The cool breeze from Kerala’s climes – Flute Vidwan K.S. Gopalakrishnan

The year is 1976, Parvathi is again celebrating the Ramanavami music festival. A grand pandal is in place, and fills every evening with crowds eager to soak up truly classical music. And on this day, Lord Rama and his devotees decide to enjoy some flute music.

The tender breeze that prefaces the onset of monsoon is specially delightful in these idyllic parts of old Mysore state. It blows over the western ghats from Malabar, and in Sanskrit it is called Malayamaruta….

[ Courtesy: The Hindu ]

On this day in April 1976, the music blows across from the flute of Vidwan K.S. Gopalakrishnan. Vidwan KSG as many refer to him fondly, hails from Kerala and lives in Trivandrum. After initially impressing everyone with his vidwat on ample display in many memorable concerts, Vidwan KSG had turned reclusive and subsequently was not seen in the active Chennai concert circuit for reasons unknown. But many Carnatic aficionados have been blogging about his excellent music and also his wonderful serene personality. He seems to have made a deep impression among the cognoscenti.

Vidwan KSG reportedly had his initial training under his father, K.Shankaranarayana Iyer and later studied under K.Raghava Warrier of Thiruvananthapuram.

In this Parvathi concert from 34 years ago, a young Vidwan K.S. Gopalakrishnan is accompanied on the violin by Vidushi T. Rukmini, whom many consider Karnataka’s gift to Chennai. Over many decades, she has accompanied many stalwarts like Mali and Balamurali and younger vidwans like Gottuvadyam Ravikiran. In this concert, her violin has a limpid tonality and adds a very cheerful touch.

Vidwan Tanjore Upendran,, a southpaw, has enlivened the concert on the mridangam. He has a solid presence in all songs, especially brisk ones like Vathapi and Marivere in Lathangi, where again Vidwan KSG has played with a sparkle.

In the middle of the concert, Vidwan KSG takes up Kharaharapriya. To many of us, it seems that the Parijatha and Audambara trees in the Parvathi precincts harboured not only well-known gods but also the Raga Kharaharapriya. Almost every top artiste has exulted in presenting this wonderful raga in his or her Parvathi concert. Merely as an archive of the kaleidoscope of Kharaharapriya manodharma and its wide lyrical repertoire, this blog would occupy a great place in Carnatic music. Vidwan KSG’s elaborate Kharaharapriya and his delectable rendition of Raama nee samaanamevaru lasts nearly 60 minutes. Vidushi Rukmini gives an excellent swara response at the end of the song.

The Parvathi Concert
( Ramanavami Series April 11, 1976 )

Vidwan K.S Gopalakrishnan ---Flute
Vidushi T.Rukmini -----------Violin
Vidwan Tanjore Upendran -----Mridangam
Vidwan M.A.Krishnamurthy ----Ghatam



[ 01.Vathapi Ganapathim – Hamsadhvani – Muthuswami Dikshithar*** 02. Mokshamu galada – Saramathi – Thyagaraja *** 03. Marivere Dikkevvaru (first part) – Lathangi – Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer *** 04. Raama nee samaana– Kharaharapriya – Thyagaraja 05. Alasara paritapamu (padam)– Suruti – Swathi Thirunal*** 06. Marulu konnadira Javali – Khamach – Ramnad Srinivasa Iyengar*** 07. Piloo??? *** 08. Bhajan - Desh *** 09. Dhanashree Thillana – Swathi Thirunal 10. Mangalam ]

Acknowledging our Rasikas

Thanks to the keen interest evinced by 'Rasikas' towards the music brought forward from "Parvathi", the internet, somewhere, might have reached some sort of a critical mass bringing to its fold the attention of a reputed journalist of Mysore like Mr.M.R. Shivanna who wrote the following piece on July 21, 2010 in the popular paper The Star of Mysore. We are pleased to reproduce the article in our indebtedness to both the 'Rasikas' and to Mr.Shivanna.

