The Dhanammal Legacy - with Family Photos

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kittappa
Posts: 116
Joined: 22 Sep 2011, 13:21

The Dhanammal Legacy - with Family Photos

Post by kittappa »

There is this beautiful group photo of the Veena Dhanammal family. I lost the 'Sruti' issue which had that photo. Can anyone access the photo and post it here please. It is such a treasure trove.

RaviSri
Posts: 512
Joined: 10 Apr 2011, 11:31

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

I'll post the photo here tomorrow. If you want to possess the photo, just buy the June 2007 issue of 'Sruti' where this and many rare photos of Brinda-Muktha are published as part of our article on them.

RaviSri
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

Image

Sitting left to right
T.Brinda
Kamakshi (Dhanammal’s 4th daughter and Brinda-Muktha’s mother)
Lakshmiratnam (Dhannammal’s 2nd daughter and T.Sankaran’s mother)
Dhanammal
Rajalakshmi (Dhanammal’s eldest daughter)
Jayammal (Dhanammal’s 3rd daughter and mother of T.Balasaraswati, T.Ranganathan and T.Viswanathan)
T.Muktha

Standing behind left to right
T.Kodandaraman (Brinda-Muktha’s younger brother)
T.Srinivasan (Balasaraswati’s elder brother)
T.Sundararajan (Rajalakshmi’s son)
Sundararajan’s wife
T.Balasaraswati
T.Abhiramasundari (violinist; Brinda-Muktha’s younger sister and disciple of Papa Venkataramiah)
T.Sankaran (Depy Director, All India Radio)
T.Vijayakrishnan (Brinda-Mukthas’ elder brother and All India Radio official)

Standing last row
T.Govardhan (youngest brother of Brinda-Muktha, Engineer)
T.S.Sivaraman (Sundararajan’s son)
T.Varadan (younger brother of Balasaraswati)
Squatting
T.Viswanathan (flautist, Professor, Wesleyan University)
Bhagyalakhmi (Sundararajan’s daughter)
T.Ranganathan (mridangist, Pazhani’s disciple)
Kalpakam (Sundararajan’s daughter)
T.S. Vasudevan (Sundararajan’s son)
Standing between Rajalakshmi and Jayammal is T.S.Dattadri(Sundararajan’s son)

The photograph was taken in 1936 by G.Kumaravel in the compound of the then Saraswati Stores opposite the L.I.C. Building on Mount Road, Madras. Kumaravel later set up his studio next to the LIC and the studio is now known as G.K.Vale.

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Dhanammak Group Photo

Post by cmlover »

Many thanks!
An unforgettable page from the past.....

arasi
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Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by arasi »

What a family tree!
A precious picture, indeed.
Thanks, RaviSri.

vasanthakokilam
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by vasanthakokilam »

My goodness, what a great picture! Thanks RaviSri.

varsha
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Joined: 24 Aug 2011, 15:06

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by varsha »

Simply unbelievable photograph !!!! Thank you so much . My heart is still pumping with joy.

Sreeni Rajarao
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by Sreeni Rajarao »

Beautiful picture of a special family!

Thanks for sharing!

mahavishnu
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by mahavishnu »

Extraordinary picture! Still can't get over the image of the very young Viswa-sir sitting on the floor with a straw hat.
Interesting piece of trivia about GK Vale as well!

Thank you, Ravisri.

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

Thanks a million Ravisri!!! A pic is worth a thousand words-Each person in that pic over 3/4/5 generations have done the greatest service to preserving the CM tradition and it should be said despite apathy and indifference from the Society around them at that time--institutions and individuals alike --- kept their heads aloft proudly preserving the tradition without compromise. There was a notion that they zealously guarded the tradition and were unwilling to impart the same to other eager Vidyarthis of their times. NOTHING COULD BE FARTHEST FROM THE TRUTH--The family had the best of the Trinity's legacies--the Thygaraja tradition thro the Walajapet school,Conjeevaram Naina Pillai et al. the Dikshithar tradition thro Sathanur Panchanada Iyer, the Dance tradition thro the Tanjore quartet(the interactions may have been fewer but nonetheless productive). Ramnad Krishnan,KVN,Semmangudi and MSS have all immensely benefited from the family--SSI popularised several padams/javalis /thillanas--RK popularised lots of rare Thyagaraja Krithis like Parithapamu(manohari),Thulasidala(Mayamalavagowla),Sannithodi(Harikambodhi- version slightly different from the DKP/DKJ), besides Javalis like Modi Jese (Kamas), KVN the Nandanar songs(varuhalamo,VazhiMaraithirukkude) etc--ofcourse it should also be said---- not without a nice but no-less-biting "taunt" that finally these "learners" have found the true path to authentic music."--a remark that will "sting" the renowned learners-- and this remark will reverberate amongst the artistic community bringing the "ill-informed" canard that they were haughty!!!

In the fifties, when T Balasaraswathi danced under the Shanmukhananda auspices in Mumbai, there was a private mini dance recital in a private house in one of the connoisseurs house in Churchgate ( who happened to be a Top executive with the Tatas group) with Jayammal singing and TB dancing and singing(TB was equally a good singer as she was a dancer!!)-- I still recall the Bhairavi Padam, Rama Rama Prana Sakhi--Jayammal-- despite being in her seventies sang beautifully--and then Mother-Daughter sang Upamugana Padam(Yadukulakambodhi--one in the upper octave--TB and Jayammal in the lower octave--perfect blend). The reason I am narrating this anecdote is to demonstrate how much they loved their art and performed before audiences that respected their glorious tradition without trying to "enslave" or "exploit" for commercial motives.
Just to reinforce the above point, Viswa Sir during his entire stay in the USA was willing to teach any student genuinely interested in learning the Dhanammal tradition--every year under the CMANA auspices(Carnatic Music Association of North America ) he used to bring a group(about 20/25 students) to sing the Navarana krithis of Dikshitar and the Pancharathna kritis- the group performed flawlessly. He offered to teach me but given the distance(Wesleyan was 100 miles one way from NY) and my family commitments I could not avail myself of that opportunity--something I regret everyday even today. The several students who had learnt under him have told me that the last thing Viswa Sir would ever broach was remuneration--their Music was NEVER for sale and the generations have upheld that tradition.

Viswa Sir had high regard for my father and whenever my father visited the USA a "pilgrimage" to Wesleyan was a must for my father(In fact when Jon Higgins was alive my father interviewed him at the behest of Viswa Sir and the entire interview was published in the Shanmukha magazine).During these "meets" the talk will not be around any gossip or complaint against the Chennai establishments that did not give the family their due accord BUT only about the rigors of training in their household--how Naina Pillai,Dharmapuri Subbarayar, and a host of cognoscentis--TTK et al would visit during the Friday evening Bhajans in Thambu Chetty Street(in Georgetown Chennai).

