CMANA. A Thriving Institution and A Continuing Journey

CMANA
a thriving institution and a continuing journey
1
CMANA
“All rights reserved. Contents in this publication may be

reproduced or used only with written permission from
CMANA. For materials included here from other
publications, CMANA thanks them and acknowledges their
authorship and ownership for such materials."
The Current Trustees of CMANA have made best efforts to

trace the history of CMANA . While every care has been
taken to present a complete perspective, it is possible that we
may have by oversight missed some of the events that may
not have been brought to our attention. The Board would like
to inform that it is not intentional and will make efforts to be
more inclusive in the next edition if brought to our attention.
Please send an email to president@cmana.org .
Published by
CMANA
P O Box 234
Fords, NJ 08863, USA
Phones : 908-521-0500
Website : www.cmana.org
e-mail : president@cmana.org / outreach@cmana.org
Photo Credits :
Padma Bharadwaj
Dr. Anu Parthasarathy
Designed & Printed by:

Mangala Prints,
Chennai - 600 041.
2
CMANA
Letter from the President

CMANA turned 40 in 2016. When this was first set up in the year 1976 as a community
organization serving the purpose and cause of promoting and propagating Carnatic
Music, it is difficult to have imagined that we could have come so far and yet be
democratic with true adherence to the Constitution and the principles of good
governance.
The idea of bringing this coffee table book – one that showcases CMANA, its progress
Som Sowmyan
and achievements to the world - was engaged barely six months ago and I thank Sri
Sankar Narayanan, our Past President, who was the architect, along with the committee members, in
putting together a collection of articles contributed by our members and supporters from over the last 4
decades. This book is a reflection of their strength and we have merely given a color and a shape to your
vision.
It is a very exciting time to be in a leadership role with CMANA. Ideas imagined years ago have gained
momentum, and there has been growth in every area of the organization: educational programs, outreach
programs and most importantly, the benefits to members, as we expand our support of the sector by
promoting the voices of locally groomed musicians who are now showing inclinations to take the role of
professionals be it here or in India. Ensuring the value of member benefits, enhancing member
satisfaction and increasing diversity in our membership base will always be the underlying goals of our
daily operations.
CMANA has seen through rapid changing times in the two century lines we have seen – technologically,
logistically or otherwise. We have invested in a fully interactive website in which members can
electronically transact and a responsive mobile version that makes doing business easy, which helps
members to be active and stay in touch irrespective of where they are. We encourage most of our members
set up their account online to be able to receive communications regularly. We hope to make this digital
transformation complete with a self-service portal and a fully functional box office. We continue to focus on
quality concerts and content and have always on an average provided 10-15 programs a year.
Membership continues to grow steadily every year and is currently at 1800. Junior Membership as always
opens the gate for the younger generation to fully participate and enjoy concerts at no cost. We will soon
work on seamlessly converting Junior Members to full Life Members as laid out in our Constitution. To
those that have graduated, we will appeal to get them back to our fold. It is this relationship that matters in
running an organization that caters to the inner aspects of our divinity and soul.
Our flagship program, The Great Composers’ Day, continues to grow stronger with greater focus and
emphasis on the overall improvements to the Junior Members. The Indo-American Festival planned in
5
CMANA
January 2017 in joint association with Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai is being planned to be one that will
take the aspirations of these Junior Members higher and will be held annually around the same time.
I wish to record my appreciation to several institutions and sister organizations based in New York, New
Jersey and throughout the U.S. as well as in Chennai, including the Hindu Temple Society of North
America, Flushing NY; the Hindu Temple and Cultural Society, Bridgewater, NJ and Arsha Vidya
Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, PA, with whom we have partnered in sponsoring concerts/concert tours of
various artists during our four decades of existence. Our pillar of strength has been the continual support
received from The Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai with whom our relationship has reached new heights with
this new initiative. Our thanks also to members of the press, including The Hindu and SRUTI for helping us
with our outreach objectives and to Kalakendra for assisting us with video and webstreaming services.
The office of the President allows one the unique privilege of observing Fellow Board Members and
Committee Members on a continual basis. My deepest appreciation to Mrs. Rhama Narayanan, Secretary,
who pulled through the 40th anniversary celebrations last September and also to Mr. Rajesh Nathan and
Dr. Jana Narasimhan for their great support.
My last parting sentence is a Big Thank You to all YOU Members and the community at large and I urge that
you be continually engaged with us for a mutually beneficial future.
Musically Yours,
Som Sowmyan
President
Email: president@cmana.org
6
CMANA
Board of Trustees
President
Som Sowmyan has served on the Board of Trustees since 2006 and as CMANA’s Treasurer since
2007. His work as Treasurer has led to significant process improvements including the automation
of financial records and the introduction of a web strategy and e commerce platforms for CMANA.
He has been elected to the Post of President of CMANA and will continue through
June 2018. New forays are planned in CMANA during this period including a new footprint into the
Som Sowmyan Chennai Music Season with an Indo-American Festival planned in Jan 2017 in partnership with
Narada Gana Sabha and into mainstream performing centers including state and private educational institutions.
Som has spent 10 years working in various financial and IT capacities for a mid-sized private company in the
Information Technology Industry. During his tenure, Som spent 4 years as CFO for the US technology division and
three years as a business manager reporting to the CEO where his management experience ranged from small
implementations of tailored IT applications to Enterprise-wide rollouts of platforms
Vice President
Rajesh Nathan’s ties with the organization can be traced back almost 25 years, to when he enrolled
as one of CMANA’s first Junior Members, who eventually graduated to a Life Member and later,
began serving as a trustee in 2010, and now as Vice President of the Board.
Well before becoming a trustee, Rajesh had contributed many years of voluntary service for CMANA
and in various capacities. He was recognized for the same both in 1994 on the occasion of his vocal
Rajesh Nathan
mini-concert under the CMANA banner and in 1999, when chosen as a recipient of CMANA’s “D.N.
Visweswariah Prize”, which is awarded on occasion to honor Junior Members who have demonstrated exemplary
service to the association. Rajesh provides all-round support in the execution of CMANA’s programs. He presently
works as a Project Lead Consultant for a medical device company.
Secretary
Mrs. Rhama Narayanan has over a decade of involvement with various cultural, religious, and
community organizations in New Jersey. For CMANA, Rhama has been an active volunteer and
member since 1997. She has actively helped with the planning and execution of GCD for 7+ years,
seeing the GCD grow from 30 participants to over 135 participants. Rhama has also been the
architect of 3 widely acclaimed CMANA youth program productions on the Tri-Moorthys involving
Mrs. Rhama Narayanan
over 70 CMANA Junior Members.
Rhama has many years of profesional experience as an accountant, a school teacher, and as a banking associate.
Treasurer
Jana Narasimhan has been involved in CMANA in various volunteer and official capacities for the
last 10 years. In future generations, she hopes to see CMANA make Carnatic music accessible to a
more mainstream American audience. Jana holds a PhD in Biophysics and is currently the Director
of Biology Research at a biotech company.
Dr. Jana Narasimhan
7
CMANA
Committees
Technical Committee
Aravind Narasimhan Rajesh Nathan Dr. V. Ramaswami
Concert Committee
Rhama Narayanan Dr. Jana Narasimhan Aravind Narasimhan Chitra Krishnan Venkat Rajagopal V. Ramachandran
Public Relations and Outreach Committee Great Composers Day Committee
Suji Iyer Som Sowmyan Dr. Jana Narasimhan Devi Narayanan Dr. Lata Parameshwaran
Publications Committee
Sankar Narayanan Dr. Nachu Narasimhan Suresh Ramaswamy Sruthi Narayanan
Grants Committee Financial Oversight Committee
Ravi Srinivasan Sailesh Venkatraman Rajesh Nathan G.Jaisankar Dr. Dorai Raghu
8
CMANA
From the Editor's Desk:

Recently CMANA celebrated its 40th year anniversary and the pride that comes with,
standing as a unique giant among organizations promoting Carnatic Music and related
arts outside of India. CMANA was started in 1976 by a select group of enthusiastic
visionaries led by Dr. P. Rajagopalan (founder) out of a passion, a vision, and a necessity.
The passion was for listening to Carnatic Music concerts in the US, since travel to India
was limited & expensive, and the technology available for recording music was not what it
is today. The vision was for ensuring that this great art is nurtured in a foreign
Sankar Narayanan environment and is passed on to our future generations who will be natives in this
environment. The necessity was that, at the time, there were no formal organizations to
bring musicians to the US and give them a platform, opportunity, visibility, and the ensuing financial support.
CMANA was, and continues to be, uniquely structured as a truly democratic and fully transparent not-for-
profit organization. CMANA, while governed via a meticulously detailed Constitution and By-Laws, is
ultimately member-driven. It is by these critical aspects that CMANA differentiates itself from others in a
complex ecosystem comprising of established organizations as well as fledgling mom-and-pop setups. Given
the multitude of organizations with competing and conflicting interests, it would not be far-fetched to say that
today's US-based music organizational landscape reminds one of the bygone 'Wild Wild West' era, and makes
CMANA's success and longevity – especially this significant milestone - all the more meaningful.
This is a time for nostalgic reminiscing as well as strategic visioning. CMANA is proud to bring you this coffee-
table book as a kaleidoscopic collage of CMANA's growth and journey: through its various anniversaries, its
longstanding tradition of providing concert platforms for both upcoming and up-and-coming musicians, its
reverence to and recognition of senior vidwans/vidushis and their achievements through coveted awards, its
unparalleled focus in promoting youth talent, the challenges & tribulations CMANA has faced and will face
along the way, and its appetite for continuous reinvention in the upcoming years.
This coffee-table book is a maiden attempt in capturing and show-casing the essence of everything CMANA
does and stands for. The editorial committee is deeply indebted to many of you for authoring new articles and
for opening up your archives to share memorable photos and published materials. We are additionally
greatful to many of you who clarified and confirmed when we reached out for fact-checking. My sincere thanks
to Sri Som Sowmyan the President, for planting the seed and initiating the request as well as for providing me
and my fellow members of the editorial committee this great opportunity and honor. We are hopeful this book
will be useful and cherished and will be worth new editions in the years to come. In keeping the spirit and style
of a coffee-table book, we have intentionally organized the content with less focus on chronology and more
focus on interspersed variety. The first few pages introduce the reader to CMANA and what it is all about; the
subsequent pages offer a collage of scholarly articles authored by veterans and younger generations, nostalgic
articles reproduced from CMANA’s flagship Sangeetham magazine back volumes, and infographic
articles/visuals showcasing CMANA’s milestones and honor rolls. We request and welcome your feedback
and suggestions – please send your emails to outreach@cmana.org or to president@cmana.org.
Musically Yours,
Sankar Narayanan
Editor-in- Chief
9
CMANA
Vision and Mission

CMANA’s vision is to serve as a center that promotes and propagates the education, performance, and
appreciation of the Carnatic style of Indian Classical Music and related fine arts in North America.
CMANA’s mission is :
(1) To provide educational opportunities for children and youth to develop creative talents and encourage a
greater appreciation of their cultural heritage and by staging concerts and lecture-demonstrations and
sponsoring concert tours of acclaimed musicians and experts in the field.
(2) To work as a center of excellence to offer elective credits to participating public and higher education
institutions through high quality coalition with Carnatic music educators of North America.
(3) To host Annual Great Composers Day Celebrations, Annual Concerts, and many praise worthy
programs that provide a venue to mainstream music connoisseurs to appreciate the performances of
talented performers and enjoy the company of intellects.
(4) To create an endowment to support Carnatic Musicians of North America to work towards continued
promotion and propagation of this art for posterity.
(5) To collaborate with grass roots arts organizations and music tutelages for cross transfer of knowledge
and to raise awareness of this ancient art form and rich cultural heritage.
About us
CMANA, Carnatic Music Association of North America, established in 1976, is a Tax-Exempt, Non-profit
Organization (TAX ID 11-2654179) registered in New York and New Jersey. CMANA is managed by a
democratically elected Board comprising of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These
office-bearers serve the Association in these roles as volunteers and are highly accomplished professionals
in their own busy spheres of life. A Financial Oversight Committee maintains oversight on the finances of
the CMANA. As a matter of transparency, all Financial Statements and budget plans are presented and
available to all members of record.
CMANA has a wide reach to, and participation from, a multi-cultural and generational cross-section of
music lovers from the Indian and American diaspora. The Honor Roll of CMANA Patrons includes eminent
musicians, scholars, ethnomusicologists, faculties, and connoisseurs such as Sri. T. N. Bala, Mr. Robert
Browning of World Music Institute (WMI), Vidwan Guruvayoor Durai, Dr. Harold Powers of Princeton
University, Dr. David Reck of Amherst University, Vidwan Ramnad Raghavan and Prof T. Viswanathan
(both from Chennai and Wesleyan Universities) to name a few.
10
CMANA
Endowments & Fellowships

The Association has helped to raise funds for many worthy Carnatic music related causes.
The Association has established Endowment Prizes for promoting young talent at three prestigious venues
- The Music Academy, Narada Gana Sabha, and the Bangalore Percussive Arts Center.
The CMANA Endowment Prize at Music Academy, Chennai, India - is a yearly prize given to a
Carnatic vocalist under 25 years and was set up to encourage young talent. Most winners of this prize have
gone on to become leading professional musicians.
Dr. ML Vasanthakumari Fellowship – a CMANA Endowment established in Narada Gana Sabha,

Chennai, India in Dec 2000 in memory of the great musician Dr. ML Vasanthakumari. Given annually, the
award carries a cash prize which will help the young winner acquire advanced training in Carnatic music.
Best Percussionist Award - A CMANA Endowment Prize established in 2002 at The Percussive Arts
Center, Bangalore. Given annually, this award identifies and encourages young and upcoming percussion
talent.
11
CMANA
Awards
SangeethaSaagara (Ocean of Music)
This life-time achievement award, established in 1993, is hailed as one of the highest honors a performer,
composer or scholar of Carnatic music and related art forms can aspire to. The list of awardees is a highly
selective and elite group of eminent stars of Carnatic music and related arts, who have been recognized at
the highest levels in their fields with awards and titles such as Sangita Kalanidhi, Padma Sri, Padma
Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and Bharata Rathna.
Honorary Patron
CMANA recognizes persons for notable service to the Association and to Carnatic Music by inviting them as
Honorary Patrons of CMANA. The list of Honorary Patrons includes many well-known musicians,
academic scholars, music educators, and community leaders.
Award for Veteran Musicians and Artistes
CMANA recognizes persons who are leaders in their field and felicitates them with one of these titles -
"Gaana Jyoti", "Vaadhya Jyoti", "Life-Time Achievement"
CMANA Music Awards for Youth
The coveted MS Subbulakshmi Award and the Founder Dr. Rajagopalan Award presented to winners in
Senior and Advanced competitions motivate our Junior Members to learn, practice, and present their
talents competitively and pave a way for them to perform in concerts.
The Visweswariah Award for community service
Awarded to junior members under age 18 who have spent a significant amount of their time for community
service through CMANA and learning organizational and leadership skills that would enable them to grow
into responsible citizens.
12
CMANA
An elite group of composers in karnatak music
Lakshman Ragde
In the great ocean of karnatak music there are deities and temples that he visited. His mudra was
thousands of compositions in hundreds of ragas guruguha.
and encompassing many languages. While there Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna hails from
are many composers whose songs are popular, Andhra Pradesh and was born in a family steeped
there is one select group of vaggeyakaras who in music. He is a child prodigy and started learning
occupy a special place in the world of karnatak music from Parupalli Ramakrishna Pantulu. By
music. They have composed and tuned songs in all
the age of 15 he had mastered enough knowledge to
the 72 parent scales (melakartas). Here is a brief
compose songs in all the melakartas. The book,
description about each one of them.
Janaka Raga Kriti Manjari, was published in 1952.
The writer regrets his passing away at the time of
writing this article. His concerts are in the
hundreds. He is also adept in playing the kanjira,
viola and mrdangam. Apart from his melakarta
compositions, he has published a second book
titled Suryakanti. His compositions include
varnas, kritis and tillAanas and javalis in tamil,
telugu and samskrt. Besides this he has recorded
songs in malayalam, hindi, bengali, kannada and
punjabi. He has devised some new ragas like
Muttusvami Dikshitar (1775 to 1835) mahati and lavangi. He uses the mudra murali.
Kotishvara Iyer (1870-1936) also belonged to a
Muttusvami Dikshitar is the elder statesman
within this group. He lived from 1775 to 1835. He musical family from Tamil Nadu. His grandfather
was a prolific composer with about 500 kritis to his was the famous Kavi Kunjara Bharati who
credit, most of them in samskrt. His 72 melakarta composed a large number of songs. He was a
songs are all in asampurna mela system which was disciple of Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar.
prevalent during his time. He was essentially a The first one to compose the 72 melakarta songs in
veena maestro and his songs are noted for their Tamil, all these songs are in praise of
contemplative nature and are sung at a slower Subrahmanya. The songs were published in the
pace. A special feature in many of his songs is the book titled Kanda Ganamudam. He used the
madhyamakala aspect. His songs are mostly mudra kunjaradasan as a tribute to his
devotional in nature and are in praise of various grandfather. His grandson is Yazhpanam
13
CMANA
compositions include songs in Samskrt, Kannada,

