A MEMORABLE MARRIAGE CONCERT

[CRama]

Venue- Trivandrum Lalitha Mahal Kalyana Mandapam
Date-17/5/16
Time 6 PM to 9 PM
Artistes- Vidwan Parvathipuram Padmanabha Iyer- Vocal
Vaikom Padma Krishnan-Violin
Madurai Ramesh-Mridangam

The occasion was my cousin’s daughter’s marriage. The entire family is very much oriented in music. All in the family are great music lovers, some performing artistes. The bride is MA in music and also used to provide violin accompaniments. The bridegroom is a performing musician besides having a plump IT job. So it was quite normal to have a Carnatic music concert when the reception was going on.

But Kalyana cutchery- it is a separate league. True. All our present and past leading vidwans haver performed in marriages. Many marriages dates have been fixed as per the availability of the chosen Sangeetha vidwan. But in majority of the concerts, it is more of an occasion to meet friends and long lost relatives and have a chat with them than intense savouring of the fare offered sincerely by the artistes on stage. In many concerts the fare also will be standard- very popular songs with little of manodharmam elements- so that even the less initiated in music will not turn away from the scene. Normally, Vathapi, Endaro mahanubhavulu, Alai payude, Nagumomu, Bho sambho, Thandanahi, Kurai onrum illai are staple fare in such concerts. But this concert was totally different. Where else will I share the joy of attending such a pure classical concert? Hence my post.

Parvathipuram Padmanabha Iyer
Padmanabha Iyer is a music teacher of considerable reputation living in Trivandrum having a good number of students studying under him. Born on May 4, 1955, in the Parvathipuram Gramom in Attingal, Padmanabha Iyer hails from a family renowned for its musical tradition. His maternal grandfather, Mullamoodu Padmanabha Bhagavathar, and Maternal uncle, Mullamoodu Harihara Bhagavathar, were 'Asthana Vidwans' of Trivandrum known as Mullamoodu Bhagavatars. An alumni of Swati Tirunal Sangeetha College, Trivandum, studied under Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma, Kumara Kerala Varma, G.Seethalakshmi, Palkulangara Ambika Devi and five years gurukulavasam under Vechoor Hariharasubramania Iyer. It goes without saying that all the above masters are disciples of Semmangudi. Sri Iyer has a good resonating voice, has solid patantharam- being from the SSI lineage, good manodharmam and vast repertoire. He was a music teacher in Model School, Trivandrum and he has received President’s award for best teacher also. I have seen music teachers teaching all other subjects in schools, but he stood firm as an exclusive music teacher. Getting President award for a music teacher also is very rare and a commendable achievement. He has since retired and teaching a good number of students. I give below the list of songs in this concert.

1. Malayamarutham varnam (S)
2. Sree Mahaganapathe- Abhogi- N.S.Ramachandran (S)
3. Sreepathe- Nagaswarali- T (R,S)
4. Devi brova samayamide –Chinthamani-SS (R,S)
5. Sree Vallidevasenapathe- Natabhairavi –PS (R,N,S)
6. Thani
7. Yochana-Durbar T
8. Japatha japatha-Sindubhairavi-ST
9. Chaliye kunjan- Brindavani-ST
10. Thillana-Mayamalavagowla
11. Thirupugazh
12. Seetha kalyana- Navroz
13. Nagumomu-Madhyavamathy

I did not take any note. Hence I would have missed one or two songs also. The list do not tally for a Marriage concert. It is like a Swati Tirunal Sangeetha Sabha concert. All the pre tani songs were decorated with liberal doses of kalpana swaras. The leisurely alapanas, neravals revealed his abundant manodharmam supported by a voice that can easily negotiate the three octaves with consummate ease. He had greatest regard for the paddhati of SSI and KVN and spoke highly of Vechoor for all the knowledge and guidance imparted to him. The alapanas and swarams of Nagaswarali and Chintamani revealed the influence of KVN bani in his music. The raga swaroopam got revealed from the opening phrase itself without allowing any ambiguity. When I was asked to speak a few words after the concert, I expressed the same sentiments. When I talked to him later, he said that he will not differentiate between a Sabha concert or a marriage concert. He will not make it light for others to enjoy. I want to spread music and help others understand its significance- he said. He added - many of my students are sitting before me and this is a learning process for them also.

Sizeable number of guests sat for the concert and enjoyed with rapt attention till the end. It is also a pointer to the fact that if the music is good, people will definitely sit and enjoy. That speaks volumes of the high quality kalyana cutcheris of many great vidwans which we are enjoying today.

The varnam is a composition of a contemporary violin vidwan named Mahadeva Sarma (not SR Mahadeva Sarma- but his cousin.) The thillana is a composition of his son Hari, who provided very good vocal accompaniment sharing with his father in singing neravals and swarams. Hari is an accomplished Mridanga vidwan also. Violin vidushi Padma Krishnan is a senior disciple of Kanyakumari and Mridangam vidwan is a cousin who is from Madurai playing for local concerts. Both of them embellished the concert significantly.

How many more Parassala Ponnammals and Neyyattinkara Vasudevans- not exposed to the arc lights of Chennai- the Mecca of Carnatic Music.

[rshankar]

Awesome review! Thank you for sharing.

[thanjavooran]

Well done shri C Rama,
IMO for the first time a review on marriage concert is seen. Excellent. A very good selection of songs including Thirupugazh. The Vidwans opinion on ' no differentiation between a Sabha and Marriage concert' is to be really appreciated. Many thanks for your detailed write up. Normally there will be very heavy noise because of a marriage reception. Persons actually interested in listening CM will sit and enjoy quietly.
With wishes,
Thanjavooran
25 05 2016

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Great review ,C RAMA.It brought me some nostalgic memories of trivandrum--the places you mentioned--my early childhood years--lot of time spent with my grandfather--we lived in Valia Chalai.
Passionate families like yours and mine(there has not been a single marriage in my family over the last 100 years where there has NOT been a Musical concert--forget the din and noise that normally prevails in these concerts!!!)--even the Muhurtham dates would be rearranged to suit the artist!!!!
I am glad there are still musicians like Padmanabha Iyer who treat Marriage concerts with the same attention as a Sabha concert.