Viswa Sir ,in one of my father's visits to the USA,invited my father to come with him to Washington D.C. where he was honored by the center for performing Arts for his contributions to Ethno Music at Wesleyan and introduced my Father to Senator Chris Dodd(as he was from Connecticut) as a family member and father figure for him.
Last but not least, in the late eighties when my daughter who is a dancer was preparing for a recital in Chennai we ran into a lyrics problem with the Padam Yarukkahilum Bhayama (Begada)--late in the evening-- I phoned Viswa Sir and requested the lyrics-not only did he sing over the phone the full version he wrote it down and "faxed it rightaway -- the next morning it was on my fax machine.

In short when it came to Vidhya Dhaanam, the Dhanammal Family was Non-pareil and were anything but "hoarders" as some ill-informed criticism that floated around the Chennai Music Scene in the forties and the fifties made it seem!! Personally I felt that the Chennai Musical establishments--the MA or Indian Fine Arts or Krishna Gana Sabha or Tamil Isai sangam- could have done more to acknowledge the Family's contribution,preservation and sustenance of CM and any grievances that the Family might have had were legitimate.

Pratyaksham Bala
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

RaviSri:
Great photograph! Thanks a lot!

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by cmlover »

Interesting anecdotes MKR.
Glad for setting right the historical details on the DhanammaL pokkishams.
Of course both Brinda and Mukta have tirelessly shared their treasures and enriched CM as we know it today.
It will be nice if you share historical facts regarding the whole family which is not known to the CM world yet..

kalyani_ragam
Posts: 90
Joined: 23 Dec 2010, 13:03

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by kalyani_ragam »

Ramasubramanian M.K wrote: --TTK et al would visit during the Friday evening Bhajans in Thambu Chetty Street(in Georgetown Chennai).

.
Two of the musicians who used to be regulars in the weekly private audience of Dhannammal were Sri Ranga Ramanuja Iyengar and Dr. Sreepada Pinakapani. Dr. Pani has imbibed a great deal of the Dhannammal style in his music which he has passed on to his illustrious disciples.

BTW, where is Smt. Vegavahini Vijayaraghavan. Was she born at that time this picture was taken ?

thanjavooran
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by thanjavooran »

Shri Ramasubramaniam M.K. Avl,
The ancecdotes are quite interesting. Expecting more such informations.
Thanjavooran 24 09 2011

Ramasubramanian M.K
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Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

Kalyani_Ragam: YES!! I forgot to mention Ranga Ramanuja Iyengar--he was the most steadfast, supporter of Dhanammal especially when the family went into hardships. He was really sore with the establishment in Chennai at that time for not
having recognized her greatness. In fact in his book "History of Carnatic Music" released in 1972,he quotes from one of the articles he had written about Dhanammal in 1936(Dhanammal was 69 years old @ that time--she died two years later):
:To sum up Dhanam is a unique figure in the world of Carnatic Music.
hers is no music that merely tickles the ear for the nonce. It haunts one like a pleasant dream long after the performance is over. It has an apparent simplicity that on a close scrutiny proves a luring mirage that plays hide and seek with the caravan.(What an expression--MKR)

He goes on :However it is sad that she languishes in poverty and oblivion today--a reflection on our own sense of values. I have often wondered at the paucity of enlightened professionals at her Friday performances in her residence all these years, whereas every item of her music--the rich repertoire, the ease and grace, the absence of uncouth mannerisms. the tense atmosphere etc may well be studied for a length of time by votaries of the art".

Unfortunately for Ranga Ramanuja Iyengar his own "tilts" at the establishment rendered him unpopular and as such the cause that he championed(namely Dhanam) suffered due to the "intransigence " of the advocate!!!

I had not heard of Dr. Pinakapani's attendance at the Fridays concerts. No wonder his style with emphasis on Bhavam bears Dhanammal's influence.

re: Vehavauhini--while I am not certain I am doubtful if she would have been born at that time-(remember the pic was taken in 1936 and I doubt if Vegavauhini is that old now!!).

rajeshnat
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by rajeshnat »

ravisri
Thank u for the precious photo ,what a great one

MKR sir
Nice anecdotes, thank u

kalyani_ragam
Posts: 90
Joined: 23 Dec 2010, 13:03

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by kalyani_ragam »

MKR,
It is said that Dr. Pani used to travel all the way to Chennai from his home town in AP State just to listen to the music of dhannammal. This was done week after week for many years. And walking back with Ranga Ramanuja Iyengar discussing her music late in the night.
Notating music being the strongest point of Dr. Pani, this has been done so meticulously and passed on to his disciples. If you listen to his padam and javali rendering you can appreciate the great influence of dhannammal style.

RaviSri
Posts: 512
Joined: 10 Apr 2011, 11:31

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

Vegavauhini was not born at that time. Only 10 or 12 years later. All the members of the family born before 1936 are there in the picture. Brinda was 24, Muktha was 22, Bala was 18, Abhiramasundari was 17, Ranga was 12 and Viswa was 10 at the time of the photograph.

Thanks MKR for the observations and your recollections of a Bala recital at Churchgate. Was it Tata Ramu's house?

It was not Thambu Chetty Street but Ramakrishnan Street nearby that the family lived in. Most of the members including Brinda, Muktha and Bala were born in the Ramakrishnan Street house.

As you rightly pointed out, the family were not actually stingy, excepting to a certain extent Dhanammal herself. Some of the songs she never taught even members of the family. She taught Balagopala of Dikshitar only to MLV's mother Lalitangi and to none else. Nannu Brochutaku, the Todi kriti of Subbaraya Sastri, she taught only Bala. Vachamagochara, the Atana masterpeice of Sadasiva Rao and Inkevarunnaru (Sahana) of Annasami Sastri, she taught only to Brinda-Muktha. In her last days she lived with Jayamma and Bala at their Egmore house. The Ramakrishnan Street house was sold due to debts and each daughter's family lived apart.

Brinda and Muktha taught the songs they knew to anyone who sought them out. Muktha was especially generous when it came to teaching. In her last years she would ask disciples what they wanted. She stopped teaching other disciples in 2003 but continued to teach me till October 2004 since I was coming from outside Madras especially to learn from her.