Telugu and Tamil and published in the book
Melakarta Ganamalika. He has also composed
other kritis, tillanas and varnas. Some of his songs
have been rendered by prominent musicians. He
has devised two new ragas called hamsakalyani
and hamsangi. His mudra is bharani.
C. Rangiah (1901-1984) of Mysore was a disciple of
Veena Shivaramiah, Mysore Venkatagiriappa and
Kotishvara Iyer (1870-1936) Mysore Vasudevachar. His musical compositions
Viramani Iyer, who passed away a few years ago, consisting of svarajatis, varnams, kritis etc. exceed
has also composed hundreds of songs including a 500. He has also composed 72 melakarta kritis
set of melakarta songs. besides some operas. Some of his compositions
D.Pattammal (1933-2004) had a long career as a are set in rare ragas like chandrarekha,
radio artist in Tamil Nadu and has written several shankarasarupya, sukumari, shankaramohana,
books on music and has translated Jayadeva’s Gita jayashanmukhi, kanakangada, bilvadala,
Govinda in Tamil and converted it into a dance gaulishvari, navasutika, dvimadhyamagaula,
drama. With her brother, she has published a madhuralapa and sayujyasadhini. Many of these
compendium of raga scales titled Ragapravaham. are his own creations.
She is another author whose melakarta songs are Dokka Sriramamurti is from Andra Pradesh. All of
all in Tamil. Beside this, she has composed over his 72 melakarta songs are varnas which is unique.
800 songs, some in very rare ragas. She received The book is titled Ashtottara Shata Ragangadi
several awards during her illustrious career, the Varnamala published in 1982. Little is known
most notable of which is the Kalaimamani award about this composer. He is in the field of education
given by the state of Tamil Nadu. Her mudra is and is a professor in an educational institution in
arul. Andhra Pradesh.
Nallan Chakravarthy Murthy is also from Andhra
R.K.Suryanarayana was one of the several and well
Pradesh and is a composer of classical, devotional
known members of the Rudrapatnam family and
and light music. He too has composed in all 72
was a child prodigy. Rudrapatnam (in Karnataka)
melakartas and all of them are varNas as well.
has produced a long list of renowned artists that
They have been published in the book titled Janaka
include R.K.Srikanthan, Rudrapatnam Brothers,
Raga Varna Manjari. He has studied under
R.S.Kesavamurthy, R.K.Padmanabha, among
vidvans M.Balamuralikrishna, Nooka Chinna
others. Suryanarayana was an expert veena artist
Satyanarayana, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and
and has performed on the concert stage in several
vidushi Parveen Sultana. Beside the melakarta
countries. During his relatively short life of 66
book he has also composed varnas in the
years, he composed songs in all the melakartas, ghanaragas of nata, gaula, arabhi, varali and shri.
most of them in samskrt. He passed away in 2003. He resides in Hyderabad.
Ashok R.Madhav is a contemporary composer Bangalore S.Mukund is from the state of
living in Pittsburgh, USA. His 72 melakarta Karnataka. He holds the distinction of having
14
CMANA
composed two complete sets of 72 melakarta songs Veena Shivaramaiah (1886-1946) initially learnt
among his torrent of 4,500 compositions. Some of music from his father Padmanabhaiah, who was
his songs are listed in his book Sangita Lalitya also a veena vidvan, and later from Mysore Karigiri
Lahari. Many have been used in dance Rao and Mysore Vasudevachar. His musical
performances. He passed away a few years ago. output is around 100 songs that include tillanas,
His melakarta songs have not yet been published. jatisvaras, varnas and kritis. Shivarama was not
Also not much is known if his other compositions his only mudra. In some songs he used Nalvadi
are still with the family or have been passed on to and in others krishnarajendra. His varna in the
some institution. He has devised new ragas like raga lalitasimharava is a rare one. The 72
mukundabhairava, mukundamanirangu, melakarta kritis were composed as per the wishes
mukundanantini, mukundashri, mukundavasanta of Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Odeyar.
and mukundavasantini. Belakavadi Srinivasa Iyengar (1888-1936) is the
Yazhpanam Viramani Iyer. He was the grandson composer who tuned Purandaradasa’s very
of another 72 melakarta composer Kotishvara Iyer. popular jagadoddharana in kapi. His advanced
He spent much of his life in Jaffna, Sri Lanka where studies in music were under Veena Bakshi
he taught music and he has composed over 850 Subbanna. He is said to have learnt gottuvadyam
songs. His melakatra songs are in tamil. The book in a very short time in order to take part in a
is titled 72 Melakarta Raga Tirumayilai competition arranged by Muttiah Bhagavatar and
Karpakambal KirtanaigaL published in 2000. All won the contest. Besides being a composer he
of the songs are in praise of the Goddess acted in many dramas in his home town and in
Karpakambal. His songs have been popularized by Mysore. His 72 melakarta kritis were composed in
vidvan Maharajapuram Santhanam who also response to a challenge by the then popular
taught music in Jaffna. nadasvara vidvan Ponnusamy Pillai who claimed
72 Melakarta Chart
15
CMANA
that most of the melakarta ragas were redundant. the Marattha rulers of the time. The manuscript is
This comment annoyed the king Krishnaraja not available for verification.
Odeyar who then asked Srinivas Iyengar to prove
the Nadasvara vidvan wrong by composing songs
in all the melas.
Kadalur Subramaniam (1920-1997) is a modern
day composer and a longtime AIR artist who has
published, apart from the 72 melakarta kritis book,
a second book of kritis and tillanas titled Isai
Tenral. Other published books are Varnams in
Rare Ragas and Kritis in Rare Ragas. He composed Shuddhananda Bharati (1897-1990)
in tamil and samskrt. His name became better Madokaram Prashanth Iyengar is a vainika from
known to the rasikas after vidushi Nityashri Bangalore and his mELa raga kritis are in Kannada
Mahadevan popularized his ragamalika song and Samskrt. His book is Titled Varna Lakshna
ragattil siranda ragamedu. Some of his songs Ranjani.
include janani janani in revati and the tillana in
Rukmini Sivakumar lives in Chennai and is a veena
dvijavanti.
artiste. She has not only composed varnas in 72
Venuganam K.Hariharan is also a contemporary melakarta ragas but also in the 35 talas. All these
composer. He comes from a musical family. His varnas are in Tamil. The books are titled Isai
father, an advocate, was also a flautist. His Tamizh Varnangal.
grandfather was a bhagavatar. He took to fulltime
Subbarama Dikshitar has composed a rAgamAlikA
music after his retirement from a career unrelated
that uses all the 72 mELakartA rAgAs of the
to music. His melakarta book is titled 72 Mela
asampUrNa system.
Ragas-Sampoorna Sampoornam. All these songs
Lastly we must not forget the single song utilizing
are in tamil. He has also published a second book of
the 72 melakarta ragas by Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer
20 Tamil kritis titled Spectrum Ragas. His mudra
(1844-93). His work was unique because he
is Sivadasan. He has given lec-dems in rare ragas
composed, in addition to the sahitya, a cittasvara
at various centers in India.
for each of the 72 ragas. The cittasvara at the end of
Shuddhananda Bharati (1897-1990) was an author each raga seamlessly blends onto the next one. The
who wrote several books on philosophy besides entire song takes about 45 minutes to an hour to
composing songs. He spent over 25 years at render. Bharat Ratna M.S.Subbulakshmi has
Arabindo ashram in Pondicherry. His 72 recorded this magnum opus for posterity.
melakarta book is titled Shuddhananda
(This article is based on information gleaned from
Melarnavam. Dr.Balamuralikrishna has recorded
several sources: The Internet, music books and
these songs on CDs. His songs were popularized
personal contacts.
by N.C.Vasantakokilam and the music trio of
M.S.Subbulakshmi, D.K.Pattammal and
M.L.Vasantakumari. The author is a CMANA Member,
Lavani Venkata Rao of the Tanjavur court is said to Author and Long-time Supporter and can be
have composed songs in 72 melakartas eulogizing contacted at luzchurch@gmail.com
16
CMANA
Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi

The Quintessential Bharatiya
Dr. V. Swaminathan
17
CMANA
18
CMANA
19
CMANA
The Author is a CMANA Honorary Patron

author and long-time supporter
20
September 24th and 25th, 2016
Carnatic Music Association of North America On the afternoon of the 24th, the halls was filled
(CMANA) was established four decades ago to with a mesmerizing vocal performance by
propagate the rich values, intellectuality, and Ramakrishnan Murthy, accompanied by Rajeev
creativity in Carnatic music to cross-cultural Mukundan on the violin and Sangeetha Kalanidhi
rasikas. Trichy Sankaran on the mridangam.
To mark this occasion, there were grand concerts Ramakrishnan has performed in quite a few
and events held on September 24th and 25th at centers across North America, including CMANA
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076. The festival celebrated in 2015, and at all major sabhas in India. For this
CMANA which has functioned as an institution afternoon, he performed the main piece in Kalyani
that has fostered the intricate details of Carnatic – Bhajare re chiita Balambikam – with great
music in its purest form rendered with artistic elaboration. His penultimate piece was Vaishnava
improvisation of the musicians to mainstream Janato. Later that evening, sisters Ranjani and
audiences. Gayathri voices reverberated with classicism,
which filled the hearts of devoted Carnatic music
After a brief welcome by President Som Sowmyan
lovers. They exhibited perfection in sruti, powerful
who traced the history of the organization citing
voice control, rich imagination, and impeccable
many milestones sponsoring several tours of
aesthetics that reflect the timeless values of their
stalwarts and up-and-coming artistes from India
classicism. As a tribute to MS, they started their
and being the only music organization to organize
concert with the daru Matey Malayadhwaja
a concert Smt. MS Subbulakshmi in the US, the
Pandya Sanjatey in Khamas. And they did not
first day event on the 24 started with a fitting
th
disappoint their devoted abhang fans as well!

tribute to Bharat Ratna, Sangeethasaagara M.S.
They were accompanied by Charumathi
Subbulakshmi on the occasion of her birth
Raghuraman on the violin and Delhi Sairam on the
centenary. Junior and senior students from
mridangam.
various tutelages performed a few admired
numbers of MS Amma, such as Mudhakaratha While the 24 ended with a high note, the morning
th
Modhakam, Matey daru varnam, Bhavayami concert on the 25 started with the magical voice
th
Raghuramam, Rangapuravihara, Jagadodarana, talent of Sandip Narayan. H.N Baskar

Mere Giridhara Gopal, Enathu Ullamae, Entha accompanied him on the violin and Patri Satish
Mathramo, and Maithrim Bhajatha. It is notable Kumar played the mridangam. Nannuvidachi and
that nearly 70 children enthusiastically Maragatavalli were rendered beautifully as was
participated in this signature event, with some the ragam-tanam-pallavi in Chandrakauns.
even dressed as MS Amma! It is also noteworthy Audience could match Sandip’s voice to his guru
that at least one of MS’s favorites was included in vocalist, Sri Sanjay Subrahmanyan. Sandeep
the concerts by the main artistes. concluded his concert with Maithrim Bhajata as a
21
tribute to MS. This was followed by an appropriate choice. NJ Commissioner for public
instrumental program show-casing the deep utilities and former assemblyman, Mr. Upendra
talents of CMANA Junior Members on the violin. Chivukula was the event’s guest of honor along
Once again it is noteworthy that over 30 junior with Robert Browning, former director of World
musicians presented their impeccable skills. Music Institute New York. Mr. Hari Eppanapally
Another highlight was the vocal program on and Mr. Srinivas Ganagoni presented a citation to
Muthiah Baghavathar kritis by adult students Padmashri A Kanyakumari from the Lead India
(some of whom are music teachers themselves) of 2020 Foundation that supports former President
Late Ms. Padma Srinivasan, a teacher’s teacher, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s vision. Mr. Chivukula also
and a CMANA Honorary Patron. presented CMANA with a commendation from the
State of NJ recognizing and honoring CMANA’s
CMANA’s prestigious awards ceremony began in accomplishments and services to mainstream
the afternoon with inducting as Honorary Patrons music in the last forty years.
two musical stalwarts and long-time CMANA The highlight of the event was the much-awaited
supporters – Dr. V. Swaminathan and Ms. Gowri concert by Padmashri, A Kanyakumari (Carnatic
Ramakrishnan. This was followed by recognizing Violin Solo) accompanied by Rajeev Mukundan
the life-time achievement of Padmashri A also on the violin and Patri Satish Kumar on the
Kanyakumari and presenting her with CMANA’s mridangam. Annamacharya’s kriti, Meru Veru in
most esteemed Sangeethasaagara award. Teacher, raga Narayanadri (a raga of her creation), a classic
mentor, role model, and innovator, Kanyakumari example of her manodharma, stole the show.
has been associated with CMANA since 1976 with Following a soul stirring rendition of Maye and
the organization’s inaugural tour with her guru Janani, Kanyakumari played a tillana she has
M.L. Vasanthakumari. In her remarks, past composed. Some favorite tukkadas followed which
CMANA President Dr. Soundaram Ramaswami included Kurai Onrum Illai. The concert was truly
described the violinist as an “ocean of music” and a fitting conclusion to CMANA’s 40 anniversary
th
commended the CMANA Board for the celebrations
22
23
24
25
26
CMANA
Sound and Sanaatana Dharma
Dr. M.G. Prasad
Sanaatana Dharma and the Vedas literature. The terms Shabda, Naada, Dhvani and
Sanaatana Dharma is the vision and way of life Vaak are used to refer to the whole process of
shown to us by the Vedic rishis or sages. A rishi is unmanifest and manifest sound. Vedas describe
one who has realized the Supreme Being through that speech that humans speak and hear is only the
intense spiritual austerities and meditation. Vedas last quarter in the four-fold development of what is
are very large collection of mantras heard by the known as Vaak. The four-fold development of Vaak
rishis in their transcendental stages. Vedas are also is paraa, pashyantee, madhyamaa and vaikharee.
called as Shruti (heard). The Vedas contain Among these the first three stages are internal and
knowledge and practices that deals with physical, it is the last one i.e. vaikharee which is manifest as
psychological and spiritual aspects of life. The speech sounds. This four-fold process involves
Vedas also contain knowledge that deals with both physiological as well as psychological aspects.
cosmos. The Vedas in their original form as The terms Shabda and Naada also refer to the
mantras (as chants) were handed down from manifestation of Brahman (Supreme Being).
generation to generation to us through oral Amrita Bindu Upanishat says that, “There are two
tradition of guru and disciples. It is interesting to Brahmans to be realized, Shabda and Para-
note that in 2003, the UNESCO proclaimed that Brahman; the one who has realized and is well
this oral tradition of Vedic chanting as an versed in Shabda-Brahman will realize Param-
intangible cultural heritage of the world. Also this Brahman.” In the words of yogi-seer, Sriranga
proclamation noted that “….To ensure that the Sadguru, “...just as from seed comes naturally
sound of each word remains unaltered, sprout, branch, leaf, flower, unripe fruit and full
practitioners are taught from childhood, complex fruit like wise starting from spiritual light as seed,
recitation techniques that are based on tonal the Naada, the Svaras (vowels) and the Akshrasas
accents, a unique manner of pronouncing each (alphabets) have developed into various aspects
letter and specific speech combinations.” Thus the of knowledge.”
Vedas and the enormous literature that came out Thus sound and meaning together bring out the
based on the Vedas form the foundation of knowledge of the Vedas.
Sanaatana Dharma. Sound, Philosophy, Religion and
Sound, Speech and Vedas Spirituality
Sound (in the form of speech sounds) is not only Sound through the study of linguistics has received
the vehicle for the Veda mantras but also is a major importance in both philosophy and
fundamental subject matter in the Vedas and Vedic spirituality of Sanataana Dharma. It is well known
27
CMANA
that the sound and meaning together as one entity well known that all-pervading OM is name (sound)
brings out the experience both in speakers and and form (light) of Brahman.
listeners. The philosophy of sound and language in Sound, Music and Literature
the literature of Sanaatana Dharma is a very
Sound in the form of music is directly related to the
important subject. The role of Sphota
Vedas of Sanaatana Dharma. The Svaras (basic
(actualization through flash of meaning) and
sound unit) relate to Vedas as intonations, Music
Shabda-Brahman in the communication process
as notes and Sanskrit language as vowels. Music in
through the sound and meaning is an important
addition to its independent influence plays a major
contribution of Sanskrit grammarians. Also the
role in dance and dramas. The significant role and
subtlety of space element and its relationship with major impact of music is well known. In the words
sound is dealt in philosophy. of yogi-seer Sriranga Sadguru, “Music should
Interestingly the importance of sound can be seen become the bridge that takes the listeners from the
through the various musical and other instruments sensual level to the spiritual level of Atman.”
held by the Goddesses and Gods. For example, the Concluding remarks
Veena played by Sri Saraswati and the flute played
In the words of a well-known Sanskrit poet
by Sri Krishna. The use of Veda mantras during
Dandin, “if sound is removed from the world, then
the worship of the deities along with instruments
world becomes dark.” Sound carries information
such as conch-shell, bells, gongs etc demonstrate
and knowledge. The rishis of Sanaatana Dharma
the important role that sound plays in the temples
not only realized and experienced the world of both
and homes in the religious practice of Sanaatana manifest and unmanifest sound but also developed
Dharma. several approaches to help the seekers to realize
The spiritual aspects of sound can be seen through and experience. (A video presentation on “Vedic
Naada Yoga that is based on Naada of which sound Perspectives on Acoustics” is available at:
is a manifest aspect as Vaikharee. Saranga Deva in https://vimeo.com/32063009 )
his musical treatise says “we worship Naada
Brahman, that incomparable Bliss, which is
intrinsic in all creatures as consciousness and is The Author is a CMANA member and
manifest in the phenomenon of this universe.” It is long-time supporter
List of Sri Visweswariah Award recipients

Naveen Basavanhalli Sandeep Prasanna
Prasad Ramanan Sruthi Narayanan
Prem Ramaswami Sumathi Subbiah
Priya Ramaswami Varshini Narayanan
Rajesh Nathan Vinay Venkatesh
28
CMANA
PP Narayanaswami
29
CMANA
30
CMANA
31
CMANA
The Author is the CMANA member,

author, and long-time supporter
32
CMANA
The Great Composers Day and Junior Members of CMANA

CMANA has thrived throughout its 40-year history, all while being a membership-based, non-profit
organization that has been managed primarily by the hard work and efforts done year-round by a core
group of volunteers who are professionals from all walks of life.
Among CMANA's objectives as a non-profit organization is promoting, preserving and propagating the
fine art of Carnatic music across North America. To a large extent, these have been accomplished by the
great focus CMANA has placed and the activities CMANA has directed towards our local younger
community of music students and enthusiasts, the Junior Members of CMANA. CMANA truly stands out
among organizations of its kind that in being the only one that has had for the past 20 years, its own class of
membership reserved exclusively for Indian-Americans in our community under 18 years of age.
A prime example of how CMANA has fostered an appreciation and celebration of Carnatic music in its
Junior Members is via its annual Great Composers' Day (GCD) function, a tradition dating back to its
inception year, that is run both by and for our Junior Members. It provides a platform for them to:
showcase their talents in vocal, instrumental and percussion music competitions and in the format of mini-
concerts in front of local music teachers and accomplished musicians from North America and abroad,
providing them with a unique learning experience and the opportunity to compete
participate in one of various competitions to demonstrate their theoretical knowledge in Carnatic music
(examples from the past include essay writing, crossword puzzle, Carnatic music quiz and painting
competitions)volunteer in capacities such as emceeing, managing participant registrations, etc. and
assume leadership with the planning and execution of the entire function, thereby giving them a chance to
volunteer and accrue hours of community service
GCD has continuously evolved and become more popular over CMANA's 40-year history with the number
of participant registrations now at its highest ever. For the first time ever, GCD was expanded to a 2-day
format with the inclusion of many new categories of competition in 2011. Among the additional plans to
expand GCD further over the next couple years are the plans to move this to a festival format to include
Concerts by Musicians and Junior Members.
CMANA has the following endowments that have been made available by patrons to be awarded to winners
at the Great Composers Day competitions.
1) The Founder Prize for the Junior Musician ( winner of the Advanced Competition) named in honor of
its Founder President Dr.P.Rajagopalan
2) The M S Subbulakshmi Prize to be awarded to the Overall winner of the Senior Kriti, Swaram and
Alapana winners as determined by the Board of Trustees ,CMANA
3) The Padma Srinivasan Prize Endowment in honor of our Honorary Patron Late Ms.PadmaSrinivasan .
This has been instituted by her students from 2016.
4) The TA Krishnaswami award given to the runner-up in the Advanced Category of the competition
33
CMANA
CMANA is in the process of enhancing these endowments to fit in a limited number of Prizes to be awarded
to winners of various categories of the Great Composers Day Competitions.
CMANA's Junior Members have been recognized for their talents and invaluable services to the
organization both internally through awards and felicitations and externally by top-ranking and Ivy
League colleges and universities around the U.S. CMANA continues to invest much of its time and efforts
on activities directed to our Junior Members, not only to further encourage their pursuit of this divine art
but also to groom them in developing to their full leadership potential, which will allow the Board of
Trustees and senior members of the association to leave this organization someday in the great hands of
these future torch bearers.
34
35
36
37
CMANA
CMANA in the Press
The Hindu
Friday, August 26, 1994
Frontline
Volume16 - Issue16, Jul 31- Aug 13, 1999
Times City
With webcasting being more economical and convenient
rasikas soak in concerts at home
38
CMANA
PP Narayanaswami
39
CMANA
40
CMANA
The Author is a CMANA member,