Simply Scintillating – Vidwan Trichur V. Ramachandran

Did you recognize him?
This is a picture posted earlier from Lakshmi Shankar's concert in 1970.
The beaming Maestro is seated front row extreme left (in a dark shirt)

We have written in many places, in our earlier postings, about the heady attraction that GNB's persona and music held for Mr. K. Srikantiah. The latter not only had many flourishing meetings with the superstar, but he was a host as well as a part of GNB's entourage in several concerts in India. Most regrettably the precious recordings of GNB's concerts in "Parvathi" have been lost over the years.

The year 1974 also seems significant. We have already featured several splendid concerts held at Parvathi in 1974. Now we give you another brilliant concert – this time in the GNB school- from Vidwan Trichur V. Ramachandran.

After the passing of GNB, many were missing his fast-paced, colourful briga-laden music from a rich male voice that evoked the same feeling. Then came his disciple Trichur Ramachandran. He had the bright personality, rich voice, a typical GNB-style of singing, and treated audiences to rich fare. The Parvathi concert from 1974 was no exception. He was accompanied by none other than Vidwan M. Chandrasekaran and Vidwan Vellore Ramabhadran. Vidwan H.P. Ramachar was on the khanjira. The concert we feature here has a brisk tempo, is extremely pleasing and keeps you on your toes as it were... rapid brigas, excellent repartees, inspired mridangam play, and at several points a feast of dialogue between the vocalist and the violinist. In a way this concert typifies the treat that rasikas came to associate with Parvathi concerts.

A few years ago, Vidwan Ramachandran was honoured in Chennai for completing fifty years of service to music. From the words he spoke that day. his humility oozes out. We quote from The Hindu [http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/01/stories/2006120113660600.htm]:

Mr. Ramachandran said it was important that those who wanted to learn Carnatic music should listen as many concerts of veteran musicians as possible. This was what he learnt from his master, GNB. Describing the period of 1945-60 as the golden period of Carnatic music, he said the exposure, which he got by attending music concerts of stalwarts during the period, laid a strong basis for him to develop himself as a musician.

[ Courtesy: The Hindu ]

The Parvathi Concert

Trichur V Ramachandran---Vocal
M. Chandrasekharan -----Violin
Vellore Ramabhadran ----Mridangam
H.P Ramachar -----Khanjira
at Parvathi on 6-4-1974

01. Nera nammi-Kaanada Ata Tala Varna – Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar *** 02. Pranamamyaham – Gowla – Mysore Vasudevachar *** 03. Rama nannu borvara – Hari Kambhoji – Thyagaraja *** 04. Manasa etulo – Malaya marutha – Thyagaraja *** 05. Baageaayenayya - Chandrajyothi- Thyagaraja *** 06. Paridana Micchite -Bilahari – Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer *** 07.Marugelara-Jayantashri – Thyagaraja*** 08. Ramakatha sudha – Madhyamavathi-Thyagaraja *** 09. Sarasa sama dana-Kapi narayani -Thyagaraja*** 10. Kambhoji Ragam Tanam Pallavi*** 11. Sonnadai Saidida—Ragamalika – Mayuram Vishwanatha Sastri *** 12. Janathi Rama Shloka – Saveri, Shahana,Aananda Bharavi, Saama,, Ninnu pogada tarama – GNB *** 13. Yadava nee baa -Mand- Purandaradasa *** 14.Radha sameta Krishna – Mishra Yaman - traditional *** 15.Dhanashree Tillana – Swathi Thirunal *** 16. Pavamana – Sourashtra – Thyagaraja Mangalam

A Popular Sister Act : Vidushis C. Saroja & C. Lalitha

Congratulations to the Vidushis
for winning the "Sangeeta Kalanidhi" award for 2010

Parvathi's inner coterie of Rasikas celebrate 'Ganesha Utsavam'
with The Bombay Sisters in 1974
Accompanying them: Vidwans S, Mahadevappa, P.G. Lakshminarayanan, M.A. Krishnamurthy

"Parvathi" hosted a very popular duo, the Bombay Sisters, in 1974. They had inherited the mantle from Radha Jayalakshmi by then and continued to be prolific performers with a variegated discography for over 4 decades.

