Madurai Pushpavanam

[Regent]

Only a few know much about Madurai Pushpavanam, uncle of Madurai Mani Iyer. And very few know about his daughter Rajam Pushpavanam who was a vidwan too.

Good write up about them here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madurai_Pushpavanam

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajam_Pushpavanam

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Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer said
"There were two undisputed stalwarts in my childhood days. Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer's handsome face matched his music. His wonderful voice rained melodies as naturally as flowers at dawn. His swaras sparkled. He sang in the medium tempo in perfect unison with the sruti. Anybody who sang after him was doomed to flatness."

Taken from his family group photo.

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When speaking about Flute Mali and his greatness, it was said that "It is the privilege and sagacity of a chosen few to conjure up grand classical visions of supreme sublimity presenting beauteous graces and portraying graceful beauty. They open up magnificent vistas of art, enchant the congnoscenti and the lay. The spell outlasts their periods of glory and fame. Sarabha, the flautist, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Ayyar and Pushpavanam, the vocalists, T.N. Rajarathinam, the nagaswara player and S.G. Kittappa, the dramatist are specimens of this legendary galaxy. To this aristocracy of art belongs T.R. Mahalingam, popularly called Mali."

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Sri R. Rangaramanuja Ayyangar observed "A handsome stripling with a curious coiffure that subsequently became the fashion among his fans, clad in spotless white muslin with loose sleeves flying about, with eyes closed and the music! What an intoxicating voice, responding readily, with incredible ease and grace, to the surging crescendo of ravishing, sophisticated music conjured up from a highly imaginative mind! And how the audience rocked and swayed as if in a trance".

Pushpavanam was a musical discovery, a treasure-trove. The 'Flower-garden', which the name actually means, was a veritable garden of raga, tana, pallavi, kriti and swara and he was a master of concerts with few to challenge.

In a tribute, Sri Srinivasa Ayyar said that Pushpavanam 's music was "as attractive as his personality... effortless... His voice was his forte and audience listened with pin-drop silence".
He wrote in the Journal of the Music Academy that "Pushpavanam developed raga alapana leisurely, that his wonderful voice was noted for power and sinuous beauty and that it was difficult to see or talk to him. Pushpavanam would go away the minute the concert was over."

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Sri Soolamangalam Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, the celebrated musical discourser wrote in 'Kalki ': "Pushpavanam's voice was a gift of Heaven. No accompanist is required to render his concert memorable."

It was said that musicians remuneration at that time went up only because of his stringent attitude. He stipulated and got what he wanted. Sometimes, the host-organiser would pay double the stipulated sum captivated by the scintillating music of the artiste. Once all the great musicians had come for a function but he did not come as his stipulation had not been confirmed. Only on receipt of a telegram, he chose to come. And finally, he got a double of that amount, the host surrendering to the magical wizardry of his matchless melody!

And at that time Gopala Krishna Bharati took Rs. sixty for each of his harikatha concerts and gave it fully for charity. Madurai Pushpavanam, charged high rates and was strict about it.

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The late Sri Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar during one of his visits to Tripunithura remarked that Carnatic vocal music was rejuvenated by the genius of Madurai Pushpavanam. Around the same time Bidaram Krishnappa (guru of Chowdiah) gave an impetus to Carnatic music in the erstwhile state of Mysore. According to Sri Chembai, Sri Pushpavanam had a worthy successor in Sri GNB, a post- graduate bhagavathar, with his vocal and physical attributes, though he arrived at the scene much later.

According to Sruti in its book on GNB "Pushpavanam was a prodigy, a singing sensation and there was not a season when or not a sabha or temple where he was not invited to sing. And the whole town would turn up for his concerts."

Madurai Pushpavanam's career was probably only for 10 years or less but he created an impact that none had ever done before.

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Gowri Ramnarayan in her article "Child MS meets a teacher" wrote about a conversation “Do you know what happened when Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer was scheduled to sing after Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer? After listening to Pushpavanam Iyer’s concert the singer (Konerirajapuram) said to the organizers with tears in his eyes, ‘The young man has rained sugar and honey today. I am deeply moved. I can’t sing now. Let me come back and sing tomorrow.’”

It was said Madurai Pushpavanam had a voice that was golden and sweetness personified, and one who could sing in any sruti between 2 and 4. He would enliven crowds coming from far and near, crowds that came to see him, admire him and hear him. People were willing to wait for hours together to hear the “great” Pushpavanam.

Sri Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar was glorified as having a huge stock of Kritis. Sixty of them in Todi alone but this was in sharp contrast with the star performer of the earlier generation Madurai Pushpavanam who mesmerized audiences with his captivating voice and a repertoire of hardly 20 songs in all!