41
CMANA
Coffee Table Talks
Sury R. Subban
Our CMANA President Shri. Sowmyan requested two years of my arrival I felt suddenly a vacuum in
me to write a few words about my experiences with my mental health and happiness of not hearing any
my long association with CMANA (phonetically Indian Music (be it Carnatic or North) so that I
and affectionately known as “Seemana” - like the could truly enjoy and relax. In fact that vacuum
great one “Seeman” of India). One of the greatest haunted me for another two years with such an
experiences I had is the solace which CMANA intensity that I even decided to pack up and leave
provided me in my early days of 1970. Arriving in USA for good. However, with the start of CMANA
USA in 1970 all appeared to be exiting! With by likeminded music lovers in 1976 my whole
Vietnam war in full swing and the US economy direction and life changed overnight. With a series
feeling the loss of significant skilled labor, I had no of concerts held without fail in Spring & Fall by
problem in landing a job of my satisfaction. CMANA in the subsequent years I had the joy of
Coupled with a significant and sudden upgrade of relaxing myself away from the rat race life of USA.
your standard of living (from House, Auto, TV etc) CMANA was (and still is) truly instrumental in
life in USA appeared to be all the glamour and glitz convincing me that I can live in USA with a blend of
that you had all dreamed about. However, within both Western and Eastern values.
42
CMANA
Talk about other experiences? Many are there, but our Past President Surgeon as an example to
one stands out. A painfully joyous task of mailing emulate. I stress to them that apart from striving
notices to our large members at a time when for excellence in your profession do not forget to
Internet & Cell Phone were not easily available as it include Indian Music (Carnatic or North) in one of
is now. Folding, stapling and delivering in bulk to many hobbies you develop and allocate time for it.
the Post Office (who were not much enthused in CMANA will shortly reach another milestone in
welcoming us as it is a lot of work for them – opening up a venue in Chennai for American born
however it is just opposite now as they are yearning Indian Boys & Girls to demonstrate their mastery
for clients) was a painful task for many of us but of Carnatic Music around first week of Yr 2017. It is
was joyous as it will be very shortly listening to a very relevant now to point out to them some of the
wonderful and relaxing performance. accomplishments of our PastPresidents
Many of our past Presidents were Scientists, particularly our Doctor-Surgeon who managed to
Corporate Executives, IT wizards Molecular snatch time to nurture CMANA to its present
Biologist - to name a few. One of our Past status. My appeal to our American born Indian
Presidents stands out as unique – a practicing Boys & Girls is not to forget our Indian Musical
Doctor and that too a Surgeon. ! How that Past Heritage and strive for preserving it.
President-Surgeon managed to snatch time amidst
the heavy surgery schedule? Whenever I meet with The Author is a CMANA Honorary Patron and
many our Indian youngsters born in USA I point long-time supporter
43
CMANA
A Musician’s Musician
D.B. Ashvin
Tandalam Krishnamachari Rangachari (‘TKR’ as His first guru was Kodaganallur Subbaiyah
was popularly known) was one of the foremost Bhagavathar a musical giant and himself a disciple
exponents of carnatic music. He was known for of Konerirajapuram Vadhyanatha Iyer. Here
bringing a fresh and exciting tinge to his young Rangachari underwent rigorous training
performances. Though very few recordings of his under the traditional gurukula system imbibing
music remain today they are revered as one of the his guru’s unique aspects namely control over
finest performances and still enjoyed by the music brigas, neraval in three speeds and laya vinyasam.
community young and old alike.A grand centenary TKR’s first concert was at the tender age of 10 at the
celebration planned by the TKR family was held at Pattamadai high school near Tirunelveli where he
the Music Academy Chennai in Dec2012. enthralled the audience with a fascinating
rendition of Dwaitamu Sukhama a masterpiece of
Tyagaraja in the ragam Reethi Goulai.
Annamalai University & His Musical

Journey
In 1929 when the Annamalai University in
Chidambaram was instituted by Annamalai
Chettiyar, Rangachari was eager to join the
Sangeetha Bhushanam course. This was a golden
opportunity to train under musical giants such as
Sabesa Iyer, Ponnaiyah Pillai and Deshamangalam
T.K. Rangachari Subramaniya Iyer. When he went to apply armed
Early Days with a letter of recommendation by his guru he met
TKR was born in the Varahaneri a suburb of with disappointment as it was announced that the
Trichirapally on June 3 1912. His mother selections were already made and there were no
Rajalakshmi Ammal was a music teacher herself, seats left. However realizing his eagerness he was
and imparted the first lessons to him. He was still allowed to undergo the entrance exam test the
fondly called ‘Tavil Rangan’ for his propensity to next day. During the test he was asked to
drum rhythmic sequences on the household pots demonstrate the subtle differences between the
and pans. His mother passed away when ragas Durbar and Nayaki. TKR’s response
Rangachari was in his 10th year and most of his impressed the examiners so much that not only did
upbringing was by his grandmother in Srirangam. they give him admission, they automatically
44
CMANA
promoted him to the second year!. was accompanied by Palghat Mani Iyer (for the
TKR completed the Sangeetha Bhushanam course first time) and Lalgudi Jayaraman. This concert
and joined the university as a lecturer where he was extremely successful in all aspects, included
served from 1933 to 1942 under the leadership of soulful renditions of Sri Subramanyaya Namaste
Tiger Varadachariyar. In 1942 TKR left the in Kambhoji and Sangeetha Shastra Gnyanamu in
Annamalai Universityand lived in Tanjore for a Mukhari and two spectacular thani’s by Mani Iyer.
short period of time before joining the Central Another memorable concert was at the Music
College of Carnatic music in Madras. This was Academy in the same year accompanied by
headed by Musiri Subramaniya Iyer and included M.S.Gopalakrishnan on the violin, Tanjore
teachers such as T Brinda, T.M. Swaminatha Pillai, Upendran on the Mridangam and Mysore
Devakottai Narayana Iyengar and Manjunath on the ghatam. The renditions of Tatwa
M.A.Kalyanakrishna bhagavathar. Meruga Tarama in Garudadhwani and
Paramathmudu in Vagadheeswari send the
In 1953 he was invited back to the Annamalai
audience into raptures. He also performed several
University where he rejoined as a senior lecturer.
memorable concerts with the legendary Pazhani
During this time he along with the famed
Subramaniya Pillai on the Mridangam.
Dandapani Desikar embarked on the “Pann”
(original melodic modes or ragas used by the Tamil
speaking people in ancient times)research. He
along with Desikar gave several performances
focusing on Thevarams and Pasurams that were
set to tune by them. In 1964 he was invited by the
Ceylon Art Academy in Srilanka for a series of
concerts and teaching assignments. He resigned
his post at the Annamalai University and went to
The Professor on the Dais
SriLanka for the assignment before returning and
settling in Karaikkudi with his eldest son. Most of TKR’s concerts were unplanned and he
would shape it appropriately depending on the
Concert Experiences mood and reaction of the audience. His
All these years TKR was quite busy in the concert presentations always had a fresh outlook to them,
circuit, but his ascent to the top rung of performers his concerts were deemed “fashionable” even in
was slow. This was mostly driven by the fact that those times. His voice was his asset that he had
there was a galaxy of superstars during his time developed over the years. It was the perfect mix of
and his deep involvement in teaching assignments. azhuttham and melody, and would obey his every
However during the latter parts of his life it was as command. His vocal range encompassed the full 2
if the rasikas had woken up to realize his merits. octaves and he used it to his advantage to take raga
During the period from 1966 - 1976 he gave several exploration to new heights uniquely delineating
memorable concerts and was recognized as one of the unexplored areas in the thara sthayi and ati
the top performers during that time. Some of his mandara sthayis.
memorable concerts include one at the Krishna He was quite vocal on stage and kept the
Gana Sabha Gokulashtami series in 1966 where he atmosphere lively. He would sing a unique
45
CMANA
sangathi in Kalyani stop and remark that this Bangalore every month to teach a few students
sangathi was being lost in the carnatic scene and including her, who aspired to learn from him.
imbibed in cinema music instead!. He would “His voice was sharp and clear with perfect
shower generous praise and encouragement on alignment to shruti and was capable of delineating
upcoming accompanists, many of whom are even the toughest ragas with ease” says Smt.
stalwarts of today and reminiscence his generous Ramgopal. She remembers that during one of the
words of encouragement. He was often referred to lessons she was moved to tears after a string of
as the “Professor on the dais” where he would deeply soulful sancharams by him. Raga Alapana
encourage his disciples to sing along and gave and Neraval was his forte. The words or sahithya in
them significant opportunities to perform alone. the Neraval would magically fall in the correct
He was quite disapproving of the audience walking place during the melodic improvisations,
out during the thani avarthanam rendition and enhancing the musical value and at the same time
wouldn’t hesitate to chide them in the act!. retaining the meaning of the Sahitya. In
His Views on Music Swaraprasthara he would teach various
combinations and permutations of the swaras and
“Always respect the audience especially the
emphasize that the students absorb the raga
knowledgeable sections” said TKR in his 1966
nuances as well. Smt. Ramgopal vividly
interview with BVK Sastry. His views were that a
remembers a concert TKR performed in front of
good musician needs to first cultivate a good Andavan Swamiji in Bangalore where his Mohana
“shariram” (voice) and use this as an effective Ragaalapana and the En Palli Kondeerayya kriti
medium to communicate the subtleties of carnatic took the audience into a trance. She however
music to the audience. He said that artistes should regrets that by the time due recognitions came to
have an open mind to listen and imbibe the good him he was no more.
aspects of any music be it Carnatic or Hindustani,
TKR Legacy
innovate instead of resorting to the beaten path, at
Shri TKR moved to Chennai in 1977 and spent the
the same time remain within the boundaries of
last few years of his life before passing away on Feb
tradition. He recognized at that time that Carnatic 19th 1979. TKR has trained a plethora of musicians
music was evolving with the changing mood of the such as Kalaimamani Late Shri Vairamangalam
modern audience and that artistes should try to Lakshminarayanan who accompanied him in
harmoniously blend the old with the new to keep several of concerts spanning across three decades.
up with the times. He was a great admirer of Shri His other disciples included Smt. Neela Ramgopal,
Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar and considered him Shri Neyyanthinkara Mohana Chandran, Malini
as his manaseeka guru. Kasturirangan, Jaya Krishnan, P.N. Parasuraman
(retired A I R. Programme executive.),Vaigal
His Teaching Style – Reflections of a Shishya
Gnanaskandan, Sadagopan amongst others. One
“It was a, golden period of my life to be the student
of Vairamangalam Lakshminaryanan’s disciples
of my great guru Shri Rangachariar for it was he Jaishankar has focused his Phd dissertation on
who opened my eyes to good music, erasing my TKR.
ignorance.” reflects eminent vocalist Vidushi He is survived by his five daughters and three sons
Neela Ramgopal a disciple of TKR. It was and his disciples and family carry forward his
serendipity that TKR after returning to Chennai legacy.
following his retirement from the Annamalai The Author is a CMANA member,
University accepted her invitation to come to Musician and Long-time supporter
46
CMANA
Megharanjani- an Untold Story
Ashok Madhav
mishra chapu talam. So Poochi advised Mys.V to

let the kriti be in his book and to not delete it. Such
was the camaraderie between them and mutual
respect for each other.
These two distinguished composers belong to the
sishya parampara of Tyagaraja through
Manambuchavadi Venkatasubbayya, who was the
guru of Patnam Subramania Iyer. Let us see their
contributions to music.
Poochi (1860-1919) was a senior disciple of
Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar
Patnam around 1895 and Mys.V joined the group
Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar and Mysore later in 1900. Mys.V has documented his
Vasudevacharya (Mys.V) were contemporaries, experiences while he was undergoing
Mys.V was junior by 5 years. They were the gurukulavasam with Patnam in his book, which
disciples of Patnam Subramania Iyer of makes an interesting read. Poochi has composed
Tiruvaiyaru at different times. most of his kritis in Telugu and only one or two in
They both turned out out to be good composers. Sanskrit, whereas Mys.V has composed both in
When they started composing, each one made a Telugu and Sanskrit. They both have composed
composition in Megharanjani (a janya of different genres like varnams, kritis, javalis,
Mayamalavagoula) not aware of other’s creativity. tillanas, ragamalikas,etc.
When they both met after several years, Poochi Poochi was born in Ramanathapuram in 1860.
sang his kriti in the above ragam. Later, Mys.V also Having had the musical training from Patnam, he
sang his kriti in the same ragam. Surprisingly both became a well known musician and attracted a
were identical in structure and tune.Mys.V being number of disciples (such as Kandanur Srinivasa
junior said apologizing to Poochi, “I am sorry the Iyengar, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Salem
kritis sound very much alike and I being junior to Doraiswamy Iyengar, Karaikudi Rajamani
you,I will delete my kriti”. Then Poochi objected to Iyengar, Kuttalam Srinivasa Iyer) and prominent
Mys.V saying there is no need to delete his kriti.He among them was Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar.
further stated “Akshaya linga vibho”of Dikshitar in Poochi was an asthanavidwan of
Shankarabharanam and “Manasu swadinamai “of Ramanathapuram court. Besides using common
Tyagaraja have similar structure and both set in ragams, he employed ragams like Megharanjani,
47
CMANA
Nathabhairavi, Paras and a newly created ragam chittaswarams for some of his compositions. Two
“Suraranjani”. He handled common talams for his examples will suffice here. ‘Ra ra rajeevalochana’
kritis. However, he has composed a tillana in in Mohanam and ‘Sri Chamundeshwari’ in
‘Lakshmisha‘talam with 108 aksharams and Bilahari. It is noteworthy that Mys. V elevated the
another tillana in ‘Ragavardhini’ talam with 72 stature of minor ragams like Abheri (Bhajare re
aksharams. manasa), Behag (Bhaveyaham Raghu-veeram),
Poochi made close to 100 compositions.A few of and Khamas (Brochevarevarura) by composing
them have nice chittaswarams too. For example, major kritis in them. Note these kritis were
both ‘Saraguna palimpa’ (Kedaragoula) and composed at the turn of the 20th century, even
‘Anudinamunu gavumaiyya’ (Begada) have been before these ragams were popularly rendered.
embellished with beautiful chittaswarams. (Poochi has used both Behag and Khamas for
composing javalis only). Another interesting
Some of his popular kritis include:
aspect is that Mys.V introduced kakali nishadam
Parama pavana Rama –Purvikalyani
for his Khamas instead of the conventional kaishiki
Saraguna palimpa- Kedaragoula
nishadam as in Tyagaraja’s Khamas. The Khamas
Anudinamunu gavumaiyya- Begada
Neekelana edanichalamu- Devamanohari of Mys.V is equally appealing too. Mys.V has also
Samaja varada neeku- Suddasaveri composed a kriti “Srimadadi Tyagaraja
Poochi composed a kriti – ‘Sadguru Swamiki’ in guruvaram” in Kalyani in praise of Tyagaraja.
Reetigoula’ in praise of Tyagaraja.
He published his kritis with the assistance of Salem
Doraiswamy Iyengar. People have always
wondered how the prefix ‘Poochi’ was attached to
his name. Poochi was a short man and he used to
walk fast and so he was nicknamed ‘Poochi’ which
means an insect in Tamil (the little man moved
around so fast like an insect).
Mys.V was born in Mysore in 1865. Among Mys.V
compositions (which numberabout 200), the more Mysore Vasudevacharya
popular ones are Mys. V trained a number of disciples
Brochevarevarura- Khamas (Yoga Narasimham, V.Ramarathnam,
Ra ra rajeevalochana – Mohanam N. Chennakeshavaiah, C.Rangaiah,
Sri Chamundeshwari- Bilahari B.K.Padmanabha Rao, C.R.Mani, D.Pashupathi)
Marimari vachuna- Kamboji both in Mysore and Kalakshetra, Madras. He was
Bhajare manasa- Karnataka Devagandhari honored by the Music Academy with a title of
(Abheri) Sangeetha Kalanidhi.
Na chai vida vakura- Natakuranji
Both these illustrious composers, Poochi and
Mys.V has used many common ragams plus Mys.V have used their own names as mudras for
uncommon ragams like Sunadavinodini (new their compositions.
ragam), Megharanjani, Pushpalatika,
The Author is a CMANA member,
Shuddasalavi etc. He has composed captivating author and long-time supporter
48
CMANA
True Musical Fusion