Another interesting anecdote: Muktha returned to Madras after her Cleveland concert in April 2002. She remarked to her disciples that at Cleveland there was this huge crowd at her concert and that she, Muktha, had got the biggest crowd any Dhanammal family member ever had for their concerts. Rama Ravi came to pay her respects after that. Muktha asked her whether she knew Thyagaraja's E pApamu (Atana). Rama said 'no'. Muktha then and there taught Rama that song. The guru was 88 and the disciple almost 60. Muktha had sung that song at the Cleveland concert.

RaviSri
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Joined: 10 Apr 2011, 11:31

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

Another thing. Dhanammal was totally blind by the time of the photograph.

kittappa
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Joined: 22 Sep 2011, 13:21

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by kittappa »

Thanks a lot for posting this wonderful photo. Got to know who's who and their relationship with each other. Sruti magzine only published the names and not the relationships.

A couple of questions:
1) What was the Shyama Sastri-Dhanammal family connection?
2) Was Sattanur Panchanada Iyer, a guru of Dhanammal, a direct disciple of Dikshitar?
3) Where is the veena that Dhanammal was playing?
4) I have heard that Rangaramanuja Iyengar had a statue of Dhanammal sculpted. Would you be knowing where the statue is now?

kittappa
Posts: 116
Joined: 22 Sep 2011, 13:21

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by kittappa »

Forgot one thing. I can neve forget the wonderful music I heard at your place along with my parents and Dileep. Especially mesmerising were Chetasri, Veenapustaka Dharini, Ekkalathilum, Tiruvotriyur Thyagarajan and the Begda padam. Now you might recall me. It was 8 years ago. My fondest regards to you and to your friend.

RaviSri
Posts: 512
Joined: 10 Apr 2011, 11:31

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

Kittappa, I remember you now.

Your questions:
1) Subbaraya Sastri taught his father Shyama Sastri's as well as his own compositions to Kamakshi and Sundara, grandmother and mother respectively of Dhanammal. After Subbaraya Sastri passed away, his son Annasami Sastri taught Sundara. That is the connection between Shyama Sastri and Dhanammal family.

2) Dr.V.Raghavan has written that Sathanur was a disciple of Dikshitar. But I don't know. One thing is sure. Sathanur was a disciple of Shuddha Maddhalam Tambiyappan who was a senior disciple of Dikshitar. Along with Dhanammal, Tiruppambaram Natarajasundaram Pillai, father of flautist Tiruppamburam Swaminatha Pillai (guru of Viswa) learnt from Sathanur. Tirukkodikaval Krishna Iyer, violinist and uncle of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer also learnt from Sathanur for sometime. An anecdote: Many decades later when Dhanammal and Natarajasundaram Pillai met, they talked about their guru Sathanur Panchu and sang a few Dikshitar compositions they had learnt from him. To their astonishment they found that none of them had changed even a sangati in a single song. Dhanammal said to Pillai: "Pillaival, we are both singing exactly like we learnt, after all these years. That is the blessing of our Sathanur Ayya".

3) The veena of Dhanammal was with Balasaraswati, since she died at their house in Egmore. It was in an enclosed case in Bala's home on Ramanathan Road, Kilpauk. Later Bala's daughter Lakshmi was preserving it. Now hopefully the veena is with Lakshmi's son Aniruddha.

4) The statue of Dhanammal was commissioned by Rangaramanuja Iyengar shortly after her death in 1938. Apparently Iyengar had promised Muktha that she could take the statue after he died. And so in 1980 the statue came to Muktha's house. And there it is. Enclosed in a glass case, it sits in the front balcony of Muktha's apartment in Gandhi Nagar, Adyar. A personal anecdote:

When Muktha's bungalow was demolished to make way for an aparment block in 1990, she had to move to another place a few housees away. Myself and my friend Sridhar were asked to help in the shifting. The statue made in plaster of paris was weightier than we expected. Six of us struggled to place it in the van and then take it out and place it in their shifted house. C.V.Narasimhan, Under Secretary General and a friend of the family playfully tried to lend a helping hand. We were exhausted and out of breath. An excellent meal was prepared by CVN's cousin Jayalakshmi (aka Rosy, disciple of Papa). In 'recognition' of our 'service' to Dhanammal, Muktha, Rosy and CVN served us the meal. Can never forget that incident and the weight of that statue still weighs on my mind and induces a shudder even now.

RaviSri
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Joined: 10 Apr 2011, 11:31

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

Sorry, C.V.Narasimhan Under Secretary General of the United Nations.

cienu
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by cienu »

lovely memories

kittappa
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Joined: 22 Sep 2011, 13:21

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by kittappa »

Excellent anecdotes Ravi. Keep going. BTW, will you be coming to Chennai during the season? I remember your telling me that the last season you attended fully was way back in 1991 and after that you attended for a couple of days in 2002. What about this year. We could have some good conversations, reminiscences and music too at some place. Interested people can join in.

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

Ravi Sri: Re: your question about the churchgate recital Post# 18. YES--it was Ramu mama(S.Ramu).Ramu mama was a true connoisseur a "dyed-in-the-wool" Tanjorean who firmly believed that the Cauvery basin in Tanjore alone is responsible for the CM renaissance. he was a close friend of our family--an exception he made to befriend a Tirunelveli family like ourselves!!
He was a great admirer of T.Balasaraswathi and also Kamala(laxman).

Great stories--I cannot get enough of the Dhanammal stories--the anecdote you mentioned regarding Dhanammal and Tiruppamburam Natarajasundaram Ppillai re: the preservation of the Patantharam is quintessential Dhanammal -- this quality of retaining the authenticity of compositions the family had painstakingly amassed thro years of dedication her descendants have passed on to their disciples--one of my cousins who was a steadfast disciple of Brindamma first and Mukthamma later used to tell me how both B and M used to "drill" the Odukkal and Chedukkal technique(this cannot be explained in words only demonstrated by singing) and were relentless in their teaching till the disciple got it right--also when singing the piece before them if there is any unintentional karvai or gamakam,the disciple would be pulled up with a comment" Thambi angellam edukku Pore"(Why do you go there?). Given their vidwath they could have easily "added their own sangathis in the kritis or padams they learnt from their teachers.But they prided themselves on their authentic rendition of Dikshitar krithis and there can be no doubt on that score!!

By the way, RaviSri--are you one of the authors of the articles in the Hindu in march and May 2003--Eternal Pilgrims Physical legacy!!


CIENU: My mother used to tell me about a chamber impromptu recital of T.Balasaraswathi in Kalki gardens circa late fifties or early sixties-- which included the Subramania Bhujangam Stothrams. I believe it was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder. Could you please ask your Mom the whereabouts of that recording--my mother swears there was one as she was present during that recital--my mother raves about that occasion.

