A Tradition of Recognising Excellence - M. Balamuralikrishna - Parvathi Ramanavami Concert 1971

Parvathi felicitating Maestro M. BalamuraliKrishna 1971

Soon after starting the Ramanavami festival in the 60s, Mr. K. Srikantiah made a concerted effort to attract the best of musicians and felicitated them. Thus it was that in 1971, Vid. M. Balamuralikrishna was handsomely felicitated in the presence of several connoisseurs and musicians. 

We are sharing this concert recording from 1971 as our blog's penultimate tribute to Sri.K.Srikatiah's memory among rasikas and musicians world over for his immense service to the cause of art and Mysore rasikas.

Keenly aware of the occasion then, BMK also performed a stellar concert in the company of the best of artistes, viz. Vid. M. Chandrasekharan, Vid. Umalaypuram Sivaraman and Vid. Vikku Vinayakram. His Chandrika raga alapana, followed by his own composition, was received with many appreciative murmurs. His treatment of Devadi Deva had established his stardom already in Mysore, being applauded by the composer himself! Here, he rendered it with the same gusto. "Chandru" followed the mood and method assiduously. Kharaharapriya was a favourite of Sri. K. Srikantiah and the raga and song would have surely thrilled him. All in all, this concert has the stamp of BMK, full of melody and inventiveness. 

Vid. Umayalpuram Sivaraman,  recipient of Padma Vibhushan and Sangeeta Kalanidhi among several titles, celebrated completing 80 years of performing in concerts very recently, by playing in the Kalahasteeshvara Temple, Kumbhakonam, where he had his arangetram in 1935! Our felicitations to the doyen of percussion art. 

M.Balamuralikrishna --------------- Vocal 
M. Chandrasekharan---------------- Violin
Umayalpuram Sivaraman --------- Mridangam
T.H. Vinayakram ---------------------- Ghatam
Date: 7th April 1971 - held at the Parvathi Ramanavami Pandal

1. Endaro Mahanubhavulu - Sriraga - Thyagaraja
2. Enta Muddo - Bindumalini - Thyagaraja
3. Nee Sati Neeve Ranga - Chandrika - Balamuralikrishna
4. Peridi Ninnu - Kharaharapriya - Thyagaraja
5. Paramapavanamu - Kedaragaula - Balamuralikrishna
6. Devadi Deva - Sunada Vinodini - Mysore Vasudevacharya
7. Tani
8. Jagodaddharana - Kapi - Purandaradasa
9. Naapaali Sreerama - Shankarabharanam - Thyagaraja
10. Ya Ramita - Patdeep - Jayadeva
11. Sita Kalyana - Kurinji - Thyagaraja
12. Thillana - Kadanakuthuhalam - Balamuralikrishna
13. Mangalam - Madhyamavathi -Balamuralikrishna

 

Audio stream for KVN-TNK-UKS-KSM 1972

The original blogpost is here: https://chowdaiahandparvati.blogspot.com/2010/03/ingeetham-should-come-before-sangeetham.html

Vintage Violin Duo Prof. T.N. Krishnan & Vid. M. Chandrasekharan - 1972

The original concert blogpost is here: It gives all details of the concert.
Duet of two Violins - two Mridangams in "Parvathi", Mysore 1972

The audio is embedded in a different format below:

The King who worshipped the Mother Goddess

Vid. KS Gopalakrishnan- Flute,
1984 Parvathi Ramanavami Concert

"Reveling in a Flautist's Magic" by R. Sachi

It is our great pleasure to share with rasikas worldwide the flute recital of Vid. KS Gopalakrishnan, of over 3 hours, with the best of accompaniment too, from two Sangita Kalanidhis, Vid. M. Chandrasekharan and Vid. Umayalpuram Sivaraman. The concert was held at Parvathi 33 years ago.

The bamboo flute creates sheer magic in the hands of an expert flautist. The home of Parvathi and its large audience of avid music lovers had a chance to listen to many great vidwans and vidushis on the flute: Mali, Ramani, KSG, Sikkil sisters, BN Suresh, and recently Chandan Kumar, among others. The warm April weather, with occasional showers of grace, the bedecked mantapa of Sri Rama Pattabhisheka, the fragrance of parijata and jasmine, combined with the mesmerising sounds of the flute, carried off listeners into a different world of ethereal beauty. This concert will give you a charming glimpse of that world. And Sri KSG, with Sri MC and Sri UKS, fills the three plus hours with infinite melody.

Vid KSG presents a concert of great poise and virtuosity, anchored in melody and replete with imaginative phrases in Bindumalini, Kanada, Shanmukhapriya, Yamuna Kalyani...The recording faithfully captures the aesthetics and the on-stage dynamics between three maestros. The concert is so gripping that one will go into a listening loop of many hours.

The kriti taken up early in the concert is the Devi kriti in Kanada, Mamava Sada Janani, by the composer king Swathi Thirunal of Travancore. Anyone who has visited God’s own country, walked in its green forests, on its golden beaches, prayed at the Padmanabhaswami temple, and heard the compositions of Swathi Thirunal, cannot but think of heaven on earth.