An ABCD Perspective
- Ananth Rao
Ananth Rao
The prevailing opinion voiced by older generations most of my classmates - who grew up listening to
and even some of my peers is the perpetual cultural the much more contemporary pop hits of the 90s.
confusion of the second generation American Consequently, I developed the belief that
Indian. Many younger Indians identify as such, professing love of a now even more esoteric
and revel in the collective nickname ‘ABCDs’, or musical tradition would only alienate me from my
“American-Born Confused Desis”, a distinction classmates further, and as such I hid my
which I can definitely appreciate. As an Indian involvement in Carnatic music almost entirely
born and brought up in the United States, but with throughout the rest of my elementary and middle
a traditional Hindu upbringing and obeisance to school years. This was a mistake. Carnatic music
traditional values, I could very easily espouse such and Western classical music are such integral parts
a viewpoint as well - given the warring cultural of my life that the very idea of sequestering one
musical identities within myself. Carnatic music away just to connect more with other people is
and Western classical music are two musical styles appalling to me now.
in which I have long been trained, and the two My background in Carnatic music began at age 3
differ far and wide both in mechanics and in when my mother Dr. Bhavani Prakash started
audience. teaching me vocal informally, and I had been
Throughout most of my schooling, I outwardly listening to Carnatic music even before then. From
professed love of Western classical music, a the very beginning of my musical journey, the main
musical style that already didn’t resonate with musical sabha I interacted with was CMANA. The
49
CMANA
first Great Composer’s Day I competed in was technique, with far better appreciation for the
when I was 5 years old. I sang the Bilahari song incalculable value of the lessons that I had waded
Paridhaanamichite in Khandachaapu, a sweet through so halfheartedly for so many years.
little composition of Sri PatnamSubramaniaIyer Along with my constant attempts to recapture and
which, the small child I was, I sang in the surpass the violin technique of my youth, I am also
impossibly high shruthi of B (or 7 as it is also attempting nowadays to add more instruments to
known). my musical arsenal: guitar, which I always
Sabhas like CMANA have been mainstays imagined was similar to violin and had never
throughout my growth as a person and as a learned as a child, and more recently, piano.
musician, both as venues for concerts, workshops, Perhaps I am indeed an ABCD, for it is true I am
and other events and as a hub for me to meet more warring with two cultural sides of myself. As
likeminded people, musical peers who shared my someone who still dreams of and fully intends to
drive and passion for pursuing the Carnatic accomplish absolutely everything I can, I find the
musical tradition. To this day, I regularly attend most important thing these sides of me are warring
CMANA events and concerts and occasionally get for is time. How on earth can I learn all of these
the opportunity to give one of my own, and I musical instruments, all these musical styles, in a
invariably run into old music friends in the New finite life?
Jersey area who I would rarely see otherwise. I will One solution, it would seem, is not to attempt to
always be extremely grateful to the musical sabhas separately improve the two, but indeed to combine
in the states for enabling me to meet all of my them! And this happens many times unconsciously
talented Carnatic music friends, many of whom, as it is. One day while I am casually strumming my
like myself, had experiences both with Carnatic guitar, an idea will strike me, and soon I will be
and Western classical music as children. playing an alapanai in kaapi. Another day I will be
For me, my experience with Western classical practicing a thaniyavarthanam on the mridangam,
music is a story of playing catch-up. I had been and a melody for a classical piece will strike me
listening to Western classical music since I was a naturally just based on the rhythms I am beating. I
child, elegant and controlled Mozarts, sweeping cannot count the number of random phrases I have
Beethovens, powerful Tchaikovskies, with taken from Western classical pieces and formed
appreciation for the beauty but very little for the into sangathis for manodharmam in many
technique and ages of practice necessary to different ragas. And this is the true beauty of music
attempt such things. I picked up the violin when I to me, that all music can be produced with all
was in second grade, attended lessons regularly instruments, and that different instruments
but not passionately, and then stopped taking engender different emotions and different ideas in
lessons altogether when I was in ninth grade. us. Why not combine Carnatic and Western
Losing those lessons and losing all semblance of classical music even more? What fascinating
technique may have been the kick I needed to things could occur if we do?
appreciate the virtuosity and expertise of the There’s nothing more beautiful in a violin duet
orchestras I so often listened to. Since then, I have concert than when, during a song, one violinist
been regularly reaching for my violin and strikes up a position one octave below or above the
attempting to recapture the peak of my violin other, or even better, when one takes the vadi and
50
CMANA
the other the samvadi of the raga while following Maybe there is another way. Perhaps unbridled
the same relative tune. This is something known in Carnatic music that directly inspires Western
Western classical music as parallel harmony, classical pieces, and vice versa - perhaps this kind
something which violin duet artists have been of fusion, a fusion of ideas, rather than a fusion of
doing either knowingly or even without, for instruments or of just sound, would be more true to
decades now. What more could we combine in a the spirit of both. I am still waiting to hear a
fluid and unforced manner if we just explored both Western classical version of a ragam thanam
musical styles with knowledge of the other? pallavi, replete with trikalam and manodharmam
There is an aggressive push in modern Western at a single refrain, but without compromising the
pop music to combine existing ideas with new and depth of Western classical form, harmony, and
exotic instruments, but often without truly using counterpoint! The struggle of the ABCD is in trying
the spirit or the concepts of the music from which to blend the two cultural identities at a deeper level
these instruments hail. A prime example of this is and more seamlessly, rather than forcing an
the Beatles’ extensive use of sitars and tablas in artificial combination that cannot capture the true
their music, or in Hans Zimmer’s extensive use of beauty of either. The only way to accomplish such a
tablas and even yogic chanting in soundtracks like blend is to understand each culture at the deepest
Interstellar and The Dark Knight Rises. The level. Such is the struggle for musical fusion as
instrument is there, but not the music. Many well, and a truly successful fusion is an art that
fusions attempted the other direction are more requires knowledge of all the musical styles one is
successful at capturing the essence of both, but attempting to fuse.
many also appear forced or have only surface The Author is a CMANA Member
Vocalist and Mridangist and
Carnatic depth. long-time supporter
51
CMANA
CMANA’s Influential Role in

My Musical Journey
Naveen Basavanhally
As CMANA completed its 40th anniversary, it is abundantly provided these opportunities, which I
my privilege to be a part of this celebration by savored immensely.
sharing experiences of my musical journey and the I would be remiss if I did not mention the
role CMANA has played in it. Nandalala Youth Music Group, led by Smt.
According to my parents, my interest in percussion AnandhiVenkat. It provided me with my first
was apparent from an early age, as evidenced by opportunities to perform on stage. These forums
my proclivity to knock and hit on any available allowed me to transition from the classroom to the
surface. My earliest memory of music is attending stage in a low-pressure environment. In this
Chinmaya Mission Balavihar and being enthralled nurturing and forgiving environment any mistakes
by the tabla accompanying the bhajans. After made onstage graciously turned into insightful
clamoring for the opportunity to learn tabla for learning experiences, more so than a successful
years, I went to my first (and last) tabla class at the concert would have (although it certainly didn’t
age of seven. I was promptly told that I was too seem to at the time!).
small and did not have the strength to play tabla, I had the opportunity to learn from Kalaimamani,
but I would perhaps be ready in a few years. Two CMANA Honorary Patron Sri Guruvayur Dorai,
years after that, I happily had the tremendous which has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I owe
fortune of meeting, and being accepted by, my first all my accomplishments to the grace of my dear
guru Sri Ramachandran Suresh. Thus, I was gurus Suresh Uncle and Dorai mama.
initiated into the exquisite art of mridangam.
Music has given me a sense of community and
CMANA, in particular, had an enormous impact on continues to impact me in ways that I never
my music development in two ways: competitions thought were possible. As a graduate student at
and concerts. My first competition in 2004 was the University of California, San Diego, I have been
CMANA’s junior percussion category during the able to connect with faculty members through
annual Great Composer’s Day. In preparation for music, which have lead to collaborations in
that I remember practicing, for countless hours, a research. I am eager to see where music will take
seven-minute thaniavarthanam in misrachapu. me in the coming years. I, along with many music
Competitions help to motivate and expedite students in New Jersey, am deeply indebted to
development because they offer students a CMANA. I wish CMANA continued and growing
tangible goal. Many years later, I was even asked to success in New Jersey and around the world during
judge a competition alongside my guru! CMANA the next forty years.
also provided me with my initial experiences of
attending live concerts. Listening to live concerts
Author is a Past Junior Member,
is key to developing sangitagnyanam; CMANA Mridangist and CMANA long-time supporter
52
CMANA
CMANA
A Fact Sheet of Major Accomplishments
 Was founded in 1976 and is in continuous operation for over 4 decades
 Has earned an international presence and reputation
 Sponsored over 50 North American tours of famous musicians from India
 Conducted over 600 concerts in New York and New Jersey
 Introduced many India-based artists to North America for the first time
 Established the coveted lifetime achievement award SANGEETHASAAGARA
 Established the CMANA Endowment Prize at The Music Academy,Chennai to encourage young talent
 Endowed the M.L.Vasantakumari Fellowship at NaradaGana Sabha, Chennai for supporting

Advanced Carnatic Music Training for young professional musicians
 Established the CMANA Endowment Prize at Percussive Arts Center, Bangalore to encourage young
percussion talent
 Honors the Great Composers of Carnatic Music through annual celebration of the Great Composers
Day
 Helped to raise funds for several memorials for the Trinity of Carnatic Music.First in the world to
celebrate the 500th Birthday Anniversary of Saint Purandaradasa
 Conducts competitions and gives out many prizes and awards to encourage the learning of Carnatic
Music by children in North America
 Conducts many lecture demonstrations for enlightened understanding of Carnatic Music
 Promotes creative writing and scholarship via publishing the newsletter Sangeetham with many
informative articles
 Empowers many cultural organizations and universities in North America by providing artists and
scholars for performances and lecture demonstrations
 Run by an elected volunteering Board of Trustees with limited terms, and spends 100% of
contributions for music related activities
53
CMANA
The Letter that Formed the Genesis of CMANA

53 Grove Street
Garden City, NY 11530
January 23, 1976
Subject: Establishment of Carnatic Music Academy of North America, Inc.
Dr. P. Rajagopalan
Dear Friend:
One look at the subject mentioned above is bound to elicit a mighty groan from you. “Oh, my God! Not another
cultural organization! Don't we have 25 in New York alone? We need another one just now as Sahara needs sand ” will
be your explosive reaction.
Relax, my friend, and prepare yourself for quite a pleasant surprise. First of all, let me assure you that the proposed
academy will not be just another one of those organizations which admirably cater to and, more often than not,
successfully satiate the diverse cultural needs of the Indians in this continent. Secondly, it will not even be a broad-
based cultural society but, as the name implies, an exclusive academy devoted entirely to the promotion and
propagation of carnatic music in the States and Canada. Thirdly, it has been conceived not to compete with the
existing cultural organizations but to complement and assist them in their fine activities. Finally, it will be distinctly
different from other organizations in that it will have a corporate structure where the decision making will rest with a
Board of Directors drawn from a number of cities in the States and Canada.
So you see, my friend, how uniquely different this academy wil be when you compare it with the other cultural
societies! The need for such an august and discriminating body devoted exclusively to carnatic music cannot be
overemphasized. The interest in this glorious, highly satisfying, and immensely intricate art which lay dormant in us
(being so far away from home as we are) has gradually been kindled to a blaze by the sporadic visits of a few leading
carnatic musicians in the past five years. While we are indebted to the small groups of individuals who made these
concert tours possible, we have to recognize the fact that they had to go through much hardship and financial risk in
their ventures.
In contemplating on ways to develop a suitable atmosphere for the enjoyment of carnatic music and also to nourish
and sustain it with the least bit of hardship and financial risk, I have come to the conclusion that an exclusive,
incorporated, and non-profit academy composed of at least 100 carnatic music lovers investing about $100 each
would be an ideal solution. Such an academy should be able to: 1. Provide the money base for underwriting concert
tours of the States and Canada by leading carnatic musicians at least twice a year. 2. Assist the local cultural societies
in organizing concerts by visiting artists. 3. Encourage talented musicians amongst us here by providing them a
forum to perform. 4. Promote periodical panel discussions and lecture demonstrations on the finer aspects of
carnatic music. 5. Initiate music appreciation groups for enhanced understanding and enjoyment of the beauty of
carnatic music. 6. Observe the birthdays of the more important composers of carnatic music in a fitting manner.
With warm regards,

Sincerely,
P. Rajagopalan
54
CMANA
CMANA List of Past Presidents

This is an abridged bullet list of each past CMANA president’s association
with the organization - during their presidency as well as before and after.
Their individual and detailed write-ups are available on the CMANA website
 Founded CMANA in 1976 with the help of fifty five friends sending in their cheques each for
$100 in response to proposal for the need for an organization for perpetuation and propagation
of Carnatic Music in North America.
 Inauguration of CMANA by Mr. C.V. Narasimhan, Under Secretary General, United Nations,
New York, in April 1976. A momentous occasion indeed! A dream realized!!
 Organized the first nation-wide concert tour of Dr. M.L. Vasanthakumari and party with the Dr. P. Rajagopalan
co-sponsorship of Bharathi Society of Montreal. The tour was a phenomenal success which 1976 - 1978 & 1983 - 1989
provided the proper exposure for CMANA in becoming a household name in a short period of time.
 Persuaded Sri. T.R. Mahalingam (Mali) to present his only concert in the Western Hemisphere in 1988 with T.
Rukmini (Violin), Trichy Sankaran (Mrudangam) and Srimushnam Raja Rao (Kanjira).
 Elected for a second tenure as President in 1983.
 First ever concert tour of the States and Canada by Sri. Lalgudi J. Jayaraman, G.J.R. Krishnan and Trichy
Sankaran.
 Organizing the 500th birth anniversary of Saint Purandara Dasa to be celebrated on a grand scale with the unique
concert of his compositions by Dr. M.L. Vasanthakumari and party.
 One of the founding members of the CMANA, became the second President of CMANA in 1978
succeeding the founding President Dr. R. Rajagopalan.
 Brought several famous Carnatic musicians to tour across North America.
 Arranged recitals and concerts by distinguished artists including M.S. Subbalakshmi, Veena S.
Balachandar, Sikkil Sisters, Mani Krishnaswamy, Bombay Sisters and D. K. Pattammal.
 Always keen to bring the spectacle of live performances to many people who would otherwise Mr. L. Ramachandran**
not have the opportunity to experience such events. 1978 - 1979
 Ardent lover of the Carnatic Music art from youth days in India, relishing the opportunity to be able share this art
form with others in the USA.
** - CMANA regrets to note that Mr. L. Ramachandran passed away a few years ago.
 Succeeded Mr. L. Ramachandran as the President of CMANA, serving out one year of
Mr. Ramachandran's tenure.
 Subsequently elected and served as President for a two-year period.
 Arranged multiple concert tours including that of Veena Balachandar.
Mr. Parthasarathy
1979 - 1982
55
CMANA
 Drafted as trustee in response to a somewhat critical letter to Dr. P. Rajagopalan, the founder
and President of CMANA, for not publicizing its activities sufficiently!
 Wrote something chatty on Music in a CMANA souvenir in 1987 which led to getting drafted,
once again – this time to edit “SANGEETHAM”. Followed rudimentary method of cutting and
pasting pictures, articles banged away on a typewriter with no erase function even (using a
white tape roll to correct a spelling error!). Many years later, self-funded and bought a $400
Brother combo typewrite/computer with some word-processing capability. This technology Dr. Uma Roy
1989 - 1993
could type a whole page, store it, erase, edit, etc. and print it at will. To me, that was modernity
only next to sliced bread!
 Later, in 1993, participation by children was high, hence a JUNIOR SANGEETHAM was created as a part of the
main issue under the editorship of (Late) Vinay Venkatesh. Kids played a main part for its eight pages and
published their interviews of artists with their frank questions.
 Considers being president for 4 years, organizing two very successful annual tours, and bringing out 3-4 issues of
SANGEETHAM a full time endeavour for entire family.
 Associated with CMANA almost from the days of its founding. Served as Secretary for eight
years, President for two, and a trustee for four years.
 Helped in the preparation of many publications of Sangeetham, fliers, and a variety of

promotional material. Designed the publications associated with CMANA's 25th anniversary.
 Handled the audio system in concerts in NJ and neighbouring states for over eight years.
Dr. V. Ramaswami
1993 - 1995
 Proposed and designed all aspects of the Sangeethasaagara award. And was a key player in the
organization of the two Sangeethasaagara programs in Chennai, the first honoring Sri Semmangudi Srinivasaier
and Prof. T.N. Krishnan, and the second honoring the female music trinity Bharat Ratna M.S. Subbulakshmi,
Dr. D.K. Pattammal, and Dr. M.L. Vasanthakumari.
 Helped in formalizing the MLV award at Narada Gana Sabha and the CMANA Award at Music Academy, Chennai.
 Organized the first Tamil Isai concert in the USA.
 Involved with CMANA for almost two decades, becoming a Trustee in 1992, Secretary of
CMANA in 1994 and the President for 4 years, and Trustee again!
 Keen on bringing Carnatic music to all corners of USA where there is an Indian diaspora and a
service to Carnatic music by giving opportunities for young talented musicians.
 Instituted the Sangeethasagara award with the first recipient being Shri Semmangudi
Mr. G. Subbiah
Srinivasa Iyer in an award function held in Chennai in 1994. A high point in his time with 1995 - 1999
CMANA.
 Took responsibility for audio recordings for many years for many concerts under multiple Boards.
56
CMANA
 President during Y2K, a period of flux for CMANA, where many new Organizations were also
presenting Artistes, which hitherto had been CMANA's sole domain. Cultural activities on
many fronts such as Dance, Temple activities, Dramas, and other forms of entertainment/
social obligations ate into CMANA's attendance at its featured concerts.
 Oversaw the SangeethaSaagara Award function felicitating three eminent women stalwarts
MS, DK Pattamal, and late MLV. Owes a deep sense of gratitude to Narada Gaana Sabha for
Mr. T. V. Krishna
hosting this event under their banner and infrastructure, and owes a big thanks to Soundaram 1999 - 2001
and Ramaswamy who were the prime movers of this idea, and facilitators with NGS to give
CMANA a great platform.
 Planned and conducted CMANA's major milestone of its 25th Year Celebrations in NJ - a 3-day event featuring 10
major artistes with equally prominent accompanists. While the event itself was free to the Rasikas, used that
forum to increase membership. During those 3 days alone, membership almost doubled.
 Started as a trustee in 1993 arranging annual Great composers' day music competitions,
arranging Music-Marathon, which was an all-day program to promote and encourage local
teachers and their talented students, and representing CMANA at the Thyagaraja Aradhana in
collaboration with NJML.
 Became Vice President in 1999 and took multiple responsibilities during the Silver Jubilee of
CMANA May 2001.
Mrs. Asha Janardhan
 As President from Fall 2001, arranged many concerts including one by (late) Smt. Suguna 2001 - 2003
Purushothaman, and a marathon concert by Smt. Sudha Raghunathan who set a record by singing for six and half
hours. Arranged successful tours by T. M. Krishna and by Smt. Rama Ravi.
 Steered the organization and handled the sensitivities during the tragic events of World Trade Center disaster and
later the tragic demise of Mr. Thanabalasingham, Vice President of CMANA.
 Instituted the CMANA 'best percussionist award', which is given annually by The Percussive Arts Center,
Bangalore
 Started with helping Mrs. Vasantha Rajagopalan with cooking for all concert and program
attendees (yes, CMANA used to serve free food then to attract an audience) and serving as host
to many visiting artists. Organized a Great Composers Day program in the 1980's at The Hindu
Temple, NY featuring mainly children. Formalized many aspects of the GCD.
 Later inducted as a trustee and subsequently as President for two years.
 As President, conducted a successful fundraiser program, which featured many memorable Dr. Soundaram
events - a dance program by the Dhananjayans and a concert of Smt. Lakshmi Shankar, in Ramaswami
addition to a soulful program of Smt. (Bombay) Jayashree Ramnath. 2003 - 2005
 During the Silver Jubilee, resurrected the history of CMANA including the list of former trustees from boxes of
paper correspondence and files. Later undertook a major responsibility of streamlining the CMANA accounts with
Treasurer Mrs. Mangalam Chidambaram.
 Being from the founding family of Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai, got considerable help for CMANA and helped
build a strong alliance with that organization.
57
CMANA
 Founder member joining CMANA in 1976 at its formation.
 Fondly recalls helping with the December 1976 concert of Smt. DK Pattammal and the 1977
concert of M.S. Subbalakshmi.
 Become a Trustee in 2001, later served as Secretary, and had two stints as President working
with a cohesive team and providing a forum to local artists.
Dr. P. N. Aruna
2005 - 2007
 Proudly notes that two 2nd generation trustees have served on the Board – Nithya Nagarajan
2010 - 2013
and Rajesh Nathan.
 Lead the organization during the 35th anniversary celebration in 2011 featuring among other artistes
Sri. K.J. Yesudas.
 Sangeetha Saagara for Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna and Sri. R.K. Srikantan awarded and planning for Sri. T.N.
Seshagopalan under her tenure.
 Had 12+ years of active and direct responsibilities as a CMANA Board member in various roles,
teaming and working with 4 Presidents - Mr. T.V. Krishna, Ms. Asha Janardhan,
Dr. Soundaram Ramaswami, and Dr. P.N. Aruna.
 Became President in 2007 with a 3-year term under the newly revised Constitution.
 Oversaw the successful first tours of up-and-coming artistes – Sikkil Gurucharan in 2008 and
Mr. Sankar Narayanan
Ms Nisha Rajagopalan in 2009. 2007 - 2010
 Chaired an awards-committee to felicitate SangitaKalanidhi Madurai T. N. Sheshagopalan with the coveted

