Lalitharam Ramachandran

[rajeshnat]

He is our lalitharam or gamakam (those are his two pen names)and his name is Ramachandran.Roughly a decade or half back i got so excited to read his writeup in few urls like varalaaru . Then as time moved on he wrote books on GNB,PSP and S Rajam. I have read Pazhani subramania pillai in full and it is wonderful. It was in thamizh and i was so slow and read PSP in MDR mode due to my lack of touch in reading thamizh. He prefers to write mostly in thamizh but he is also at ease with english.

But now we all know him as one of the main founders of parivAdini . When I met him for the first time I was simply amazed as he was much younger than me , at that point with his writeups and information on GNB etc I assumed he was one era before me.Such a high maturity in working hard to get the depth in content, for his young age it was incredible .

Lalitharam is in bangalore right now .He has a real genuine and unconditional love or rather obsession with Carnatic Music . He is unmatched in chronicling the greats and he is at ease to dig both the known and fairly unknown and forgotten greats.

This writeup of Lalitharam got published on Jan 2018 , it is in thamizh . Those who know thamizh take your time to read it and those who do not know to read thamizh ask someone to read it for you. Those who donot understand thamizh directly you will still get it somewhat

Check this writeup
http://tamilonline.com/thendral/article.aspx?aid=11925

LalithaRam
You are somewhat close buddy for atleast 10 years. I got to know a few more great critical points on your appreciation of CM and other interactions . YOu may not like this I would say you may be a kalki like writer for many but I donot have much exposure in direct writeups or novel of kalki . But I like your lucidity very much , i can draw parallel to writer sujatha .I am familiar with one novel and few segmented writings of writer Sujatha in you . It just flows and I dont feel like hearing an mp3 recording in internet when anything i read is written by you.For a change the writeup subject is about you . Best wishes

[arasi]

Rajesh,
A million thanks! Lalitha Ram, at this young age is a jAmbavAn! His aRivu (what he knows) is immense. An unassuming, quiet individual who has achieved more for CM and it's history in a short span of time--and his work will continue for many years. His ardor and deep commitment to research, coupled with a brilliant mind and rasanA too, makes this happen. His work will continue for many years, and how the coming generations will appreciate him!
I now have to read all I can from what you have provided here, Rajesh.Years ago, met him briefly at Nageswaran's house whern we Rasikas gathered. Now, I have means to read his writings. My inability in finding such vital websites was in my way, I'm afraid...

[kvchellappa]

Thanks. It is very inspiring. How such people remain out of limelight! To read positive things gives a mystic sense of connectedness. May more such posts fill rasikas.org.

[rajeshnat]

My first encounter with his online writings of Lalitharam is in the website varalaaru.com
Check the below link , not all the links interests me but few were big head turners . Folks like say Toronto based Pasupathy Sir may love each one of those . I just loved his Gopalakrishna bharathi series writeups and many of his musical based writeups.
http://www.varalaaru.com/design/categor ... tegoryID=4

[parivadini]

Thank you Rajesh, Arasi and KVC for your kind words.

[Nick H]

It may have been at the PSP book launch that I first met Lalitha Ram. That, or some similar learned occasion that led me to expect a grey-haired historian. Add my name to the list of those amazed at his youth!

He prefers to write mostly in thamizh but he is also at ease with english.

Of course, I would love to be able to read the PSP book in English. Plans to get my wife to translate and serialise it for me never bore fructificationalisification*. I don't think he would mind doing the translation, but he told me that the publishers would not be interested. He said that there is always a demand for translations into Tamil, but not the other way around





*No, it isn't a word. But now... it will be!

[parivadini]

I don't think he would mind doing the translation, but he told me that the publishers would not be interested. He said that there is always a demand for translations into Tamil, but not the other way around

Actually I have been recently approached by a publisher to see if I have the PSP book in English. If a translation is available, I guess there is some interest

[Nick H]

Super!

Consider one copy pre-ordered!

[parivadini]

Super!

Consider one copy pre-ordered!

You will have to wait for that one for I dunno how long. In the mean time, a translation of my earlier book is out: http://www.sruti.com/index.php?route=pr ... uct_id=479

[rshankar]

In the mean time, a translation of my earlier book is out: http://www.sruti.com/index.php?route=pr ... uct_id=479

Congratulations!!

[rajeshnat]

LalithaRam ,
Congratulations your love for GNB and writing that in english is wonderful. One day i hope you write on MMI and then SSI .

[parivadini]

LalithaRam ,
Congratulations your love for GNB and writing that in english is wonderful. One day i hope you write on MMI and then SSI .

Rajesh: I didn't write it in English. It was translated by Shri. Ramnarayan.