The composer king lived a short but extremely beautiful life, full of music and literature. His compositions, tuned in such wonderful melodies, represent the best of Carnatic music. Vid. Rallapalli Anantha Krishna Sharma, a great Sanskrit scholar, musicologist and disciple of Bidaram Krishnappa, has discussed in his book, “Ganakale””, the lyrical excellence and the high quality of Sanskrit used by Swathi Thirunal .In the song, Mamava Sada Janani, we get an inkling of the composer’s depiction of divine beauty. That is beauty that excels anything between heaven and earth. And that beauty showers grace, the grace of the Divine Mother. The mood harkens to the Devi Mahatmyam prayer, “Sarvamangala Mangalye ...”

Come, let us enjoy this great concert!

Details

K.S.Gopalakrishnan ---------- Flute
M.Chandrasekharan ---------- Violin
Umayalapuram Shivaraman --- Mridangam
at "Parvathi" on 15-4-84 during Ramanavami Music Festival.

Song List

01 Chalamela –VarnaNaattakurinji= M Rangaswamy Nattuvanar *** 02 Sri Mahaganapthe Surapathe-Nata-Mayavam Vishwanatha Shastri *** 03 Entamuddu- Bindumalini – Thyagaraja *** 04 Marivere dikkevvaru –Latangi- Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer *** 05 Kanada Raga*** 06 Maamavasada-Kanada-Swathi Thirunal *** Tani *** 07 Sarasamukhi-Gaudamalhar-Muthiah Bhagavatar *** 08 Shanmugapriya Raga*** 09 Tana*** 10 Pallavi-Ragamalika swaras (Shahana, Hindola, Hindustani Todi, Revathi) *** 11 Emani- Huseni-Thyagaraja *** 12 Krishna nee begane- Yaman Kalyani -Vyasaraya *** 13 Bhagyaada Lakshmi baaramma-Madhyamavati-Purandara Dasa *** 14 Thiruppugazh-Hamsanandi *** 15 Mangalam***

The Importance of Team-work in a Carnatic Concert

Vid. Nedunuri Krishnamurthy – Ramanavami concert 1971 at Parvathi ( Excerpts )

An analysis by Shri R. Sachi

We feature this time the well known Vidwan, Sangita Kalanidhi Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, one among the many stalwarts who have come and performed in Parvathi over six decades. Endowed with a very resonant voice, and presenting a large repertoire in Telugu, Sanskrit and other languages, with chaste diction, with a pleasant, engaging, manodharma, Nedunuri has achieved success with audiences as well as accompanists for a long time.

In this concert from 1971, he is accompanied by Vid.Lalgudi Jayaraman, Vid. Umayalpuram Sivaraman, and Vid. TH Vinayakram. This is a star-studded ensemble and you can surely look forward to some wonderful music, the result of great team-work. After a very emotive Mohana and Nanu Palimpa, we have three very rakthi-filled renditions. There is also a percussion interlude between Umayalpuram and Vinayakram. The whole concert exudes a sense of balance and melody.

The following two excerpts from “An Incurable Romantic”, the authorised biography of Vid. Lalgudi Jayaraman, by Lakshmi Devnath, show what an excellent rapport Nedunuri enjoyed with Lalgudi.

Recently, when Nedunuri was conferred a title by a reputed Sabha in Bangalore, a glowing tribute was paid by Vid. Umayalpuram Sivaraman.

For the past 40-50 years, these three artistes have been shining stars on the Carnatic concert platform.

We read in the “Karnataka Sangita Vishaya Vishwakosha”, by Dr. V. S. Sampathkumaracharya, that Nedunuri was born in East Godavari district in 1927. He comes from a family of musicians. He went to Dr. Pinakapani in 1949 for advanced studies. In his long career spanning more than six decades, apart from being a very respected concert artiste, he has held many teaching positions in several established institutions all over Andhra Pradesh. His lessons on radio and television have helped thousands of music students. He has received the title of Asthana Vidwan from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam for his great contribution to popularising Annamacharya compositions. In fact the song, in Revathi, “Nanati Bratuku” made famous by MSS, was tuned by him. He has also set to music the compositions of Kaivara Yogi Narayana, hailing from a small town in Karnataka.

Come, let us enjoy a vintage concert from the masters.

Concert Excerpt details

Nedunuri Krishnamurthy-Vocal
Lalgudi Jayaraman-Violin
Umayalpuram Sivaraman-Mridangam
TH Vinayakram-Ghatam 6-4-71 at "Parvathi" during Ramanavami.

Song List

01. Mohana Raga *** 02. Nanu Palimpa – Thyagaraja *** 03. Tani Avarthanam *** 04. Challare Ramachandru-Ahiri-Thyagaraja *** 05. Ramamantrava Japiso-Jaunpuri-Purandara Dasa *** 06. Gayathi Vanamali-Durga- Sadashiva Brahmendra ***

2008 - K.K. Murthy Memorial Chowdiah Awards
Nedunuri Krishnamurthy (left) with R. Vishweshwaran
[ Photo Courtesy: The Hindu ]

Music's Bylanes - I

While we wait for our very learned friend in music, R.Sachi ( click ) to process another delectable concert for us, we thought we’d walk the Rasikas through some music's by-lanes .

The following pictures were the results of ‘prying’ into more “Parvathi” albums. This time though, it was courtesy of Shri K.L. Rao’s family. No, not the founding father of India’s Irrigation industry! but the third elder son of Sri. K. Puttu Rao, about whom we spoke earlier as having once lived in Chennai, next to the hallowed Music Academy in Mylapore, and who provided dedication as an engineer to the Chennai Harbor, during the 60’s.