In my next post I will narrate an anecdote which I had posted sometime back in the Brinda Muktha thread which many ofrumites may not have had a chance to see. --just to illustrate how much importance and sanctity the family gave to the Bhani and their steadfast adherence to it despite the onslaught of efforts to minimise or impugn their legacy.

RaviSri
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

Ramu Mama was a close friend of my father T.S.Mani who was working in Hindustan Lever and who was the Chairman of the South Indian Cooperative Society in Matunga. I have seen Ramu Mama when I was a young boy. We were members of Shanmukhananda Sabha and had four seats in the 'D' row as group one members, because my father was in the Sabha's commitee for a year in the late 1950s. He however left that to join Coop Society as Director and then in 1966 became Chairman. In fact I think Ramu Mama was the only one in the Sabha who hailed from Tanjore apart from TVR. Most of the others were from Tirunelveli. Strange, when 90% of the Tamils in Bombay were Palakkadans. And the Kerala tuskers formed more than 75% of the members in Shanmukhananda. That's why MDR used to get almost a full house in Bombay, to his own, not surprise, but heavy shock. You have kindled some pleasant memories of Bombay.

No, I have never written in The Hindu. To write in that paper one does not need talent. One needs to have a lot of influence and the uncanny ability to make mistakes. One needs to be ridiculous while writing about music in that paper.

In 2002, 2003, myself and friend Sridhar were writing extensively in sangeetham.com as 'Ravi and Sridhar' and posting as RaviSri. We wrote the biography of Dikshitar titled 'The Eternal Pilgrim'. Probably some 'tirudan' must have copied the title and written some article in The Hindu. I don't know. We have also written under various pseudonyms on sangeetham.com like 'Lobbykaran', 'Academician', 'Societywalla' during two or three December seasons. Also biography of Shyama Sastri, explanations of Kamalamba Navavaranams etc.

Your query to cienu has also trigerred my memories of the close friendship between MS and Muktha. Shanmukavadivu (MS's mother) was a disciple of Dhanammal. When MS came to Madras with her mother she was only 12 or 13 years old. Surprisingly Brinda, Muktha, Bala and MS were 2 years apart from each other. Brinda was then 17, Muktha 15, MS 13 and Bala 11. All four became close friends as Shanmukavadivu lived vey near Dhanammal's residence. When she came to learn from Dhanammal the 4 girls would play together till MS's mother's lessons were over. Later, MS became very close to Muktha and they remained thus until MS passed away. Muktha could not get over that shock. She used to lament 'Subbulakshmi has left me and gone alone. O Subbulakshmi why did you not take me along?' They were relatives too, Muktha's son-in-law's grandmother and Shanmukavadivu being sisters. So, MS and Muktha were kind of sambandhis.

A year before she died, MS requested Muktha to visit her and sing. 'I want very much to listen to you'. Muktha agreed and sang at MS's house along with Sowmya for almost 2 hours. MS was in tears it seems. Unfortunately we could not attend that session.

Looking forward to more reminiscences from you and cienu.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by arasi »

How from a family photo (rich in itself), this thread turned out to be a treasure!
RaviSri, Ramesh and Cienu (hoping for posts from you), keep them coming! Others too, wherever they hail from --not necessarily TinnEli ;)--keep this thread going!

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by cmlover »

All of us are enjoying these free (natural) flow of reminiscences.
Thanks to you guys and those who pitch in with tid-bits.
Just give a time line whenever you can so that the facts are historically and chronologically understood and appreciated.
MKR
You have yet to complete the SSI story. But then this is a golden opportunity to share your know-how on DhanammaaL and her clan! Tell us if Sadashivam had any interactions with her directly or through the MS/Shanmuka vadivu connections. What are the views of SSI on Dhanammal baaNi and pathaantharams? The 30's were the bastions of brahmin and male dominance in CM! How did the establishemnt view these upstart women being custodians of CM heritage?....

RaviSri
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

The ‘30s were no doubt the era of brahmin and male dominance. But it was during this period and the ’40s that Brinda-Muktha, MS, DKP and MLV came to the fore. The impeccable sources of the pATAntharam of the Dhanammal family led the periya manuShAL in droves to listen to her. The Hindu family, the family of famous lawyer T.R.Venkatarama Sastri (many of who’s grand-daughters later became disciples of Brinda and Muktha, the family of Rt.Hon Srinivasa Sastri (whose grand-daughter became a disciple of Muktha), Congress leader and freedom fighter S.Satyamurthy, the Sharma family (that included actor Ranjan and his brothers), several ICS officers, the youngest of whom was S.Y.Krishnaswami (SYK), the TTK family (that included his father) all these were rasikas of Dhanammal. Apart from the Dare House Naidu family, the Perumal Chetty family and the Komutti Chettiars. Some of the above mentioned were fanatics and could not listen to any other music. Also staunch rasikas were Dr Sitapati Iyer and family. The Doctor sent his daughter Savitri Rajan to Dhanammal to learn veena from her. Relatives of Dr.Sitapati Iyer who became almost fanatics of the Dhanammal family music were Dr.T.N.Krishnaswami Iyer (who took a large number of photographs of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi during the 30s nd 40s) and Kesavardhini Hair Oil owner and musicologist K.V.Ramachasndran, who sent his daughters to Kamakshi (mother of Brinda-Muktha) and later to Muktha to learn music. K.V.Ramachandran has given several lecture demonstrations in the Music Academy on ragas with he lecturing and B-M demonstrating. The Junior Maharani-Rgent of Travancore, Sethu PArvati Bayi was another disciple of Dhanammal.

There was therefore no question of brahmin or male dominance excepting when it came to awards. They could happily award to people of their own ilk. Remember, the first woman Sangita Kalanidhi happened only in 1968, a full 42 years after the Music Academy came into being. But the Dhanammal family music, soaked in tradition and being fully sampradaya bound and with authentic pATams, could not be ignored. Tiger, Ariyakkudi, Maharajapuram (the father), were some of the prominent artistes who learnt from Dhanammal. Musiri very much wanted to learn but could not. Another disciple and staunch rasika of Dhanammal was Parur Sundaram Iyer (father of MSG). Chembai learnt a few pieces from Lakshmiratnam (2nd daughter of Dhanammal). And everyone knows that Semmangudi, MS and Ramnad Krishnan learnt from Brinda. RK learnt from Muktha also. D.K.Pattammal learnt from Lakshmiratnam as well as from Muktha (mostly padams and javalis).

One must also remember that of the five prominent lady musicians of the last century, B-M, MS and MLV, all came from the devadasi tradition. Only DKP was a Brahmin.

