My series on musicians of Kerala in sruti magazine

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 03 May 2017, 11:19

I am happy to inform that I am writing a series for Sruti magazine on Musicians of Kerala- i.e great musicians, but who have not made their mark in Chennai. Pl see the following introductory para.

The land of Parasurama and Swati Tirunal has got a rich musical legacy. It has given birth to many musicians of repute of varying levels of popularity and success. From the immediate past, we remember the great musicians like Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, Palghat Rama Bhagavatar, Palghat Mani Iyer, M.D.Ramanathan and K.V.Narayanaswamy. Quite apart from these famous personalities, there were and are many musicians- vocalists and instrumentalists who chose to remain within their own State for varying reasons and hence did not receive great adulation outside the State of Kerala. Name, fame and wealth eluded such musicians. But they have remained contented in their place performing to local audience, teaching and may be a job in a school/ college/All India Radio. They are in no way inferior to other musicians who could make it big before the music lovers of Tamil Nadu. Through this series of articles, I will try to showcase some excellent musicians who have not received the due acclaim or recognition in their life time.

This will be published every month from May onwards. This month, it is about Prof.Neyyattinkara Mohanachandran. Many more musicians will be featured in the ensuing months. Those who are subscribing to Sruti magazine, kindly spare some time to go through and give me your comments. Thanks in advance.

parivadini · Post by **parivadini** » 03 May 2017, 11:42

This is great news! I look forward reading this series!

varsha · Post by **varsha** » 03 May 2017, 12:18

I recently watched a delightful flute performance by guruvayoor srikrishnan.
pl write about him too, if possible.

ram1999 · Post by **ram1999** » 03 May 2017, 14:08

Some of the names that come to my mind instantly are:

Vechoor Harihara Subramania Iyer
Trivandrum R S Mani
Neyyatinkara Vasudevan Nair
Dr. Omanakutty
Krishnan Kutty Nair
Chalakudy Narayanaswamy
Ambikapuram Sivaraman (a young artist but a lovely artist, disciple of C S Krishna Iyer - hardly seen outside of kerala)
Palai C. K. Ramachandran,
Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma
Parasala Ponnammal (how can one forget this charming doyen!). Chennai started inviting her at her ripe old age and lost the prime of her music in a big way !!
Guruvayur Dorai
...
...
...

parivadini · Post by **parivadini** » 03 May 2017, 14:41

Please do profile the dilruba artist Angamali Jose. I've heard him only on a few recordings. His Simmendramadhyamam keeps ringing. I hope you can throw more light on him.

melam72 · Post by **melam72** » 03 May 2017, 14:44

Avaneeswaram Vinu, the violinist?

Amongst the younger generation, Abilash Venkitachalam comes to mind.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 03 May 2017, 15:17

Shri CRama,
Very good. Congratulations!
Thiruvilla Jai shankar comes to my mind. Is there any Thavil Vidwan of Kerala origin ?
Thanjavooran
03 05 2017

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 03 May 2017, 20:54

Thanks for all your best wishes. I hope to cover most of the artistes listed out by all of you. Many times getting information and photos etc I am finding it difficult.

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 06 May 2017, 01:54

Good one CRama
Atleast list the musician names that you have written. Also include the extraordinary KS Gopalakrishnan , the flute sowkhyam superstar

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 06 May 2017, 16:47

Immediately following are
Cherthala Gopalan Nair- He tuned more than 400 Malayalam kritis in pure carnatic ragams and produced lot of musical features in Malayalam for the AIR
R.Krishnaswamy- Taught Music lessons in AIR for more than 25 years
Vechoor Hariharasubramania Iyer- Reputed Guru
Parassala Ponnammal.

K.S.Gopalakrishnan- Not possible to get any info. He will not cooperate. NO students or family members to give the information.

K Nagarajan · Post by **K Nagarajan** » 06 May 2017, 16:59

Please include Guruvayur Ponnammal, a deciple of Sri.Chembai.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 06 May 2017, 20:01

Sri sankaran namboodhiri, Sri Srivalsan Menon, Trichur Ramachandran, Sri Rama Varma

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 06 May 2017, 21:28

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will comply with most of the suggestions. I started this serial to write about the unsung heroes of Kerala- who are not exposed to the music circuit of Chennai. I grew up listening to the music of all these great musicians. Hence I will not be writing about say, KVN or Trichur V.Ramachandran because they have become famous and there are enough literature on these musicians.

Apart from the musicians listed by me, there is another set of musicans, who are now alive and continue to give top class concerts in Kerala. To name a few Mavelikkara Subramaniam, Adoor P.Sudarsanan etc. I will try to cover this category of musicians also. If anybody have got any anecdote about the above musicians, kindly inform me.

kunthalavarali · Post by **kunthalavarali** » 06 May 2017, 22:40

Pudukode Krishnamoorthy(1923-85), a contemporary of MDR also taught in Kalakshetra. M.K. Kalyanakrishna Bhagavathar (Veena), was a regular in the Navarathri concerts in 70s and 80s. I am not sure if M.A. Kalyanakrishna Bhagavathar was also from Kerala.