Here are some pictures of Carnatic music’s greats, in a more relaxed venue and in more informal postures.

Could we say that this was their way of “jamming”?

Supreme maestros all! (L to R): U.K. Sivaraman, M.L. Veerabhadriah (Palghat Mani Iyer’s disciple), K.S. Manjunath , T. Chowdiah

T.Chowdiah with Sri K.L. Rao.
It looks to be a respite after lunch,
as we detect the faint outlines of a ‘pan’
being chewed by Chowdiah!

The 'Krishna' of Music! [ click ]
Maestro M. Bala-Murali-Krishna and party!

[ If one views keenly one can also notice Vid. M.A. Narasimhachar in the audience]

Veena Maestro Chitti Babu
pondering away ‘dreamily’
amidst musical notes in a warm up !

Veena’s other great exponent Doreswamy Iyengar
seen with stalwarts Vellore Ramabhadran, K.S. Manjunath, T. Chowdiah

When God beckons to Man – Flute's eternal fascination with Dr. N. Ramani

[ Lord Ramachandra as worshipped in "Parvathi" ]

Sarojini Naidu, (blessed is the land that gave birth to great souls like this Nightingale), writes in her haunting poem 'The Flute-Player of Brindaban':

Why didst thou play thy matchless flute
'Neath the Kadamba tree,

And wound my idly dreaming heart
With poignant melody,

So where thou goest I must go
My flute-player with thee?

Still must I like a homeless bird

Wander, forsaking all
The earthly loves and worldly lures

That held my life in thrall
And follow, follow, answering

Thy magical flute-call.

Such is the eternal fascination of the flute. A humble reed that epitomizes surrender at God's lips, whence come all divine vibrations. Perhaps to be a flute-player calls for several births of evolution. It is perhaps the simplest musical instrument, and yet has the maximum impact on a listener. Wordless but vibrant lips that infuse Prana or “Life-breath” into our ears and penetrate the deepest part of our souls. A simple note alone from a flute will suffice. Then what of the majestic melody of a Kharaharapriya or a Thodi, melodies born of millennia of spiritual quest of those residing in their Vishuddhi Chakra?

It is not only us Krishna-worshippers. The whole world knows the divine abandon that flute beckons us to. Keats, in his Ode on the Grecian Urn, writes,

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd,
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone.

His words point to another key aspect of flute music. Silence is embedded in each phrase! There is an eternal tango between melody and silence in the music of the flute.

It is almost for sure that Keats is thinking of the divine flute-player we call Krishna when he says,“ happy melodist, unwearied/ For ever piping songs for ever new. ”

It is not too different from the words of Swathi Thirunal who sang: "Mohanamayii tava muraligaanam Aho..."

And so dear Rasikas, we bring you Dr. N. Ramani's concert held in Parvathi in 1970. With great accompaniment, Vidwan Ramani has transported us to a heaven we are loathe to take leave of! Come to the feast. Brochevaruevarura... Kharaharapriya, no less... Thodi RTP... and more and much more. Krishna nee begane is uniquely presented on the long flute.

The Parvathi Concert
April 19, 1970 Shri Ramanavami Festival

N. Ramani- flute
K. Alagiriswamy - violin
K. Sivaraman – Mridangam
M. Manjunathan - Ghatam



[ 01.Sarasijanabha Atatala Varnam – Kambhoji – Swathi Thirunal*** 02. Vatapi Ganapathim – Hamsadhwani – Muthuswami Dikshitar*** 03. Dudukugala – Gowla Pancharathnam – Thyagaraja*** 04. Niravadhisukhada- Ravichandrika – Thyagaraja***05. Paripurna Kama – Poorvikalyani – Thyagaraja*** 06. Broche varu – Khamach – Mysore Vasudevachar*** 07. Ninuvinaa – Navarasakannada – Thyagaraja*** 08. Chakkaniraja – Kharaharapriya – Thyagaraja*** 09.Raghuvamsha – Kadanakutuhalam – Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer*** 10. Thodi Ragam Thanam Pallavi Ragamalika*** 11. Krishna nee begane – Yamunakalyani- Vyasaraya*** (long bamboo) 12. Jagadoddharana – Kapi – Purandaradasa*** 13. Magudi *** 14. Sadho Sadho - Ahir Bhairav- Surdas Bhajan *** 15. Mangalam *** ]

Bowing in gratitude to a genius – Celebrating Vidwan Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman’s 80th Birthday

Through this blog

Mr. K. Srikantiah and family wish the great maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman the following:

" Happy 80th Birthday celebrations throughout the year and fond wishes for a long and healthy life full of many more musically wonderful moments. May the Almighty shower His blessings on our friend and musician nonpareil ! "

These were Sri Srikantiah’s sentiments and felicitations as he personally called the Maestro from Mysuru, on the evening after the ceremonies in Chennai on September 18, 2010

"The Way We All Once Were !" - Parvathi in the '1960s
Celebrating Devi Bhagavata Saptaha and Gayatri Homa

[ L to R: K.K. Murthy (future builder of the Chowdiah Memorial), Vidwan Umayalpuram Sivaraman, K. Srikantiah, Vidwan Lalgudi Jayaraman, Vidwan Alangudi Ramachandran, Vidwan M.A. Narasimhachar ]

In our last posting (on Vidwan Madurai Mani Iyer) we drew a link to Sri Lalgudi’s impending 8oth Birthday and the felicitations planned in his honor, in Chennai and elsewhere.

