DK Pattammal - 1975 - Audio

This refers to the following post: https://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/2009/12/first-woman-to-perform-rtp.html

"Parvathi" Videos: Sangeetha Kalanidhi D.K. Jayaraman and Vidwan Vidyabhushan Swami

We have been, till now, providing you with audio concerts and showing you rare and still photographs of "Parvathi", Mysore, infusing you with memories of a great era in our Carnatic music heritage.

Now, for the first time, we attempt to do the same by showing you views of some of the great concerts in video snippets.

VIDEO 1:

April 8, 1985

For our very first video, we offer you a very soulful artist, none other than Sri Vidyabhushan Thirtha. Back then, he was a Swamiji affiliated with the Subrahmanya Matha. Having been blessed both with the vocal chords and the inspired heart of a great devotee, he cast many a spell all over southern India, on the several that thronged to hear his music in 'bhakti'. We present to you his first performance in "Parvathi". Even though sick at the time of the concert and being treated for fever by an ENT professor/doctor from Mysore's famous Krishna Rajendra (KR) hospital, he refused any obligatory rest and stepped onto the podium to provide one of the most thrilling of performances in front of what was a mammoth crowd that day.

And, who were his accompanists? None other than Mysore's Vidwan Nagaraj (Violin), Vidwan Erode Gururajan (Mridangam) and the redoubtable Ghatam Vidwan Bangalore Venkataram.

Though he relinquished the Sanyasa Ashrama, at a later stage, and entered the 'Grihastha' (family) life, Sri Vidyabhushan still continues to provide rave concerts in devotion, even to this day.

Memories, only Memories

Release of M.S.Subbalakshmi's Biography by T.J.S. George

[ L to R: India's former Union Minister Mallikarjun Kharge, Chowdiah Memorial 'visionary' K.K. Murthy, India's current External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna , author T.J.S. George ]

[ Courtesy : The Hindu ]

K.Srikantiah honoring eminent Mrudanga Vidwan T.K. Murthy in "Parvathi"

[ Rasikas will remember him accompanying M.S. Subbalakshmi in our 1967 concert posting. Vidwan Murthy graced the podium innumerable times in "Parvathi". ]

VIDEO II:

April 7, 1985

The irony with our featured artist Sangeetha Kalanidhi Vidwan D.K. Jayaraman, here, is that he came to "Parvathi", first, all by himself, and it is only after stealing the hearts of all the Rasikas did he lay the stage to accompanying his ever famous sister, Sangeetha Kalanidhi Vidushi D.K. Pattamal onto the "Parvathi" platform.

As Rasikas will recognize, he is accompanied here by the redoubtable triumvirate of M.Chandrsekharan (Violin), Tanjore Upendran (Mridangam)and once again, Bangalore Venkataram (Ghatam). You will see what their unified zest does to the ambiance, and why Vidwan DKJ was such a favorite of the cognoscenti! You will also get to hear parts of a rare Kambhoji piece "Sriraghuvaraaprameya".

Vidwan MannarGudi Easwaran being presented with the "K.Puttu Rao - Palghat Mani" Award

[ Courtesy : Percussive Arts Center, Bangalore ]

The first woman to perform the RTP : Sangeetha Kalanidhi Vidushi D.K. Pattamal

With this posting, we bring you that ‘grand old lady’ of our Carnatic musical heritage and Padma Bhushan, Smt. D.K. Pattamal, about whom we find ourselves unable to add any more to the extraordinary amount of material that is already out there. As the year winds down, however, we remember with certain sadness, that it was only this July that she passed away from our midst. In her wake, however, she has left behind such a rich and lasting legacy that we feel that our own lifetimes may be insufficient to absorb even a sufficient amount of her.

In paying homage to her, we would like to just remind ourselves of the core things that made up her personality,the formative years of her life and just how rare were her gifts and accomplishments.

“…She received no formal Gurukula training. As a child, (she) would sit through the concerts, and on returning home, would notate the kritis she heard, and key phrases of ragas…She would also sing simple devotional hymns and songs that her father had taught her…Later, she received tuition from an unnamed Telegu-speaking musician, whom she would call "Telugu vadyar" or "Telegu teacher"…. At age 8, she won first prize for singing Thyagaraja’s "Raksha Bettare" in Bhairavi, at a competition…”

“(In later life) her knowledge was encyclopedic and she was considered as an authority on Muthuswami Dikshitar’s compositions.…(She) was also the first woman to have performed the Ragam Thanam Pallavi (RTP) in concerts…She was not just a musician, but a patriot and freedom fighter who used her art to propagate the struggle for Indian independence...."

[courtesy of words borrowed from
Wikepedia and 'Rasikas']

We leave you with a snapshot of Vidushi D.K.Pattamal performing in "Parvathi" in 1976 with Vidwan D.K. Jayaraman, Vidwan Seshagiri Rao (violin) and Vidwan Kuniseri Krishna Mani Iyer (Mridangam, and teacher of Vidwan Mannargudi Easwaran) along with the audio from the concert


If the audio doesn't play, please click here

[01-Varnam-Pantuvarali; 02-Evarani-Devamruthavarshini; 03-Sujanajeevana-Kamas; 04-Nadachi Nadachi-Kharaharapriya; 05-Sandehamu-Kalyani; 06-Elavatarame-Mukhari; 07-He Kamakshi Ekambreshwari-Yadukula Kambhoji (composer 'Andavan Pichai') ; 08-Mohanarama-Mohanam; 09-Bhajare-Abheri; 10-Mamava PattabhiRama-Manirangu; 11-Neenaayako-Ragamalika; 12-Nan Oru Vilayattu Bommeyya-Khamach; 13-Shloka & Theeradavilyattu-Ragamalika; 14-Kavadi Chindu-Bhairavi; 15-Rama Enniro-Vasantha; 16-Thillana-Bilahari; 17-Bhavayami Raghuramam-Ragamalika ]