MM Dandapani Desikar

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 31 May 2007, 12:48

Would like to know more about MMD.
Almost every bit of recorded music that I have heard is simply top class.Wonder If I can a get a biographical sketch here and also a proper perspective of his Work.

Here are a couple of tracks that I recently bumped into.
Featured here are his well known songs , but this rendering looks like having taken place in a private setting -One can get to hear a lot of oohs and Aahs.
The neravals are really energising stuff.

Will put up two more -concluding tracks - if anyone likes them here.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/cxljqf

http://www.sendspace.com/file/wq2ht1

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 31 May 2007, 20:58

This postng should really be in the Vaggeyakaras section.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 31 May 2007, 21:22

A very quick intro is
http://www.chennaionline.com/music/carn ... esikar.asp

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 31 May 2007, 21:31

Few records of MM DandapAni Desikar.
http://www.sangeethapriya.org/~tvg/293. ... 20DESIGAR/

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 31 May 2007, 21:40

In the first audio file posted, the last song nal vAzhkaiyE vENDum is his own composition and is in the rArE rAgA kOkila.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 31 May 2007, 21:53

Thanks Lakshman
What is the aro/avaro and mela of Kokila?

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 31 May 2007, 22:20

cmlover wrote:A very quick intro is
http://www.chennaionline.com/music/carn ... esikar.asp

There is some contradiction in these biographies:
Here is the first sentence from the article in chennaionline:

Dandapani Desikar, the son of Muthiah Bhagavathar was born on August 27, 1908.

And here is a quote from a translation of Mysore Vasudevachar's reminiscences of Sri HKMB in carnatic corner:

Muthaiah Bhagavatar, who had undergone several hardships in life, had great
compassion for the poor. No musician who went to him returned empty handed. His
was a small family himself, his wife and his daughter. Even the daughter passed
away shortly after his coming down to Mysore. Though they were only two at
home, husband and wife, at least 15 persons would be there for food, morning,
and evening.

Based on the second quote, it is clear that HKMB did not have a son...

So, which is correct? And who is MMDD?

meena · Post by **meena** » 31 May 2007, 22:24

Deleted

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 31 May 2007, 22:25

Makes muchos more sense!

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 31 May 2007, 22:43

Shankar
If HMB had MMMDesikar for a son in those days he would have been ostracized

meena · Post by **meena** » 31 May 2007, 22:56

Changed moi mind, deleted the articles i had collected and posted here :/

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 31 May 2007, 23:14

kOkila is a janya of mELA 16. The scale is:
srgmdns/sndmgrs
By the way MMD has over 50 compositions to his credit.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 01 Jun 2007, 01:16

THanks Lakshman!

Thanks meena for that reupload!
It is always a delight to read Randor Guy!

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 01 Jun 2007, 01:41

I wish the guy who wrote that bio for chennaionline would read this and edit his piece...And makes me wonder at the quality of their reserach and proof reading skills!

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 01 Jun 2007, 02:18

rshankar: Check your email.

mahakavi · Post by **mahakavi** » 01 Jun 2007, 03:35

http://www.chennaionline.com/musicnew/T ... song13.asp

I mentioned in my article that MMDD was the son of Muttaiah Desikar. One reader misattributed the other article in chennaionline (where it said he was the son of Muttaiah Bhagavatar) to me and asked me to clarify. I was aware of the other article. I think the other author also knew it was Muttaiah Desikar but the moment one writes Muttaiah, Bhagavatar automatically follows, it seems, since MB's reputation eclipses everything in its path.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 01 Jun 2007, 04:23

We can't fault them! Originally the word 'Bhagavatar' was only applied to CM performers and almost all of them were brahmins. Later they decided to use the expression as a 'title' for singers (note the use of it for MK Thyagaraja Bhagavatar who was at times confused with St Thyagaraja

Again some folks have 'pseudonyms' which are delightfully confusing. For example the composer of 'sri chakra raja..' called himself 'agastyar' which lead to a lot of folks assuming that sage Agastya was a vAggEyakAra

One of the funniest was when I heard a host of American professsors confusing (Indira) Gandhi with (Mahatma) Gandhi

knandago2001 · Post by **knandago2001** » 01 Jun 2007, 06:04

Isn't Sri. Vaigal Gnanaskandan a protege of Dandapani Desikar? It is possible that those belonging to Desikar's shishya parampara may offer additional insights into the man and his music.

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 21 Aug 2007, 18:00

panniru kai. rAgA: hamsAnandi. rUpaka tALA.

P: panniru kai vElavanE pazhani malai uraivOnE
A: enniru kaNmaNiyAna ezhil nirainda murugOnE unnai
uNarndarivadarkkE ninnaDiyaip-pOTruginrEn
C: Om enum Oshaiyinil uLLoLiyAi viLangiDuvAi
orumai manam uDaibavarpAl perumaiyuDan vITriruppAi
pAmaNakkum ishaiyinilE paNNAga viLangiDuvAi
parivuDanE ennALum eLiyEnaik-kAttaruLvAi

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 21 Aug 2007, 20:58

A lovely song, especially the caraNam.

gobilalitha · Post by **gobilalitha** » 05 Sep 2007, 12:08

It was rumoured in the early forties, the ALLINDIARADIO audition committee composed of self styled genii ,rejected Desikar's appliication for A class artists status, on the grounds that he was fit for light music only. gobilalitha

chalanata · Post by **chalanata** » 05 Sep 2007, 14:13

i've not heard MMDD rendering kalpana swara. probably this made him ineligible for a CM slot in AIR. are there any recordings of his with swara kalpana?