We, ourselves, had to wait a little longer (so enraptured were we with the proceedings in Chennai) before we could express our own gratitude to this immortal maestro, who in more ways than one has lived an exemplary life, in decency,in humility and in spirituality, while bequeathing so much joy to fans all over the world through his own brilliant artistry.

We put the following question to Sri Sachi ( our chronicler on ‘Parvathi’ matters and please click here to see his homage to Sri Lalgudi ) “How is the veteran Mr. Srikantiah taking it on this great day ? (in his own devotion and friendship to Sri Lalgudi)”

Pat came the answer “ As in every other day, where he listens to these two pieces without fail and in particular to Lalgudi’s rendering of them (from the full concert posted on Aug 29, 2009 ).

(1) Marugelara: Mr. Srikantiah is particularly fond of this Thyagaraja's song in Jayanthashree, He often talks of how Thyagaraja seems to be in a continuous dialogue with Lord Rama whom he is questioning on so many things.

In this song, Thyagaraja asks, “O Raghava (Lord Rama)! Why do you need to conceal yourself? The Universe itself is your form, with the sun and the moon as your eyes. By deep contemplation, inquiry, and search, I have directly perceived that you are everything, and everything is within you. There is no place in my mind for any other God. I solicit your protection.”

Lalgudi Jayaraman's genius in interpreting this song is very impactful. Listen to the clip below, and see how he collaborates with Palghat Raghu to create a profound effect, all within 8 minutes.

(2) Brovabhaaramaa: It is special, because, if you listen, it sounds like 2 violinists are playing it (one in higher octave and another in lower octave) . It is simply that wonderful . When Sri Lalgudi happened to visit "Parvathi" some years back, Sri Srikantiah played this piece for him, and the maestro himself was thrilled to listen to it, forgetting in a most innocent demeanor that it was after all his own playing. A great artist admiring his own great art !!

O Raghurama! While You are present in and as all Universes,
is protecting me alone a burden to You?
Sri Vasudeva! Don't you have crores of Universes
in Your stomach? Yet, is protecting me a burden to You?
Didn’t You, out of compassion, lift mountains
(once) in the Ocean of Milk for the sake of celestials,
and again, for the sake of gOpis? O Merciful Lord!
(Yet) is protecting Thyagaraja alone a burden to You?

Harking Back to the Golden Era of the Voice : 'Ganakaladhara' Vidwan Madurai Mani Iyer

[ Courtesy: Arvindsdad Blogpost ]

The "Parvathi" team is back from their sabbatical! And with a bang. Not the bang associated with Diwali crackers or modern rock stars. We are talking of the high point of musical excellence that suffused the milieu of the 1950's and 1960's.

Let us not forget that these decades witnessed the most glorious era of Carnatic vocal music. The veritable doyens were holding court. And youngsters were coming up, those talented enough to peep out from under the canopy of these stalwarts.. be it in accompaniment or solo performance.

Is it a coincidence that Hindi film music of the '50s and 60's stands for the very best in pure vocal excellence, shorn of digital enhancements and airbrushed glamour of today? In the '50s and '60s, Carnatic music too had only rudimentary mike amplification. Avid listeners would throng the small halls, and get a crick in the neck getting a glimpse of the performers on stage. And each stalwart would pour out wonderful soul-stirring music over many hours that had the stamp of his or her unique style. Listeners would not be thinking of MP3 and You Tube. They lived in the moment.

And the purest ray serene of this effulgence in vocal music is Ganakaladhara Vidwan Madurai Mani Iyer (1912-1968). He had a voice that clicked from the first note in a concert. He did not cause headaches for the accompanists nor fatigue to the audience with pyrotechnics. He gave melody its true place. His voice was always sruti-aligned, a kind of yogic “samatwa” that Lord Krishna talks of in the Bhagavadgita. He was so obviously enjoying the melody and the intrinsic laya in any composition that he would only embellish it, not hide it nor distort it with his extrapolated manodharma.

It is perhaps some indication that there have been NO me-too Madurai Manis. Like there has been no Hemant Kumar again nor again a master poet in the mould of Walt Whitman. Another interesting aspect that many veterans who have heard Madurai Mani Iyer's music always say is that they think of is his version as they hum their favourite songs, be it in Tamil, Telugu or Sanskrit. His ever-tuneful, clear, and balanced presentation brought out the lyrical beauty in the song most eloquently.

And now for the Parvathi concert. Held during the Ganesha Festival in 1963 – 47 years ago! - the concert has grand accompaniment. None other than T. Chowdiah on the violin, and a spirited Umayalpuram Sivaraman on the mridangam. It seems that day Vidwan Mani Iyer was running a high temperature. But he was not to be deterred, and presented a grand concert. He began with Vatapi, in obeisance to Lord Vighneshwara, and continued with Diwakara Tanujam.. a song in praise of Lord Shaneeshwara. With their double blessings, the concert turned out to be a memorable one, Coincidentally, this year the Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated on September 11, Saturday! So Ganesha and Shani are both coming together to bless us again!