Smt. Saroja and Smt. Lalitha, also known as the Bombay Sisters, hail from Palghat area and spent their formative years in Bombay- hence the eponym. The sisters had their initiation into Carnatic Music from their elder sister, Smt. Sethu Mahadevan and later learnt from Shri. Chellamani Baghavathar. Further on, the Government of India Cultural Scholarship brought them to Madras for higher studies in Carnatic Music at the Central College of Carnatic Music, Adyar, under the direct tutelage of late Shri. Musiri Subramania Iyer. They continued their training in Carnatic Music from Shri. T.K. Govinda Rao, the primary disciple of Shri. Musiri Iyer.

The Bombay Sisters won the Sangeetha Rathna T. Chowdiah Memorial Award in 1996.

In this featured concert, the sisters have regaled the Parvathi rasikas with a wide repertoire of songs not often heard in Carnatic music. The Purandara Dasa songs shine in a new light in the different ragas. The ashtapadi in Darbari Kanada is brilliant. The violin and mridangam accompaniment rise to the occasion very well. Another rich feast indeed.

Concert Details

Bombay Sisters (C.Saroja and C. Lalitha) ---Vocal
S.Mahadevappa -------Violin
P.G.Lakshminarayan ---Mridangam
M.A.Krishnamurthy ----Ghatam
on September 20, 1974 at Parvathi during Ganesha Festival.



[ 01. Geetavadya-Natakapriya-Tanjavur Sankara Iyer***02. Srirama Padama- Amrithavahini – Thyagaraja*** 03.Meevalla –Kapi – Thyagaraja *** 04. Yadava Nee Baa –Shanmukhapriya- Purandara dasa *** 05. Akhilandeshwari- Dwijavanti- Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 06. Kaliyugavaradan- Brindavana saranga – Periyasami Thooran*** 07. Innudayabarade – Kalyanavasantha – Purandara Dasa*** 08. Narajanma Bandaga –Kharaharapriya – Purandara dasa *** 09. Acharavillada Nalige – Shahana-Purandara dasa *** 10. Hari Chitta – Jonpuri-Purandara Dasa*** 11. Baro Krishnayya – Ragamalika – Kanaka Dasa*** 12. Nandananda – Ragamailka – Narayana Thirtha*** 13. Ab Mein Nacho – Yaman – Surdas*** 14. Beet Gaye Din – Yaman – Kabir*** 15. Payoji Maine – Piloo – Meera Bai*** 16. Saa Virahe – Darbari Kanada – Jayadeva*** 17. Rati Sukha Saare – Madhuvanti – Jayadeva*** 18. Thillana – Jinjhuti – Mysore Veene Sheshanna*** ]

Musings from the Past
(From the music magazine Sruthi August 2003)

The Percussive Arts Center (PAC) 22nd annual Thaalavadyothsava from May 27-31 2003 in Bangalore

Rani Satish, Minister for Culture, Karnataka Govt presenting the
Palghat Mani-K.Puttu Rao Award to "Vikku" Vinayakram in 2003.
Also seen are Dr.A.H. Rama Rao (President,National Education Society) and Dr. V.V. Srivatsa, Chennai Musicologist

“The valedictory function on the 31st was marked by the presentation of the K. Puttu Rao Memorial Palghat Mani Award and the title of Sangeetha Kalaa Shiromani to Ghata maestro T.H. Vinayakram. He received a citation and the award which comprises of 10,000 rupees, from Rani Satish, Minister for Kannada & Culture, Govt. of Karnataka, who lauded the services of the Percussive Arts Center in the promotion of percussive arts and artists.

