Manna Srinivasan passes away

[Vikramsampath]

Heard this last week while i was in Delhi, but apologies on not being able to post this earlier...Deeply distressed to share with all of you the sudden demise of Shri Manna Srinivasan, (aged 78) a man who was dedicated so completely to the cause of Carnatic music and also served as Roving Editor of the Sruti Magazine.

Sitting at IIC in Delhi waiting for the concert of Smt Bombay Jayashri to begin on 11th March, i was looking around for my friend who would always greet me with a big hug and a boisterous laughter each time we caught up for a long session at the IIC. Another common friend of ours was telling me that the last time he met Manna, the latter was rather peeved with me that I had penned this book on Dr S Balachander ! While he considered SB an unbridled genius no doubt, he had reservations on the artist's 'cantankerous ways'. The last few months, Manna had stopped responding to my emails too and i wondered why he was doing something so uncharacteristic. I was quite sure of meeting him at IIC that evening--being such a committed Carnatic rasika and scholar in his own right, he would never have missed a 2 day carnatic Music festival organized at his door step, literally. I called him up 2-3 times and there was no response. He would usually call back if he missed my call..but that was not to be. I wondered what was it that had offended him so much that he was not even picking up my calls.! But sadly two days later, our common friend called up in distress saying all the while we kept trying to call him, Manna had passed on to the next world--passing away in his sleep after a massive cardiac arrest. The phone was perhaps next to him but there was no one to pick it up, sadly. Since he stayed alone, for two days it was not even known that he had died and finally the neighbours had to break open the door of his house and discover the sad truth. The news hit me with a thud and it took a long time for the fact to sink in.

Manna was always a fund of knowledge and witty remarks, interesting anecdotes on music and musical personalities and more importantly a genuine human being who was always ready to help others...he would religiously make it to the Chennai season every year, present his papers at several morning sessions there and head to Tiruvaiyaru thereafter for his annual pilgrimage before returning to Delhi. It's a great personal loss no doubt, but also a loss for the world of Carnatic music....like in life when in all discussions he would ensure he had the last word by virtue of his high pitched voice, even in death he had the last laugh and left most of us stunned and speechless!! Praying that the Lord Almighty bestows everlasting peace on the departed soul !

[smala]

I didn't know anything of Sri Manna Srinivasan until I read you account - it is very moving. May the Lord bless.

[venkatakailasam]

Here is his blog...http://mnsmanna.wordpress.com/

and also Manna my friend by sriramv at http://sriramv.wordpress.com/

sorry about it...

[srikant1987]

Sruti is such a nice, high-quality magazine!

Condolences to the aggrieved.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Manna Sir was a simple, learned person.
Though I too am closely associated with SRUTI (as a freelancer) I did not get many opportunities to interact with him because he would always be 'on the move'! But once during a 'madras season' I met him at the Sri Krishnan Gana Sabha and talked for some time. Another occasion was a heritage walk (ride?) organised by V Sriram, again during a season, to visit places of musical interest in and around Chennai city. Manna made the get together very lively with his valuable inputs.
Art/ music observers would miss him very much.

[rshankar]

Condolences!!

[tkb]

Our condolence.

[PUNARVASU]

Condolences.

[thanjavooran]

My heartfelt condolences
Thanjavooran 24 03 2012

[cienu]

Heartfelt condolences ..

[vijisubra]

I was in Delhi till 10th eve-- on my trip to receive the Shanmukhananda award. Manna had come to the function. I remember my sister remarking on how unwell he looked! I had a call from his brother after a couple of days saying my number was the last dialled on Manna's phone! That was so unnerving! I didn't get that call and now will never know what he wanted to say to me!
He was always happy on my progress -- Delhi 'ponnu' na!
Heartfelt condolences