As if on cue, both Chowdiah and Sivaraman go to great lengths in their turn to embellish the concert and we have many interesting moments in the Ragamalika after the Pallavi as well as in other songs.

Concert Details

Madurai Mani Iyer ----Vocal
Vocal accompaniment -Vembu Iyer
T. Chowdiah ---------Violin
Umayalapuram K Sivaraman -----Mridangam
Sheshagiri Das ------Khanjira

"Parvathi" Ganesha Festival on August 23, 1963
For a photograph please click here

[Note: Only a few pieces of this distinguished concert were posted earlier on the blog since the audio tape was corroded, but with some effort we have now managed to restore a semblance of the whole ]

1. Vatapi Ganapathim-Hamsadhwani- Muthuswami Dikshithar *** 2. Diwakara Tanujam -Yadukula Kambhoji -Muthuswami Dikshithar*** 3. Enta bhagyamu -Saranga – Thyagaraja*** 4. Brochevarevarura - Khamach – Mysore Vasudevachar*** 5. Seethamma Mayamma – Vasantha – Thyagaraja*** 6. Vallabha Nayakasya- Begade – Muthuswami Dikshithar 7. Mahaganapathim – Thodi – Muthuswami Dikshithar*** 8. Darini – Shuddha Saveri – Thyagaraja*** 9. Sarasamukhi-Gowda malhar- Muthiah Bhagavathar*** 10.Ragam Thanam Pallavi in Simhendramadhyama followed by Ragamalika*** 11. Virutham Dhanyasi, Shloka-Hamsanandi-Thiruppuzhal*** 12. Vellai tamarai – Bhimplas – Subrahmanya Bharathi*** 13. English note – HM Bhagavathar***


In case the audio doesn't play, please click here






Felicitation of artists by Musicologist and Veena Virtuoso M Cheluvarayaswamy.

REMEMBERING SRI LALGUDI IN HIS 80th YEAR! (click)
( also please click here for an earlier posting )

Festival food being served in "Parvathi"?
Participating (L to R): Krisna Gana Sabha Secretary Yagnaraman, Lalgudi Jayaraman, Veena C Krishnamurthy, Vellore Ramabhadran, Yesudas, Mrs. Yesudas (Prabha)

RELIVING THE PAST

Sri. Krishna Vattam happens to be one of Karnataka’s and Mysore’s most reputed journalists. His contributions over several of these decades , starting from the early 50s, are about as wide and varied as his multifarious interest in causes. One can catch a glimpse of him here or perhaps here or one can take their pick over a lifetime’s compilation from any of the Internets search engines.

Recently, Sri Vattam picked up his pen to re-live a certain glorious past and wrote to The Editor, The Star of Mysore on July 25, 2010. We are honored to reproduce his words, below:

Sir,

As I was reading M.R. Shivanna's write-up titled "Great musicians on blog", the blog titled as "A Home called Parvati" (SOM dated July 21), I was reliving the past.

It was not a mere dwelling house built with brick and cement but true to its name the Home had a distinct character, the like of which we can find in two or three homes in Lakshmipuram.

I was lucky to have attended from 1960 all concerts arranged on the occasion of Ganesha Chaturthi and Sri Ramanavami. They were literally a treat for all music lovers.

If MS, MLV, DKP, Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna, Semmanagudi, Madurai Mani Iyer, Madurai Somasundaram, Maharajapuram Santhanam, Par-weena Sultana, Lakshmi Shankar came out with soulful divine vocal recitals, there were giants like Violinist T. Chowdaiah, Flute Mahalingam, to mention a few, who elevated the 'bhava' of the listeners.

While the Ganesha festival concerts were held in the hall in Parvati, Sri Ramanavami concerts were being arranged in the open space abutting the Home. What was striking about Parvati was the divinity that permeated the premises, inspiring the artistes to feel a sense of bliss as they rendered. The open ground where Sri Ramanavami concerts were organised was in no way less in importance in the awesome ambience it was graced with. A photo, very big in size, of SriRamachandra, Seetha, Lakshmana, Satrugna and Hanuman used to be placed on the dais and a parijata tree just above the photo, serving as it were a divine umbrella, was dropping its fragrant flowers on the photo to the sweet strains of music, evoking a feeling of "ananda."

All good things should come to an end, they say. Parvati had its "anthya". K. Srikantiah's passion was to make people listen to good music and he found supreme satisfaction if the rasikas enjoyed it. It was good of him to have made use of the online technology so as to enable lovers to continue to listen to the music of stalwarts. However, the blog needs to be updated and concerts of all artistes mentioned in the blog may be posted there.

� Krishna Vattam
Mysore
25.7.2010

"Ingeetham should come before Sangeetham” : Vidwan Palghat K.V. Narayanaswamy

Those who have been following the annals of Parvathi would have asked in their minds, “What about KVN ? Did he not perform at Parvathi ?”

Well, as we delight our listeners with more and more fascinating concerts, we now come to KVN, as Palghat K.V. Narayanaswamy is universally known.

April 23, 1970, "Parvathi", Mysore

Vidwans: KV Narayanaswamy (Vocal)- T.N. Krishnan (Violin)- Umayalpuram Sivaraman(Mridangam)- K.S. Manjunath (Ghatam)- H.P.Ramachar (Kanjira)

CHRONICLE OF TEAM MEMBER R.SACHI

Who doesn't know KVN among the Carnatic music aficionados? Just three coordinates will do.