She recalled the services of K. Puttu Rao as a legal luminary and the contribution of K.K. Murthy in shaping the monumental Chowdiah Memorial Hall.

Dr. V.V. Srivatsa, scholar from Chennai, delivered the valedictory address. He also presented certificates and prizes to the winners of the competitions held in percussion instruments. The award function was followed by a music ensemble led by ‘Vikku’ Vinayakram. The participants included Sukanya Ramgopal, V. Umashankar, D.V. Venkatasubramanian (all ghata), N. Rajraman (ghata and gettu vadyam), A. Ganeshan (morsing) and Umamahesh Vinayakram (vocal support)”

,

Dr. Emani Sankara Sastry – the one man symphony in Carnatic music

A handsome young veena maestro came to Mysore in the 60’s and stirred up the imagination of the Carnatic music lovers with his cuckoo song and his rosewood veena. That was Sri Chitti Babu.

This chronicler (R. Sachi) remembers how that vidwan’s guru himself came and played some months later. Looking every bit a grand master of the grandest of Indian musical instruments, the veena, the guru produced such a range of musical sounds from his veena that he could be hailed verily as a one man symphony.

That was Emani Sankara Sastry. His music was a wide spectrum. Some lilting silken streams of sound and some majestic cascades. Some sounds that were so vocal you had to pinch yourself to remember it was the veena, and some vibrant and emphatic patterns that spurred the percussionists like a military march. This maestro simply left you bemused. At last you understood why Carnatic music did not need a 50-piece orchestra. The veena alone was enough. No wonder Lord Shiva played the veena. In addition to Goddess Saraswathi and Sage Narada. And even Ravana.

Emani Sankara Sastry (1922- 1987) was born in Draksharamam, Andhra Pradesh. He came from a family of celebrated classical musicians. His father Vainika Bhooshana Veena Acharya Emani Achuta Rama Sastri was a famed vainika and sastragna; a contemporary of Sangameshwara Sastri and Veena Venkata Ramana Das of Andhra. After graduating from Andhra University, Vidwan Emani Sankara Sastry worked as the music director in Gemini Studios. Emani joined All India Radio in 1959 as producer of music at Madras. Soon he rose to the position of director and composer of national orchestra and chief producer of music at AIR New Delhi. He was the asthana vidwan of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and a member of the University Grants Commission. He was conferred among many titles the prestigious title of Maha Mahopadhyaya by the Banaras Hindu University – the first Carnatic musician to be so honoured.

He was invited to perform at the United Nations in the 60’s. He won the admiration of violinist Yehudi Menuhin and at his special invitation participated in the festival of international music council at Paris in 1974. This concert was named the concert of the century by discerning reviewers. He also performed for the UNESCO at Alma Ata, Soviet Union.

Emani played memorable Jugalbandi duets with maestros like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Halim Zaffar Khan. The featured concert is a duet with Vidwan M.S.Gopalakrishnan.

When this chronicler had the good fortune to meet Vidwan Emani in Delhi, the maestro was all grace and charm. When the Vidwan spoke about music, there was a twinkle in his eye. He recounted his prodigious training from a young age under his unsparing father. At his home, there was a painting of his father playing the veena holding it vertically, as Lord Shiva has been depicted in ancient sculpture.

While playing a recording of his famous UN Concert featuring Kalyani, the vidwan remarked to this chronicler how it was vital that the artiste addressed the veena with reverence, and pleaded, “mother, kindly allow me to play some music”. That was his approach to music always.

Vidwan Emani composed Adarsha Shikhararohanam, an orchestral tribute to the conquest of Mount Everest by Tenzing Norgay in 1953. He also composed another opus, Indu Chakra, to symbolise the significance of the Indus Valley in Indian culture (and the great river projects of the ‘50s) using the six ragas in the first melakarta cycle. His orchestral pieces were liked so much by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the then President of India, that he was known to hear the recordings almost every day.