Besides, Brinda-Mukthas’ father was Soundararaja Iyengar who was a Deputy Collector in Madras and Kumbhakonam. He was the elder brother of Kasturi Ranga Iyengar, the patriarch of ‘The Hindu’. So, how could The Hindu establishment which had tremendous influence over the Music Academy, ignore them? Kasturi Srinivasan, the Vice-President of the Academy and B-M’s cousin was very fond of them and ensured that they got their yearly opportunity to perform. Not that they needed recommendation. B-M had started singing at the Academy in the ‘30s itself. But if any in the so called establishment raised any objections saying that they did not draw crowds and that gate collection was poor for B-M concerts, Kasturi S was there to nip such a ridiculous idea in the bud. So they regularly performed at the Academy, Indian Fine Arts and the Tamil Isai Sangam.
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Dhanammal’s rasikas also included Patnam Subramanya Iyer (who was later requested to teach her eldest daughter Rajlakshmi) and his bête-noire Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer (who did not listen to any female music), Tiger Varadachariar etc.

Semmangudi was among those asked to speak at a memorial meeting held for Dhanammal after her death. The meeting was presided by Rajaji, then Premier of Madras Presidency. Satyamurty was the prominent speaker. Semmangudi said that he was a junior and that he had very little qualification to comment on Dhanam’s music. He had listened to her only a few times. But, he said, it was soaked in sampradaya and all musicians should emulate her example. He himself said at the sadas on January 1st 1977, when Brinda was awarded Sangita Kalanidhi that he himself had learnt a lot of pieces from Brinda and that ‘avA kuDumbathu sangItam romba visEshamAnadu. engaLLa niraya pEr munnukku vandadukku kAraNam avA kiTTa pADam kETTadu dAn (many of us in the music fraternity came up because we learnt from them. He was referring to himself, Ariyakkudi and MS).

When Brinda died in 1996, Semmangudi remarked, ‘idODa shuddha karNATaka sangItam pOyiDuthu’ (with this pure sangeetham is dead).
Once, in 1989, he told a group of rasikas (among whom I was one) who went to his house to meet him about many vidwans of the past. When he came to know that I was learning from Muktha , he recounted an incident. Many years before that, he had attended a concert of Muktha at Sastri hall. She sang yadukulakAmbhOji rAgam followed by Subbaraya Sastri’s ‘ninu sEvinchina’. Semmangudi said, “it was so exquisite that I forgot myself. On returning home I ate, and with that yadukulakAmbhOji and ninu sEvinchina haunting my mind and heart I forgot to take my sleeping pills, without which I cannot sleep for many years now. But I slept soundly that night. That is the power of your guru’s and their family’s music. You are indeed lucky to learn from her.

In 2001, the All India Radio decided to award some special award to Semmangudi, Muktha, MS and DKP. All were present at the awards function. Semmangudi remarked to Muktha, “Muktha, look I am now 93. My time has come.” Muktha immediately retorted, “IyervAL, right now no one is waiting for you in heaven with pUrNakumbham. You will live for at least two or three years.” All of them, Semmangudi, MS and DKP had a hearty laugh. Replied Semmangudi, “Muktha EdAvadu sholli en kAla vAruvA, teriyum enakku (I knew Muktha will taunt me). Sure enough, Semmangudi lived for 2 years after that and died in October 2003.

arasi
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by arasi »

RaviSri,
Thanks for sharing!
Such precious comments and anecdotes...

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by cmlover »

This is indeed a revelation. All these brahmin elites (in those days) promoting women in private but outwardly decrying their progress! GNB was curbed the associations by his strict father though his passion for CM goaded him to break the fetters and even venture into the movie world at the risk of his CM career! Fortunately the money-bags who controlled the Drama and Movie industry did not respect caste and gender restrictions but for whom we would have lost all (audio) records of the ancient paddhati. Do you know whether Kalki was also in the picture since he used to write music reviews in Vikatan in those days?

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

RaviSri: Wonderful,insightful account of the family.Thanks to you for sharing them--you are so lucky to have learnt from B and M--you must be a rasika non-pareil!!! Their willingness to teach depends upon your commitment to their Bani which they assiduously "test" in case some phonies turn up to "learn"--an anecdote--late sixties.
Brindamma had come to Shanmukhananda for a concert--I had gone to see S.Ramachandran(who was teaching @ the Shanmukhananda school) who took me to Brindamma's quarters at the Shanmukhananda , Although she had not known me she knew my mother and father and had met her at the Kalki gardens several times.
A gentleman(I do not remember his name) walks in with an air of familiarity that "bowled" us all--mostly Brindamma--he started gushing, I have learnt in Delhi from so-and-so,in Chennai from s0-and-so,have learnt pallavis from so-and-so and blurted out his own curriculum vitae in its entirety(oblivious to the mischievous glances exchanged between Brindamma and Ramachandran Sir
and finishes off saying he has not had a chance to learn padams and javalis and almost saying"I need to round off my repertoire and hence I have come to you for the tail portion of concerts I may give in future!!"). I forgot to mention the Gentleman had a high-pitched voice and apparently had not heard much about the Dhanammal school or Brindamma- or -their pride in their tradition and their steadfastness to that tradition).

After he stops to catch his breath, Brindamma turns around to SR and says " Pathiya Thambi,Sir evvalavu per kitte kathirundirukkar" (he has learnt from "so many" people with the accent on Evalavau per and then finishes off with an impish remark(Saaarukku stage voice pathiya--meaning he simply shouts music--younger forumites should know in the olden days with mikeless concerts and dramas, drama actors had to sing aloud so that the people in the back could hear them and from this emerged the expression "stage voice'--the next time an artist congratulates you on your voice as a stage voice WATCH out --it is not a compliment!!!. The gentleman needless to say did not "catch on" and was beaming with pride for having "impressed" Brindamma with his "lineage" of Gurus!!!!

Then Brindamma turns serious and tells the gentleman to continue learning from the "others" he mentioned and finishes off with this remark" NANGAL ELLAM BANIKKU ENRU USIRAI VIDARAVANGA(i.e We belong to the tribe that sacrifices our life for the Bani--tradition ).

Now younger forumites should not mistake this for arrogance or insensitivity to a new aspirant of learning--we live in an age where immediately, our ego steps in and tells us "no matter how great an artist may be he/she has no right to insult a learner or a pupil. You should delve deep into the family's psyche or atleast do your homework before you approach them.

NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO BUY THE FAMILY OUT WITH THEIR PATRONAGE AND LURE OF MONEY NO MATTER HOW BAD A FINANCIAL STRAIT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN IN.NOR HAVE THEY USED THEIR SUPERIOR INTELLECT AND IMAGINATION TO CHANGE THE PADTANTHARAM THEY HAD BEEN TAUGHT. They simply could not understand the motivation of young Vidyarthis to buzz around like honey bees jumping from flower to flower presumably with the noble intention of learning and imbibing!!

As the many instances pointed out by Ravi Sri would testify, I know of no other family or individual in the Carnatic Music History who have so patiently,and assiduously gathered the Pokkishams of the Trinity and the composers who came after them and hued to their tradition without compromise.

The Music Academy in the 50's and sixties always put them in the 9:00 P.M. slot which attracted only few cognoscentis--they got the 5P.M. slot late in their careers. Credit must be given to them that they used their long life to impart to those who genuinely sought their teaching without any ulterior motive to 'commercialise" or capitalise on their "musical wealth". Unfortunately they simply got "typecast" for their Padams and Javalis whereas those who knew them well would swear to the family's wide repertoire of not only the Trinity's but also any contemporary composer of merit--I wonder how many of the forumites have heard B and M's rendering of Kanthimathim" in Kalyani(a composition of Subbarama Dikshithar of Sampradaya Pradarshini fame- composed in praise of Kanthimathi Amma in Tirunelveli(RAVI SRI eat your heart out!!!--forumites this is a side joke between ravi Sri and myself)another trivia digression--Subbarama Dikshithar also composed Shankaracharyam in Sankarabharanam which Semmangudi mama popularised having learnt it from B and M I am sure--This shankarabharanam song although on Adi Sankara, was also a tribute to the 65th Pitathipathi of Kanchi kamakoti Mutt--Sri Mahendra Saraswathi who was present at the Ettayapuram Court when Subbarama Dikshithar presented it.

Summing up if today we see the sprouting and mushroming of multiple compositions -- most of them supposedly inspired outpourings of Bhakthi and religous fervour(most of them of mediocre quality and unlikely to stand the test of time!!),we should all pause to think if the Dhanammal family with their infinite Vidwath had chosen to make their own compositions and popularise them thro their own large family of talented musicians would we have gained these immense treasures of not only the Trinity but also the composers who came after them. If this is not a testament to their lack of ego and true dedication to preserving treasures and tradition I do not know what else could be!!!

cmlover
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by cmlover »

MKR
May I add that in spite of the neglect from the establishment AIR did offer Brinda/Mukta /(and) Abhiramasundari always the prime slots in the 50's.

Ramasubramanian M.K
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Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

CMLover: I agree but there is a big difference--the AIR has several slots over a longer period of time than musical institutions especially during Festivals like the December festival in Chennai.-- and AIR has a formal classification--A ,B,C grades etc and certain frequencies(it used to be I do not know whether it is still prevalent) of chances for these artistes--artistes like B and M have no problem in meeting the criteria but amongst the Musician circles once you reach a certain stage by virtue of Seniority and talent ,the "slots" they are put in seems to matter for these top artistes. My grievance against the MA in those days (given that there are only 9 or 10 slots-(-the 5 P.M. slots I mean)was that B and M were not given although they still had some fading artistes(who seldom got a chance to sing @ the other two festivals--Indian Fine Arts and Tamil Isai sangam ( primarily because they had passed their prime I might add!!). Also MA felt that the 5 P.M. slots are the money-makers and they did not f feel B and M would be crowd pullers because they had been typecast as Padams and Javalis singers ignoring their repertoire wider than most of the 5 P.M. slot artistes!!
Ofcourse I suspect the matter may have been exacerbated by some stray stinging comments on MA by the Dhanammal family(Dhanammal herself although she died in 1938 itself 8 years after the MA started its December Festival is reported to have commented derisively about the Morning lec-Dem sessions where Music was being talked about( academiyile sangeethathai patthi niraya pesarangalame( I believe in the Academy they are "talking " a lot about music implying Music is meant to be sung not discussed about during a festival!!).

My point was that the Family's contributions have not been adequately recognized--their own pride and occasional intransigence with "authority" may have also contributed to this "alleged" neglect!!!

cmlover
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by cmlover »

You are right! AIR was different.
I agree their ilk was known as
Padam and javali singers only in contrast with the veterans of the day!

mohan
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 16:52

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by mohan »

Ramasubramanian M.K wrote: Also MA felt that the 5 P.M. slots are the money-makers and they did not feel B and M would be crowd pullers
So many years later this hasn't changed with many stalwarts and seniors either only getting a morning slot or no slot at all!

Ramasubramanian M.K
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Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

CMLOVER: Your post#29. My sincere apologies for leaving the SSI thread dangling--I am trying to gather my initial notes on the various topics sequences I had envisaged when I started the narrative. I shall resume it ASAP. You are right--like the bears going in hybernation, I have virtually gone in hiding so far as the SSI narrative is concerned plus the self-inflicted distractions like the "urge" to simultaneously contribute on various topics like the school kid who does not do the home work assigned to him but keeps raising his hand in class whenever teacher asks a question of the class on some trivial subject!!! I shall try to "reform"!!!

R; your query on TS/Dhanammal interactions I have no knowledge. But I speculate that there could not have been much because TS's interest outside of the Swadeshi movement started with MSS in the Mid Thirties--Dhanammal died in 1938 with the last year or so of her life spent in bed. Re; Dhanammal-Shanmugha vadivu connection I think RaviSri has covered it exhaustively and brillliantly and mostly substantiates what I have heard.

Re; SSI Although he probably had not heard Dhanammal I know from the late forties he had been trying to befriend the family especially Brinda and Muktha. I think SSI first started some of the javalis like Sakhiprana(chenjuruiti ) in the late forties after learning from B and M--I recall SSI saying how difficult it was to get them to teach him without a mild barb or taunt thrown at him for the alleged neglect(Brindamma was adept at stinging remarks without being outright disrespectful!!). yet he persevered and they in turn were more forthcoming--later on the Javalis like Parulennamata(Kapi),Vagaladi(Behag), Smarasundaranguni(Paras) Upamugana(Yadukulakambodhi) were popularised by SSI. I think even gajavadana(Thodi),Sankaracharyam(Sankarabharanam) were axcollaborative effort , with SSI initiating the effort and polishing it with their help. Overall I would say Mama had genuine high regard for the Dhanammal school.
As for TS/MSS Kalki Gardens was a place where the family members, Balasaraswathi,Brinda Muktha,T.Sankaran,Viswa were received with great fanfare- and my mother tells me that TB had sung quite a number of times-- soundaryalahari(viruttam). Perhaps Cienu thro his mother can throw some light on these associations.