Sangeetha Saagara title in October 2007.
 Took CMANA 'green' by shifting to electronic mailing of flyers and going paperless - a daunting task that required
collecting members' emails and updating database.
 Considers CMANA's 25th year anniversary as his first opportunity to share Carnatic music
passion with an elite group of volunteers.
 Proudly recollects that CMANA's elected Board consists of volunteers with no true hierarchy, a
collective process of decision-making, and strict financial checks and balances. And that
CMANA is an inclusive organization, welcoming all and nurturing a sense of community while
achieving common goals. Mr. Aravind Narasimhan
2013 - 2016
 Oversaw the modifying of CMANA's constitution to make operations nimble and adapt to the times.
 Part of the team that organized CMANA's grand 35th anniversary celebrations.
58
CMANA
CMANA thanks it's Trustees who have served the board from 1976 through 2016
(List is Sorted Alphabetically by Last Name)
Mr J Ambrose Mrs Chitra Kumar
Mr M K Anantha Dr P C Kumar
Dr Ananthanarayanan Mr ArjunMallik*
Mr M K Anantharaman Mr AnandMohan
Dr P N Aruna * Dr A Nagarajan
Dr B Athreya Mr K Nagarajan
Mr T N Bala Dr N Nagarajan *
Dr V K Balasubrahmanyam Mrs Nithya Nagarajan *
Mrs Kantha Balasubramaniam Mr G V L Narasimhan
Dr Murti Bhavaraju * Mr Aravind Narasimhan *
Dr Y Chandramouli * Dr C Nachu Narasimhan *
Dr H K Chandrasekhar Dr Jana Narasimhan *
Dr K Chandrasekhar Mrs Rhama Narayanan *
Mr Ram Chari Mr A Sankar Narayanan*
Mr A Chidambaram * Mrs BalambalNatarajan
Dr Sekhar Ganesan Mr Ramesh Natarajan
Mr M Ganeshan Mr S Natarajan
Mr N Gopalasundaram * Dr S Vasudha Natarajan
Mr R Jagannathan * Mrs Anuradha Nath
Mrs Asha Janardhan * Mr Rajesh Nathan *
Dr A Jayaraman Mr S Nathan *
Mr T V Krishna Dr G R Padmanabhan
Mr N Krishnamachari Mr Ganesh Padmanabhan
Mrs Janaki Krishnamoorthy* Mr R Parthasarathy *
Mr S Krishnamurthy Dr DorairajuRaghu
Mr Srinath Krishnamurthy Mrs ShanthiRaghu
Mrs Chithra Krishnan * Dr A V Raghunath
59
CMANA
CMANA thanks it's Trustees who have served the board from 1976 through 2016
(List is Sorted Alphabetically by Last Name)
Dr K Raghunathan Dr Raghupathy Sarma *
Dr P Rajagopalan * Mr C G Seshadri
Mr L Ram Chandran * Dr S Seshadri *
Mr Hari Ramachandran Mr Som Sowmyan *
Mrs Padma Ramachandran Mr A K Srinivasan
Mr N Ramanan * Mr A V Srinivasan
Mrs Savitri Ramanand Mr Ravi Srinivasan
Mr Ravi Ramanathan Mr Sury Subban *
Mrs Rohini Ramanathan Mr G S Subbiah *
Mr M K Ramasubramaniam Mr C S Subramaniam
Mrs Ranjini Ramaswami Mrs Aparna Surampudi
Dr Soundaram Ramaswami * Mr K Thanabalasingam*
Dr V Ramaswami * Mr Krishnan Varagur
Dr Ravi Ramaswamy Mrs Sujatha Vemparala
Dr K Subba Rao Mr K Venkataraman
Dr P Krishna Rao Mrs Vijaya Venkatesh *
Mr Prakash Rao Mr H Venkateswaran
Dr Uma Roy* Mr P S Venkatraman *
Mrs Jayam Rubins * Mr Dama Venkiah
Mr A P Sankaran Mr M K Venugopal *
Mr Trichy S Sankaran Dr K V Viswanatha *
Prof Bala Sarma Mr K S Viswanathan
* Office Bearer
60
CMANA
CMANA List of Honorary Patrons in alphabetical order of last name
Dr. P. N. Aruna Dr. V. Ramaswami
Mr. Robert Browning Prof. Dr. David Reck
Vidwan Guruvayur Dorai Dr. Uma Roy
Ms. Simanthini Kauta Mr. Sury Subban
Dr. P. Rajagopalan Mr. G. S. Subbiah
Ms. Gowri Ramakrishnan Dr. V. Swaminathan
Ms. Chayamma Visweswariah
In Memoriam:
CMANA regrets that the following Honorary Patrons have left us. May they rest in peace and continue
to guide us musically.
Mr. T.N. Bala Vidwan Ramnad Raghavan

Mr. R. Krishnaswami Ms. Padma Srinivasan
Mr. Narayanakutty Menon Mr. R. Suriyanarayanan
Ms. Balambal Natarajan
Sangeetha Kalanidhi Prof. T. Viswanathan
Prof. Dr. Harold Powers
61
62
TH TH
25 /35
63
64
65
“These nostalgic photos include the Founding Members of CMANA - Dr. P. Rajagopalan,
Mr. R. Parthasarathy, Dr. K. Nagarajan, Mr. L. Ramachandran, Dr. A. Jayaraman on the dias.
The chief guest is Mr. C.V. Narasimhan (Chef de Cabinet, United Nations) and dignitaries include
Mr. Srivatsan.
The photos also include the inaugural concert by Mr. T. V. Sankaranarayanan with Mr. Rama Rao on the
violin, and Mr. Ramnad Raghavan on mrudangam. Tambura support provided by Mrs. Gomathi
Sundaram and by Mrs. Vasantha Rajagopalan. The artistes were introduced by Dr. A. Jayaraman.
The rest of the Founding Members can be seen seated in the audience.
It is notable that on this day the late Mr. L. Ramachandran proposed Dr. P. Rajagopalan to be the first
President of CMANA and the proposal was accepted by everyone.
66
67
CMANA
CMANA & NARADA GANA SABHA -

A Natural Partnership
Board of Trustees, CMANA*
The Narada Gana Sabha (NGS) and CMANA have
had a relationship going back almost to the
founding of CMANA. The founder Dr.
Rajagopalan’s brother Sri Totadri Iyengar was a
close friend of Mr. R. Surianarayanan and through
him also knew Mr. R. Krishnaswami, the two
brothers who played a major role in NGS and its
growth all the way from the beginning of NGS.
That relationship with the Sabha got even more
strongly cemented when the Ramaswamis got
involved with CMANA in 1978, Dr. Soundaram
Ramaswami being the daughter of Mr. R. Sri R. Surianarayanan
Surianarayanan. Besides personal friendships etc. To cite an example, the maiden visit of
and relationships, the real bond is due more to Mandolin Srinivas, then only thirteen years of age
shared commitments to Carnatic music with a true and highly protected by Sri Emberumanar
not-for-profit structure and high levels of integrity Chettiyar who was too apprehensive of sending
in how the two organizations are run. him to the US, became possible mainly due to our
For many years, NGS helped CMANA by acting as connections with NGS and even more due to the
our spokesmen with artists ironing out differences high regard for Mr. R. Surianarayanan by Sri
and helping with various aspects of our Emberumanar. Similarly, there are several other
interactions with them and issues related to visas major artists of today who were brought to our
attention by NGS based on which they had their
tours of the USA under CMANA. Along the way,
we also enjoyed the services, gratis of course, of Mr.
R. Krishnaswami, a leading attorney, in sorting out
some legal issues.
The partnership with NGS helped CMANA
organize two major events in Chennai – the
Sangeethasaagara award ceremony for Sri
Semmangudi Srinivasaier and Professor T.N.
Krishnan in 1994, and a similar one for Smt. M.S.
Subbulakshmi and Smt. D.K. Pattammal in 1999.
Both those ceremonies were conducted in a highly
dignified and efficient manner and with noticeable
Sri R. Krishnaswami level of style and panache, thanks to the two
68
CMANA
share the same award along with her two peers,

with an Endowment Prize bearing her name. It
was natural for CMANA to endow that prize at
Narada Gana Sabha as a token of appreciation for
its sustained help over a long period.
With the passing away of the two major stalwarts
Mr. R.Krishnaswami (Secretary) and Mr. R.
Surianarayanan (Treasurer) of NGS, the torch has
now been passed on to a new team. We are indeed
fortunate that our partnership continues under the
Sri Harishankar
new leadership headed by Sri. Harishankar
brothers who managed most of the details of local Krishnaswami. The Indo-American Festival, a
logistics and stage arrangements. It would be no joint event by CMANA and NGS to help publicize
exaggeration to say that the first of these put upcoming talent in both America and India, is also
CMANA really on the map of Chennai as the an assertion of that bond which operates under a
program was covered extensively by most major dictum, “We may change with time, but not in the
newspapers like The Hindu, Deccan Herald and ways of friendship.” CMANA is proud and
magazines like Sruti. considers itself fortunate to have such a valuable
The function awarding Sangeethasaagara to MSS friend in NGS.
and DKP also was used by CMANA to honor Dr. *
The Board thanks some senior members of
M.L. Vasanthakumari, a great friend of CMANA CMANA, and particularly the Ramaswamis, for
and one of the famous trinity who was not alive to providing some of the historical information.
69
CMANA
CMANA Collaboration with Telugu Fine Arts Society and

Hindu Temple & Cultural Society
Murti Bhavaraju
CMANA, TFAS (Telugu Fine Arts Society), and Prabha and Raghunath Kidambi,
HTCS (Hindu Temple & Cultural Society, SeemanthiniKautha, PolepalleSankara Rao and
Bridgewater, New Jersey) share common vision others took the responsibility to organize this
and goals, and also enjoy a great relationship annual function in the initial years. Trimurthy Day
spanning many decades. We continue to provided an opportunity for TFAS to motivate our
collaborate on varied programs of common children to learn or just appreciate Carnatic music.
interest. Trimurthy Day became a very prestigious event
TFAS was founded in New Jersey in 1984 with organized by TFAS that involved the members of
ambitious goals and objectives topromote Telugu all south Indian states. Artists from neighboring
literature and encourage fine arts, music and cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington
dance.TFAS started conducting the Trimurthy Day were invited to give mini-concerts on the
celebrations since 1984 honoring the three 18 th Trimurthy Day. This event continues today with
century composers of Carnatic music, 400-450 in the audience and more than 100
‘Thyagaraja’, ‘MuthuswamyDikshitar’, and participants.
‘SyamaSastry’. TFAS Members, many of whom Several members of CMANA participated in
were active as CMANA members as well, like Trimurthy Day function since beginning. In 2004,
70
CMANA
CMANA joined TFAS and HTCS to conduct the CMANA and HTCS have successfully collaborated
Trimurthy Day program at the Temple auditorium. in conductingCMANA’s annual flagship event for
Volunteers from the Temple coordinated the food Junior Members – the Great Composers Day
arrangements for this all day event. CMANA (GCD) as a joint program of competitions and
continued the joint sponsorship of Trimurthy Day concerts at the Temple auditorium (Temple
until 2012. sponsorship) for over a decade, from 1998 to 2012.
As the GCD grew in popularity and participation,
Several joint Carnatic music programs were held
in 2012 the GCD moved to other locations but the
under CMANA and TFAS sponsorship: Mandolin
CMANA-HCTS collaboration continues via
Srinivas, Kanyakumari, Nedunuri Krishna
concerts and other events at the Temple
Murthy, Hyderabad brothers, Malladi brothers.
auditorium.
In the 1990’s, TFAS created a Carnatic music
poster exhibit which was presented at the TFAS
and CMANA music events with the help of Uma
Roy and BharatiBhavaraju. The exhibit depicted
the lives of Thyagaraja, Dikshitar, and
The Author is a CMANA member and
SyamaSastry in the 18 century.
th
long-time supporter
71
CMANA
Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s

Vision Of Music
Dr. V. Swaminathan
72
CMANA
73
CMANA
74
CMANA
The Author is a Honorary Patron,

75
CMANA
76
CMANA
Putting Carnatic music on the World Map
Akshay Anantapadmanabhan
After doing my Master’s in electrical engineering in being said, I believe engineering is a philosophy
the United States, I moved to Chennai to pursue a that teaches efficient problem solving, so it can
full-time career in music a few years ago. Since really be useful for any field. I learned a lot from my
then, I have been asked numerous times about the irreplaceable university degrees and apply that
value of my education from the prestigious Cooper knowledge to enhance my life as a musician —
Union, if I commit to music. Interestingly, I have methods of organization, project management,
never been asked about the reason for pursuing a technology application, efficiency management –
degree in engineering even though my education in these are fundamental skills that have enabled me
mridangam started at the age of five. I see music as to progress as a musician.
a pursuit of my very first learnings in life. That One of my latest projects is to spread the art of
konnakol through a collaboration with my guru
andpioneer of performative Indian vocal
percussion, professor T.H. Subash Chandran.
There is an overload of information across the
internet and in many cases, this has made true,
focused learning, counter-productive and difficult.
Specifically for our project on “Indian Scat
Singing”, we address this issue via a teaching
project as a course on konnakol led by the world’s
foremost exponent of this language — Guru
T.H. Subash Chandran.
Konnakol is the art of vocal percussion in context
of Carnatic or South Indian classical music.
Overtime, the art of konnakol has evolved from an
oral tradition in the percussion pedagogy to a
stand-alone performative form. During teaching
and learning, konnakol consists of sollukattu,
which are primarily derived from sounds of the
mridangam — the lead percussion instrument in a
classical setting. The four basic syllables: “Tha,”
“Thi,” “Thom,” and “Num” model the sounds made
77
CMANA
by the mridangam. However there is also the claim the course is also to remove the barriers of learning
that these sounds are influences from the vedic this art form and make it accessible to the world.
scriptures. While the four basic sounds are Hence the course caters to all artists and
consistent across the majority of schools of students,independent of anymusic genre as well as
percussion, each school has its own form of anyone who simply wants to appreciate and
communication beyond this. It is fascinating to me understand rhythmic ideas.
to think about how different schools of This is one of the several projects I have led since
percussion/mridangam have uniquely derived this my pursuit as a full-time mridangam artist. The
form. Even as a professional mridangam artist, I music world not only calls forpractice and live
may not understand another professional performance but also a digital media presence,
conveying mridangam sollukattu to me verbally. musical discourse, entrepreneurship, marketing
However, once it is played on the instrument, I can and much more that I am still to discover. My
not only mimic the content on the instrument, but journey began in Mumbai, continued throughout
also recite the sollukattu in the manner that is the United States with the help of organizations
conveyed in my percussion lineage. Essentially like CMANA, and now has brought me to the hub of
konnakol is analogous to language, whereas each Carnatic music in the city of Chennai. Reaching
lineage of percussion is a derived dialect. into my foundational experiences and building
Konnakol is an art and a language — one that can upon them, I see a world of possibilities ahead. I
be performed and also used to communicate remain eager to discover what’s in store for me as a
rhythmic ideas. The “Indian Scat Singing”project professional musician.
is a course that highlights both these novel facets of
the konnakol art. The complete details can be The Author is a Past Junior Member,
found at www.IndianScatSinging.com. The goal of Mridangist and CMANA long-time supporter
VINAY VENKATESH TRIBUTE

CMANA was shocked like many other members of the community and saddened many years ago to hear of the tragic
and sudden passing of former CMANA Junior Member, Vinay Venkatesh (son of Dr. Raj Venkatesh and former Vice-
President, Mrs. VijayaVenkatesh). Though he was engaged in the activities of the association in many ways such as
with assistance of audio setup and breakdown for concerts, Vinay’s most noteworthy assignment was as editor of
Juniors’ Sangeetham, a section of CMANA’s quarterly periodical that was developed primarily by and for the Junior
Members of CMANA. He was recognized for his contributions when awarded the D.N. Visweswariah Prize for
exemplary service as a Junior Member in 1998. In addition to his role as a volunteer, Vinay was also a student of
Carnatic music on the saxophone and had taken part in annual Great Composers’ Day (GCD) competitions for several
years. Vinay remains one of the first generations of young volunteers to whom CMANA remains grateful in having
contributed to the operational aspects and growing youth involvement of the organization.
78
CMANA
PADAM and its connotation
Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao
Today, we employ a lot of variety of compositions padamulu, Aananda padamulu, Sankara

in dance, Padam, Javali, Varnam, Tillana, etc. It is padamulu, Sanja varnana and Gana varnana
necessary to understand the form and format, the padamulu. Apart from these variety of Padams,
text and context of each of these to be a real good there are many other which come under the Padam
dancer. Following is an over view of, Padam, one of literature.
the most important components of South Indian
The twelfth century composer Jayadeava seems to
Classical music and dance.
be the earliest composer whose compositions
Padam is commonly used to denote any song. known as Ashtapadis reflect a structure similar to
From the point of view of its poetic, musical and those which we call padams today. It is in the
dance content, it occupies a unique place in the Ashtapadis, we find a structure similar to pallavi,
compositions used in dance. No other composition anupallavi (optional) and charanams. His
is as complete as Padam in its format viewed from compositions are called Ashtapadis because each
these three angles. Padam seems to be in vogue of them contains 8 charanams (ashta = 8). Here the
since ancient times. Bharata defines Padam in his word padam denotes a charanam, thereby
Natya Sastra as: suggesting that this word padam has various
Gaandharvam yan mayaa proktam swara taala padaatmakam meanings initially. In course of time, however,
padam tasya bhavedvastu swara taalaanubhaavakam padam has attained a restrictive meaning to
yatkincidakshara kritam tat sarvam swara sanjitam
denote an erotic composition.
nibaddham ca anibaddham ca tat padam dwividham smritam
(N.S. 32 Ch.26-27) The first ever composer who classified his
This is a very broad definition of Padam, according compositions as Pallavi and Caranams is
to which a Padam is one which is set to a scale with Taallapaka Annamaacarya (1408-1503). He is said
a rhythmic element to it, with a theme of its own to have composed 32, 000 Padams, but what are
and is fit for singing. Padam is of two types, available to us today are 14, 238 only. I am inclined
nibaddha-padam and anibaddha-padam. to believe that he was greatly influenced by
Nibaddha-padam is a composition of prosodic Jayadeva so far as the structure of his compositions
frame composed following the rules of prosody is concerned. He is said to have composed a
with a definite number of letters; whereas the hymnody in Sanskrit, Sankeertana Lakshanam
anibaddha-padam has no prosodic restrictions. which is not available to us. But its translation in
Padam basically has been a composition in the desi Telugu by his grandson Cina Tirumalaacarya,
tradition. Palakuruki Somanatha(13 c), in his work entitled Sankeertana Lakshanamu is available.
Panditaaradhya Caritra mentions various kinds of We find a detailed description, classification and
Padams; Tummeda padamulu, Prabhaata definition of Padams in this work.
79
CMANA
Majority of Padams are composed in Telugu. There Padamula yarthamu pallavi

are several non Telugu composers who also vadalaka yannitiki neka vaakyata jeyan
composed in Telugu, probably because of the gudi gruccinatlu tagulai
suitability of the language for the purpose. There padamu tudin mariyu mariyu pallavi yalarun
are many in Tamil, some in Kannada and A Pallavi stand linked up with the caranams and is
Malayalam, though some of these may not repeated again and again to bring in a thematic
conform strictly to the definition of a Padam. oneness in the various caranams of the
Padam has been defined by different people composition. That is why pallavi is sung at the end
differently. Sri Rallapalli Anantha Krishna Sarma of each caranam and at the end of the padam. The
defined Padam thus: It is basically an erotic role played by anupallavi is supportive in nature to
composition often sung in slow speed and at times the pallavi. Some scholars feel that by the time of
in medium speed. It consists of Pallavi, Anupallavi Taalapaaka poets Pallavi had established itself and
and not less than three caranams and is composed anupallavi was in the process of stabilizing. We
in any of the ancient rakti raagas*. find consistent use of anupallavi in the
compositions of later composers.
Another aspect of Padam is mudra, the insignia of
the composer. In Annamayya’s compositions, we
find the name of the Lord Venkateswara as the
mudra, in Kshetrayya’s compositions, the mudra is
Muvvagopaala, in Saarngapaani’s Padams it is
Venugopala and so on. Some composers use their
own name as mudra, as in the compositions of
Tyagaraja. Mudra is normally set in the last
caranam of the composition, but there are cases
Prof. P. Sambamurthy
where it is found in the anupallavi, as is seen in
Prof. P. Sambamurthy defines Padam as follows: some compositions of Kshetrayya. There are many
“Pada is a scholarly composition. The term pada is varieties of mudras, some composers employed
sometimes used to signify any devotional the name of a deity to whom they dedicated their
composition....... most pada compositions admit of compositions, some used their own name to
a dual meaning; the outward sringaara meaning indicate their authorship, as mentioned earlier,
and the inward philosophical meaning. The pada and some included even the name of the raaga in
has divisions - Pallavi, anupallavi and charana. which the composition is set to. There are some
There may be three or more charanas. The music is compositions in which the name of the patron of
slow and flows in a natural manner. The diction is the composer is used as mudra.
simple”** It is not always possible to know the language of all
Pallavi is the first line or sometimes the first two the compositions one performs to, but an over view
lines of a Padam. Whatever is expressed in Pallavi will definitely enable them to understand and
is expanded further in the anupallavi and the appreciate the compositions better.
caranams but nothing away from what is said in the *Essay on Kshetrayya Padamulu in Andhra Patrika 1942-43 p 15.
pallavi is ever said in the caranams. That is what ** History of South Indian Music, Prof. P.Sambamurthy 1-4 p.45.
Cina Tirumalaacaarya says in his Sankeetana

