I happened to come across a set of Old Naradhar Magazine (vikatan publications) from an old library, since the papers were in a pathetic condition, I was not allowed to take out or xerox it. Here are some of the pics that I managed to take through my Mobile camera.
Here is another American who has given a full 3 hour carnatic concert at Egmore Jagganatha Sabha way back in 1954 with full accompaniments... His name is Herald N. Powers!. Hailing from Princeton University with fullbright scholarship, he has learnt music at the Madras University for 2 years. He has done extensive research in Swaras and the melakartha systems (both 72 and 32 melakarthas)
VISHNURAMPRASAD wrote:MLV speaks after being awarded "Isai Vani" title by Rajamanickam pillai, at a function held at Purasaiwakkam - 1954
vishnu,
In the above quoted post #11, I think it is MS Subhalakshmi , not mlv.
the caption on this picture clearly says its MLV.
"Srimathi M L Vasanthakumarikku, Doctor A Krishna Rao thalaimaiyil, sangeetha vaani yendra birudhai, Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Rajamanikkam Pillai, Pursaivakkam Arts Academyil aLiththAr"
ஸ்ரீமதி எம் எல் வசந்தகுமாரிக்கு, டாக்டர் ஏ க்ருஷ்ண ராவ் தலைமையில், சங்கீத வாணி என்ற பிருதை, சங்கீத கலாநிதி ஸ்ரீ ராஜமாணிக்கம் பிள்ளை, புரசைவாக்கம் ஆர்ட்ஸ் அகாடமியில் அளித்தார்.
I agree with you rajesh!
it is MS who is adressing the crowd during the award ceremony of the title 'isaimani' to MLV and KBS is sitting in the background and later was the concert by MS with KBS sitting beside her in #2 and you are right about lathangi too!
Apart from the sari difference and locale difference in posts #2 and #11, the lady speaking in the picture in post #11 is MS (by appearance). If you see the pictures in post #2 MS is very slim there and MLV is not so. It is likely that MS attended the function to honor MLV and spoke on that occasion (post #11).
Vishnuramprasad,
What can I say! If I thought I had 'left my heart in good old Chennai', you have retrieved it for me! Most of them I knew as a child, and my aunt Rukmini Sunderajan is there with DKP too! Vasanthakokilam (I am not talking about the present day cuckoo in our midst, Mr. Bean) was more beautiful than she looks in that picture. Always a bit pensive in her expression, though.
Yes Rajesh, the one playing the thamburA for MLV is her mother Latangi. See how in those days, even MLV wears the sari like Pattamma and MSS--with the sari end (thalaippu) folded in two and brought all the way to the front tucked in the manner of a nine yards sari!
I feel their presence, nearness and the way DKP embraced me warmly every time. She has even braided my hair (anju kAlpinnal--five stranded braid). I hear the rustle of their saris, their smiles and the simple words they exchanged with a mere child. The way they did not distance themselves from me because they were stars. MLV, DKP, MSS, KBS...
Naradar Srinivasa Rao was a buddy too. He took pics of us holding an open nAradar magazine in our hands. I realize what a jovial, enterprising and mercurial editor (on the move on his motor bike) he was. A true nAradar who roamed Chennai like the trilOka sanchAri! I remember riding with him to some event or other on that bike!
CML, if you remember, there was this photographer (Ramakrishna?) who specialized in pictures of scuptures. kallum SollAdO kavi? ('Don't stones sing poetry?') used to be his caption for these pictures. Vishnuprasad, your pics speak verses too to me..
Last edited by arasi on 31 May 2007, 00:33, edited 1 time in total.
CML,
After those golden years (in music), I moved away from Chennai to pursue my studies. But for rare visits from abroad where I moved away after that, there was barely any time for meeting anyone except family and close friends. I lost touch with the Chennai scene.
Since nAradar was an off shoot of vigaDan (ananda Vikatan), it served as a spokesperson for S.S.Vasan's movies and stars. Naradar Rao wrote music reviews as well, and was always seen with his camera around his neck!
Last edited by arasi on 31 May 2007, 01:23, edited 1 time in total.
I would also like to remember Professor Powers at this point. May his soul rest in peace. I missed out on expressing my sympathies in the thread where his passing away was announced. The thread took a detour and I was reluctant to write anything at that juncture.