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 06 May 2017, 23:31

T.Lakshmana Pillai, Lalitadasar (T.G.Krishna Iyer), Tulasivanam, E.S.Sankaranarayana Iyer I will look for others.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 07 May 2017, 10:24

Lakshman wrote: ↑06 May 2017, 23:31 T.Lakshmana Pillai, Lalitadasar (T.G.Krishna Iyer), Tulasivanam, E.S.Sankaranarayana Iyer I will look for others.

They are all composers and not musicians.

chalakkudy · Post by **chalakkudy** » 10 May 2017, 15:07

Some of them that come to my mind are (not in the order of seniority)
C.S.krishna Iyer (late. aka Rava Krishna Iyer)
Chandramana Narayanan Namboodiri
Mavelikkara Prakbhakara Varma (late)
Mavelikkara Velukkutty Nair
Krishnankutty Nair
Neyyattinkara Vasudevan (late)
N. P. Ramaswamy
Prof. Kumara Kerala varma
Prof. Omanakutty
Sri. J. Venkataramanan (recent Kalacharya Awardee)
Trivandrum venkataraman sir - veena (late)
K. S. Gopalakrishnan - flute
Thamarakkad Govindan namboodiri
thamarakkad Krishnan Namboodiri
Jayan and Vijayan (Jayavijaya brothers - prominent disciples of Sri Chemabi)
Pala C. K. Ramachandran
Nedumangad Sivanandan
Parvatheepuram padmanabha Iyer
Kamala Kailasnath
Cherthala Gopalan Nair
mavelikkara Sankarankutty Nair (Mri)
Mavelikkara S. R. Raju (mri)
Mavelikkara P. Subramanyam
Palkulangara Ambika Devi
Parassala Ravi (Mri)
N Hari (Mri)
Mannur Rajakumaran Unni (senior disciple of Sri Chembai)
Sukumari Narendramenon
P. Leela

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 10 May 2017, 21:08

How about sangIta kalAnidhi, Koduvayur Sri S. Narayanaswamy (Sri KSN, the vaiNika)?

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 11 May 2017, 18:06

Reg, Chalakudy's post, the next issue will cover Cherthala Gopalan Nair. Many of the artistes mentioned will be covered in due course. If you have got any anecdote about the persons, kindly forward to me.

I dont think of writing about KSN, as already there had been many write ups about this great vidwan in Sruti.

advaitin · Post by **advaitin** » 11 May 2017, 21:30

Did I miss pudukode krishnamoorthy ? Svs Narayanan too ? Or maybe Sruti already has profiled them ?

HarishankarK · Post by **HarishankarK** » 12 May 2017, 09:57

Mangadu Nadesan? Great musician and teacher as well.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 12 May 2017, 10:19

Puducode Krishnamurthy-Sruti had covered long back.
SVS Narayanan- I have to check.
Mangad Natesan- Will be covered in due course.

varsha · Post by **varsha** » 23 May 2017, 09:52

http://www.mediafire.com/file/8xzm6lkjl ... vathar.MP3

a link to lift your spirits in your work
courtesy pattamma
More if you like these.Periodically
Glory be ! to Neela Ramgopal

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 04 Jul 2017, 12:21

In the July issue of Sruti, my article on Cherthala Gopalan Nair has been published, under the above series.

pramodh · Post by **pramodh** » 18 Aug 2017, 03:43

Trivandrum R S Mani
Trichur Narendran
Trichur Rajendran
B Sasikumar
Mavelikkara Velukkutty Nair
Allepey Venkatesan
Vettikavala Sasikumar
David Bhagavathar

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 01 Sep 2017, 10:29

I am delighted to inform you that in the September issue of Sruti,my article on Parassala Ponnammal is published as COVER STORY- A ten page article, with lots of information, photos, anecdotes and opinions of various musicians- A collector's item.

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 01 Sep 2017, 19:38

Congratulations, sir. You are meticulous and committed to the task.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 01 Sep 2017, 19:45

CRama wrote: ↑01 Sep 2017, 10:29 I am delighted to inform you that in the September issue of Sruti,my article on Parassala Ponnammal is published as COVER STORY- A ten page article, with lots of information, photos, anecdotes and opinions of various musicians- A collector's item.

Very nice! Is there a link?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 01 Sep 2017, 21:14

Yes, link please...

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 02 Sep 2017, 13:07

Because of copyright issues, it is not possible to give link to the article.

Sachi_R · Post by **Sachi_R** » 04 Sep 2017, 08:28

All,
Sruti magazine does not permit scanning their pages and sharing.
One can buy the digital issue. One can buy the printed version online.

http://www.sruti.com/

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 03 Nov 2017, 20:24

It is my pleasure to inform you that my article on R.Krishnaswamy, who was famous for his handling of Music Lessons Programme- teaching carnatic music for 25 years over AIR, Trivandrum has been published in Sruti issue of November. Many professional singers learned rare compositions of trinity and others through this programme. The article has come out well with lot of photos. Seetha Rajan Mami, and Prof M.Subramania Sarma- Violin Vidwan from TVM have also shared their thoughts about this great vidwan.

