Lalgudi on glorious past

[Shivadasan]

Today's paper carries this interesting article about Lalgudi and his Madras experience.

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/03/03/stor ... 040100.htm

Shivadasan

[appu]

Simple, yet so eloquent. Those were the wonderful days of Carnatic Music.

[semmu86]

yeah lovely memories . Especially the anectode about Iyengarval regarding remuneration is too good .. ..Rest of the stuff is mostly known . The photo is a priceless one . . Can someone help me recognise the vidwans and vidushis in the pic .. I got only SSI , Alathoor bros , TNK , KVN , MSS , DKP , in the pic apart from lalgudi sir...

[uday_shankar]

OK, Aravind. Here's my take. Cienu can correct it.

From left to right (Question marks indicate doubt):

Shri Alangudi Ramachandran (??)
Shri KVN
Shri TNK
Shri Papa Venkatramiah
Shri Vellore Ramabhadran
Shri SSI
Shri .......??
Smt. DKP
Smt. .......??
Shri Tiruparkadal Veeraraghavan (??, behind MS)
Smt. MS
Smt. Radha Vishwanathan
Shri V. Subramaniam (??, behind Smt. Radha)
Smt. Vijaya Rajendran (??)
Shri .........??
Shri .........??
Shri Alathoor Sivasubramania Iyer
Shri Alathoor Srinivasa Iyer
Shri LGJ
Shri Tiruvalangadu Sundaresa Iyer

The two boys ... ??

[semmu86]

wow . Thanks Uday .. Dont know why i was unable to make out Shri Papa Venkatramiah and Shri Vellore Ramabhadran . Regarding Shri Tiruparkadal Veeraraghavan , i also have a doubt , as i dont see the thiruman ..

The two boys ... ??

Any possibility on one of them being our Cienu sir himself ?

[ramanathan]

4th from left is NOT Papa Venkataramaiah. It's Ramnad Krishnan. And the person behind Radha Viswanathan is surely not Sri. VS... he's not that tall!!

By the way Sri. TNK's "Memories of Madras" appeared in the same column back in December. Here's the link:
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/12/16/stor ... 260100.htm

[uday_shankar]

Dear me, Ram's right ! It is indeed Shri Ramnad Krishnan. I somehow thought the person was wearing a panchakacham and so absentimindedly presumed it to be Paapa. On closer examination, it is clearly Ramnad Krishnan.

As for V Subramaniam, I think the jury is still out there.

Also, I think Alathoor Sivasubramania Iyer is wrong - he had a more characteristically "square" face. I think this photo was taken after the death of Shri Sivasubramania Iyer in 1964... Say around 1968 ?

[ramanathan]

Also, I think Alathoor Sivasubramania Iyer is wrong - he had a more characteristically "square" face. I think this photo was taken after the death of Shri Sivasubramania Iyer in 1964... Say around 1968 ?

Well the photo caption in today's print edition says January 1, 1965... so yeah, it's definitely not Subbayyar. And on closer examination, the person behind Radha seems to be Mayavaram Govindaraja Pillai, not sure though...

[semmu86]

I think it is indeed Alathoor Subbier . Because Subbier was awarded "SK" in 1964 season followed by Srinivasa Iyer in 1965 season . It is a known fact that Subbier passed away when Srinivasa iyer received his "SK " .. So i think the caption is correct and the photo is taken in the interim period ( as per Hindu , it is 1st jan 1965) after Subbier got SK in 1964 dec ( or even probably on the evening of that day itself when this pic was taken ) and before his passing away in june 1965 ..

Because "Carnatic Summer " says , Subbier passed away in june 1965 ..

[cienu]

The picture was taken at the farmhouse of VD Swamy , a leading industrialist of those times. The place was called "Srinivasa Farms" and located at Poonamallee. Look at the lovely background of Mango Trees.!
A lot of chamber music kutcheris used to take place here with mostly musicians in audience . The atmosphere was serene and filled with music and music talk. (Srinivasa Farms does not exist today and the place has changed owners many times over)
The lady to the left of Smt Radha is Late Vasantha Swamy .
To Vasantha Swamy's left is Late VD Swamy.
Incidentally they are the parents of Arvind Swamy (the star who became famous in the film "Roja").
I did take a close look at the original picture and I feel that the person who is behind Smt Radha is UKS. (was he wearing glasses in his younger days ?)
I am not there in this picture though

[uday_shankar]

Aravind
You're right that it is indeed Alathoor Subbier. Perhaps the shape of his face looks a little different due to hair loss, etc...In any case, it is hard for us to develop a clear picture without actually having seen the person!