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Sri V.Sriram, Historian, mentions that Papanasam Sivan described: “At 8.00 pm, a full bench concert of Pushpavanam Iyer accompanied by Govindasami Pillai, Azhagunambi Pillai and Dakshinamurthi Pillai commenced. It was music fit for the Gods."

Sri Thiruvalangadu Sundaresa Iyer, violinist, said in his interview with Gowri Ramanarayanan in The Hindu: “A great moment at age 17 was getting the opportunity to accompany Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer, the unrivalled star and senior vidwan.”

According to Sri TN Seshagopalan "Madurai Pushpavanam dominated the scene so that his concert was a must in festivals of temples and his ksheerasagara in Devabandhari and Nagumomu in Abheri were loved by all.”

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http://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/articl ... chi10.html mentions this...

"1916––Lakshadipam at Kumbhakonam Sri Matha during the auspicious occasion of Sri Sarada Navaratri. Separate Laksharchanas to Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati who were seated on separate rathas. Among those who offered archana was Karungulam Krishna Sastri of Tirunelveli district.

A vidvat sadas was held in which great scholars like Mahamahopadhyaya Mannargudi Yajnasvami Sastri (grandson of Mannargudi Raju Sastri), Mahamahopadhyaya Krishna Sastri, Chidambaram Mahamahopadhyaya Dandapani Dikshitar participated. A Music Sabha was also held in which Ramanathapuram Puchi Iyengar, Kumbhakonam Panchapagesa Sastri, Palladam Sanjiva Rao, Madurai Pushpavanam and many other musicians participated.

His Holiness was then taken in procession on an elephant, witnessed by lakhs of people. The Head of Tiruppanandal Kasi Mutt personally presented Rupees Five thousand to His Holiness."

[rajeshnat]

VSN69
Do you know the exact year when Shri Madurai Pushpavanam was born and which year he passed away . There is a lot of logical inaccuracy .Web searches say he was born in 1880's and his singing career was also in 1910's and 1920's but there is a mention that he also passed away at the age of 28 .

By any chance does his wife Sundarathammal (d. 1978) also sing ?

[kvchellappa]

Turns out to be a forest of several flowers of posts. What a pity we have only the reported experience of his singing!

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VSN69
Do you know the exact year when Shri Madurai Pushpavanam was born and which year he passed away . There is a lot of logical inaccuracy .Web searches say he was born in 1880's and his singing career was also in 1910's and 1920's but there is a mention that he also passed away at the age of 28 .
By any chance does his wife Sundarathammal (d. 1978) also sing ?

Rajeshji,
Pushpavanam passed away when he was 28. This is what my grandmother has said.
My mother was about a year or less old when he passed away. And my mother was born either in 1917 or 1918. So his passing away could have been anywhere between 1917 to 1920.
His birth is reported to be 1880 to 1885. I always thought it was 1885. I do not know any further. My grandmother was quite reticent and never mentioned much about him. She was 17 when she was widowed. She said that he was literally swarmed by people (she used the term visirikal) wherever he went.
Whatever I have heard have been mostly from my mother, who was too young to register anything about him.
My grandmother had no ear for music or never showed any interest towards, except for listening to my mother sing. Pushpavanam married her for her beauty.

[vsn69]

Turns out to be a forest of several flowers of posts. What a pity we have only the reported experience of his singing!

I also feel very sad that I have heard so much about him, including from Sri Semmangudi himself, but there is no recording found. Sri RSR gives hope that there could be. I hope there is...

[rajeshnat]

VSN69
For sure the death year should have been 1917 as your mother has seen your grandfather and you would know your mother year of birth. With the assumption of 1885 being his born year when shri pushpavanam died he was atleast 32 years . For sure they can take in wiki that pushpavanam performed in 20's. Thank you sir.

[rajeshnat]

VSN69
There is an anecdote that my musical GOD's appa Madurai Ramaswamy Iyer (brother of Madurai Pushpavanam) was an authority in theoretical aspects of carnatic music . You may have heard that madurai mani iyer has sung when his appa Madurai Ramaswamy Iyer has given some theoretical lectures in indian national congress meeting in avadi (that must have surely happened post madurai pushpavanam death).

Was there any collaboration or any anecdotes that you have heard between the two brothers -Madurai Pushpavanam and Madurai Ramaswamy Iyer?
Could you also confirm if Madurai Ramaswamy Iyer and Madurai Pushpavanam were own brothers(in the sense not cousin)?