The Author is the Secretary
Lakshanamu, verse 30: Madras Music Academy and Musicologist
80
CMANA
SANGEETHAM Vol.11, No.2 TNTG # 412
SRI CHANDRASEKHARENDRA SARASWATI AND CARNATIC MUSIC

Dr. V. Sadagopan
The sixty eighth pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakoti of the Raga. He has stated in this context that Sahitya
Peetam is Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati. He is without Bhakti and Lakshana is like a flower without
affectionately known as the Paramacharya or Kanchi fragrance; Sangita without Bhava (feeling) is merely
Periyaval. He was born on the eighth day of Vaikasi empty sound. He has stressed the importance of
month in the Jaya year (May 20, 1894). He ascended Vidwans and students’ understanding the correct
the Kamakoti Peetam on Feb. 13, 1907 at the tender import of the kritis and pronunciations before
age of thirteen. The Peetam (throne) that he ascended rendering them. Music to him is the discreet form
is known as Kamakoti Sarvagna Peetam. The name (Sookshma Roopam) of Ambal (Kamakshi). In this
Sarvagna Peetam stands for the throne occupied by a cantext, he has commented on the inner meaning of
great Guru, who is an expert in all arts and Sciences. religion and hinted at the importance of Music in
I will focus here on Kanchi Paramacharya’s advancing one’s spiritual advancement as follows:
Scholarship in Carnatic Music and his unceasing “Ambika, the Mother Divine is all important to me. I
encouragement of artists over the past eight decades. I consider religion to be nothing but meditation upon
will illustrate his deep arrachment to Carnatic Music her lotus feet. Meditation upon the Divine Mother
and his profound interest in encouraging its quells all evil propensities. It purifies us to perfection.
practitioners through his blessings by recalling the let us dedicate every one of our thoughts, words and
experiences of Sangeetha Kalanidhis T.L actions to Her.”
Venkatarama Sastry, Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi, Kanchi Periyaval’s attitude to the benevolent effect of
Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Maharajapuram Music can be understood from the two following
Santhanam, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyar and statements by Sir C.V. Raman Dr. C.V. Narasimhan
“Ariyakudi”. Before describing the blessings on the mysteries of Music:
(Anugrahas) that they received, one can safely that
“Of all the great mysteries, which we are confronted
the Paramacharya believes deeply in Saint
with, the influence of Music is one of the most
Thyagaraja’s statement ( in his kriti in Mukhari)
remarkable.” Sir C.V. Raman
“Sangita Sastra Jnanamu Sarupya Saukhyadhame
Manasa (the knowledge of Science of Music leads us “What is greatness and glory of our Music? To me, the
to bliss divine).” In this context, Kanchi Periyaval has answer is simple. It is spirit of Bhakti, that permeates
said that one does not have to perform debilitating all of our greatest Music. Our Music is great, because
penance to commune with Paramatma. One just it is designed not just to please the ear, not to titillate
needs to take Veena in hand and play it in unison with the intellect of the Rasiks, but it is capable of touching
devotion, svaram and layam. That alone will take one our hearts and lifting our souls on the wings of the
in front of Ambal. He has emphasized over the years song to establish communion with the Supreme Being
about the importance of singing the Sahitya with itself”. - Dr. C.V. Narasimhan.
Bhakti and in consonance with Lakshana (grammar)
82
CMANA
This is the experience which borders on Nirvikalpa Holiness during his Puja. It is Subbulakshmi’s
Samadhi that the Paramacharys experiences, when he greatest good fortune that his Holiness heard her on
listens to “command performances” of musicians, many occasions and conferred his boundless
who come to receive his blessings. He will ask the Anugraha on her. He even composed at her request a
artists to sing kritis more than once and at the end he composition for her to sing before the United nations
will be able to sing with them, correct the text of the delegates from 120 countries and invited guests on
sahitya, if it was rendered incorrectly and describe to Oct. 23, 1966 on U.N. Day.” I will comment briefly
them the inner meaning of each of the words used by on this song ‘Maithrim Bhajatha’ later.
the great composers such as Dikshitar. Prof Lakshmi
Mani’s translation of Ra Ganapathi’s article on Sri Sangeetha Kalanidhi T.L. Venkatarama Sastri
Ariyakudi’s singing of "Sri Subramanyaya (TLV) and His Holiness: TLV is one, whose life was
Namasthe” in Kambhoji before the Paramcharya and intricately intertwined with the History of the Madras
the subsequent events illustrate these points. I will Music Academy. He was a High court judge and an
share with you few events in the lives of musicians authority on the kritis of Sri Dikshitar. He had learnt
during the occasion of presenting their art before the them from the descendant of the Dikshitar family and
sage of Kanchi. taught it to ‘DKP’ and other musicians. Let me
describe one of his meetings with the Paramacharya
in his own words: “ It was the 1944, when I had the
good fortune of making his personal acquaintance. I
received a Srimukham (letter) from the Mutt (seat of
the Pontiff) at Kumbakonam that I should paricipate
in Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar day celebrations at
kumbakonam, sometime in November. I immediately
reponded. When I went to the Mutt, His Holiness was
performing puja. I was asked to sing some kirtanas of
Dikshitar. I did so. One of those songs was
Kamalambike in Thodi. After the puja was over, His
Holiness told me that this piece was sublime and
asked me to sing that again. I was very glad and that
was my first experience. He also asked me to give a
musical discourse on the life of Sri Dikshitar in the
Mutt itself next day. The Mutt was packed to the full
Sangeetha Kalanidhi M.S. Subbulakshmi and the and His Holiness himself was present. When I was
Paramacharya: Sri Sadasivan, her husband singing the piece Kanjadalayathakshi, he said that
describes the experience as follows: “Subbulakshmi instead of the words Sri Kanchana Vasane, in the
has no doubt sung before many memorable and Charanam, the words Sri Kanchi Vasane will be more
mammoth gatherings all over the mundane earth. But, appropriate and to the delight os all present, he gave it
she considers that her music reached its in the very musical phrase of Dikshitar. This was the
consummation on the three or four Maha Sivarathri first occasion when I met His Holiness and thereafter
nights, when she sang for hours on end before His my association with him has been vary fruitful and
83
CMANA
intimate. He blessed me on my elevation to the For a moment, I was intrigued. I had that fleeting
Bench.” greedy thought as to whether he will give that to me as
a reward for my singing. His Holiness put that malai
Sangeetha Kalanidhi Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
away and hung it on a nail near the door. It is true
and His Holiness: It was those days, when His
that I was disappointed somewhat. I continued to
Holiness was staying at the Kumbakonam Mutt.
sing for another hour in the standing posture. When
Great Musicians of that time such as Semmangudi,
time came to take leave, he asked me to go inside,
Ariyakudi, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyar, Violin
have dinner and rest the night there. I sent back the
Vidwan Rajamanickam Pillai were residing within a
taxi and obeyed his order. I slept outside the room,
radius of one or two miles from the Mutt. There were
where he was resting.
also many top class artists in neighbouring villages
and cities. All of them had many chances to sing Next morning around 4 a.m., I woke up from the
before His Holiness and receive his blessings. sound of one sweeping with a broom ! It was His
Holiness, who had risen already and he was cleaning
On one such occasion Srimathi M.S. Subbulakshi and
his room with his own hands. I rose with alacrity and
Semmangudi were in the audience. The interesting
point was that His Holiness asked Semmangudi to astonishment. When he saw us getting up, he asked
sing again Dikshitar’s Madhava Manohari kriti me to sing Mohanam. I was flabbergasted. Next
known as Mahalakshmi and at the end sang the entire moment, I started the Alapana for Mohanam. During
kriti with the artist and explained the meaning of the that dawn time, I must have sung for 2 or 3 hours. I do
words of this Sahityam to the audience. Semmangudi not even remember how I sang. Afterwards, I took my
had “the thrilling and enriching experience’ to bath and prostrated before him. He rewarded me with
witness the astonishing amalgam of the Bhakti and a Kashmir salwai. I was thrilled and took leave of him
Bhava aspects of Music as experienced by His reluctantly. I must have moved ten feet, he called for
Holiness. me again. I was happy on hand and on the other, I was
worried about missing my train. He commanded me
Sangeetha Kalanidhis from Maharajapuram and His
to sing. I was struck by the thought that this sage, who
Holiness :
had renounced everything had such attachment to my
Following ia a translation of Maharajapuram music. I was overcome by His kindness and began to
Santhanam’s own words relating to his audience with sing with great peace of mind. His Holiness was
His Holiness: “After giving a performance in deeply lost in meditation and resembled Lord
Bombay Shanmugananda hall, I was on my way to a Dekshinamurthy in his seated posture. I cannot forget
concert in Mysore via Meeraj. On the way, I heard that that sight. At the conclusion of my singing, I took
the Kanchi sage was camping at Sadara. I alighted leave once again and he asked me to wait for minute..
therefore at Sadara Station and arrived at the place, He went in and brought his Rudraksha necklace and
where His Holiness was staying. put it around my neck. I was thrilled beyond words by
When he heard about my arrival, he came out of his this unique act of kindness. I asked later those who
room and asked me to sing. As I was singing, he had were there as to why His Holiness took such deep
closed his eyes and was stroking the beads of his interest in me and honored me with the multiple
rudraksha necklace. When I finished singing, he command performance request. His secretary told me
removed that necklace from his neck. that the day before I come, he had discussed the
84
CMANA
delectable music of my father, Maharajapuram The Jagad Guru’s Universal Vision

Viswanatha Iyer and particularly his talent in singing
People from all nations have flocked at his Holy feet
Mohana Ragam. I had arrived the next day.
during different times. He has blessed them all. The
I came home and described my good fortune to my greatest blessings that he gave was during the
mother. What she told me afterwards made me occasion of Sangeetha Kalanidhi M.S.
appreciate the greatness of His Holiness even more. Subbulakshmi’s New York City concert at the U.N.
His Holiness asked your father to sing at the General assembly of Delegates from all nations on
Kumbakonam Mutt. On that occasion, your father October 23, 1966. She sang the special piece that he
sang Mohanam with great imagination. His Holiness composed for her for the unique occasion. The
closed his eyes and stroked the beads of his messages treasured in that composition are matchless
Rudraksha Malai and His countenance was filled with and eternal in scope and vision. They typify the spirit
Bliss. When the singing was over, he blessed your of this sage. Here are some: Abandon wars
(YuddhamTyajatha); avoid intoxicating wine and
father and presented him with a gold-lace angavasthra
spirituous material (Parkan Tyajatha); see and treat
and dhoti. Your father was hoping that His Holiness
others as you would treat yourself; Mother earth
might present his rudrakshara malai that he was
yields all you wish; The Lord who created this Earth
stroking. It did not happen. After all these years, His
and planets is most merciful; may his blessings
Holiness presented you with the malai, your father
shower on all the people of this universe.
longed to get. Your father’s mind will now rest in
peace. He has also blessed you so that you can shine May we pray that the spiritual light that shines at
like your father. My mother’s eyes were full of tears. I Kanchipuram continue to light our way the next
thought that I must have done penance in previous life century of His illustrious life and bless the
to receive such high honors at the hand of His practitioners of Carnatic Music.
Holiness and gave deep thanks. Sri Santhanam went
on with his distinguished career and composed a
tillana and kriti (reproduced in the inside front cover)
on Kanchi sage as a part of his homage.
Thiruppavai - Thiruvembavai singing in the South

during margazhi month.
When we hear the singing of Tiruppavai-

Thiruvembavai songs during the dawn in Margazhi
month from the tops of the Gopurams of the temples
of India, we owe that to His Holiness. It was his
instruction in 1950 to inculcate a sense of reverence
for the works of saints Andal and Manikavachakar
through the medium of music that we have this
tradition.
85
CMANA
SANGEETHAM Vol.7, No.2 TNT # 69
HARIKESANALLUR MUTHIAH BHAGAVATHAR

By Ms. Padma Srinivasan
Most of us are familiar with the kritis in the old tradition were my neighbors in Kovilpatti
‘Himagiritanaye’ in Suddhadhanyasi popularized by during my childhood.
GNB and ‘Vijayambike’ as well as ‘Jalandara’ in
I specially feel privileged to write this article
Valaji rendered by Madurai Mani Iyer in the early
beccause of the friendship with members of his
fifties. These and other compositions, all bearing the
family. Vaidyalingam, who was adopted by
well known ‘HARIKESA” mudhra or signature are
Bhagavathar learnt many of the latter’s compositions.
the works of the famous Harikesanallur Muthiah
In fact, Vaidyalingam taught me the kriti ‘Ashtadasa’
Bhagavathar on whom the title ‘Gayakasikhamani’
in Simmendramadyamam with all its many beautiful
was conferred by Maharaja Krishna Rajendra
sangathis.
Wadaiyar of Mysore in 1927.
Muthiah Bhagavathar composed in simple language
Muthiah Bhagavathar was born on Nov. 15, 1877 at
and was equally felicitious in Tamil, Telugu and
Punalveli near Srivillipurthur (close to Tirunelveli) to
Sanskrit. He used words sparingly but with much
Lingam Iyer and Anandam Ammal. Bhagavathar’s
meaning. Most of his songs are in praise of Devi.
niece and nephew who were named after his parents
Besides many kirtanas, Bhagavathar has also
composed a few Tana Varnams in adi and ata Tala as
well as Tillanas and Ragamalikas. As a Samsthana
Vidwan of Mysore, several compositions in praise of
Chamundeswari have been authored by him. In
addition to the Maharja of Mysore, the rulers of
Ramnad, Ettayapuram, Andipatti as well as the
Maharja of Travancore were also his patrons. The
latter conferred a doctorate on Muthiah Bhagavathar
in recognition of his book ‘Sangeetha Kalpa
Dhrumam’. The composer showed his regard for
Balaramavarma of Travancore through the words
‘Padmahabha Vanchibhoopala Balaramavarma
Bhagyanrupala’ in a Hamsanandi Tillana. (Vanchi
denotes Kerala in Malayalam.)
Bhagavathar was also well known for his Harikatha
performances. So popular were some of his Harikatha
songs that they were included in concerts. ‘Mavoor
Valar maharani’ in Jonpuri is a good exemple of this
genre. He is also credited as the composer of Kirtanas
86
CMANA
in rare ragas with the elaboration of numerous Subramanya Iyer and Ramanthapuram Srinivasa
sangathis. He was in Benares for a while and appears Iyengar. Bhagavathar’s style appears to have inspired
to have been impressed by classical North Indian GNB”s compositions with their many sangathis,
music. This influence can be appreciated in the songs though there is a difference in emphasis. GNB dwelt
‘Needumahima’ in Hamsanandi and ‘Sarasamukhi’ in on the musical qualities of the words while
Gowdamalhar. He also created works in new ragas. Bhagavathar stressed literary excellence in his kritis.
Examples of these would be ‘Vanchtonu’ in One can find examples for this quality in
Karnaranjani, ‘Saravanabhava’ in Pasupathipriya and ‘Thamasamika’ in Abhogi, ‘Parmukhamela’ in
‘Vijayambike’ in Vijayanagari. There are also Kanada and Unnadiye’ in Bahudari.
noteworthy compositions in Kathanakuthuhalam, Bhagavathar was one of the founders of the Music
Bowli and Mohanakalyani. Academy in Madras. He was honored with the title of
Muthiah Bhagavthar modelled himself after the Sangeethakalanidhi in 1930 when he was elected the
musical style of Thyagarja whom he ardently President of the Conference. He spent his last years in
worshipped. In later life, the influence of Dikshithar Mysore, where he died on June 30, 1945 at the age of
can also be perceived in mellow compositions rich in sixty eight.
gamakas. The sahithya of his woks can be compared Reference : Carnatic Music Composer - T.L.
to that of modern composers such as Patnam Venkatarama Iyer - The Hindu.
87
CMANA
AN EXERCISE IN ETYMOLOGY
Dr. P. Rajagopal
I would like to take issue (a friendly one, of course) are “mukham” (face), “sareeram” (body),
with Dr. C.M. Ramakrishna, regarding his comments “theertham” (water), “vruksham” (tree), “pushpam”
on the etymology of the word “Sangeetham” (or is it (flower) etc. Why, the very Sanskrit word for
“Sangeetha” as he declares it to be the correct Sanskrit “Sanskrit” is “Samskrutham” and not “Samskrutha”
version?). which is the Kannada version.
Before I get to the point of contention, I should The point of it all is that “Sangeetham” is as Sanskrit
mention that Dr. Ramakrishna is way off base when as can be and it is derived from the combination of
he says that Kannada is the only South Indian “Sum” and “Geetham” meaning good music. The
language which follows Sanskrit endings closely. origin of “geetham” (music) itself is “gayathe ithi
This is puzzling because none of the S. Indian geetham”. I hope that, after reading this letter to the
languages can covet that distinction. In fact, pure find Editor of our illustrious Newletter, members and
Tamil, being uniquely Dravidian, does not even have non-members alike, would realize that considerable
anything common with Sanskrit. Indeed, the Tamil thought and analysis was devoted to the choice of this
word for “Sangeetham” is “Isai”. The only language most appropriate Sanskrit word for it which is
that comes close to Sanskrit is, of course, Hindi both consistent with the objectives of our Association and
in terms of its script as well as the roots of its words. which would avoid controversy among all the
linguistic groups representing our association.
Now, as far as “Sangeetham” is concerned, it is a
Sanskrit word adopted as such by the Tamilians as so
many other Sanskrit words have been and not by
“Tamilizing” the Sanskrit word “Sangeetha” as Dr.
Ramakrishna would have us believe. He states and I
quote, “in Tamil and Telugu, the Anuswara (M) is
added to the Sanskrit words ending in “a”. If it were
so, many sanskrit words incorporated into Tamil and
ending in “am” should according to him, be actually
ending in “a” to be gramatically correct in Sanskrit. A
quick foray into “Amarakosam”, the Sanskrit book of
synonyms, would convince him otherwise. Let me
take, for example, the Sanskrit word for “I”. It is
“aham” and not “aha” as he would have it! The dual
and the plural forms of “aham” are “aavam” and
“vayam”, respectively, and not “aava” and “vaya”.
Other Sanskrit words ending in “am” and commonly
used as such (without any modification) by Tamilians
88
CMANA
ENORMOUS TALENT IN SMALL BODIES