One more data point that it is indeed Alathoor Subbier - notice that he is standing right next to the patron VD Swamy as though he is the guest of honor as might the that year's (technically the previous year's) Sangeetha Kalanidhi. Not only that, he's putting his right arm around him.

Cienu, thanks. I knew you knew.

[Shivadasan]

The person between SSI and DKP has been confirmed as Visweswaran (Santoor) by a person who knew him closely.

The person between V.D.Swamy and Alathur Subbu looks like Ramnad Eswaran the mridangist

[semmu86]

I did take a close look at the original picture and I feel that the person who is behind Smt Radha is UKS. (was he wearing glasses in his younger days ?)

Even i felt so after looking closely at the paper as the forehead and the eyes resembles so . But regarding glasses , even now he dosent wear them , except when reading perhaps . So am not too sure about UKS sir using glasses in his younger days

[uday_shankar]

Wow, many clarifications.

Shivadasan sir,
Ramnad Easwaran is an outstanding guess...especially if he's the mridangist in this photo from the carnatica website:
http://www.carnatica.net/a9.JPG

As for Visveshwaran, I agree there's a resemblance but in 1965 he must have been just over 20 and doesn't the person in the picture looks a little too portly for a 20 year old ? Especially since Shri Visweshwaran was always quite trim looking.

Aravind, Cienu
I'm not convinced it is UKS. I'm sticking to V Subramaniam till I hear better .

Aravind
The Thiruman will not be visible in such a grainy photo. The Thiruman is not visible on Ramabhadran sir either. In fact some photo ghost makes it appear like he's wearing a vibhuti pattai !

So here's a clarified list:

1. Shri Alangudi Ramachandran
2. Shri KVN
3. Shri TNK
4. Shri Ramnad Krishnan
5. Shri Vellore Ramabhadran
6. Shri SSI
7. Shri Visveshwaran (??)
8. Smt. DKP
9. Shri ?? (almost obscured completely)
10. Smt./Kum ??
11. Shri Tiruparkadal Veeraraghavan (??)
12. Smt. MSS
13. Smt. Radha Vishwanathan
14. Shri V Subramaniam (??) or Shri UKS (??)
15. Mrs VD Swamy
16. Shri VD Swamy
17. Shri Ramnad Easwaran
18. Shri Alathoor Sivasubramania Iyer
19. Shri Alathoor Srinivasa Iyer
20. Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman
21. Shri Tiruvalangadu Sundaresa Iyer

[rajeshnat]

Wow, many clarifications.
.....
As for Visveshwaran, I agree there's a resemblance but in 1965 he must have been just over 20 and doesn't the person in the picture looks a little too portly for a 20 year old ? Especially since Shri Visweshwaran was always quite trim looking.

6. Shri SSI
7. Shri Visveshwaran (??)
8. Smt. DKP

Uday,
I am also with you that he is bit too old to be visweshwaran. My calculated guess is the person could be Tanjore S kalyAnarAman as there is a significant overlap to few younger video clips that I saw in SKR dvd.

[semmu86]

Thanks a lot for the clarifications . And Uday , Sri.Vellore Ramabhadran dosent sport the thiruman at all as far as i have seen ( The only occasion i have seen him with the thiruman was when he was honoured by Srimad Andavan Swamigal as the Asthana vidwan of Srimad Andavan Ashramam) . On other occaions , It will only be vibuthi or a small mark of sandhanam .. Anyway since Sri.Thiruparkadal Veerraghavan used to sport the thiruman , i thought of using that as a clue

[vasanthakokilam]

Now, for extra credit, can you tell from the picture who were the accompanists for Lalgudi that day? Uday and Cienu are experts at teasing out clues from pictures on such matters.

[ksrimech]

14. Shri V Subramaniam (??) or Shri UKS (??)

The person behind Radha Mami looks like V Nagarajan, the khanjira vidvan.

[shankarank]

It seems this is a recording of the proceedings?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rj8fHJiSLA

[cienu]

It seems this is a recording of the proceedings?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rj8fHJiSLA

Yes.. These were concert recordings done on that day