Thanks for the review!!

[CRama]

Forgot to mention. Sri Padmanabha Iyer lives in Karamana.

MKR Sir, Valia chalai is the abode of Vechoor and Parassala Ponnammal Mami. You may be knowing them long back. Vechoor Sankar and NJ Nandini are from the Vechoor HSIyer family.

[Rsachi]

CRama,
Your excellent review is a great encouragement to anyone including me who is thinking of organising a proper music concert in lieu of the garish, noisy, tasteless thing called a wedding reception. Thank you.

[VK RAMAN]

Yes olden times rich families organized katcheri for wedding inviting famous CM artists and it is true even now back in India; but I wonder if "Many marriages dates have been fixed as per the availability of the chosen Sangeetha vidwan" this is true!!! - Unless we have priests who can create muhUrttam based on availability of artists - interesting though. CRama, great review of the concert. Thank you.

[rajeshnat]

crama
Thank you for bringing in to notice to all of us parvathipuram padmanabha iyer and also writing from kalyana concert. Never heard him till you mentioned. malayamarutham varnam and a mmg thillana is indeed a big head turner for me as it almost very rare . No big 6 ragas (I am assuming you did not miss it)- may be he felt for kalyana kutcheri let me not go for that heaviness as already there is already excess of them in dinner . I have heard atleast 5 or 6 kalyana kutcheris in the last 8 years or so - some of them gate crashed - not a nice thing to report in the forum.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Unique report, CRama!
And you've left me nostalgic.
As a native of Karamanai agrahaaram ( I had to migrate to Chennai about 30 years ago), I am doubly proud that the graamam still maintains its cultural traditions. Gomatyambaa sametha Sri Sathyavageeswara swami is the presiding deity of the Graama kshetram which is the hub of all religious and cultural events. The sixties and seventies devoid of TV and other aggressive media ensured that most residents participated in the community events and benefited to a large extent. Children were the biggest beneficiaries. What a wonderful life we had! The Annual Taipoosam festival had music concerts with a few Vidwans from 'Madras' too. Religious discourses were happening almost throughout the year. Events in other areas like Valia Chalai and 'Kottaikkul' (agraharams around Padmanabha swami temple in east Fort) also were attended by Karamanites.Another great opportunity for the boys was the Veda classes by Sri V K Subramania sarma at the temple in the evenings. The tradition is kept alive by Sri Parameswara sarma- one of his students.

Parvathipuram padmanabha Iyer came to Karamani much later (after we left) and hence I couldn't have his acquaintance. Incidentally, the house where P Padmanabha iyer lives now is the 3rd house from ours in the single street or 'Otrai ttheru' (called so as it has houses only on one side of the lane). I understand that PP Iyer is organising most cultural events in the area of late.

P P Iyer's Mullamoodu lineage thrills me because I have been listening to the Todayamangalam preceding the main concerts at Navaratri Mandapam for several years. Harihara Iyer who led the offering was held in high respect by all. He was a repository of ST kritis and led a simple life in the south agrahaaram of Sri padmanabha swami temple in east fort.

Coming to the Kalyana cutcheri, as CRama has described, it has been a liberal asirvadam by the proud Guru for his disciple's wedding! Lets hope Padmanabha Iyer is invited by Chennai Sabha-s too. I too am waiting to listen to him!

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

CRAMA: YES!! Parasalai Ponnammal's house was six houses on the opposite side of my GRandfather's house(ours was 34,Valia Chalai Street!!). My aunt who was a good vainika used to invite her to sing in our house--this was in the late forties/early fifties.She was recently--a couple of years back was honored by the MA==I think.

Now you have made me even more nostalgic--although I do not have any family there now,I want to visit TVM this summer when I come to Chennai(June/July/August) Maybe you and Sivaramakrishnan and myself can plan something!!!

[CRama]

MKR Sir, I am happy to hear your nostalgic memories about TVM.Yes. We can plan a trip to TVM when you visit India. I can take care of Stay and food. No problem. Only thing we should plan early to book the train tickets

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

CRAMA: Thanks for your generous offer. The very thought of the train travel in the lush foliage(I used to love especially the section from Shencottai to TVM via Quilon,Punalur etc makes me wistful. (Nowadays I believe trains no longer go that route).The last time I visited TVM was in 1967 when I took my wife for the first time after our marriage.We drove by car all the way from Bombay,visiting several places in Tamil Nadu.When I got to TVM I was so eager to show my wife my childhood abode in Valia Chalai,I drove nonchalantly from the main road from the Station into Valia Chalai and found that the passage around the Vinayagar temple was too narrow(even for an Ambassador car of the sixties!!) I barely manage to maneuver around the bend around the temple. At that time I realized the street was not as broad as my childhood fantasies had led me to believe.I wonder how many such fantasies will get blown up if and when I visit TVM next.


There are so many things I want to do to satisfy my nostalgic impulses .I am coming with my wife and my granddaughter who wants to do an internship at a medical Hospital in Coimbatore( my wife's hometown) and I am hoping and praying that I could 'sneak" a weekend to whet my nostalgia.

Inanycase, I will let you know my telephone contact in Chennai. Would appreciate(if you can in a separate e-mail send your contact# in Chennai--I hope to get my cell once I reach Chennai on 23rd.