[parivadini]

https://carnaticmusicreview.wordpress.c ... b-english/

[rajeshnat]

The world is as of today talking since oct 25th, that music academy has taken a stand on the recent #metoo and has set the path and saved the institution grace etc. Certainly they doing is only half great.

But this forum and all of us have to remember the truth that the first person who took the firm decision was our fellow member Lalitharam ramachandran , that was way back on Oct 13th, 2018. Read the link below for his stand . Zero tolerance,practised first and then preached

https://carnaticmusicreview.wordpress.c ... 9Y4Fl1a4yM

Kutcheri paddhati was started by Ariyakudi is the general view , but actually it was started by his Guru Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar is the truth . Similarly the guru of taking right and appropriate action is LalithaRam Ramachandran (Guru) and not N Murali of Music Academy (Sishya). Let this post represent the right chronology .

Lalitharam,
You have praised "Kudos to the music academy for standing with the survivors! This is huge!", the truth of the matter is N Murali can open a facebook account and say "Kudos to Parivadhini and Lalitharam Ramachandran for standing with the survivors! This is way too huge ". Everywhere the moral of the story is only the passionate rasika comes forward to take the right stand and then the organizers and fellow musicians bit wait and watch and come forward. Special kudos to your gamakam suddham stand.

[Sachi_R]

Lalitharam was one of the first people in a position of influence to express his dismay and also announce the Parivadini policy of Zero Tolerance. He may not get invited to big glamorous events or win medals, but I know he is a man of conviction and passion for CM.

[RSR]

Sri.Rajeshnat has given a link to many of Lalitharam's articles in
http://www.varalaaru.com/design/categor ... tegoryID=4
------------------------
I am especially grateful to Lalitharm ( @parivadini ) for the following article there on Smt.MS and her music.

http://www.varalaaru.com/design/article ... ticleID=65

A fine article on Smt.,MS 's great music. ( in Thamizh)

My humble request to him, to always give a translation of his Thamizh writings in English.

[RSR]

This is the latest blog post by Lalitharam . It is in Tamizh. Many of us may not know that Tamizh writer Sri. Thi. Janakiraman (novelist, short-story writer anf essayist) was a very sensitive and knowkedgeable Carnatic music rasika. ( perhaps HM rasika too). He was for a long time in Delhi AIR, not as a musician but as an official. He was very close to many famous CM vocalists of his time. ( pre-1970).
In this blog post Llitharam @parivadini has shared the introductory speeches by Thi. Janakiraman on MaNi Iyer. The AIR program was organized to honour the memory of MaNi Iyer after he passed away. For each of the songs thus broadcast, the writer Thi,JA has given a brief introductory speech.
மதுரை மணி ஐயர் நெஷனல் புரோகிராம் - தி.ஜானகிராமனின் குரலுடன்.

https://youtu.be/KB-BmtWM5m0

https://youtu.be/LjSl96Hbik4

https://youtu.be/5PWfjES08qI

----------------------------------------

ஜானகிராமனின் நூற்றாண்டில் - பல வருடங்களாய் செய்ய நினைத்த ஒரு விஷயத்தைச் செய்து முடித்தேன்.
என் சேகரிப்பில் - ஒரு வானொலி ஒலிபரப்பின் பதிவு உள்ளது. மதுரை மணி ஐயரின் மறைவுக்குப் பின் ஒலிபரப்பான நேஷனல் ப்ரோகிராமின் பதிவு அது. மதுரை மணி ஐயரின் கச்சேரிகளில் இருந்து பல பகுதிகள் ஒலிபரப்பாகியுள்ளன.
அத்தகைய பதிவுகள் பல நமக்குக் கிடைக்கக் கூடும். இந்தப் பதிவில் ஒரு விசேஷம் உண்டு.
இந்த நிகழ்ச்சியை தி.ஜானகிராமன் தொகுத்து வழங்கியுள்ளார். ஒவ்வொரு பாடலுக்கு முன்னும் ஆங்கிலத்தில் தன் மென்மையான குரலில் மணி ஐயரை நினைவுகூர்ந்து பேசியுள்ளார்.
ஜானகிராமன், மணி ஐயர் இருவரும் எனக்கு ஆதர்சம். இந்தப் பதிவை பத்து வருடங்களுக்கு முன்னால் திருவனந்தபுரம் ஆறுமுகம் பிள்ளையிடம் இருந்து பெற்ற போது ஏற்பட்ட சிலிர்ப்பை தி.ஜா-வால்தான் எழுதமுடியும்.
யாம் பெற்ற இன்பம் - இவ்வையகமும் பெருக!
மதுரை மணி ஐயர் நெஷனல் புரோகிராம் - தி.ஜானகிராமனின் குரலுடன்.
https://youtu.be/KB-BmtWM5m0