In this concert, we have a treat of symphonic genius, from both Vidwan Emani and the redoubtable maestro M.S. Gopalakrishnan. Emani expounds Meru samana with peaks of emotive grandeur to do justice to Thyagaraja’s imagery of Rama standing battle-ready like the Meru mountain. He transports you in every song to realms beyond conventioncal Carnatic song. The way he strikes the first notes of Purvi Kalyani is colossal. And when he announces the Surdas bhajan and sings the lines, you know what a master artiste he is.

The sheer tonal delight of MSG’s violin enhances his perceptive collaboration here. MSG does not fiddle to distract in the middle of the veena passages, and bides his turn to provide apt counter points at every stage of the concert. His honeyed bow seems to dance in the swarm of resonant bees that the veena conjures up. A remarkable concert indeed, from Viriboni to Veda mantra.

The rasikas at Parvathi were treated to this torrent of virtuoso excellence in 1971. We are indeed lucky, after 39 years, to have a chance to listen to this recording, thanks to Sri K. Srikantiah’s munificence.

PARVATHI CONCERT
Emani Sankara Sastry---Veena
M.S. Gopalakrishnan-----Violin
Guruvayoor Dorai----Mridangam
on April 10, 1971.



[ 1. Veeriboni -Bhairavi Atatala varnam- Pachimiriyam Adiyappa *** 2. Vatapi Ganapathim –Hamsadhvani – Muthuswami Dikshitar *** 3. Merusamana –Mayamalavagowla – Thyagaraja *** 4. Orajoopuchu – Kannadagowla – Thyagaraja *** 5. Gnanamosagarada – Purvikalyani – Thyagaraja *** 6. Raghuvamsha –Kadanakutuhalam – Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer *** 7. Brochevarevarura – Kamach – Mysore Vasudevachar *** 8. Sudhamayi – Amrutavarshini- Muthaiyya Bhagavatar *** 9. Ragam Tanam Pallavi – Kharaharapriya *** 10. Surdas Bhajan – Misra Hindustani Todi *** 11. Jagadoddharana – Hindustani Kapi – Purandara Dasa *** 12. Veda Mantra *** 13. Mangalam. ]

SHRI SRIKANTIAH RECALLS ' GNB '

"...man, I tell you when that person called GNB sat on the platform, in his very first concert in Mysore …I swear, I thought I was in some 'Swara loka'...what a 'roopa'!... those diamond ear rings...hair so neatly groomed …I was so crazy admiring him that after the performance I went up to him and asked him “Sir, what is the scent you are wearing?” Unhesitatingly, he said ‘Swag’! …my God to hear his 'bhirkha'...the 'vaikhari'…the new trend in Kalayani...in Carnatic music he introduced us to a totally new wave. It just arrested me... I just went crazy for GNB. Then slowly over time a friendship developed...GNB would come home...he came to sing at my elder brother’s wedding...for that he was accompanied by Chowdiah and Palghat Raghu...even to this day that performance is etched in my memory... then you know there was a big blow to all of us in his passing away at Tiruvananthapuram, in his fifties...he was then a principal of the college there... all in all he was my hero!.....ah, now I remember that other song from 'Shakuntala'... ”Premayil…” (Sri Srikantiah regales once again)…Can you believe all this is somewhere between 1939 and 1942?...”

"...now, the Bidaram Krishnappa Mandiram secretary, Advocate Ramachar, is Vasudevachar's great friend and he has started the Saraswati Samaja Music Sabha...their first concert is in Town Hall...GNB, Mani and Chowdiah were invited first time to inaugurate it...GNB was simply in terrific form that day...it is my privilege to be there and I am sitting next to the great Octogenarian Vasudevachar ...then GNB chooses 'Khamach' and starts to sing 'Brochevararevurara'...the rendering is electrifying...at that point Vasudevachar turns to me and says "Magu" (he always called me Magu-young man),..."Nana Kriti nalli ishtu merugu ide anta ivvate gottu aitu " (only today have I come to realize that this composition of mine has such a glitter!). ... man, was I thrilled!...as soon as the ‘kutcheri' was over then I jumped onto the platform and went straight to GNB and said “this is what the composer has said to me…”...Immediately GNB girded the sash around his mid waist came down with me and bending down touched the great man’s feet...saying that this was his greatest honour to receive such an acknowledgment from the master composer himself.