Sumathi Subbiah
Extraordinary talent of any kind certainly ascended the stage at a very young age,
amazes the human mind and tweaks the exhibiting abilities that far exceeded their size
curiosity of the imagination. Yet, witnessing it and age.
from a child, someone who cannot perhaps even
Yet, there does not seem to be a definite line at
tie his shoelaces or who cannot even spell the
which one can declare amazing youngsters to be
word prodigious, although their ability
prodigies. It has become difficult to count in how
adequately gives the definition, inspires awe.
many introductions one has heard that a
For many of these individuals, their childhood Carnatic musician had been declared a child
wonders only heralds further greatness; history prodigy. Is there a way to qualify the title? Does a
remembers many of these individuals whose child have to be able to identify a certain number
extraordinary abilities have allowed them to of ragas by a certain age? How proficient must
achieve and to contribute to their fields. Often the child be with tala? Or, rather, does he have to
legends develop around these imminent figures: ascend the stage at a certain age or ability level?
at age 9, Gauss, the great German How can one be sure that a child is a prodigy if he
mathematician of the 18th century, used keen is not exposed to Carnatic music? Are there
insight to sum up the numbers up to 500 in a differing levels among prodigies themselves? Or,
matter of 10 seconds during his mathematics in other words, are some prodigies more
class; Mozart composed his first concerto by age prodigious than others?
5 and could accompany great symphonies on the Probably the best question is, “Can there ever be
clavichord by age 7. Certainly, the field of an objective standard to judge prodigies?”
Carnatic music does not have its shortage of Clearly, it is difficult to attribute any set
historical prodigies who have advanced the art characteristics for the definition. However, the
and given pleasure to Carnatic music wonder that these special children inspire is
aficionados. Although there are no records, it is never in doubt, and the potential that they
said that Saint Thyagaraja composed his first present for the art. Speaking as a young student
kriti at age 9(?) and absorbed all of his guru’s of Carnatic music, it is easy to envy the ease with
knowledge within a year. which they master elements that takes others
Coming to the 20th century time frame prodigies weeks, months, even years to grasp. Yet, in the
such as vocalist Balamurali Krishna and flautist face of true geniuses, it is also useless to be
T.R. Mahalingam have graced Carnatic music jealous, for theirs is a gift that few can match at
halls, and even more recent ones such as Ravi that age.
Kiran, ‘Mandolin’ U. Srinivas, ‘Baby’ Gayathri, Although it is a gift, it does not come without its
Sankaran Namboodari, and Shashank are difficulties. Having talent only gives the
developing into top class musicians. All potential to be great; hard work and discipline
89
1
CMANA
must also accompany to realize the potential. For instance, T.R. Mahalingam, known as Mali,
For instance, Ravi Kiran, the chitraveena player, one of the most renowned flautist of the previous
was put on a strict schedule from 5 in the generation, was discovered to be a prodigy by
morning t0 10 at night. His father, who was als0 chance. Mali’s family was not well-off, with
his main guru, insisted that was the only was that seven children in total. He also did not have the
he was able to achieve a repertoir of 60 varnas, advantage of being from a musical family; had
35 alankaras and nemerous kritis by the mere of his father, Ramaswamy Iyer, not consented to
age 5. allow music lessons for some of the children,
who knows if Mali’s great talent would have been
Just as prodigy status is a blessing, it has its
unearthed? Because learning the flute was
price. Indeed, it is a mxied blessing. The
tabooed by his father because of his frailty, in
environment is critical to the development of
secret, Mali intrigued by the bamboo flute,
such young musician. Some prodigies come
would find a flute and fiddle around with the
from musical families; thus, they are surrounded
fingering and the sound, eventually learning to
by music from the beginning. Others who do not
play Viriboni, the Bhairavi Ata tala varna, when
hail from musical families discover musical
his vocal teacher heard him.
talents by other means, often accidentally. There
is also the perpetual feat that in trying to give Even though Mali’s father was at first tentative
exposure to the youngster, it could step over the about letting his son play the flute, soon he began
line to become exploitation. Using music simply to promot and expose his son's talent by
for money could lead to lack of concentration on arranging performances and appearances. One
artistic development and to burn-out, running of the fears about child prodigy development
their talent into the ground, states Sarojini certainly is seen in the handling of Mali by his
Parameswaran of Sruti magazine. The nurturing father. Sruti editor Dr. N. Pattabhi Raman
of such a talent must be done with balance in contends that his father “exhibited his talent...
mind, and the environment of their childhood much in the fashion of a travelling circus owner
contributes a great deal to their development. putting human oddities on show". Mali quit
Each prodigy’s story and circumstance is school by the second grade and by age 7 gave his
different. debut in Madras. Soon, thr0ugh his father’s
promotion, Mali’s flute performances became
the main means of supporting his large family.
Although music lovers agree that Mali’s sheer
genius was never in doubt, early exposure that
some might even call exploitation perhaps
impacted the behavior and personality of the
artist.
On the other hand, Ravi Kiran’s background

differs greatly from Mali’s. His family was
steeped in music. His grandfather was
90
CMANA
Gottuvadyam Narayana Iyengar, the famed

gottuvadyam exponent, and it was his
grandfather’s instrument that intrigued him and
led him to make it one of his main instruments.
Ravi Kiran’s father Narasimhan, also a
musician, surrounded him with music
constantly and disciplined his training directly
from his toddler years. His father originally
decided not to dilute his musical training by
enrolling him in school, but rather taught him at
home. However, he changed his mind later on,
deciding that he did not want to deprive his son Mandolin Srinivas was not only a child prodigy,
of formal education, and enrolled him in school but also a pioneering artist who was able to adopt
at age 9 while still concentrating on musical a new instrument to the Carnatic music style. His
training. Another approach to nurturing young growth as a prodigy and artist is similar to Mali
talent was also taken by Ravi Kiran’s father. in that the discovery of his talent was somewhat
Instead of immediately exposing him to a full accidental. His family was not extremely
concert schedule, similar to Mali’s route, he musical, like Ravi Kiran‘s family. His father
carefully monitored which engagements he Uppalappu Sathyanarayan, was conducting a
accepted, making certain that Ravi Kiran could light music orchestra, which is how, ‘Mandolin’
develop artistically away from the pressure of discovered his destined instrument. He, like
full-fledged concert touring. Now, Ravi Kiran is Mali, played his father’s mandolin while his
amateur artist who is giving concert parents were out of the house. Soon his talent
performances all over the world, including was realized and flourished under the training of
touring the United States in the past with S. Rajeswara Rao, a vocalist who taught Srinivas
CMANA, in 1988, and other groups. Carnatic music through vocal music from age 8.
Srinivas’s talent allowed to grasp whatever was

sung and transfer it to the mandolin. By the age
of 12, he had made his Madras debut and was
well on his way to establishing his reputation as
pioneering wonder. There was concern that
Srinivas’s career was moving too fast for a boy
his age. He had stopped general education by age
9 and was bearing a full concert load, including
tours throughout India and abroad. Always the
question of the line between exposure and
exploitation is brought up in cases of child
prodigies, and critics carefully watched his
development as an artist. Now, Srinivas is a
91
CMANA
highly coveted musician whose development, talent that they are so admired. The interesting
many believe, is in keeping with his prodigious part of witnessing the growth of such prodigious
beginnings. He first toured the U.S. in 1983 at geniuses is to observe the full results of their
age 13 under CMANA, and since then has toured potential. For instance, Shashank, the current
the world over. flute prodigy, plays with the brilliance of a
maestro, yet the exciting part of following him in
future years is to see the new phrases, alapanas,
kalpana swaras and neravals that he will be
spinning.
Who has the authority to confer such a

prestigious, through informal, title? Certainly
not any “Junior Sangeetham” writer, who just
observes in awe. Without a doubt, such talent
will never cease to strike audiences’s
imaginations to push the bounds of Carnatic
music.
It is clear that just as such enormous talent in
"Sumathi Subbiah is a past junior member
such small bodies is so rare, so too is each
and supporter of CMANA. She was the first
individual’s development and style is unique.
Junior Member Coordinator and wrote this
Similarities of circumstance may exist among
article as a Junior Member and high-school
some of these wonder children. Yet, since they student. In the original article she acknowledges
are artists foremost, their music and greatfully the use of articles on prodigies which
‘manodharmam,’ or creativity, is their own. In have appeared in SRUTI, the premier Music
fact, it is for their innovation as well as their magazine from Madras, India."
92
1
CMANA
HOW DO YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC - WITH YOUR EARS ONLY?
May be not; it is possible that we listen or interpret

music through our other senses too - eyes or mind -
memory too. (The Science section of the New York
Times of May 16, 1995 had an interest article on this
aspect...Ed).
We were amazed to learn that the violin maestro Prof.

T.N. Krishnan’s father and Guru who is 99 years old
and has lost awareness of things around him,
however, never fails to correct anyone playing an
‘apaswaram’!
Mr. K.K. Ramamurthy of Morganville, NJ has written health care. I got up slowly and went downstairs. The
the following experience titled Old man and the old man had his back towards me and obviously was
Violin: “I went to pick up something at a friend’s not aware of my presence. I stood there listening. it
place; there, I heard sound of violins coming from the was a superb rendering of the raga. Each note was so
basement. Obviously, someone was teaching violin to clear bowing was so smooth, it reminded me of the
a student. Being a violin enthusiast myself, I was great MSG. Amazingly for a man of his age, he had
curious who it was and found out that it was my incredible speed. It was flawless rendering. I was
friend’s uncle who was 75 years old and did nothing deeply moved. My friend came down to fetch me for
else but play violin. At that moment he was staying ‘Iddlies’. I tried to hush him up. This friend said,
with them for a few months and had offered to teach “Don’t worry, my uncle can’t hear, he is stone deaf. “I
violin to their youngster Rahul. My friend kept was flabbergasted. This man who plays
talking but I barely listened. My ear was tuned to the Subhapantuvarali with such elan? Obviously he hears
sound of violin coming from downstairs. I could hear the musit in his head - he plays through his fingers and
the old man correctng the “Ga”s and the “Ma”s. “Ma” hears in his head. How neat! he also looks at the
had to be little higher for Pratimadhyama note. It was placement of the fingers when his student plays and
only a microtonal difference, but the old man was not corrects when he is wrong. Old man finished the raga
satisfied. He was obviously a perfectionist. After a and was sitting still. I walked up to him. He saw me
while, the lesson stopped and the old man started and got up. I could see his eyes were moist. There was
playing. It was “Subhapantuvarali raga:”. It sounded a kind of serenity and peacefulness in his face. I didn’t
beautiful and full of feeling in spite of the constant say a word. I just bent down and did my namaskarams
talk of my friend on everything from baseball to to a truly great artist”.
93
1
CMANA
SANGEETHAM Vol.15(1) 1998
In Memoriam - Mr. D.N. Visweswariah (1916-1997)

Arjun Mallik
Mr. D.N. Visweswariah, CMANA Patron Member Dummena Halli in Arasikere District of the former
and father of past President and Sangeetham Editor Mysore State. His parents Sri Nanjappa Bhagavathar
Dr. Uma Roy, passed away on November 7, 1997. A and Smt. Parvathi Devi were highly educated and
great connoisseur of Carnatic music, Mr. came from a very cultured family of the Western Ghat
Visweswariah has written many scholarly articles and Districts of the old Mysore State. Like his illustrious
music reviews in Sangeetham and has helped in its parents and forefathers, Sri Visweswariah worked
production for many years. He was dear to one and all hard and educated himself to hold many distinguished
who knew him. positions. Some of these are: (a) Administrative
Assistant to Dr. Gilbert Fowler, Head of the
Biochemistry Department in the Indian Institute of
Science, Bangalore and later in Madras; (b) Assistant
to Sir M. Viswesariah, Former Diwan of Mysore, in
the golden era of the Mysore State; (c) Political
Assistant to the American Consulate in Madras.
Subsequently, Mr. Visweswariah migrated to the
United States to be closer to his only daughter, our
distinguish former President, Dr. Uma Roy. During
this phase of his life, he and his devoted wife Smt
Chayamma Visweswariah both contributed very
generousluy to the progress of CMANA and to the
propagation of Carnatic music in North America. Sri
Visweswariah also had an in-depth knowledge of
Hindu Astrology; and like a true great soul, he knew
approximately when his soul will depart his mortal
We express our condolence to the bereaved: Mrs.
body.
Chayamma Visweswariah (CMANA Honorary
Patron), daughter Dr. Uma Roy, and granddaughter Sri Visweswariah breathed his last very peacefully
Mrs. Madhuri Kannan. after a brief illness around 6.30 p.m. on Friday,
November 7, 1997 in Pramus, New Jersey. he leaves
In honor of Mr. Visweswariah, CMANA trustees have
behind his noble wife and Dharmapathini Smt.
instituted a prize bearing his name, to be given each
Chayamma Visweswariah, his daughter Dr. Uma
year to a CMANA Junior Member for exemplary
Roy, his grand daughter Sow. Madhuri Kannan and a
service to the Association and to Carnatic Music.
host of friends and relatives to mourn his loss. May
Mr. Visweswariah was CMANA’s distinguished his sould rest in Peace!
Patron Member and a friend, philosopher and guide to
Om Shanthih, Shanthih, Shanthih !
most who knew him. He was born on May 10, 1916
with the moon in the star “Makha” in a village called CMANA past Board member, and long-time supporter
94
CMANA
SANGEETHAM TNT # 16
THE DIKSHITHAR DISTINCTIVENESS

by D.N. Visweswariah
Ever since I heard my sister practice Sri Varalakshmi Sambamurthy, Justic T.L. Venkatarama Iyer, Dr. S.
in Raga Sri some 65-68 years ago, the words “Raga Ramanathan and Mudikondam Venkatarama Iyer
pade, Rasa Pade, Sa Pade, Pade, Pade”, have haunted while in Madras.
me. The tune was beautiful, the words were very
Sri Muthuswamy Dikshithar (1775-1835) was, by
pleasing, meaning unkown, although in Kannada
comparison with his peers, a “globe-trotter” (for an
‘Pade pade’ meant ‘again and again’. Since then
18th century Indian), he having traveled in the
Dikshithar has had a special appeal to me making
company of Yogi some 1200 miles to Benares from
ponder often on the differences between his music
his native Tamil Nadu and staying there for five years.
and that of Saint Thyagaraja and Syama Sastrigal, the
Even after return from Benares, he traveled widely
other two great men in the Trinity of Carnatic Music.
inside Tamil Nadu and really established no
Such pondering was accompanied not by any erudite
permanent head quarters and no “school of music” to
musical scholarhsip, but by uninterrupted listening to
train disciples batch after batch like Thyagaraja did in
music, all through life, and to lecture-demonstrations
Tiruvaiyar. Dikshithar’s Kritis apparently remained
of great musicologists like T.V. Subba Rao, Prof.
scattered all over Tamil Nad and were not fully known
to even leding musicians for many many years after
his passing. Thanks to the searches and researches
and publicizing of his great compositions undertaken
fortunately by savants like his nephew, Subbarama
Dikshitar, and later by Justice T.L. Venkatarama Iyer,
some 400 compositions have by now seen the light of
day. So today, even a half-hour performance, by a
middle-level singer on the All India Radio can often
include a rare Kriti of Dikshithar whereas typical
five-hour concert by a Vidwan some sixty years ago,
comprised one or two of Dikshithar Kritis as against
some ten-twelve Thyagaraja Kritis. What a change!
Mastery of his Kritis by the musicians, not always
easy, has not been an over-night phenomenon either. I
vividly recall the introductory remarks made by
Justice Venkatarama Iyer in his characteristic
childlike manner during a lecture-demonstration, (at
a meeting of the Experts Committee of the Madras
Music Academy in 1950’s)”. When I began to take an
interest in the great Composer, I had known only two
95
CMANA
of Dikshithar’s Kritis! One of them was Sri Sthuthi’)...now repentance and so on. Dikshithar,
Gananatham in Eeshamanohari and the second one reputedly a self-realized detached Yogi, apparently
was...” drowned out in laughter! After his researches was immune to such moods since th he approached
he was in a position to teach hundreds to others! God through the path of Upanishadic knowledge and
had attained ‘Samatva’ (mental poise); after all, does
The most obvious difference between Dikshithar and
not the Gita define Yoga as Samatva... ‘Samatvam
his peers was his use of Sanskrit in his compositions
Yogamuchyate’? Dikshithar could therefore carefully
instead of Telugu (though he was learned in it too).
and elaborately construct his compositions very much
Dikshithar, by all accounts, was a deep scholar in
like a modern architect plans and constructs a
Sanskrit literature; his praise of some deities includes
complex building. His unrivalled knowledge of the
references to ‘Kavya’ (epics), ‘Nataka’ (drama),
Puranas was supplemented by that of ‘Sthala Purana’
‘Alankara; (aesthetics) and ‘Vyakarana’ (grammer).
(local traditions built around the deity of a given
He was also deeply rooted in the philosophy of the
temple), acquired by him through travel from one
Upanishads (philosophic terms abound in his
temple center to the next, the hard way (not the
compositions). His deep scholarliness in Sanskrit
slightest mention is made of his travails, to the best of
perhaps made him think in Sanskrit, the language
my knowledge, in any of his Kritis even indirectly).
which has integrated philosophic scholarship
throughout India for centuries. Sanskrit must have To me his Kritis are a mixture of three elements: 1.
come to him as naturally as did Telugu to Thyagaraja. Sthala Purana 2. the Puranas and 3. absolute
philosophy. Each Krit has a larger or a smaller
The musical structure was also different; while
proportion of these three elements. Some contain
Thyagaraja and Sastrigal used as few words as
practically nothing but the third. These elements, mix
possible and made room for a large number of
gracefully to make his compositions so beautiful; at
sangathis, Dikshithar was more prolific in the use of
any rate, the Hindu mind, long trained to accept both
words; his scholarly mind needed more and not less
the personal and impersonal nature of God should
words! Musicologists say that his Kritis give less
find no diffculty in understanding Dikshithar’s Kritis.
scope for sangatis than Thyagaraja’s Kritis. Also the
His own Bhakthi was, parodoxically, a product of his
slow tempo of the Dikshithar Kriti was largely
Gnana (knowlege).
because he was a veena player himself and fashioned
both the tempo and the gamaka on the veena pattern. Probably no other composer has praised so may
Let the more knowledgeable speak on such erudite deities; diskhithar was clearly a spiritual democrat in
matters. the sense that no one deity was greater than another in
the context of salvation. The following is a small
The really crucial differences, to my mind, is
listing (by no means exhaustive) of the variety of
Dikshithar’s approach to God which conditions his
deities he addressed in various ragas.
music. Thyagaraja and Sastrigal were Bhakthas first
and foremost and their music depended on their Kumaraswami (Asaveri), Brihannayake (Andali),
moods at any given time... now happiness at the Anandeswara (Ananda Bhairavi), Sri lakshmi
immediate prospect of divine grace.. now anguish Varaham (Abhogi), Ratnachala Nayaka (Mukhari),
because the Lord is tarrying.. now anger... and now Shiva Kameswari (Arabhi), Akhilandeswari
accusation of God (the famous ‘Ninda (Dwijavanthi), Subrahmanya (Suddha Dhanysi),
96
CMANA
Santhana Gopala Krishna (kamach), Abhayambhika excited with happiness when he recounted the artistic
(Sri), Kamakshi (Kalyani), Kailasa Natha word-play in the Pallavi and Charana of Dikshithar’s
(Kambhoji), Sri Mathrubhootham (Kanada), “Thyagaraja Yoga-Vaibhavam” in Ananda Bhairavai.
Varadaraja (Saranga), Venkatachalapathe (Kapi), The Professor said in Tamil, “Inge Dikshitarval
Chandrasekhara (Marga Hindola), Ardha Nareeswara vilayadirkar, vilayadirkar, vilayadirkar” (here
(Kumuda Kriya), Chidambara (Kedara), Dikshithar has played and played). First the pallavi
Swaminatha, Soundararaja (Brindavana Saranga) ... and next the charana lines of that song are given
On Ganapathi alone there are numerous Kritis in below :
various ragas. Then there are the famous
Pallavi
“Kamalamba” and “Navagraha” Kirthanas.
Thyagaraja Yoga VAibhavam
In his Kritis Dikshithar would sing, “day and night I
Agaraja Yoga Vaibhavam
praise Lord/Devi ..” and if you heard a number of his
Raja Yoga Vaibhavam
songs in succession, you might well wonder how
being devoted to one deity, he would be ready to be Yoga Vaibhavam
attached to another deity again day and night! All it Vaibhavam
implies simply is that if you are a follower of a given bhavam
deity, be whole-hearted and concentrated in your Vam
devotion. This may explain Dikshithar’s own
Charana
concentration on any one deity on whom he was
composing at any given time. His “Mamava Pattabhi Sam
Rama” in Manirangu would have delighted Prakasam
Thyagaraja’s heart, and likewise the “Meenakshi Me Swaroopa Prakasam
Mudam” would have enraptured Sastrigal if they ever Tattva Swarpoora Prakasam
heard these songs. Devotees of Sri Venkatesha are
Sakala Tattva Swaroopa Prakasam
thrilled when the Kriti “Sri Venkata Girisha” in Suruti
Siva Saktyadi Tattva Swaroopa Prakasam
is sung... So on and on. In his Navagraha Kirtanas he
uses much the same pharaseology as he does for Either through astrology or divine revelation,
deities: “”Bhudhamashrayami Satatam” or Dikshithar knew before hand the moment of his
Mahasuram Kethumaham Bhajami”. Each of the death. His manner of passing away reminds us of two
Navagrahas can confer boons and is worthy of famous verses in the Hindu religious thought
worship, in Dikshithar’s view. On how many different
manifestations of the major Gods of the Hindu
Pantheon has he sung with rapture and with glorious
attributes. His ability to conceive ever new attributes
seems inexhaustible! Seldom does he repeat. You can
indeed compile an encyclopaedia of the Hindu deities
form his Kritis.
Beginning with the raga, everything was carefully
though out. I remember Prof. Sambamurthy once got
97
CMANA
1. “Bhaja-Govindham” the philosopher Sankara’s Kriti in the Sahana raga. As the final moment neared,
admonition to an old man cramming up rules of he got his disciplies to sing his famous “Meenakshi
Grammar to quit that futile exercise and sing instead Me Mudam” Kriti. They sang once but were asked to
the Lord’s praise, 2. “Krishna, Twadeeya Pada sing it again. When during the repetition the words
Panjaka” of Kula Shekara Alwar, which warns the
“Meena Lochani, Pasha Mochani (liberator of
human mind against postponing remembrance of God
bondage) appeared, Dikshithar expired with God’s
until the last moment lest the pangs of death prevent
name on his lips. What a life and what a death! “Na
such remembrance. Dikshithar was never for one
moment forgetful of God. Nor was he sick at the time Bhootho na Bhavishyathi”. The great Yogi that he
of death. For all we know he may have enjoyed the was, he could have easily chosen the traditional Yogic
“Vichitra Soukhya” (strange well-being) in the body, way - sitting still in a “samadhi” posture until the end
of which he speaks so eloquently in his Kamalamba came; but, he honored music.
98
CMANA
SANGEETHAM TNT # 26
LAYAM AND TALAM... NOT QUITE THE SAME

