" person who truly merits such a description . T.S.Parthasarathy, polyglot, polymath , eminent scholar musicologist and prolific writer who passed away on October13, 2006, at Chennai aged 93,was one such.


During 2004, I ,along with a collaborator, began recording his reminiscences for a proposed biography. Although he was confined to a wheelchair after An ankle injury in 2000, he remained undeterred, wheeling himself around his study to pull out some reference book from the shelves to make a point, or to show us some article from the pile of clippings on his work table, or to sit before his typewriter and dash off a review commissioned by The Hindu. His reminiscences came out in a precise, cogent stream , without any dithering , no straying from the subject on hand, no rambling, despite his age. Watching him and listening to him was a treat ,and I remembered the first time I had seen him two decades earlier, during a morning session of the Experts Committee meeting of the Music Academy's annual conference in December. Even as he conducted the proceedings, keeping careful track of the time element during each presentation to rein in over nthusiastic or verbose participants, he simultaneously wrote reports on the discussions  for the next day's issue of The Hindu and still managed to catch every word of half a dozen conversations around him. As Secretary of the Academy for 18 long and eventful years, TSP (as he was fondly known in music circles) set standards that became difficult to measure up to .He tried grooming someone to take over in 1990, but a successor in the same mould did not seem to be even remotely in the offing , such was his awesome versatility.

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Raga Identification Contest

September 7, 2017, 11:52 pm
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The  Music Academy-Tag Raga Identification Competition   for Rasikas- 2017

By Sumathi Krishnan

For the concert audience, identification of ragas is something to look forward to.  Some can relate to the raga and recognize a similar song the moment a raga phrase is uttered,  yet others carry a pocket book and browse through the raga name once the alapana is over and the song begins. Yet others couldn't care less about the raga name and are happy to hear the singer as long as the music is pleasant.

There are hundreds and thousands of ragas and it is impossible for a lay person or even musicians to relate to all of them. The only difference is that a musician can immediately identify the svara combinations and svara sthanas.

Each raga has typical raga phrases that may be unique and that helps in identification but unfortunately the trend is to sing based on the svaras  and not the murchanas or raga phrases. Two or more ragas may have similar svara combinations and the difference being only in the prayogas thereby making identification difficult. At other times the singer may stay within a range common to many ragas without moving up or down to the significant svara that differentiates the raga.

One might ask, is it necessary for a rasika to know the name of the raga?  Actually rasikas take pride in guessing the raga name. There is a twinkle in their eye when the guess is correct. There are some veterans who have attended concerts for years and have a little notebook where they write the song list and raga names for their own memoirs.

As a rasika, how does one start identifying ragas. Initially it is easy to recognize ragas like Mohanam, Hamsadhvani, Kalayani or Shankarabharanam.   It becomes a little more complex when Jaganmohini or  Chhayatarangini is rendered.  At the next level, sitting next to a person who identifies ragas in concerts can help. Loud whispers spell out the raga being sung.   Many rasikas are quick to say which song it resembles and that is satisfying enough.

Mr. Chari of the Tag group of companies has made a concerted effort in this direction. He has  compiled a lot of raga information, songs, snippets in cds and there are many rasikas who have heard these and benefitted from this endeavor.

To challenge the rasikas a new event is being organised. Can ragas be identified by a person through sheer listening and an intuitive understanding rather than spelling out the grammar of the notes? It is up to the interested rasikas to find out in a fun-filled way. 

The  Music Academy-Tag Raga Identification Competition for rasikas has been jointly organised by Music Academy and the Tag Corporation & Ramu Endowments especially for “Carnatic Music Rasikas”.



Why this event promises to be interesting:

·        The first of its kind
·        Open to all ages (performing musicians and advanced students of music do not qualify to participate in the event) Each contestant will be alone... No teams!!
·        Winners will receive cash awards. The cash awards will be given immediately after the event. 
·        Certificates will be posted in a week’s time.


