Kalpagam Swaminathan

CSS · Post by **CSS** » 17 Aug 2006, 23:22

I had the good fortune of learning veena from Smt Kalpagam Swaminathan for about an year in 1968-69. I was introduced to her by my mother who was also her student at the Carnatic College.

On a Friday evening, we went to her house on 7th Main Road, Raja Annamalaipuram and waited till her classes were over. Her house, if my memory is right, was named Kala Vihar. After everyone had left, my mother told teacher that she had brought me along because I was 'playing' with the Veena at home and I wasn't getting the technique right. Mother wanted me to learn Veena from teacher. Teacher asked if I knew any music and my mother said that although I had no formal training, I sang by 'kelvi gnyanam', both Carnatic and Hindi film music. Teacher's son, Shankar, asked me ' Can you sing a song in Hindi ?' I said yes and sang ' Allah tero naam'. Swaminathan mama came out of his den. I was asked sing this again. At the end, teacher said I could start on Vijaya dasami day !

CSS · Post by **CSS** » 17 Aug 2006, 23:58

On vijaya dasami day in 1968, I started learning veena from teacher. I was paired with another girl, whose name I forget, but do remember that her mother owned Easwari Pharmacy. The start was a non starter ! that girl's timings and mine did not match. I was asked to come in the mornings and the classes would start at about 645 am. About 10-12 students, mostly women aged 18-22, would be there and they formed a group. The classes would go on till about 845 am when teacher would get ready to go to college. I learnt by watching teacher play because the others were too advanced for me to join them. I would return home and then go to school. While I did learn indirectly, I used to get peeved that I was the sole boy amongst all those 'girls' and hardly got a chance to learn from teacher.

Thsi problem of mine got solved with the arrival of 'Jim'. He was a young American and had learnt the dilruba (?) or some such persian instrument in Iran. Somewhere, he was introduced to the veena and he landed up in Madras to learn from teacher. Jim became my veena partner and we both learnt music from teacher for nearly 4-5 months when it came to an abrupt end - Jim was called for service in vietnam and had to leave. We had reached up to alankarams... My music classes with teacher also slowly petered out over a period of time...

The gamakam style of playing is what I learnt from teacher. In this, you would play multiple notes on a single fret. More like S.Balachander's style than Chitti Babu although teacher had the just right proportion of gamakam.

Some memories of those times. Teacher would finish her morning classes by 845 am and then get ready to go to Carnatic College. She walked to the bus stand, past the RA puram Pillayar kovil. She was back home by about 530 pm and would have a glass of 'bournvita' in those days before starting her classes.

Her only son Shankar got married in 1971 (?) at a Kalyana Mandapam opposite Sai Baba temple in Madras. A very friendly and nice guy.

She once played the new Veena we had bought at our house. I am not sure but there might be a recording of that private concert. Need to check these and put all of it in order after I get back to Madras !

Alas, Swaminathan Mama and Shankar are no more. Terrible blows for her but she continues stoically.

CSS · Post by **CSS** » 18 Aug 2006, 00:01

Dear rasikas,
I hope my personal walk down memory lane is okay with the guidelines of this group. If they do not fit, please do tell me.

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 18 Aug 2006, 01:03

CSS, very interesting and informative, please dont stop.

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 18 Aug 2006, 14:03

really nice to read about Smt Kalpakam Swaminathan.

Whenever one has to write something about her, one is short of words. What a great person. I just dont have any more words. The feeling is probably not verbaly expressable.

meena · Post by **meena** » 02 Sep 2006, 04:38

Deleted

mishram · Post by **mishram** » 02 Dec 2006, 23:32

CSS - nice to read about your posts about a wonderful vidushi. I like the depth in her playing and even at this age, she is soooo good. Mr. Shankar is no more. He was married to Mangalam Shankar who is a student of Sri. TMT.

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 04 Mar 2007, 15:41

http://www.sendspace.com/file/0fnuyj

brocheva

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 12 Jun 2009, 09:18

At the altar of mAyuram goddess
http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/06/12/stor ... 190300.htm

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 12 Jun 2009, 09:26

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 12 Jun 2009, 10:47

Thanks Rajesh for the link and also for reviving the thread which was dormant for more than 2 years.!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 13 Jun 2009, 07:38

Good to see Ramki playing with his guru...

vallaki · Post by **vallaki** » 04 Jul 2009, 00:20

I am very inspired when I see her playing beautifully even at such an advanced age. There is something about a vainika and her instrument...They seem to be the one and the same, as if breathing together...My pranams to our grand old lady of the veena.

Svaapana · Post by **Svaapana** » 29 Jul 2009, 19:52

For your kind information, I have recently uploaded 30 veena concerts of one of the living legends Smt. Kalpakam Swaminathan. You may find them from http://www.sendspace.com/folder/viqbce

ragam-talam · Post by **ragam-talam** » 29 Jul 2009, 22:15

Thanks very much!