https://youtu.be/LjSl96Hbik4

https://youtu.be/5PWfjES08qI

==========================

[RSR]

http://tamilonline.com/thendral/article.aspx?aid=11925
It will be great if Sri.Sankark - @sankark - translates this writeup on Lalitharam in Tamizh tnto English. There seem to be many thousands in this forum, who cannot read Tamizh .
Apart from his vast knowledge in carnatic music, his writing skills, his ardent love for Literature , Tamizh history and temple sculptures, what weighs equally with my appreciation of his sense of values is his relinquishing a very lucrative job in Engineering at very young age and taking up promotion of Nagaswaram music and its exponents all at his own expense! Also in his technical virtuosity in streaming audio and video of live concerts and his philanthrophic activities. I remember that he along with his father has formed a Charitable Trust for such purposes. And his very unique initiative in honouring makers of music instruments. I request him - @parivadini -to give full details of the trust and mode of payment for donations . for the present explicit purpose of helping the needy and deserving musicians at Chennai.
The details can be shared among many donors abroad as well as in Tamizhnadu

[RSR]

a wonderful interview by Lalitharam ( parivadhini) .
Musician Smt.Seetha Narayanan

https://solvanam.com/

[Nick H]

I have tried to understand via Google Translate. But, when I asked my wife about one passage, Google has got it so wrong: Google knows about cities and names and history ok, but music, no... even I know more!

[RSR]

at 20
@Nick H
Sir, sankark has given a nice translation of the interview by lalitharam of Sita Narayanan.in general discussion section. today.

[Nick H]

Sir, sankark has given a nice translation of the interview by lalitharam of Sita Narayanan.in general discussion section. today.

Super! Thanks, I'll go and look for it.

[RSR]

Our @parivadini 'lalitharam' has reposted an earlier aticle on some kruthis
of THYAGARAJA SWAMI https://carnaticmusicreview.wordpress.c ... -tyagaraja
---------------------
in his blog.
Delightful article.
He deals with the theme of famous and well-known kruthis and discussed the bhaavam of the songs.
----
intha sowkyamu , baala kanakamaya , telisirama chinthana, maa jaanaki , evarimaata, manasunilpa and a few more. The article is in lovely thamizh.
---------------------------
please do not miss the article.

[RSR]

from my earlier post in this thread itself. on parivadhini
------
p-18

[rajeshnat]

Lovely lecdem by Lalitharam who is assisting nagaswara vidwan Prakash Illayaraja.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
He covers
1. Introduction with temples and how nagaswaram and thavil has ingrained with our culture
2. Mallari with contextual play .
3. How nagaswaram put brighas and vocalist follow the nagaswara baani.
4. Anecdotes of Thi Janakiraman are all lovely especially how common man gets music by just casual listening of nagaswaram.
5. anecdotes like mayavaram temple as told by illayaraja where through out the night they play alapana. Then some insights of TNR play were all well done.
6.Rakthi ragas handled

https://youtu.be/VME0S9wSEhY

Well done Lalitharam, Prakash Illayaraja and also crisp intro by Vidushi Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam . Many years back i heard an exclusive mallari lecdem by BM Sundaram. That was packed with lot of mallari explanations . Some where some time back i put a post here

Can you pass the url of that rare hemavathi janya Thyagaraja krithi that you mentioned , now the name i forgot to note

[rajeshnat]

Lalitharam introduces 'Podi Sangati' - a weekly video based on trivia related to music. The below is just a small promotion , we will have weekly series. I am sure it is going to be a mega hit.

https://youtu.be/_XC_Amn7GyU

[parivadini]

Thank you Rajesh for your kind words.

The first episode of 'Podi Sangati' can be seen here. It features a rare artist - Chidambaram CS Selvaratnam PIllai.

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

[parivadini]

The second episode of 'Podi Sangati' can be seen here. It is about a unique concert with ten accompaniments!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wqJCl_mtWw

[rajeshnat]

As RSachi said in another thread, lalitharam is perhaps the greatest treasure to teach the next generation of how to really appreciate deeply classical music especially nagaswaram. Nice write up from The Hindu


https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... 266615.ece

[RSR]

Lalitharam @parivadini interview with Iraavatham Mahadevan , an IFS/IAS officer, and editor of Dinamani . Famous Epigraphy research worker on Indus script and early Tamill script.
Very interesting read. Especially, the many twists and turns in his career and his frankness about his college days...
http://www.varalaaru.com/design/article ... icleID=740
@arasi Madam will like it.