[vsn69]

VSN69
There is an anecdote that my musical GOD's appa Madurai Ramaswamy Iyer (brother of Madurai Pushpavanam) was an authority in theoretical aspects of carnatic music . You may have heard that madurai mani iyer has sung when his appa Madurai Ramaswamy Iyer has given some theoretical lectures in indian national congress meeting in avadi (that must have surely happened post madurai pushpavanam death).

Was there any collaboration or any anecdotes that you have heard between the two brothers -Madurai Pushpavanam and Madurai Ramaswamy Iyer?
Could you also confirm if Madurai Ramaswamy Iyer and Madurai Pushpavanam were own brothers(in the sense not cousin)?

Madurai Ramaswamy Iyer was Madurai Pushpavanam's older brother. They were not cousins.
Ramaswamy Iyer was an authority on music as their father was steeped in that tradition. Madurai Pushpavanam used to accompany his older brother before he started singing in kutcheris.

Pushpavanam and his wife with older brother Ramaswamy Iyer and family. A baby Madurai Mani Iyer on Pushpavanam's lap. The person in the middle is his father-in-law (my great grandfather Krishnaiyer). My mother is not in the picture.

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Madurai Mani Iyer's Interview with All India Radio

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Papanasam Sivan: "In those days, Vaidyanatha Iyer and Pushpavanam shared the top spot in vocal music and there was a lot of rivalry between their respective fans. In the puranas, we never hear of a fight for supremacy between Siva and Vishnu. However, the Saivities and Vaishnavites often fight tooth and nail about the greater God. It was the same way with Vaidyanatha Iyer and Pushpavanam. While they had great respect and admiration for each other’s music, the music world was divided into two large fan clubs, each swearing by their idol."
(http://www.parrikar.org/carnatic/sivan)

Indira Menon in her book “Great Masters of Carnatic Music by Indira Menon (1930-65)” says: "in the early years of the twentieth century, a meteor streaked across the music firmament and burnt itself out within a short span. This was Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer".

V.Raghavan, an author of over 120 books and secretary of the Music Academy, Madras, from 1944 until his death in 1979, wrote that N.Mahadeva Iyer, who was his uncle "was a very known lawyer in the whole of Tanjavur district. He was great personal friend of Pushpavanam, who stayed with him in his house often. Mahadeva Iyer looked after the medical treatment of Pushpavanam during his last days at Tanjore."
(In the book "The Power of the Sacred Name: Indian Spirituality Inspired by Mantras")

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Sri Mahalinga Sastri's article on Madurai Pushpavanam in Dinamani Kathir

[RSR]

Respected Swaminathan Sir, Your posts make poignant reading. Last few days, I was re-reading 'Carnatic Summer' book. Almost in every chapter on vocalists, there is brief mention of Sri.Pushpavanam Iyer. . I am trying my best to get atleast one record. Even in Madurai, the person who deals in old classics, has passed away and the link is lost. Dr.Pasupathy, wrote "Google gives :+91 44 2489 1739 for K S Raghunathan ( that's HMV Raghu's name) . Phone and see if it is the same person. ".... If possible, try that source also. We may get help in locating old records. I keep trying.
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 974955.ece

[vsn69]

Respected Swaminathan Sir, Your posts make poignant reading. Last few days, I was re-reading 'Carnatic Summer' book. Almost in every chapter on vocalists, there is brief mention of Sri.Pushpavanam Iyer. . I am trying my best to get atleast one record. Even in Madurai, the person who deals in old classics, has passed away and the link is lost. Dr.Pasupathy, wrote "Google gives :+91 44 2489 1739 for K S Raghunathan ( that's HMV Raghu's name) . Phone and see if it is the same person. ".... If possible, try that source also. We may get help in locating old records. I keep trying.
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 974955.ece

Thank you Sri RSR.
On dialing that number, get a recorded message saying the number is temporarily out of service.
I shall try Paalam TV who seem to have interviewed him.

[vsn69]

Respected Swaminathan Sir, Your posts make poignant reading. Last few days, I was re-reading 'Carnatic Summer' book. Almost in every chapter on vocalists, there is brief mention of Sri.Pushpavanam Iyer. . I am trying my best to get atleast one record. Even in Madurai, the person who deals in old classics, has passed away and the link is lost. Dr.Pasupathy, wrote "Google gives :+91 44 2489 1739 for K S Raghunathan ( that's HMV Raghu's name) . Phone and see if it is the same person. ".... If possible, try that source also. We may get help in locating old records. I keep trying.
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 974955.ece

Thank you Sri RSR.
On dialing that number, get a recorded message saying the number is temporarily out of service.
I shall try Paalam TV who seem to have interviewed him.

I spoke to Sri Bhaskar of Paalam TV, who guided me on how to get Sri HMV Raghu's number via his son's recording studio.