How to register:

·        Provide your name, age, e-mail address and phone number to soomty@gmail.com  and rajagopalk@tagcorporation.net.  Further details will be given to the participants in the beginning of September
·        Date  of Competition-  15th October, 2017
·        Time- 9 a.m. -12 noon
·        Venue - Music Academy
·        Last Date for Registration- 1st October 2017




Dr. Sumathi KrishLnan
Coordinator


LETTER TO PARTICIPANTS

                                                                                                            27th August, 2017
Dear Participant,

Thank you for your interest in the Music Academy- Tag Raga Identification Competition. We have registered your name and look forward to your participation. The following details are for your information:

·        Registration will begin at 9: 30 a.m. Please come early to avoid a rush
·        The seating arrangement will be given to you at the venue.
·        Avoid big bags. A small handbag or purse will be fine.
·        The program will be between 10:30 a.m. and 12 noon.
·        No performing artists will qualify for the event.
·        It is open to all. There is no age limit.
·        Gold Winners of the last year will not qualify to participate in the event.
·        Paper and a pad will be provided. Kindly carry a ballpoint pen with you as there will be a carbon copy.
·        The competition is for individuals and no assistance can be taken from anyone.
·        The number of prizes will depend on the number of entries
·        Incase there are more than three contenders for any prize, there will be a tie breaker.
·        The judge's decision will be final
·        Minor spelling errors will be accepted as long as the raga name does not change
·        No overwriting or deleting and rewriting will be accepted
·        A traditional lunch has been organized for all the participants after the event. Please stay back and enjoy.

The whole idea is to have an enjoyable experience listening to music.
Please respond with a mail confirming that you will be coming on the 15th October, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. to the Music Academy Madras. Also for our future reference we would like to have a feedback as to how you came to hear about this event.

Thank you and looking forward to seeing you,

Regards,

Sumathi Krishnan
Coordinator

 27th August, 2017
Dear Participant,

Thank you for your interest in the Music Academy- Tag Raga Identification Competition. We have registered your name and look forward to your participation. The following details are for your information:

Registration will begin at 9: 30 a.m. Please come early to avoid a rush
The seating arrangement will be given to you at the venue.
Avoid big bags. A small handbag or purse will be fine.
The program will be between 10:30 a.m. and 12 noon.
No performing artists will qualify for the event.
It is open to all. There is no age limit.
Gold Winners of the last year will not qualify to participate in the event.
Paper and a pad will be provided. Kindly carry a ballpoint pen with you as there will be a carbon copy.
The competition is for individuals and no assistance can be taken from anyone.
The number of prizes will depend on the number of entries
Incase there are more than three contenders for any prize, there will be a tie breaker.
The judge's decision will be final
Minor spelling errors will be accepted as long as the raga name does not change
No overwriting or deleting and rewriting will be accepted
A traditional lunch has been organized for all the participants after the event. Please stay back and enjoy.

The whole idea is to have an enjoyable experience listening to music.
Please respond with a mail confirming that you will be coming on the 15th October, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. to the Music Academy Madras. Also for our future reference we would like to have a feedback as to how you came to hear about this event.

Thank you and looking forward to seeing you,

Regards,

Sumathi Krishnan
Coordinator

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Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma

September 8, 2017, 10:26 pm
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Birthdays & Anniversaries

9.9.1935-16.11.2012
Vedantam  Satyanarayana  Sarma  was  born  on  9  September  1935, to  Subbamma  and  Vedantam  Venkataratnam,  who  belonged  to a  traditional  Kuchipudi  family.  By  that  time,  Kuchipudi  dance had  barely  crossed  the  borders  of  the  Telugu  speaking  regions. The  life  story  of  Satyanarayana  Sarma  tracks  the  modern  history  of Kuchipudi.