[arasi]

Thank you RSR.
Inspiring and elevating are his achievements, in tamizh thAthA U Ve sA's footsteps, certainly.
In the Rasikas.org parlance, andariki vandanamu. uyarndOr, uttamar ivar!

As always, a hope for the future in bringing to focus old treasures in the arts and letters (and the new), young Lalitharam has to be thanked also...

[RSR]

Sharing a wonderful blog post by Lalitharam Gamakam
--------------------------
கருணநிதி இலலோ – பட்டம்மாள்.
மார்ச் 19, 2022 Lalitharam

பட்டம்மாள் என்றதும் அவர் பாடிய எத்தனையோ தீட்சிதர் கீர்த்தனைகள் நினைவுக்கு வரக்கூடும். தீட்சிதரை தவிர்த்துப் பார்த்தால் பல தியாகராஜர் பாடல்கள், பாபநாசம் சிவன் பாடல்கள், கோபாலகிருஷ்ண பாரதி, சுத்தானந்த பாரதி பாடல்கள் பலவற்றை அவர் தனதாக்கிக் கொண்டதை உணர முடியும்?


ஆனால் ஷ்யாமா சாஸ்திரி பாடல்கள்? அவற்றை மட்டும் பாடாமல் இருந்திருப்பாரா என்ன? மற்ற பாடல்களின் ஜொலிப்பில் கொஞ்சம் பட்டம்மாள் பாடிய ஷ்யாமா சாஸ்திரி பாடல்களின் மேல் நிழல்தட்டியிருக்க வேண்டும்.

சில மாதங்களுக்கு முன்னால் ஒரு நண்பர் எனக்கு ஒரு கச்சேரி பதிவை அனுப்பி வைத்தார். அந்தப் பதிவில், ‘கருணாநிதி இலலோ’ என்கிற தோடி கிருதி இடம்பெற்றிருந்தது.

கேட்க ஆரம்பித்ததும் சுழலில் சிக்கிக் கொண்டேன். சுழற்சியை கை நிறுத்தினாலும் பல வாரங்களுக்கு அந்த தோடி மனத்தில் அலையடித்துக் கொண்டே இருந்தது.

ஷ்யாமா சாஸ்திரியின் வரிகளை அலசிப் பார்த்தால், கிட்டத்தட்ட ஒரே விஷயத்தைதான் அவர் பல பாடல்களில் சொல்லியிருக்கிறார் என்று புலப்படும். விஷயம் என்று சொல்வதை விட வார்த்தைகள் என்று சொல்வது பொருத்தம். ஒரே வார்த்தைகள்தான் – ஆனால் சொல்லும் விஷயங்கள் வேறு வேறல்லவா? உதாரணமாய் மாயம்மாவை முதல் வார்த்தையாக்கி வடித்திருக்கும் நாட்டைகுறிஞ்சி ராகக் கிருதியும், ஆஹிரி ராகக் கிருதியும் கிழக்கும் மேற்குமல்லவா?

‘கருணாநிதி இலலோ’-விலும் வழக்கமான அம்மா/பிள்ளை கொஞ்சல்/கெஞ்சல்தான் என்றாலும் வடித்திருக்கும் விதத்தில் விரிந்து பரவும் தனித்துவம்.

திஸ்ரத்தில் நடந்து வரும் மத்தகத்தின் கம்பீரம் என்றால் சரணத்தில் நிரவல் குழந்தையின் தீண்டல்.

‘கோமள மிருது பாஷிணி – அம்பா’

அம்மா! எவ்வளவு அழகு நீ! மிருதுவான உன் குரலில் எத்தனை இனிமை.

நிரவலைக் கேட்கக் கேட்க பிஞ்சு விரல்கள் தாயின் தலை கோதி, தாய் மகனைக் கொஞ்சும் கொஞ்சல்களை எல்லாம் மகன் தாய்க்குச் சொல்லும் மிருது வருடல்கள்!

இது மீளாச் சுழற்சி என்றது சரிதானே!

இனி பட்டம்மாள் என்றதும் ‘மாமவ பட்டாபிராம’, ‘ரக்ஷபேட்டரே’ நினைவுக்கு வருவது போலவே ‘கருணாநிதி இலலோ’-வும் நினைவுக்கு வரும்.
.
https://youtu.be/EyJIU42QtFI
மகாவிதுஷியின் பிறந்த நாளில் – யாம் பெற்ற இன்பம், பெருக இவ்வையகமும்.
https://carnaticmusicreview.wordpress.c ... mment-1996

[rajeshnat]

Our Lalitharam recently had lost his father. I just knew with this youtube posting. Condolences .He has given a tribute where his appa was a SSI fan listening intently to maarubalka in sriranjani ,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NBZRm_Y99k