1. KVN is universally acclaimed to be the inheritor of the Ariyakudi legacy. Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar was hailed as the crest jewel in Carnatic music (Sangeetha Shikhamani).

2. KVN enjoyed the admiration of many musical greats – let us just mention Pandit Ravi Shankar, Yehudi Menuhin and of course KVN's own guru Palghat Mani Iyer.

3. Rasikas who have a penchant for specific composers all claim that KVN's renditions are truest to their tradition... and most notable for this are the Travancore royal family and KVN's mastery over the compositions of Swati Tirunal.

KVN was born in 1923 into a musical family in Palghat. This chronicler knew him closely in the '80s. He heard directly from the master how he would be bribed with four annas just to practise music as a young boy. The same boy later would have great teachers: C. S. Krishna Iyer, Palghat Mani Iyer, Papa Venkataramiah, and Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. It was Palghat Mani Iyer who taught KVN how to actually “sing”- be it alapana, compositions, and swaras – the actual intonations, and the embellishments, without the rough edges and idiosyncrasies one normally finds in any busy performer. That is why you will find in KVN a perfect balance of everything, and no quirks like nasal twangs or too much gimmickry. He always remembered the words of Ariyakudi, that one should have immense understanding and common sense before musical sense. He would quote Thyagaraja, “Ingitham should come before Sangitham”. That is why all rasikas found in KVN the true expression of “mot juste”.

KVN was reverence personified when speaking of Ariyakudi, whom he called “Gurnathar”. In many interviews, he has spoken in a hushed awe about his Guru. It is a bit like Swami Vivekananda's relationship with Sri Ramakrishna. Once, when Swamiji was asked to speak about his master in America, with tears in his eyes he said that he could not do justice to the topic at all.

KVN used to sing a song in memory of his Guru, composed by T.S. Balakrishna Shastrigal. On the suggestion of the famous critic Subbudu, KVN had set it to a languid tala scale and a lovely ragamalika. He would pause with awe when he came to the words, “Nija-guru-pada-sevitha- shishya-vrindam”.

KVN spent time in Mysore with Ariyakudi, who was the guest of the Mysore Palace. This chronicler believes that was the time when Ariyakudi would sit on a swing in a veranda and enjoy the salubrious hospitality of the princely city. He would begin to compose the music for one of the songs in Andal Thiruppavai. KVN the scribe would write it down. And it would be finally polished into shape. Everyone follows the Ariyakudi tradition for singing Thiruppavai and you hear these lovely songs not only in concerts but also during the Margazhi season on AIR.

Once KVN sang a delightful composition in raga Ranjani. This chronicler asked him later whose composition it was. He said it was that of Mysore Ganapathi Sacchidananda Swamiji and KVN himself had set it to music.

KVN taught many university students in India and USA. He was for many years a professor at the Music Teacher's Training College in Madras. He also had many stints at the Wesleyan University in California.

Someone once mused, “what if KVN had a powerful resonant voice?” This chronicler replied that KVN's musical armamentarium is like a BMW or Mercedes engine. So much power would not suit a ceremonial golden chariot, known more for its glitter than as a conveyance. The chariot would hardly cope with performance of a BMW or Mercedes engine. That somewhat explains how KVN had honed his vocal equipment to produce perfect Carnatic music aligned to the resonance of a tambura. And consequently was the supreme vocalist in Carnatic music for many generations of rasikas. And both God and the gifted composers of Carnatic music listened to KVN in thrall.
Sri K. SRIKANTIAH RECOLLECTS

An Assembly of the Giants in Tiruvayyaru![ Annaswamy Bhagavatar- Kumbhakonam Rajamanickam Pillai - Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar - Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer - Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar ]

“… you know I had such a lot of respect for KVN …. he performed so many times in our house “Parvathi”…sometimes with Lalgudi, sometimes with Parur (Gopalakrishnan) … sometimes with T.N.Krishnan … with Shivaraman … Ramabhadran …with Raghu … very, very chaste concerts … always a crowd favorite…”
“… but whenever his name comes up …somehow, immediately, Sri Ariyakudi’s (Ramanuja Iyengar ) name also crops up in me …you know when my father Shri K.Puttu Rao died in 1959, Shri Ramanuja Iyengar came all the way to “Parvathi” to extend his personal condolences … during one of my visits to Tiruvayyaru for the Thyagaraja Utsavam, I attended a concert of Dhanammal sitting next to Ariyakudi, and Ariyakudi was so very happy about it”
“... you know there is also that time in 1963 …when a public function was arranged in Rajaji Hall in Madras to honor Sri Ariyakudi as architect of our modern Carnatic music … now in this connection, one fine morning, KV Narayanaswamy shows up in “Parvathi”… and guess who he has brought along with him? Sriyuts Madurai Krishnan and Rajam Iyer … now they all want His Highness Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar to preside … so they wanted my help … how could I say “No” ?... I arranged for an interview through the Durbar Bakshi of the Palace … and they were all very happy when the Maharajah gladly agreed … I remember the commemoration committee was chaired by Justice P.V. Rajamannar ... they also included my name in their committee … overall it was a very grand function… the Maharaja had earlier conferred the honorific 'Gayaka Shikhamani' on Shri Ariyakudi ..."
'PARVATHI' CONCERT
K. V. Narayanaswamy -----Vocal
T.N Krishnan ------- Violin
Umayalpuram Sivaraman ------Mridangam
K.S.Manjunath -----Ghatam
Performed on 26-3-1972