He was only a year old when his father passed away and he came under the  care  of  his  older  brother Vedantam  Prahlada  Sarma  who  taught  him dance  as  per  the  family  tradition.  He also  took  training  from  Vedantam Lakshminarayana  Sastri  and  Chinta  Krishnamurthy.  Like  all  the  boys  of his  caste in  his  village, little Satyam was  taught Sanskrit  and  yoga. The dance­drama  format  of Kuchipudi,  also  called  Kuchipudi  Yakshaganam or  Bhagavata  Melam,  had  young  boys  play  the  female  roles  in mythological  stories.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  when  Satyam  was about to make his debut on stage, the Melam stopped him, as he was not trained in music. An actor had to sing and dance with equal proficiency. Satyam therefore learnt music from guru Yeleswarapu Seetaramanjaneyulu in  his  village,  and  later  trained  under  the  famous  singer  and  violinist Sishta  Brahmaiah  Sastry  in Machilipatnam.  Finally,   when  he  was fourteen  years  old,  he  made  his debut  at  a  temple  festival  and  stole everyone’s  heart  with  his  performance. He  played  the  roles  of Lohitasya in  Harischandra and  Lava  in Ramanatakam in  Pasumarthy  Kondala­rayudu’s  troupe,  where his  brother played the lead female roles.

In  an  interview  given  years  later,  he revealed  how,  when  he  was  utterly depressed as a teenager, he had visions of  Siddhendra  Yogi  (founder  of Kuchipudi  dance)  blessing  him  that he  would  achieve  success  from  his nineteenth  year.  As  prophesied,  he received  an  offer  to  play  the  role  of Parvati  in Usha  Parinayam at  the  age of  19  in  Sapru  House  in  Delhi.  It  was his  good  fortune,  that  a  troupe  which had  performed  earlier  had  left  behind its  stage  set  of  mount Kailash  for  him to  use.  This  performance  in  1958  was the  turning  point  in  his  life.  His  dance that day won him recognition.

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Dr. Prof. Sumati Mutatkar

September 10, 2017, 9:51 pm
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Birthdays & Anniversaries

10.9.1916-28.2.2007
Dr. Prof. Sumati Mutatkar (10-9-1916 to 28-2-2007), the terminal light of the galaxy of eminent music scholars in Hindustani music. She was an authentic musicologist, and a competent artist well versed in almost every genre of classical Hindustani vocal music, She served for long as a distinguished teacher, and as supervisor of multiform researches in the art of music at the University of Delhi.


Sumati Mutatkar was liked as much by musicians in general as by colleagues and students. Her own academic growth, scholarly contribution, and her efforts to make our music better known in foreign lands, merit recalling in detail.

After graduating from Nagpur University, Sumati Mutatkar shifted her allegiance to Bhatkhande Sangeet Vidyapeeth, Lucknow from where she ultimately secured a doctorate in music (D.Mus.) by virtue of a thesis written on ‘The Cultural Aspect of Indian Music’ under the supervision of Dr. S.N. Ratanjankar, What however, contributed substantially to her impressive status as a vocalist is the rich diversity of teachers from whom she learnt the actual practice of classical singing. Her earliest lessons were had under the wing of Sawla Ram of Nagpur and Wamanbua Joshi of Amraoti. As for the subsequent sources and direction of her practical training as a vocalist, they may be listed as follows, if a little patchily: detailed guidance in almost every genre of classical Hindustani vocalism from Dr. Ratanjankar; training in khayal gayaki of the Gwalior gharana — as also in forms like tappa, thumri, and prabandha-s as they occur in Jayadeva’s Geeta Govinda — under Rajabhaiya Poonchwale; long sessions of learning the Agra gharana idiom of khayal, dhrupad and dhamar singing (in the Nauhari bani) from Vilayat Hussain Khan; further enrichment of her compositional repertoire under the tutelage of Anant Manohar Joshi and Mushtaq Hussain Khan; training in how dhrupad-dhamar singing is to take wing into rhythmic variations in accord with pakhawaj playing, under Govindrao Burshanpurkar; and what is not so widely known, grooming in the graces of tappa and thumri singing of the poorab ang under the personal supervision of Rasoolan Bai.

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Swaminatha Pillai

September 11, 2017, 11:20 pm
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12.9.1898-9.2.1961
Birthdays & Anniversaries

Mayiladuturai (or Mayuram) in Tanjavur district, washed by the holy waters of the Kaveri river, is a rich granary of rice and also the arts of dance and music.