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 04 Nov 2017, 09:04

Excellent!
Our family members (including me) have been greatly benefited by Krishnaswamy Sir's Radio lessons.

Permit me to say that I had written an article for 'The Indian Express' a few years back under the caption 'Master behind the voice'. My visiting Sir with a poet friend at Trivandrum before writing the story will remain in my memory for ever.

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 04 Nov 2017, 09:52

CRama,
Eagerly awaiting to read your article in Sruti!

braindrain · Post by **braindrain** » 04 Nov 2017, 09:56

Sivaramakrishnan wrote: ↑04 Nov 2017, 09:04
Permit me to say that I had written an article for 'The Indian Express' a few years back under the caption 'Master behind the voice'. My visiting Sir with a poet friend at Trivandrum before writing the story will remain in my memory for ever.

Would you have any online link to this article ? If so, could you post it here.

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 13 Nov 2017, 16:43

Sorry, brain, the link is not available.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 08 May 2018, 22:05

I am delighted to inform the forum that my article on Vechoor Hariharasubramania Iyer (Guru of Prince Rama Varma) has been published in the May issue of Sruti magazine. It contains interesting incidents from his life, some rare photographs and thoughts penned by Rama Varma about his Guru. I am thankful to Prince Rama Varma who has provided much of the inputs.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 09 May 2018, 08:02

Shri C Rama avl,
Excellent article. The very opening line itself is catchy since Swathi Thirunal College is talked about.
With wishes,
Thanjavooran
09 05 2018

ramamatya · Post by **ramamatya** » 09 May 2018, 08:28

Missed the elephant in the room: Shri Yesudas ?

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 09 May 2018, 10:22

This is a series about musicians who have remained in Kerala and not become famous outside their home state. Hence I will not be writing about Yesudas in this series.

ajaysimha · Post by **ajaysimha** » 13 May 2018, 10:38

Did we leave out
Vamanan namboodari

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 13 May 2018, 12:51

Vamanan Namboodiri- Not yet covered. But I have to see if he is already covered in Sruti magazine. If not, I will write.

ajaysimha · Post by **ajaysimha** » 15 May 2018, 19:02

hi guys
did we leave out Vamanan namboodari
good at singing CM and Sopana sangeetham

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 15 May 2018, 21:35

ajaysimha,You asked this question on 13 May and I have already replied same day.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 12 Aug 2018, 17:36

I am delighted to share in this forum that my article on Prof Subramania Sarma, renowned Violinst from Kerala and his son S.R.Mahadeva Sarma and daughter S.R. Rajasree- both famous violinists- have been published in the August issue of Sruti magazine.

On Aug 19, Mahadeva Sarma and Rajasree are playing a Violin Duet in MES Kalavedi, Malleswaram. They play very well and rasikas may attend if it is convenient for them.

RSR · Post by **RSR** » 14 Sep 2018, 21:30

CRama wrote: ↑01 Sep 2017, 10:29 I am delighted to inform you that in the September issue of Sruti,my article on Parassala Ponnammal is published as COVER STORY- A ten page article, with lots of information, photos, anecdotes and opinions of various musicians- A collector's item.

Respected Sir,
It is an honour to have one's articles getting p ublished in Sruti. , well-deserved honour too. Some requests.
1) how many artistes have you covered so far?
2( how many more are in the offing
---------------------------------------------
Would it not be a good idea to have the completed series in book form as gamakam has done on his write up on GNB? and make it available from leading stores on-line and inform the readers? It may be a bit costly but worth it.
I volunteer to contribute my humble mite to a unique effort.
---------------------------------------------
For the present you can give links to the various sruti issues.

Once again, Congratulations for a great effort .

Best Regards.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 14 Sep 2018, 22:16

RSR. Thanks for the suggestion of bringing into a book form. It has been expressed by a few other well wishers also. But bringing out a book has got its own difficulties in the current scenario. I am very inexperienced in this area. But will definitely explore.

The demand is more to translate into Malayalam and publish it. I will see that possibility also.

Seventh article is going to be published. As it stands, I intend to go upto 15.

Thanks for your good wishes.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 14 Sep 2018, 22:18

I can not give link here for my articles in Sruti. Those who wish can subscribe for the same. On line issue is also available.

RSR · Post by **RSR** » 17 Sep 2018, 21:22

CRama wrote: ↑14 Sep 2018, 22:18 I can not give link here for my articles in Sruti. Those who wish can subscribe for the same. On line issue is also available.

Respected Sir, I would like to know if translations in Tamil and MalayaLam are covered by copyright issues by sruti mag.
If not I suggest that you proceed with the translations .
People interested in classicaklmusic and musicians of Kerala, can be found in good number in Kanyakumari district, and Coimbatore-Palgat areas. They are mostly bi-lingual.
Your work if first translated into malayaLam will be a hit in Kerala.

Have you heard of KaNNan of 'kAlacchchuvadu? iT IS A PERIODICAL IN TAMIL PUBLISHED FROM nAGERKOIL.
I suggest that you contact him about the proposal. I believe that he encourages such works as yours.

Give me some more days. I will try to find out other publishers.

Best Regards.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 18 Sep 2018, 08:11

RSR, Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I will start working towards it.