Strangley enough, I did not know of his existence (unlike the vidawns and vidUshis whose pictures appear here) until a few years ago. We met at a concert to which both of us arrived very early, and started conversing. In that half hour, we covered a lot of ground. He told me how, after his time in Korea, he came to Chennai, learnt from Ranga Ramanujam Iyengar, went back to Princtoen and taught there too (he gave me his card), and that he was a musicologist. We were surprised to find that two of our close ties in music were very close to each other! Both of us enjoyed that day's concert, scribbled notes about it to each other, and when some heads in the row ahead of us nodded 'I don't know the rAgA' when the RTP began, I happen to recognize it (not always!).Before I could write it down, Harold Powers wrote gAnamurthy on his pad, and gave me a smile. After that, we just said hello to each other a few times whenever we happened to see each other. This season, we met again briefly, at the extremely crowded premiere of 'Ar Ar ASaippaDAr?' in one of those multiplex (?) cinemas. I did not know that he was ailing with cancer then. He was very happy to have seen the film and said to me that it was an excellent film. I wish I had written to him after our first meeting and had kept in touch with him.
Next season, I would miss seeing him.
Vishnuprasad,
That one picture showed me how he looked, that many years ago. A charming man to look at and to know, even though for a short while...
Last edited by arasi on 31 May 2007, 08:27, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks Vishnu.
You are bit like the Indian Monsoon , which lashed at Kerala two days ago.
Bountiful, quenching parched minds ...
and unpredictable in your timing .
I only wish that you keep doing the rounds here even when you are very very busy at work !!:)
Last edited by coolkarni on 31 May 2007, 06:05, edited 1 time in total.
Arasi
Your review of Prof Powers is touching. Apart from photos, your review add real value to it. Did he get any recognition from our Music fraternity as John Higgins ?
MLV felicitation photo-I also think MS is addressing since MLV did not wear "Madisar". I may be wrong again.
Who is the violinist in SSI's PS school concert. Mridhangam is PMI ?
Thank you, GRS.
He was honored with a title by CMANA last year (?) and Cleveland was going to honor him this year. He died before the tyagarAjA festival. I do not know if they gave the award posthumously...
grsastrigal wrote:MLV felicitation photo-I also think MS is addressing since MLV did not wear "Madisar". I may be wrong again.
but for a few family functions, MS never wore madisar either. Recently, i had the opportunity to see some private pictures of MS amma family at a friends place. The only pictures i could see with MS in madisar are the pictures of the wedding of their daughters, the occasion of them adopting a son and while taking hArati to mahaperiyava. The friend of mine who has the collection said that there arent many other pictures with MS in madisar.
All the ladies of the yesteryears wore the 6 yards saree in such a fashion that the thalappu would come as a double fold and tuck it. And put a layer of their saree on their shoulder, thus giving it a madisar effect...
I was talking to the owner of a book shop a few days back and he was recalling how Prof Harold Powers was there in his shop once during one of his visits to India and someone came in and asked for any book that had the lyrics of a particular song. Prof Powers was able to immediately tell the name of the raga of the song, the composer and the talam and guide him to the book that had the lyrics. The person then apparently asked the prof for more songs and each time the Prof was able to immediately tell the name of the raga, composer, talam etc and guide him to at least one book that contained the composition. Though the owner did not remember the names of the songs, he did tell me that they covered a gamut of composers of the pre and post trinity era.
ksrimech,
Yes. They wore the six yards (the popular wear) sari a la maDisAr (nine yards) only in the front folding. The sari was pleated in the front, but the end piece was brought to the front in a generous equal fold and was tucked in. DKP, I guess wore the seven yards, since the six yards sari does not have enough length for the front double fold. She was on the heavier side.
SVV, the great humorist of those times, while describing ultra modern women would say: sari end blowing in the wind!
The Thyagaraja aradhana, Thiruvayyar, meet the stalwarts right there (GNB, MMI (with tuft), MVI etc.). Veerusamy pillai is about to start the aradhana day goshti ghaanam with his nagaswaram (probably theratheeyaka raadhaa )
This picture is not relevant to carnatic music.. but am compelling myself to insert this one.... a rare picture of the great Theppurumaanallur Annadhaana Sivan (1852 to 1920s). The title Annadhaana Sivan was bestowed by the public! the late kanchi Maha periayaval has given a great account about this selfless soul. If somebody has more information about this mahan, please do share it with me. (sorry for the deviation.. could not avoid it:))