He regrets that though he also searched for his recordings but could not find one. He was told by Sri G Ramanathan, Composer, who claimed to have heard his record.
He says in those days, there were agents who took musicians to the recording studio. He feels musicians like Sri Pushpavanam would not have felt the need for this.

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I came across this interesting reading in a page of the book "The Gramaphone Company's First Indian Recordings, 1899-1908" by Michael S. Kinnear.

[RSR]

In those very early decades of last century,(1900-1920), some musicians feared that getting their voice recorded may cause damage. Sri.Pushpavanam Iyer is not at all likely to be in that group. He was a tremendous trend-setter even in sartorial habits . It is just possible that he might have demanded a very high fees for the recording. ( if at all , there are no records). Foreigners cannot understand the fact that it was the community of temple-singers and dancers that preserved our cultural traditions for great many centuries before the trinity era (1800-median). ( Kalki has portrayed their role with loving care in his masterpiece ' Sivakaamiyin Sabadham' . That was the reign of Mahendra Pallavan reputed to be a great musician himself besides being a great and valiant warrior... 600 AD..when Bakthi movement regained its sangam period traditions.(paripaadal_ . The earliest recordings were by greatly talented ladies of the said community. As early as 1907, Barathy has written about Patnam Subramanya Iyer( though not with approval .for intricacies without 'bhaavam'. Barathy loved the voice culture of North Indian musicians and was against massacre of Telugu creations of Thyagaraja. without understanding the meaning .

[vsn69]

In those very early decades of last century,(1900-1920), some musicians feared that getting their voice recorded may cause damage. Sri.Pushpavanam Iyer is not at all likely to be in that group. He was a tremendous trend-setter even in sartorial habits . It is just possible that he might have demanded a very high fees for the recording. ( if at all , there are no records).

It'll be great if some recording could be found...

Foreigners cannot understand the fact that it was the community of temple-singers and dancers that preserved our cultural traditions for great many centuries before the trinity era (1800-median). ( Kalki has portrayed their role with loving care in his masterpiece ' Sivakaamiyin Sabadham' . That was the reign of Mahendra Pallavan reputed to be a great musician himself besides being a great and valiant warrior... 600 AD..when Bakthi movement regained its sangam period traditions.(paripaadal_ . The earliest recordings were by greatly talented ladies of the said community. As early as 1907, Barathy has written about Patnam Subramanya Iyer( though not with approval .for intricacies without 'bhaavam'. Barathy loved the voice culture of North Indian musicians and was against massacre of Telugu creations of Thyagaraja. without understanding the meaning .

Very true. They were truly amazing artists...

[vijay.siddharth]

Interestingly enough, it was Mahendra Varrma Pallavan who discovered Sankeerna Nadai in the 7th century and was accorded 'Sankeerna Jathi Prasuranar'.

[vsn69]

In those very early decades of last century,(1900-1920), some musicians feared that getting their voice recorded may cause damage. Sri.Pushpavanam Iyer is not at all likely to be in that group. He was a tremendous trend-setter even in sartorial habits . It is just possible that he might have demanded a very high fees for the recording. ( if at all , there are no records).

Foreigners cannot understand the fact that it was the community of temple-singers and dancers that preserved our cultural traditions for great many centuries before the trinity era (1800-median).

Very true. They were truly amazing artists...

Smt Sundarambal Pushpavanam, wife of Madurai Puhpavanam, very often said that Madurai Pushpavanam greatly admired the temple artists.
He was very appreciative of Shanmugavadivu's devotion to music and knowledge.

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In memory of Sri Madurai Pushpavanam's daughter, Rajam Pushpavanam !





https://www.youtube.com/post/Ugx2DCPRLUEXgJomhzJ4AaABCQ

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Mr V Sriram's talk on women musicians

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQkvFu9J7RE

He talks about Smt Rajam Pushpavanam, daughter of Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer from 58:24

Cheers

[shankarank]

The Tanjore Marathi Grundig tape collector who had hosted Sri Rangaramunuja Iyengar during the latter's U.S Visit , heard Sri RRI reminisce on a multi-hour kuntalavarALi Pallavi of Madurai Pushpavanam - no repetitions!

Palghat Mani Iyer, while decrying lot of "study" that has taken over music, pointed to about 20 songs ( he corrected and said 100nnu vecugOngaLEN) that Madurai Pushpavanam knew and how the music will be captivating. There he also recalls Dakshinamurthy Pillai is "pLaaan with toppi" sound that put him to a trance as he was leaving the concert of Musiri Iyer.

For all those who are "studying" and making a lot of new Math structures, he said he will himself award them whatever certificate! But the music is not hearable - he declared!