Subsequently RK(his whole style had changed for the better after his association) Thulasamma(devagandhari),Thulasibilwa(mayamalavagowla),Javali like Ini Enna Pechu(Sahana),--I guess given his racy style he had not taken to Padams with B and M.

maduraimini
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by maduraimini »

Thanks Ravisri for the family photo of the Musical legend Dhanammal. Glad we could all see it.

RaviSri
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Joined: 10 Apr 2011, 11:31

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

Here's another picture

Image

This photo was taken in 1915. In the centre sits Dhanammal. To her right is eldest daughter Rajalakshmi, to her left is 2nd daughter Lakshmiratnam, to our extreme left is 3rd daughter Jayammal and to our extreme right stands youngest daughter Kamakshi. Standing behind are Rajalakshmi's son Sundararajan and Lakshmiratnam's son T.Sankaran. On Lakshmiratnam's lap is Vijayakrishnan (elder brother of B-M) and between Dhanammal and Jayammal is the child - yes, it is Brinda herself who must be about a little above 2 years old. Muktha was born at that time but she was probably sleeping in the cradle. Bala etc were not born.

RaviSri
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

Thanks MKR for that excellent anecdote of the stage-voiced gentleman. Incidentally, good you also mentioned Bombay Ramachandran, an underrated but excellent teacher who learnt from Brinda and Muktha.

The 65th pTAdipathi of the Kanchi mutt was Mahadevendra Saraswati. He was actually a periyappA of the 68th pontiff, Sri Chandrasekharendra Sasraswati, the Paramacharya of Kanchi. Mahadeva Saraswati had in his possession a copy of Venkatamakhi’s lakShaNa book which he gifted to SD on the latter’s request. With gratitude SD composed sankarAchAryam, wherin he mentions Mahadeva Saraswati’s name-‘srI mahAdEva saraswati samyamIndra chandram’ in the pallavi itself. Semmangudi learnt it from Brinda.

An anecdote:
Dhanammal had gone to Kumbakonam to stay with daughter Kamakshi (mother of B-M) sometime in the 1920s after B-M's return on completion of their studies with Kanchipuram Naina Pillai. Soundararaja Iyengar had a house there which he had acquired when he was Deputy Collector in Kumbhakonam. After retirement, though he settled in Madras, he would go occasionally to Kumbakonam and stay there for a few weeks. Dhanammal was (besides being mother-in-law) a close friend of Iyengar. The Kanchi Paramacharya (1894-1994) was camping at a village near Kumbakonam. He was only in his early 30s then. Dhanammal and family went to have his darshan. He asked her to sing ‘shankarAchAryam’. She sang and played on the veena simultaneously with Kamakshi supporting her. In the charanam line ‘parama advaita stApana lIlam’, she sang it as ‘paramA……dvaita stApana lIlam. He stopped Dhanammal and told her that she should sing it as parama advaita stApana lIlam, saying that the way she sang, the meaning would be distorted. It would make the advaita guru into a dvaita guru. She corrected herself. Next he asked her to sing srI subramaNyAya namastE. In the charanam line she sang 'vIranuta guruguhAya ajnAna dvAnta savitrE' as 'guruguhAya jnAna dvAnta savitrE'. He stopped her there too and told her that the way she sang made it anartham. She corrected that too and when she and the other family members taught others these two songs, it was the corrected version.

Years later, in 1961, when the Paramacharya was camping near Karaikkudi, he came to know that Ariyakkudi was staying in Karaikkudi. The Swami sent for him. Ariyakkudi came and prostrated. ‘Do you know why I have sent for you? I wanted to listen to srI subramaNyAya namastE. I know you sing it well.’ Before Ariyakkudi could begin to sing, the Paramacharya told him, ‘I don’t know whether you sing the shankarAbharaNam kriti, ‘shankarAchAryam’. It came via the Dhanammal family and they, Semmangudi Seenu and MS sing that song.’ Then he repeated what he had told Dhanammal, but did not mention that he had corrected her. ‘I know you sing the line (in srI subramaNyAya namastE) correctly as ‘vIranuta guruguhAya ajnAna dvAnta savitrE’. Ariyakkudi went on to sing the song and later the Paramacharya bade him sing line by line and explained the meaning of each and every word to him.

Incidentally, B-M used to sing shankarAchAryam regularly, but somehow after the 1950s they did not sing srI subramaNyAya namastE. I am not sure Brinda taught this song to any of her disciples, because she did not teach this song to her senior most disciples even. I know that Muktha did not teach this song to anyone else, excepting the two of us. That too because we asked for it. The Dhanammal version is very different from the normal one-in true chauka kAlam even in the charanam.

RaviSri
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Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by RaviSri »

I must say that all the reminiscences/anecdotes about Dhanammal were told to me either by T.Sankaran or Muktha, mostly by Sankaran.

kittappa
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Joined: 22 Sep 2011, 13:21

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by kittappa »

Excellent, great picture again. Almost a 100 year old picture. And your anecdotes are simply thrilling, the way you narrate them. Just experiencing the sheer magic of those times. You have taken us to those times RaviSri. Also I didn't know that Mahadevendra Saraswati was a periyappA of the Paramacharya. A revelaion indeed.
RaviSri, I have made a request to you in the Rasikas meet 2011 thread. Please consider. Two of my friends are also eager to meet you.

Ramasubramanian M.K
Posts: 1226
Joined: 05 May 2009, 08:33

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by Ramasubramanian M.K »

Ravi Sri: I wholeheartedly endorse Kittappa's wish!! I guess you are a mumbaikar-transplanted-to-chennai.

Your accounts re: Ari and Kanchi Periaval are authentic--I have heard it as well.

Regarding the patantharams,yes, their Sri Subramanyaya namaste is different. On the rare occasions in impromptu recitals I have heard SSI's version which was different from ARI's.(SSI used to say the krithi should be sung only by ARiyakudi!! As you know he rarely sang that krithi--instead he sang O Rangasayee(these two krithis by two Great composers are enough to give one a full flavor of Kambodhi!!) I wonder if SSIs version was learnt from Brindamma.

Yes T. Sankaran was a great raconteur-my father used to go to him for any clarifications about the family--


The thing that most of us and posterity should remember about the family is that they delved deep into the music and mastered the grammar with limited resources relying solely on word-of-mouth learning. Viswa Sir in one of our meetings with him in Wesleyan--I had accompanied my father,--- expounded on the Thodi Kriti Gajavadhana(it is not on LORD GANESHA as is generally believed but on Muruga) by Kumar Ettendra pointed out that in the chittaswara beginning "Ga Ri Sa Ga ri Ga Gaga mama gari--none of the swaras were in their normal swarasthanam adding a certain punch to the rare constellation.(the Ga's especially were different Again to show his true scholarship and repertoire, he sang Thyagaraja's ONLY composition in Shanmukhapriya(Vadane) and showed how Thyagaraja had handled the raga--the composition itself starts in Panchamam like most krithis --Siddhivinayakam e.g. and fairly brisk-paced but you would not notice it from the rendering.