Where, I ask you, do you see such incidents of respect these days?..."

Scholarly Touch : Prof. T. R. Subramanyam

Carnatic music is an interesting field of art. It is as much cerebral as it is musical. Given its rigorous classical structure, much like the German language, it has a terseness to it that generally puts off those interested in light music. But at the same time, the more “Mensa' types are attracted to it, as every composition presents a kind of riddle, with its raga, tala structure, and composer's style. Some musicians even go out of their way to mystify the audience.

But what can one do with good training, an improvisation technique that does not bore and at the same offers a cerebral version of Carnatic music? The answer presents itself as Prof. T. R. Subramanyam (TRS). As you listen to his music, the first thing that strikes you is his fine voice. A rich timbre, a facile movement to the higher octave, brigas and modulation, all are present. He has a charming way of pronouncing words, and also a zest in rendering songs.

TRS is a disciple of Musiri Subramanya Iyer. He formally graduated from the university. TRS retired a few years ago from the University of Delhi, where he was a Professor in the Department of Music. He has given many lec-dems, including on Ragam Tanam Pallavi.

In this Parvathi concert, he renders Palisemma Muddu Sharade in Trishra Eka Tala, in Shriranjani. This rendition is quite interesting, and is his own tune. Similarly his Pantuvarali composition “Idu Bhagya” is gripping. TRS's admiration for GNB's music is evident in several places in the featured concert. The concert recording itself rather truncated, but has many interesting moments. The accompanists have risen to his challenge and both the violin and mridangam excel in several places.

TRS renders a fantastic string of ragas and sings a wonderfully evocative shloka, Adi Shankara's Meenakshi Pancharatnam, which is unforgettable.

[Courtesy: http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/03/19/stories/2010031951060300.htm]

The Hindu writes, “Apart from having been a successful performer and a very generous teacher, TRS has also been one of those few vidwans who have greatly encouraged the younger generation of artists by attending their concerts irrespective of the bhani which they follow.”

Parvathi Concert Details

T.R Subramanyam ---Vocal
Chalakudy Narayanaswamy---Violin
V.Kamalakara Rao-----Mridangam
Manjunath -----Ghatam
on 9-4-1974 at Parvathi

[ 01. Evarani- Devamruthavarshini- Thayagaraja *** 02. Rara mayintidaka – Asaveri – Thyagaraja *** 03. Palisemma muddu Sharade- Shriranjani- Purandara Dasa *** 04. Idu Bhagya – Pantuvarali- Purandara Dasa *** 05. Mokshamu Galada -Saramathi – Thyagaraja *** 06. Vara Narada – Vijayashri – Thyagaraja *** 07. Kalyani Raga Alapana ( Vocal and violin) *** 08. Shivakamasundari – Mukhari – Papanasam Sivan *** 09. Meenakshi Pancharatnam – Ragamalika (Poorvi Kalyani, Nayaki, Saama, Hamsaanandi) *** 10. Dhyanavu Krutayugadalli – Ugabhoga- Sindhu Bhairavi *** 11. Tamboori Meetidava – Sindhu Bhairavi – Purandara Dasa ]

Parvathi Days
( Text from R. Sachi's soundbites of Shri. K. Srikantiah )

"... on some days the house would just be a bedlam... starting early in the morning with the first cup of coffee ... sounds of my mother doing puja intermingled with Balamurli exercising his vocals... refrains of Parur in another room with the violin... TVG banging away on the mridangam in a third room...."