[ 1. Era napai–Todi varnam–Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer 2.Evarani–Devamrutavarshini-Thyagaraja 3.Ninne nera nammi naanu raa-Pantuvarali–Thyagaraja 4.Enta rani–Hari kambhoji–Thyagaraja 5.Ora jupu–Kannada Gowla–Thyagaraja 6. Manasu Swadhina–Shankarabharana–Thyagaraja 7. Brochevarevarura–Khamach–Mysore Vasudevachar 8. Janaati Rama–Shloka Ragamalika–Traditional 9. Thiruppavai–Sindhu Bhairavi–Andal 10. Tillana–Paras–Ramnad Srinivasa Iyengar 11. Mangalam ]

If you have difficulty in accessing the audio, please click here.

Duet of two Violins - two Mridangams in "Parvathi", Mysore 1972

Starting in the late 1950's, Vidwan Lalgudi Jayaraman and his sister Srimathi Brahmanandam started performing the violin duet concerts accompanied by none other than the Mridangam maestro Sri Palghat Mani Iyer.

Note: If the audio doesn't play, please click here: 


This became hugely popular all over the country.

The trend set by the duo gave rise to a creative collaboration between two great violinists, Vidwan T. N. Krishnan and Vidwan M. Chandrasekharan. To add to the rich concert experience, they also brought in the double mridangam accompaniment of Vidwan Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman and Vidwan Tanjavur Upendran. Thus came about the occasion ( 'Rama Navami' festival and T.Chowdiah 'smaranam') for the Mysore cognoscenti to be treated to this rich feast of music from these stalwarts in "Parvathi" , Mysore, in 1972.

[ Raagas you will hear in one continuous stream (in sequential order); Ninnukori(Mohana);Pranamamyaham (Gowla); Ramabhakti (Suddha Bangala);Paridaana Micchite (bilahari); Manavyala (Nalinakanti); Paramapaavana Rama (Poorvi kalyani);Maarubalka (Sriranjini)Brochevaarevarura (Kamach);Sarasijanabha sodari (Nagagandhari);Akhilaandeshwari (Dwijaavanti); Raghuvamsha sudha (Kadana kutuhala);Teeraada vilayatt pillai(Ragamaalika);Bhaavayaami (Ragamaalika);English Note;Tillana (Danaasari);Krishnaa nee begane (Yaman kalyani);Jagadodhaarana ( Hindusthani kaapi) ]

[Hint: You will feel a certain joy within all these artists in this concert]

Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna: “Mandiramu... manamandiramu”

A proceeding of Nov 29, 2009 in Bangalore Chowdiah Memorial Hall

The two Vidwans felicitated together - Kadri Gopalnath and 'Guru' Dr. M. Balamurlikrishna [ Photo: Courtesy Samath Kumar G.P. http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/30/stories/2009113053660400.htm ]

"I accept this as prasadam from Mysore T Chowdaiah and KK Murthy."

- Dr. Balamurli Krishna on Nov 29, 2009,

on receiving the K.K. Murthy Memorial T. Chowdiah Awards

"Terming the T. Chowdiah award as more a blessing than an award, Dr. Balamuralikrishna sang “Mandiramu... manamandiramu”, a Telugu song composed by himself, in honour of the renowned violinist the late Chowdiah and lover of music and architect of the T. Chowdiah Memorial Hall in the city, the late K. K. Murthy....] [Courtesy: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/30/stories/2009113053660400.htm]

The evening began with a Vedagosha by Pt Balu Shastry and party, followed by an invocation by Suchethan Rangaswamy. Governor HR Bharadwaj, who was the chief guest, presented a cash prize of Rs1 lakh and a miniature violin each to the two pundits.
On receiving the award, Balamuralikrishna said, "I accept this as prasadam from Mysore T Chowdaiah and KK Murthy." He even rendered Mandiramu Manamandiramu composed by him when the hall was inaugurated.
[Courtesy: http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_music-fest-climaxes_1318230]

A Proceeding of May 31, 2005 at the Chowdiah memorial Hall "in the name of the father"

Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi (L) giving the "K Puttu Rao Memorial Palghat Mani Iyer" award to legendary singer Dr M Balamuralikrishna (R) in Bangalore.

[Courtesy: http://www.thehindu.com/gallery/0320/032001.htm ]

The story begins, much... much earlier, in "Parvathi" (music included)

Vintage 1965 in "Parvathi" : M.Balamurlikrishna with M.S. Gopalakrishnan and T.V. Gopalakrishnan

[01-Saraguna-Todi Varnam-Balamuralikrishna; 02-Vandenishamaham-Hamsadhwani-Vasudevachar; 03-Thamralochani-Lathangi-Balamuralikrishna; 04-Emi Neramu-Shankarabharanam-Thyagaraja; 05-Nagumomu-Abheri-Thyagaraja; 06-Mere mana anat kahan sukh pave -Jaijaivanti- Hindi-Surdas; 07-Pibareramarasam- Ahir Bhairav-Sadashiva Brahmendra ; 08-Jamuna kinare-Misra Piloo-Swati Tirunal; 09-Naina bhaye-Shivaranjani-Surdas; 10-Shrithakamala-Ashtapadi-Jinjhuti-Jayadeva; 11-Thillana-Brindavana Saranga-Balamuralikrishna; 12-Pavamana-Mangalam-Thyagaraja;]

"Homams"

We mentioned somewhere in our introductory theme that "Parvathi", besides its music, was also well known for its congregational worship and prayer. Somewhere in his speech, Chowdiah too mentions the fact that the matriarch Smt. Parvatamma would be found to be in supplication of the Lord almost twenty four hours of the time.