In its fold of musicians, particularly the nagaswaram performers, lived the pious Sesha Pillai, a hymnodist who sang Tevaram in temples. His son Kulandaivelu Pillai was a vainika.

In 1840, Kulandaivelu and his wife Velmuthamba were blessed with a son
whom they named Swaminathan and trained him both as a vocalist and as a vainika.

Swaminathan became a brilliant vocalist under the guidance of the nagaswaram maestro, Kurainadu (Koranad) Ramaswami Pillai. But the nagaswaram prowess of Tirumangalakudi Muthuveeruswami Pillai inspired him to switch over to the pipe. He felt that the nagaswaram was a more potent vehicle for the exposition of Carnatic music.

Sometime later Swaminathan made Tirupamburam his headquarters so as tobe within reach of his patrons in Kapistalam. Sivagiri, Kannivadi, and so on.Subsequently, Melagaram SubramaniaDesikar, the head of the TiruvaduthuraiMutt, gifted Swaminathan a house andsettled him in Tiruveezhimizhalai, sothat he would be readily available forservice in the temples and other religiousestablishments nearby. This was areal blessing for it vouched for Swaminathanthe guidance of musical savantslike maha vidwan Tiruchi MeenakshisundaramPiilai, Flute Saraba Sastri andPoochi Srinivasa Iyengar. The mutualregard between Sastri and Swaminathanwas unique. Sastri was also a Harikathaperformer and he took pride in gettingthe nagaswaram maestro to polish themusic composed by him for his ownHarikatha.


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Banni Bai

September 11, 2017, 11:25 pm
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12.9.1912-12.3.1999
Birthdays & Anniversaries

Banni Bai, born in 1912, belonged to the village called Chittukkadu near Pat tab hiram. Her parents were Duraisani Amma and Parthasarathy. This couple was blessed with five daughters: Janakavalli, Jivaratnam, Alarmelu aka Banni Bai, Lakshmikantam and Saraswati. They also had a son named Nagabhushanam.

Banni Bai's maternal grandmother, her mother and her aunts were all performing musicians. The family wished that one, of the children, preferably Banni, should take up Harikatha. In the event she did. Even at the age of seven, she had already learnt several compositions to accompany her sister janakavalli in the latter's music recitals. When she turned nine, she started learning Sadir. Her teachers were Kanchipuram Tiruvenkata Pillai and Mylapore Gowri Amma.

 Preparation for a career as a story-teller, Harikatha style, required tutelage under many

She learnt music from Appakutti Pillai, Kumbakonam Swaminatha Iyer, Narayanaswami Iyer, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, his disciple Vaidya- nathan, Veena Dhanammal, Kalakkad Ramnarayana Iyer, his brother Kalakkadu Mahadeva Iyer, and the celebrated composer Kotiswara Iyer .

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Papa Venkataramiah

September 11, 2017, 11:38 pm
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Birthdays & Anniversaries

12.9.1901-17.3.1972
Papa Venkataramiah was born on 12 September 1901 as the second son of violinist Karur Srikantiah. He, like Tyagaraja, belonged to the Mulakanadu (Murikinadu) sect of Telugu speaking brahmins. He could claim kinship of blood and music with the composer Matrubhootiah, and with the Devudu Brothers: Pedda Devudu (Venkatasubbiah) and Chinna Devudu (Krishniah), the violinist and composer of the Garbhapuri kriti-S; and also with Sangeeta Kalanidhi Karur Chinnaswami Iyer (1888-1967), who was a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award as well. Father Srikantiah was a disciple of Chinna Devudu and he helped his guru to establish a music school in Esplanade, Madras. In his time, Papa had his novitiate under Chinnaswami Iyer.

Papa wanted to become Govindaswamy Pillai's disciple in 1920 when the latter had come to Madras for a concert engagement at the wedding of Veena Dhanammal's grandson. It was a lucky coincidence, as Veena Dhanammal was Govindaswamy Pillai's patron-saint, philosopher and friend. Papa was accepted and this was a turning point in his career as a musician. Papa's own generation was dominated by three great violinists: Mysore T. Chowdiah, Kumbakonam Rajamanickam  Pillai and Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu.

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