vageyakara · Post by **vageyakara** » 06 Sep 2007, 13:53

Dear CMLover,sir,
ABOUT RARE RAGAM "KOKILAM"
The name of the Ragam( I presume) should be KOKILAM.If so, there are 2 versions.
(1)Subbaramadikshitar,'s SampradAya pradharshini depicts thus:
Janya of 16th mELam-cakravAham- ArOh:SA RI GA MA DA NI SA;AvarOh:SA NI DA MA GA RI SA (PANCAMAM-VARJYAM)
(2)Dr.BMK's version: Janya of 29th meLam DhIra SankarabharaNam- with
ArOh:SA RI GA PA DA NI SA; AVARoh:SA NI DA PA GA RI SA (madhyamam Varjyam.
Ramaraj

kannan1940 · Post by **kannan1940** » 22 Dec 2007, 11:27

Excellent narration on Mr MMD and thanks to Meena for reproducing the article by Randor Guy.

kannan1940 · Post by **kannan1940** » 22 Dec 2007, 12:07

Go to Google search engine and type out Dandapani Desikar- you will have more details- I have visited the sites and gathered very good informations about Desikar

kannan1940 · Post by **kannan1940** » 22 Dec 2007, 12:11

IN THESE days of digital technology and multimedia when music downloads are freely available at a click, a group of `rasikas', mostly senior citizens, sat closely huddled around a gramophone, waiting for the amplifier to pick up the sound from the `turntable'. The 1929 vintage marvel gleamed with polish, reflecting the constant attention bestowed on it over the last seven decades.

The audience had a special reason to assemble there. The EP (extended play) records stacked there were of pre-World War II vintage and the proud possession of the former civil servant, Mr. V. Sundaram. The former IAS officer cranked the handle a dozen times and the voice of S.G. Kittappa filled the air. The hits of the early '30s like `Thillaivazh Andanartnam' regaled many in the gathering. This was followed by K.B.Sundarambal's 1933 `Pitham thelinthathu' and Dhandapani Desikar's `Sivalogakathanai'.

When Herambikai Subramania Dikshitar's harmonium treatise `Natharmudi Melirukkum' was played, Mr. Sundaram recounted his interaction with Kunnakudi Vydhianathan. The violin maestro had conceded that he used to delve into Dikshitar's repertoire on quite a few occasions. The 1924 record exhibited a richness and depth, often not associated with the instrument.

Kadar Bacha, whose album dates back to 1924, was reportedly the choice of many who participated in the Vedaranyam March. ``Bacha was said to be a devotee of Lord Muruga, but then those were the days of humanism,'' Mr. Sundaram said, speaking about the album. Other numbers that kept the audience spellbound were those of Sirukulathur Sama and Mudikondan Sabapathy Iyer.

Interestingly, the ancient devotional records were made in England ``for sale in India'', indicating that the English never mixed business with politics.

The closing number captured the hearts of all. It was M.S. Subbulakshmi's first record ``Ella arumaigalum Ella Perumaigalum Peravendum Iraiva'', sung as a 15-year-old. Mr. Sundaram said she broke down when the EP was played in her presence recently.

From: raju (@ e05.proxy.fedex.com) on: Wed Aug 15 05:16:17

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 22 Dec 2007, 19:13

kannan1940 wrote:I The closing number captured the hearts of all. It was M.S. Subbulakshmi's first record ``Ella arumaigalum Ella Perumaigalum Peravendum Iraiva'', sung as a 15-year-old.

And posterity will record that she did get all that and then some!

srinivasasarma · Post by **srinivasasarma** » 06 Jan 2008, 17:44

Lakshmanan
I think udaiyavarpAl and kAtharulvAi.
sorry if i am wrong !

vageyakara · Post by **vageyakara** » 06 Jan 2008, 17:53

And who will forget his rendition in the rathipathipriya-JagaJjanani (Ghanam Krishna Iyer's Kriti ) ?

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 13 Jun 2009, 01:43

Desikar depicting the fervour of Nandanaar with aplomb in the film of the same title... less than two minutes is all he needs!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9_sKWt3wBc

No carnatic musician since does as much justice to this (or similar) song that I have seen..

One who understands this song and feels the fervour will not think twice about packing up immediately to go to that oldest and most famous citadel of Nataraja at Chidambaram (sabhaapati as He is called there).

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 13 Jun 2009, 07:29

srkris,
Thanks for sharing. What a scene! Could not resist the other clips either. kANa vENDAmO? and vazhi maRittirukkudE in TodI were awesome. And every word rang clear as bell!
vINil cEriyai SuTRi SuTRi goes the original line...

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 14 Jun 2009, 00:08

srkris wrote:Desikar depicting the fervour of Nandanaar with aplomb in the film of the same title... less than two minutes is all he needs!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9_sKWt3wBc

No carnatic musician since does as much justice to this (or similar) song that I have seen..

One who understands this song and feels the fervour will not think twice about packing up immediately to go to that oldest and most famous citadel of Nataraja at Chidambaram (sabhaapati as He is called there).

... as indeed MMD, the man from Madurai finally ended up there (chidambaram)!

satyabalu · Post by **satyabalu** » 13 Jul 2013, 16:27

*Just listened .Raga Ragesri(28) - Ninaikkada Neramillai - Like the words"Ninaithathellam neeyagaendum"
http://www.raaga.com/play/?id=376675

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 14 Jul 2013, 17:56

014-Thirumani villangum ragamaligai-MM Dandapani Desigar..

http://mfi.re/listen/j4zmytzmhjj/014-Th ... esigar.mp3

Pasupathy · Post by **Pasupathy** » 01 Jan 2023, 18:14

2390. சங்கீத சங்கதிகள் - 342
அருள்வாய் அங்கயற்கண்ணியே!
எம்.எம்.தண்டபாணி தேசிகர்
https://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2023/01/2390-342.html

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