We show you a photo below of a 'Maha Bhagavata Homam' being performed at Parvathi in 1966. Performing the Homam are Harikatha Vidwan (Gamaki) Ramakrishna Shastriar (left) and the high priest of functions in "Parvati", Krishnaswamy Shastriar (right). Taking a momentary backseat to the rising flames before their performance, are Vidwans Umayalpuram Shivaraman, Lalgudi Jayaraman, Mysore M.A. Narasimhachar and Alangudi Ramachandran.

With Chowdiah's passing away, the entire Rama Navami music festivities came to be held in the former's honour and was shifted to the outside of the house to make room for the thronging crowds. The 'mantapam' and the portrait (shown below) were positioned below a 'Parijata' tree and the worship to both diety and tree (signifying ecological respect) was conducted publicly for decades to come.

The great Diva M.S. Subbalakshmi had performed earlier in Mysore when K. Puttu Rao was still alive. Here she is shown in 1967, many years after he passed away, settling down comfortably with "Parvathi" family members for the invocation 'Homam' prior to her performance.

Being that "Parvathi" was a vast and joint family (though not all of its members essentially lived there), the daughter-in-laws were always regarded with a certain filial pride by the man of the house ( Chowdiah also mentions this in the audio!). One remembers the house as having always retained the fresh smell of Jasmine emanating from perpetual garlands for gods, visitors and for women's constant hair adornings. The flowers would be brought in abundance each day from the copious flower houses of Devaraja Market or collected from its own gardens. Shown in the photograph (below) is Puttu Rao's second daughter-in-law Smt. Indiramma performing the necessary honors on so famous a visitor.

Finally, we show you a photo of the first couple offering their repects in front of the traditional fire(sometime before 1959! )

and a photo many decades later of Head Priest Krishnaswamy Shastriar and "Parvati"'s trustee couple offfering prayers to a single stone sculpture of Lord Sri Rama.

"Parvathi"

"Parvathi", regal, and ever in bloom!

Welcoming all beneath its wide swathe!

"Parvathi" was a home in the erstwhile Mysore city, a city of palaces, large spaces, beautiful gardens, huge tree lined roads, and where an ordinary person’s vocations lay in a certain peace, pride and quiet brought about by the arts. It lay in its music, in paintings, in drama, in writings, in Yoga (Pattabhi Jois, Krishnamachariar, B.K.S. Iyengar) and in the gleaning of divinity by a reflection on scriptural passages. It was a home that Puttu Rao, then a young, upcoming and successful attorney built and named after the matriarch of his large family. It was a home to which, very soon, music and prayers and congregations would resound at all hours of the day. It was a home away from home to which Chowdiah (and an RK Narayan or a Veena Doreswamy Iyengar) would come at all hours, unheralded, to rest, to play, or to revel in passionate ideas of artistic merit.

"...and who would have thought he could be one in an audience!"

Chowdiah enjoying Radha-Jayalaxmi in 1962 within the quadrangle of "Parvathi"

The maestros Madurai Mani Iyer, Chowdiah, Shivraman perform in the quadrangle inside "Parvathi" in 1963

Chowdiah with the great doyens Semmangudi, Shivaraman, Vinayakraman inside "Parvathi" 1965

The "Parvathi" Concert
April 2, 1965

Vidwan Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer (Vocal)
Vidwan T. Chowdiah (Violin)
Vidwan Umayalpuram Sivaraman (Mridangam)
Vidwan Vikku Vinayakaram (Ghatam)

01-Mahaganapathim-Natai; 02-Evarani-Devamruthavarshini; 03-Kshinamai-Mukhari; 04-Janani-Reetigowla; 05-Vinaradhana-Devagandari, 06-SrikrishnamBhaja-Todi; 07-Chakkaniraja-Kharaharapriya; 08-Biranabrova-Kalyani; 09-Paripalaya-Purvikalyani; 10-Parulana-Kapi; 11-Virutham; 12-Sapasya-Jonpuri; 13-Mangalam

It was a house to which every musician worthy of music came from all over the land, to perform, not for an hour, not for a day or two, but sometimes for as long as thirteen days during the annual ‘Rama Navami’ festival. It was a home that also brought the literati, the writers and the journalists, the thespians of India’s large stage and movie world, the country’s rulers and governors and ministers and the holy Shankaracharyas. Above all, thanks to the bountiful space and desire of its residents, this house came to be looked upon as a "heritage" house to share its music for decades with an entire public....

.....yes, the crowds at "Parvathi" were for real !

...and buses would ferret hundreds of music lovers to any vantage point from which they could lend their ears to the musical concerts, even as the house went about its own everyday private life.