Tambura Ganesan

Remembering musicians of the recent past
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rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by rajeshnat »

Lalitharam
I remember you writing 5 0r 6 years back where you tried to help Ganesan for his dental treatment .I remember we rasikas all contributed something few years back and Muni Rao and Sashikiran helped all the tambura artists . It is very sad that as a community we let down tambura artist . Having said , for a change your writing was excessively focussing on rant and pulambal . May be that is what it is for a tambura artist.

Om Shanthi to Tambura Ganesan!

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by CRama »

A few years back, as Rajesh had said, ,from the forum, we gave some financial assistance to a few tambura artistes. Whether Ganesan was one among them, now I dont remember.
I had reported about that event in this forum.
Om Shasnti to Sri. Ganesan

sureshvv
Posts: 5523
Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by sureshvv »

Needlessily harsh! Especially when there are many good things to say about Ganesu -
even outside of the realm of music.

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by parivadini »

sureshvv wrote: 20 Sep 2019, 19:51
Needlessily harsh! Especially when there are many good things to say about Ganesu -
even outside of the realm of music.
I look forward listening to the good things. I have only shared my limited interaction with him.

sureshvv
Posts: 5523
Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by sureshvv »

parivadini wrote: 20 Sep 2019, 20:57 I look forward listening to the good things. I have only shared my limited interaction with him.
My interaction with him was probably even less than yours, but at this time what I would share about him is:

1. His broad music rasanai - he liked everything. from nama sankeerthanam & sampradaya bhajanai to classical carnatic concerts, he would appreciate it all.

2. His sense of loyalty to the artistes and sabhas who were kind to him - he would boast about their generosity. He was a recipient of a few lifetime service awards (Shanmugananda hall etc.) and he would always recognize the good turn done to him.

3. His appreciation of youngsters and newbies. He would freely compliment (and criticize) even artistes who were starting out.

4. His sense of humor - I think you wrote about it. He had evergreen wicked stories to share from days gone by.

5. His athithi satkar. Once I bumped into him and he invited me over into his studio apartment, showed me around :D and asked if he could get some tea for me.

6. He had much more grace than what your post put forth.

parivadini
Posts: 1190
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 22:44

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by parivadini »

Thanks for your thoughts Suresh. Clearly my interaction has been limited. As I had listed, I wish I had learnt more about him. Vid. Sangeetha Sivakumar has posted a touching tribute about him on Facebook.


RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by RSR »

@sureshvv
@8->
I read the article just now. Thanks for the link.
May I know if father of this Thambura artist is Kothamangalam seenu, who acted in some films based on carnatic music and sang a few songs? ( I think, the film was Mahathma Udhangar--some time in mid-forties).
------------
https://youtu.be/cuPCG2a1qPw
mahathma udhangar
kothamangalam seenu
hamsaanandhi
------
upload by uksharma3
-------------------------


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

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by arasi »

Thank you, PB.
Sangeetha Sivakumar has written a moving eulogy to Tambura Ganesan. There were mentions of his being Kothamangalam Subbu's son. Sangeetha has known him for a long time, and as she mentions, he must be Cheenu's son, then. As a child, I have visited Subbu Mama a few times in his house which had a black and white marble tiled atrium. On the other side of the courtyard, lived Cheenu Mama. They were not brothers but were close friends, like brothers, hailing from the same village. Cheenu was proficient in music--gave concerts, if I remember. Of course, he was a movie actor too with singing roles. No wonder, his son developed an ear for music. I was myself a child then, and he wasn't born yet when I was at his parents home!
May his soul rest in peace. All the music he imbibed will come in handy now....peace...

RSR
Posts: 3427
Joined: 11 Oct 2015, 23:31

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by RSR »

@11->
There were mentions of his being Kothamangalam Subbu's son.
A slip, I presume. Tambura Ganesan was the son of Kothamangalam Seenu. and not of Kothamangalam Subbu.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kothamangalam_Seenu
( The list of films acted by him as singing hero , mentioned in the wiki is not complete. Mahathma Udhangar has been left out. ( D.K.Pattammal sang two songs in that film)
Kothamangalam Seenu hailed from Watrap , near Srivilliputhoor.
and in he visited Kothamangalam Subbu and teamed with him.
------------------------------
Two of non-film songs sung by Kothamangalam Seenu have been added to the thread on 'we need more tamil songs' thread in general discussions', last night.

The link on 'arivAr yAr unai', has very nice slides and also lyrics in tamizh from Rama Nataka Keertanaikal by Arunachala kavi. (as a comment) and says that the lyrics were by Arunachala kavi but music was by two others in the reign of Raja Tulji of Tanjore.
If a composer means the person who creates the tunes, then the credit for all the Rama Nataka krithis should go to them!
( as many of Swathi ThiruNaaL krithis set to tune by SSI)
The ragam of the song is mentioned as Bairavi but most others sing that krithi in Mukari. Which is correct?
--------

cienu
Posts: 2387
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by cienu »

Heartfelt condolences to the family of Tambura Vidwan Sri S Ganesan

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by shankarank »

During a recent family event, the officiating priest made a statement. That all of the mantras recited in a marriage are all pitR Sabda ! Before people could get into reaction, he further reinforced the idea with an additional statement that the only "so called" auspicious mantra in a marriage is the presentation/gifting/blessing time mantra! Scholars / paNDitas may or may not agree with him. But the spirit of his saying has truth!

I don't see any harshness in parivadini quoting him. It need not be attributed to that person! Let's hear the voice!

sureshvv
Posts: 5523
Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by sureshvv »

shankarank wrote: 09 Oct 2019, 09:08
I don't see any harshness in parivadini quoting him. It need not be attributed to that person! Let's hear the voice!
The voice we need to hear is our own! Our sense of hierarchy and second hand value judgment has become so second nature that we don't even pause to reflect on what flows out of our mouths (and keyboards).

Would a eulogy for a performing artiste look anything like this?

May be we need TMK to come in and kick us on our collective backsides :D

shankarank
Posts: 4043
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 07:16

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by shankarank »

Eulogy is a western concept and written by "enlightened" people! What parivadini wrote was his experiences and I am saying this not about Tambura Ganesan! I don't know what you mean by second hand value judgement. You are doing that judgement based on I guess your set of second hand values from the "enlightened" space!

Hierarchy is a non issue: the man seemed happy to serve under the hierarchy. But he did bemoan the fact that he had to Strum for a Sruti-less concert - we would hear that if we wanted to hear the real voice!

rbharath
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Joined: 05 Feb 2010, 10:50

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by rbharath »


ganeshkant
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Joined: 05 Feb 2010, 11:59

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by ganeshkant »

My deepest condolences

ajit
Posts: 149
Joined: 06 Jul 2005, 02:42

Re: Tambura Ganesan

Post by ajit »

Deepest condolences

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