" .... along with these types of things going on all the time...there was that Bidarama Krishnappa Rama Mandiram too with its brilliant 'Kutcheris'... Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer... and Musiri Subrahmanya Iyer... all these great heavyweights would come... I am young and I am engulfed in their music...Maharajapuram used to sing brilliantly Bilahari, Abheri, Arabhi...Mohana...I don't think there was any greater music than those wonderful times....now Father is also President of the Rama Mandiram... as I told you earlier Maharajapuram Vishwanath Iyer brought his wife with him on an occasion... and my father invites them both for lunch the next day... before that the previous day the funds at the gate were less...so my Father immediately before the 'mangalam' orders me to go home and ransack his coat pockets and almirah and bring whatever money there is in our house... he would always make up a respectable total himself ... this was the life back then..."

"The effervescence of gay abandon" : Begum Parween Sultana

South Indian cuisine is so variegated and tasty that it is impossible to tire of it, and everyone craves for the tangy and sharp taste of the savouries day after day. The sweet dishes are not far behind, and after any festive meal, the one question asked by those who missed the feast is, “what was the sweet dish?”

So one has to wonder about the almost fatal attraction that sweet dishes from eastern India have for us south Indians. It is difficult to get past 'rossa gulla', but 'ras malai 'and 'misthi doi ' take one’s consciousness to a different plane indeed. Such is the ceaseless joy of life’s surprising beauty.

We talk of taste, delight and surprise also in music. When Begum Parween Sultana, hailing from eastern India, descended on the southern musical scene In the seventies, people were simply mesmerised. One could not but help think of Goddess Saraswathi. Her resonant voice, her regal demeanour, her vocal calisthenics, her roof-blowing top octave, her measured modulation, all left the listener in a stunned silence of musical nirvana.

And surely, the Begum came and regaled the rasikas in Parvathi too!

Begum Parween Sultana has been conferred the title “Sangeet Samraa~jni” by the Assam government. She was born in 1950 in Nowgong, Assam, and trained under her husband Ustad Dilshad Khan of Patiala Gharana.

[ Courtesy The Hindu. Click link for the interview of Parween Sultana and Dilshad Khan ]

Patiala Gharana boasts famous exponents like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar, and thumri singers Naina Devi and Girija Devi.

Begum Parween Sultana is the youngest-ever winner of the Padma Shri award (1976). She began performing at the age of 12. No mention of Parween Sultana is complete without her unforgettable rendition of “Bhavani Dayani” in Bharavi. There is also a fine film song in her voice (Khudrat 1980).

We now feature a fine Concert ( Ramanavami series, date 5 April 1977 ) held in "Parvathi" for the delight of the devoted rasikas.

[ 01 Madhuvanti Khayal - 02 Misra Khamaj Thumri - 03 Misra Piloo Surdas Bhajan - 04 Bageshri Bhajan - 05 Manj Khamaj Bhajan ]

REMEMBRANCE OF DAYS IN "PARVATHI"

[ Dr. S Dandapani, retired as Professor of Educational Psychology from the Regional College of Education, Mysore NCERT after three decades of teaching graduate and post graduate students besides guiding Ph.d. scholars. He did his M.A. in Psychology from Presidency College, Madras and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Mysore. He was also a Fullbright Scholar in the USA under the East-West Center Exchange Program. The following text is extracted from the letter whose motif is shown above ]

" .... you brought musicians from all over India (including Parveen Sultana!) to regale Mysoreans during Sri Ramanavami...we, some of the connoisseurs reflect back to the memorable days of celestial music that we heard in your sprawling house. Those were unforgettable days...I used to pack my children and my wife to ....listen to the music of Jesudas and others with my tape recorder. I used to watch your supervising the 'pandalwalas' , erecting the structures a few days before the festivals with a hand fan to cool yourself. You used to look strikingly smart and sleek with your simple half-hand white shirt and dhoti and 'angavastram'. Your ancestral house with a lovely lawn in front, a portico, a sprawling drawing room where the portraits of your father and mother would be hung on the wall, your Puja room where your daughter also used to join the archana by the Purohit to do puja to Sri Rama....You were very fond of Madurai Somu! The great MDR with his tuft used to regale us with his baritone voice. I witnessed the concert of Radha- Jayalakshmi ....."