One of them is a real gem: Musiri with Kalpagam mami - http://www.sendspace.com/file/7t5jah

Rasika911 · Post by **Rasika911** » 30 Jul 2009, 08:38

Svaapana I tried to downlaod but it says free service is at full capacity.

ranjanimalavi · Post by **ranjanimalavi** » 30 Jul 2009, 09:57

nee padamule by musiri with only veena in the background is too good.
Musiri explaining few things in the middle of the other pieces are also good

Raman

vainika · Post by **vainika** » 16 Aug 2009, 21:56

Kalpakam mami playing gauri girirAja kumAri, recorded Aug 15, 2009.
http://www.archive.org/details/gaurIgir ... an20090815

coolkarni · Post by **coolkarni** » 17 Aug 2009, 07:19

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 17 Aug 2009, 07:48

Many more healthy and happy years to the grande dame!

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 17 Aug 2009, 11:21

Greetings to Kalpagam Mami

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 17 Aug 2009, 16:40

Belated Happy Birthday!

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 16 Aug 2010, 18:00

Attended her concert at Raghasudha Hall on 14th August 2010. Whilst she is obviously elderly, her stamina for music seems unlimited. It is astonishing to see her play: it seemed that she would not have had any problem with the concert going on all night!

It was nice to see our fellow forumite L Ramakrishna providing support for her. Mridangam and ghatam by Umayalapuram Mali and Guruprasad.

Wishing her many more birthdays and many more concerts

vainika · Post by **vainika** » 22 Sep 2010, 10:38

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/intothemusic/f ... ent/veena/

ABC feature on Kalpakam teacher.

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 08 Oct 2010, 05:29

Nick H wrote: It was nice to see our fellow forumite L Ramakrishna providing support for her. Mridangam and ghatam by Umayalapuram Mali and Guruprasad.

Wishing her many more birthdays and many more concerts

Usually , Veena artists do not keep violin support. Kalpagam swaminathan is an exception.

Is this correct?
venkatakailasam

mankuthimma · Post by **mankuthimma** » 08 Oct 2010, 06:04

L Ramakrishna provides Veena support

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 08 Oct 2010, 15:19

mankuthimma wrote:L Ramakrishna provides Veena support

Please see the links below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLA58vT-FI0

Vidushi Kalpagam Swaminathan - Part-1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEE3XRgY ... feature=BF

Veena- Kalpakkam Swaminathan â€“ 01

venkatakailasam

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 08 Oct 2010, 18:39

I think Ramki (vainika) would have provided support to Smt. KS on his sunAdavinOdini (vINa)...

vainika · Post by **vainika** » 08 Oct 2010, 18:53

Kalpakam teacher has performed with violin and veena accompaniment, and on some occasions, both.

Three generations of disciples have had the privilege of sharing the stage with her to provide accompaniment/support, over the years.

kunthalavarali · Post by **kunthalavarali** » 23 Dec 2010, 14:17

It is unfortunate that Smt Kalpakam Swaminathan could not be present to receive the award yesterday at the Rasika Fine Arts due to ill health. My prayers are for her speedy recovery.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 23 Dec 2010, 20:39

Best Wishes to the vidushi for a speedy recovery!

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 15 Aug 2014, 09:51

Remembering the Vidhushi on her birth day..

Concert 248-shrimathi.kalpAkam swAminAThan-vINa
Theme: MuththuswAmy dhIkshithar's navAvarna(vibhakthi) kruthis.

TO DAY IS HER BIRTHDAY ( 15 August 1922 – 6 April 2011)

Listen at:
http://myblogkumara.blogspot.in/2014/07 ... rt-ix.html

Concert Details:
01-shri_mahAgANapathi_ravathu_mAm-gouLa-m_chApu-m_dhIkshithar
02-bAlasubrahmaNyam-surati-Adhi-m_dhIkshithar
03-kamalAmbike_Ashritha-thOdi-c_rUpaka-m_dhIkshithar
04-kamalAmba_samrakshathu-Anandhabhairavi-m_chApu-m_dhIkshithar
05-kamalAmbAm_bhajare-kalyANi-Adhi-m_dhIkshithar
06-shri_kamalAmbikAya-shankarAbharaNa-c_rUpaka-m_dhIkshithar
07-kamalAmbikAyai_kanakA-kAmbOdhi-k_Ata-m_dhIkshithar
08-shri_kamalAmbAyAha_param-bhairavi-m_jhampa-m_dhIkshithar
09-kamalAmbikAyAsthava-punnAgavarALi-c_rUpaka-m_dhIkshithar
10-shri_kamalAmbikAm_bhakthim-shahana-m_chApu-m_dhIkshithar
11-shri_kamalAmbikE_vAva-ghanTa-Adhi-m_dhIkshithar
12-shri_kamalAmbA_jayathi-Ahiri-c_rUpaka-m_dhIkshithar
13-shri_kamalAmbikE_shivE-shri-k_Eka-m_dhIkshithar

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 26 Aug 2022, 15:16

Lovely writeup of this great vainika Kalpagam Swaminathan by her disciple Nirmala Rajasekar.

https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... 757641.ece

rasikas.org

Kalpagam Swaminathan

Re: Kalpagam Swaminathan

Re: Kalpagam Swaminathan

Re: Kalpagam Swaminathan

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Re: Kalpagam Swaminathan

Re: Kalpagam Swaminathan