That Dhanammal had that thirst for knowledge and learning is well-known--how she has imparted that trait to the next generation and the generation after and how the family has honed their careers in the same mould without falling a prey to the vagaries of modernisation and innovation that seems to daunt every upcoming musician these days,is WORTHY of note!!
.
("I want to be different what is the use of singing the same pieces in the same format concert after concert-- I am the torchbearer for the new revolution and introducing new vistas into music--look how much my rasikas welcome my innovations"--- this kind of thing permeates the culture today and I hope fifty or 100 years from today people would talk of how much these present day musicians have advanced the nuances of our Carnatic Music by straying away from the "beaten path" however well-tread that path may have been.

I have a confession to make--when I was growing up listening to the MSS/DKP/MLV.SSI,GNB,MMI,ARI TNR,Mali et al I had very little attraction for the Dhanammal School-its slow pace and languourous gait. Later on after hearing each of the above stalwarts talking highly of that School and after I attempted to "imitate" their style(this was my passion those days--trying to imitate the musician I had just heard ) and then it dawned on me that their style had lots of scope for a fast-paced sangathi at the appropriate place,the Kala Pramanam was deceptively simple--if one reproduced their teaching without adding one's own gamkams and sangathis ,one need not put the thala at all no matter how complex the Thala for the krithi might be. B and M's expression for Laya suddham was it should be like an anchor(nangooram in Tamil was their expression) not easily swayed by the waves--when the student inadvertently "hurries" a sangathi they would "pipe in" with an innocent-sounding query (Thambi enna avasaram vera velai irukka--where is the hurry -do you have to go somewhere). To a new student this would seem innocuous till it "hits" them--B and M used to pull RK's legs(those of you who knew Ramnad Krishnan would remember that he was always in undue haste when conversing--especially with elders--half out of fear and half out of habit--the words would come out so fast that the listener would by raising eyebrows indicate 'slow-down"(Musiri mama was great in this--once RK was excitedly telling Musiri mama about a concert with Palghat Mani Iyer he was going to have --Musiri Mama in the midst of the narrative was slowly arching his eyebrows not in amazement but quizzical whether that much excitement was needed!!! RK realised what Musiri Mama was conveying and was profusely apologetic for blurting out and Musiri mama had still not said a word!!).

The point is that both in their speech and choice of words and music the family without exception had the same measured cadence and diction that one better learn to be a good listener without opening one's mouth. They can be merciless and brutal in cutting the greatest to size!!

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by cmlover »

Excellent RaviSri
That completes the background for the wellknown anecdote of ARI's encounter with Paramacharya.
Did ARI have any contacts with the Dhanammal group. Of course he was not a javali singer..
Thanks for that century old picture..

cienu
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Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by cienu »

Ramasubramanian M.K wrote:
CIENU: My mother used to tell me about a chamber impromptu recital of T.Balasaraswathi in Kalki gardens circa late fifties or early sixties-- which included the Subramania Bhujangam Stothrams. I believe it was recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder. Could you please ask your Mom the whereabouts of that recording--my mother swears there was one as she was present during that recital--my mother raves about that occasion.
Amma recollects the concert but has no idea about the tapes. Hopefully whoever has it is preserving them safely for posterity.
Balamma was extremely close to our family as we lived in the same Ramanathan Street. It was quite common for Balamma and her daughter Lakshmi to drop in at our place while going for a walk. Similarly Amma had the pleasure of once seeing Balamma practice at her home when she casually dropped in (Notwithstanding the fact that most artists are fiercely protective of the privacy of their practice sessions.)

Balamma also taught Amma the Abhinaya for a Surdas composition "Bhujatha Shyama Kaun thu Gori" for which Amma danced at the Surdas Panchashati Samaroh in Calcutta in 1978.

With regard to Brindamma, Amma recollects her as being a wonderful Guru. MS & Radha learnt many compositions from Brindamma , some of which are detailed below:

Aparadhamula - Lathangi
Sri Ganapathim - Saurashtram -
Moratopu - Sahana,
Payyada - Nadanamakriya
Valappu Thala – Athana
Ninnu joochi - Punnagavarali
Smarasundaranguni - Pharaz
Kuvalayakshiro - Gowlipanthu
Upamugaane - Yadukulakamboji

Some songs like Chetasree Balakrishnam(Dwijavanti) and Gajavadana (Todi) were learnt by MS & Radha from Semmangudi who had in turn learnt the same from Brindamma.

Ekkalathilum (Purvi Kalyani) was taught to MS & Radha by Sri T Sankaran.

Normally a person who is not given in to much eulogy, Amma recalls that after a solo concert by her in AIR , she was surprised to receive a call from Brindamma who told her that she sang extremely well. Even after so many years Amma values this praise from the great singer.
Last edited by cienu on 28 Sep 2011, 12:28, edited 1 time in total.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by arasi »

Thank you Cienu--and thanks to your mother for such nuggets.
Musical and family history unfolds itself in these posts and we are lucky to be here to cherish them.

As MKR pointed out somewhere, rasikAs of today, with all their knowledge, also have a certain impatience (not all, I hasten to add ;)). It's the mark of the times, I suppose. It's a sobering thought that all this beauty and excellence we read about here is not an overnight phenomenon. It is generations of commitment and love for the treasure which they guarded and practiced with reverence.
Music may well be part of the fast-paced world we live in (we reap the benefits of it by instant listening and immediate communication), but in our getting impatient in our access to music, we tend to be critical of not being able to listen to something at that very moment we want it. It extends to our expecting musicians to deliver quality goods all the time as if they are vendors and we are dissatisfied customers!

Tales from the past like this, stop us in our tracks. The music we all seem to appreciate wasn't meant to be an instant thing. I's history and its beauty make us realize that music has to be savored in an unhurried manner--it's a life-long exercise of listening , with awe.

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by cmlover »

I have chosen to move this thread to Viwans and Vidushis and also make it sticky.
You may continue to add anecdotes and recollections/pictures on Dhanammal herein.

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: Dhanammal Group Photo

Post by rshankar »

Can the title be changed to 'The Dhanammal Dynasty' or ' The Dhanammal Legacy', or something like that?

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: The Dhanammal Legacy (Group Photo included)

Post by cmlover »

Done

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