1975- RK NARAYAN, TOO, REMEMBERS FROM WASHINGTON D.C.

'Rare and Refined' : Vidwan T. K. Rangachari

"...Ananda Sagara in Raga Garudadhwani a favourite of my grandfather...The swara patterns he weaves with Garudadhwani is simply simply superb..."

- D.B. Ashvin ( Carnatic Vocalist and grandson of Kalaimamani T. K. Rangachari )

[Text by Sri R. Sachi ]

Just after that delectable fare from 'Chandru' ( previous post ), we feature another concert, by a doyen and teacher, Vidwan T. K. Rangachari.

Regrettably, we have not much biographical detail about this master. We are informed that Vidwan T.K.Rangachari (1912-1979) learnt music initially from Namakkal Narasimha Iyengar and later trained under K.Subbiah Bhagavatar. He was a student in Annamalai University where he earned a Sangita Bhushanam diploma. Later he was a lecturer at the same university and also taught at the Central College of Music in Chennai.

Vidwan Rangachari was a frequent and popular performer in Mysore. In fact he performed in the company of Lalgudi Jayaraman at the wedding concert of Mr. K. Srikantiah. And later too in many festivals. In this 1969 Ganesha Chaturthi festival, he is brilliantly supported by M. Chandrasekaran and Vellore Ramabhadran.

After the Bhairavi Varnam, Vidwan Rangachari presents the arangetram of his own musical composition in Mandari of the Ganesha Pancharatnam of Adi Shankara. This shloka, with a pronounced Trishra rhythm in the words, was composed by Adi Sankara perhaps to be recited in a celebratory mood by all. The very first stanza emphasizes how Ganesha enjoys the 'kadubu' treat, and wears the crescent moon as adornment in his crest. He protects all those who delight in the beautiful aspects of God's creation. No wonder the debut of this song occurred auspiciously in Parvathi – a place where rasikas enjoyed listening to great music for many decades.

The third song is surely a rare one in Narayani- by Thyagaraja. The next item is also a rare one- Brovamma in the raga Manji. This raga has a unique flavour and distinguishes itself from Bhairavi by some lovely, languorous off-beat movements.

Vidwan Rangachari has fulsome praise for Chandru, and even holds him responsible for choosing Evari Mata in Kambhoji!

Vidwan Rangachari seems inspired by the mridangam to sing Sogasuga. He then takes up a shloka from Mukundamala, a lovely ragamalika which will linger long in our hearts.

The Vidwan reveals his earnestness when he apologises for any likely mispronunciations in Kannada when he sings Jagadoddharana.

All in all a concert that should be described as 'rare and refined'.

CONCERT in "Parvathi" on September 19, 1969l

T.K.Rangachari-----Vocal
M.Chandrasekharan-----Violin
Vellore Ramabhadran------Mridangam
H.P.Ramachar------------Khanjira

[ 1. Viriboni – Bhairavi Ata Tala varnam – Pachimiriyam Adiyappa 2. Ganesha Pancharatnam- Adi Sankara (Raga Mandari, set by T.K. Rangachari) 3. Bhajanaseyu Margamu – Narayani – Thyagaraja 4. Brovamma – Manji – Shyama Shastri (partial) 5. Evari Mata – Kambhoji – Thyagaraja 6. Sogasuga Mridanga Talamu - Sriranjani-Thyagaraja 7. Mukundamala Shloka - Raga Malika - Kulashekhara Alwar 8. Jagaddodharana - Hindustani Kapi - Purandara Dasa 9. Tillana - Tilang ]