P. Ramabhadran
Certain misconceptions prevail on ‘Layam & notations and these by the ingenuity of the
Thalam’. “Sruthi Matha, Tala Pitha” wrote mridangam or ganjira artists, is converted into
someone in an earlier issue of Sangeetham. ‘Jathis’ or ‘Sollukattus’ to be easily adopted and
Though not wrong, it would be more appropriate played on their instruments. The artiste should
to say ‘Layam Pitha’. Distinct differences exist have a sound knowledge of music and quick
between these two, though they are closely related. anticipation. A mridangist, however dexterous he
One should not be confused with the other. Most is with his fingers is said to be ‘Flat’, if he/she fails
Mridangists play Thalam, but only a few play to follow the music closely. Most of our senior
Layam. mridangists are basically good musicians.
Thalam is a set of pattern of rhythm which Music, Sangeeta kalanidhi late Sri Palghat Mani Iyer was
be it Carnatic, Hindusthani or Western follows. considered to be a great Laya Vidwan.
Music is set to a time measure and the drummers Also, it is not right to say that we have hundreds of
or the percussionists vary their beats confining to Thalams. But for the natyacharyas of Tanjore who
this time period. The modern electronic utilized varieties of Thalams in their concerts,
gadgetries like the electric Organ the Synthesizer, many of the Thalams would have vanished long
the Piano, etc. are all made to produce multitudes ago; they were the ones who not only nurtured
of time-bound rhythmic beats, in a predetermined them but also adopted them in thier recitals. None
pattern. Music or song has to be set to these beats. of the Thalams in the ‘Kamalachakram’ which
Since they are purely mechanical, they tend to depicts the 108 Thalams in a lotus motif, are in use
become monotonous after a period of time due to today. Although theoretical permutations are
their limited variation. In other words, the beats feasible, it is not possible to put them into practice.
become ‘soulless’. Some Vidwans like Tiruchi Swaminatha Iyer, Late
Layam is an exclusive propriety of Carnatic Music, Mudikondan Venkatarma Iyer, Late Tiger
not present or experienced in any other form of Varadachariar, Late Ranga Ramanuja Ayyangar,
music. Carnatic Music is based on ‘Jeeva Swaras’. Natyacharya Thiruvidamarudur Late Kuppiah
Each Sangathi is made up of different swara Pillai (the innovator of Kamalachakram) have all
demonstrated a few of these Thalas. These have onl
academic interest and might never see the lime
light.
Apart from these 108 Thalams, Purandaradasa’s
Suladi Thalas like Dhruva, mathya, Roopaka,
Jampa, Triputa, Ata, Eka and their Jathis Tisra,
Chadusra, Khanda, Misra and Sankeerna, making
it in all 35 Thalams are in use today, though even a
few among them are not common.
99
CMANA
SANGEETHAM TNT # 26
THE STORY OF THE POT

Prof. N. Govindarajan
The Pot - Known as ‘Noot’ in Kashmir, ‘Mudki’ in rhythmic accompaniment. In the past it was
Rajasthan and ‘Ghatam’ in Carnatic Music - is no employed as accompaniment for veena.
ordinary clay pot! Methods of Playing : In North India this instrument is
Origin : The Ghatam, like Mridanga and Veena is an played on a small round block with the mouth facing
ancient Carnatic Music instrument. In a sloka in the upwards and is played on its round surface by the right
Yuddha kanda of Ramayan, Valmiki refers to the hand and on its mouth by the left hand. Also the
sound that emanates from the pot! There is an performer wears bras rings in his fingers. In South
authoritative reference to it in ‘Krishna Ganam;’, a India, the performer places the instrument on his lap
potential description of Lord Krishna’s flute recital. with the moutn hugging his belly. The performer
The above two instances prove that Ghatam is an plays by using his fingers, wrists and even nails.
instrument of ancient times in the cultural history of During accompaniment he keeps the instrument very
India. close to his belly and then forces the ghatam outward
Ghatam and the oridinary mud pot used for domestic which creates a peculiar bass sound. Occasionally the
purposes are comparable only in that they are both performer keeps the instrument with the mouth facing
made of clay and round in shape with the Ghatam the audience and plays on its neck. Sometimes to the
having a narrower mouth. The similarity ends there. delight of the audience, during the percussion
Ghatam is made up mainly of baked clay with brass or exchange he would throw up the instrument and catch
copper fillings. The clay used is not of the ordinary it to suit the rythmic beats.
kind. It is a secret combination of some powders Fingering Techniques : Basically only three different
which is known only to the traditional makers of this sounds can be produced in Ghatam and these are
instrument. The main bonding agent is egg which is produced by using both hands and fingers. Seven
used in enormous amount. This combination is words are given to indicate these three sounds to
shaped into a pot and then baked. Ghatam-s are baked enable easy fingering. The seven words are : Tha,
in a number of places in South India, but the one The, Thom, Ta, Ku, Num and Ti. The combinations
produced in ManaMadurai, a place near Madurai in are chosen such that they are pleasing to the ear.
Tamil Nadu is stronger than the ones made at other Special Features : Unlike other instruments this is the
places and is the one used mostly by artists. The only instrument that is homogenous in structure, only
ghatam may be described simply as a pot with a one that can be moved into various positions while
narrow mouth and size determines the pitch of the playing. Like flute, this is the only other instrument
instrument, bigger the size of the lower the pitch. whose tune cannot be changed.
Evolution : Known as ‘Noot’ in Kashmir and Wizards : Nalini Subba Iyer was the first artiste to
‘Mudiki’ in Rajasthan, Ghatam was used more or less bring up this instrument in South Indian Music. The
as a folk musical instrument. In South India, it was subsequent artistes are Palani Krishna Iyer, Sundaram
used as an instrument of fun, but now it has become a Iyer, Vilvadri Iyer, Alangudi Ramchandran and
highly sophisticated instrument and has been raised Kothanda Rama Iyer.
to a concert status, as a regular and important Ghatam vidwan and college professor
100
CMANA
SANGEETHAM Vol 13, No. 3 & 4
COMPOSITIONS OF TYAGARAJA
Compiled and Edited by T.K. Govinda Rao Book review by D.N. Visweswariah
Mr. T .K. Govinda Rao has placed all lovers of translation of each song in English. The organization
Carnatic music - be they laymen like me or great of the book is also unique in that he has classified the
practicing Vidwans - in his debt by bringing out a very songs based on the ragas and the melakartas they
important publication on Tyagaraja. The book’s belong. Thus, for example, one can find very easily all
importance derives from many factors; I will here Todi raga songs in one area of the book or
mention what to my mind is the greatest, viz. Mr. Devagandhari songs in another. The book begins very
Govinda Rao’s discipleship of Sri Musiri appropriately with a song on Lord Ganesha in
Subramanya Iyer for no less than 15 years! Survival Kanakangi, Mela # 1! All the songs are indexed
under Musiri’s very sensitive temperament (I used to alphabetically in Devanagari and Roman script. The
know this great musician In his later days) - apart book is complete with a glossary of commonly
from anything else was not an easy proposition. Why referred terms in Telugu and even an Errata - a very
was the association with Musiri so important ? thorough work indeed !
Because, in my opinion of all the musicians I have I cannot sufficiently praise also Govinda Rao’s
heard over nearly half a century or more - he seemed disciples, the Bombay Sisters for having gifted a sum
to have had the greatest ability to fathom the probable of one hundred thousand rupees towards the cost of
state of mind of Tyagaraja when he composed a this publication. The gift is from a trust fund
particular kriti and Musiri reflected that mood in his (Muktambaram Trust) that the sisters have
singing of that kriti. I have attended many concerts established in the name of their parents Sri N.
when Govinda Rao sang with his Guru and in Chidambaram lyer and Smt. Muktambal. The Sisters
Musiri’s later days, the disciple seemed to bring out have really and honestly obeyed injunction of our
the mood just as well as his Guru (sometimes even Shastras, viz. ‘Honor your mother and father and then
better) master and when Vidwans of his age were your Guru’. The honor done to the Guru resulted in
content to mug up elaborate “mohras” - the this masterly volume. My best wishes therefore both
prerogative really of mridangist, Govinda Rao was a to the Guru and the disciples. The Guru Bhakti indeed
mature musician pondering like his guru the mood of is not formal. I also notice that the other sister, Mrs.
Thyagaraja. Savithri Ramanad is a trustee in this family trust and
This is his most outstanding asset which he has put to also a dispclipe of Govinda Rao and deserves the
good use in the present publication. But just how? same priase as her sisters.
Instead of following the time-honored literal The book at the outset gives a picture Govinda Rao.
translation of a kriti - Govinda Rao gives what was The latter’s very handsome young face I can recall
probably the most salient features of a given kriti, a very vividly because he used to attend the frequent
sort of mirror to Thyagaraja’s probable feeling when musical gatherings at Smt. Muthu Meenakshi’s house
he composed the kriti. Such an understanding of the in Gopalapuram in Madras where we lived too. It is
mood will make all the difference to the singing amazing to find that this lad has developed into this
Vidwan and through him to the lay listeners. mature and learned musicologist.
The book is very important besides because it Govinda Rao’s rendering into English Thyagarja’s
amounts to a Thyagaraja Encyclopedia which every kritis reminds me of what Prof. Sambamurthy used to
Vidwan should possess. The book is almost 900 pages say, viz, that Thyagaraja talked with God. Just what
long, bound well in a rich color depicting the wealth it he talked with God is very clearly brought out in the
contains. There are 688 songs of Thyagarja presented book under review.
in both Devanagari script and Roman script and a
CMANA Patron member, author, and long-time supporter
101
CMANA
SANGEETHAM Vol 7, No.4
KOTISWARA IYER
Padma Srinivasan
Rasikapriya. Each kriti as was characterised by the
inclusion of the name of the deity, Skanda, the the
name of the raga and the mudra*. One felt, after
studying the volumes, that the main purpose of the
author was to show the musical world the possibilities
of composing kritis in such melakarta ragas which
were not in vogue till that time. Such an attempt had
not been made before, especially in the Tamil
language.
* “Kavikunjaradasa”
Kotiswara Iyer’s musical gifts were not acquired, but
were the product of a rich heritage. He was the
grandson of the great Kavi Kunjara Bharathi who had
sung the whole of Skandapuranam. His father
Naganatha Iyer of Nandanur village in Elayangudi in
My earliest recollection of a Kotiswara Iyer Ramanathapuram district was himself a composer
composition goes back to the fifties when I heard the both in Sanskrit and Tamil. Kotiswara Iyer was born
AIR orchestra playing one in the ragam in 1870 and died at the age of seventy. In the course of
Shadvidamargini. My curiosity about the composer a very productive life, he had achieved a musical
was again aroused a foresight later when the song was output of over 2000 pieces and secured for himself an
repeated with an announcement detailing the ragam enduring place in the galaxy of distinguished
and the title “Antarangabhakthi”. About this time the composers. His school years. were spent at
musician Kalakkad Ramanarayana Iyer the title the Manamadurai and he graduated from college at
title released a record with two songs of Kotiswara Tiruchi and Madras. For a while, he worked in the
Iyer. One was Ganamudapanam in Jyothiswarupini Crime Investigation Division (C.I.D) before
and the other Nadanusanthana in Vagadeswari. All becoming a translator at the Madras High Court. His
these compositions were in melakartha ragas in praise musical education was under the tutelage of Poochi
of Lord Subramanya in Tamil and bore the mudra Srinivasa Iyengar and later Patnam Subramanya Iyer.
Kavi Kunjara Dasa. I came across a book, in two parts His talent for composiition was evident at a very early
titled Kandaganamudam, in my father’s collection of age. The Venba and “Sundareswara Pathikam” in
this composer. Part I (1932) contained 36 kirtanas of praise of Sri Somasundara of Madurai and
the purvamelas forming me Suddamadyama group “Kayarkanni Malai” in tribute to the goddess
from Kanakingi to Chalanata and Part II (1936) Meenakshi are examples of his initial efforts.
consisted of another 36 songs of the uttaramelas Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer had earlier given a priceless
forming the Pratimadyama group from Salagam to gem, the 72 Melakartha Ragamalika, which had
102
CMANA
the currcnt thalas and had different eduppus such as
the sama, athitha and anayata. In several places, the
swaras and the sahityas coincided with each other
forming Swarakshara Sandhis. Professor
Sambamurthy writes that “... Iyer has earned for
himself the perennial thanks of the musicians and
music lovers by placing his compositions in a
permanent form before the public. His name will go
down in posterity as the first composer to compose
kritis in all melakartas in Tamil. It easy for a composer
to attempt pieces in familiar ragas. But unfamiliar
ragas is a difficult task. He has to fall upon his own
musical resources. He has to think out the new raga,
form a picture of it in the mind, determine its jiwa and
nyasa swaras, find out its sanchara kramas and raga
brought out the melodic beauty of even the ranjaka prayogas and finally crystallize his thoughts
unfamiliar mela. These have, in fact, been in the composition. The musical world must therefore
popularised by Srimathi M.S. Subbulakshmi in a realise the amount of time and thought that the
recording with a pallavi in Sri ragam. After Kotiswara illustrious composer must have bestowed in the
Iyer, Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna alone appears to have composition of these kritis”.
composed in all the melakartha ragas. Besides Some of Iyer’s songs in the melakartha ragas such as
melakarthas, Iyer has composed in rakthi ragas Edayya Gati in Chalanata, Mohanakara in Nitimati
appealing to the aesthetic sense in the listeners. Of and Kandabhaktha in Dharmavathi have been made
these, special mention must be made of Sri popular by musicians like M.L. Vasanthakumari, T.V.
Venugopala in Durbar, Ayyane Aatkol Meyyane in Sankaranarayanan and T.R. Subramanian. Several
Kamboji and Ini Namakoru in Bilahari. He has years back, S. Rajam, who is now on the staff of
composed three varnams in Saveri, Dhanyasi and ‘Sruthi’, had sung all the 72 melakartha kritis of the
Kedaragowla in Adi Tala. There are the kirtanas on composer on All India Radio.
Vinayaka, Saraswathi, Meenakshi, Lakshmi and
I would like to conclude with the words of Justice T.L.
Thyagarajaswami, besides the 36 Suddamadyama
Venkatarama Iyer, “Kotiswara Iyer’s contribution
mela kritis, in the first part of Kandaganamudam.
will be regarded as invaluable. The author has
Other pieces on Kapaleeswara, Nataraja, Siva, Rama,
musical heritage ... The language of the kirthanas is
Krishna, a beautiful composition in Devamanohari on
sweet and mellifluous and the intense bhakthi of the
Dikshitar and a mangalam are published along with
author to Lord Subramanya and his consorts is
the 36 Pratimadyama mela kritis in the second part.
apparent to everyone in his compositions” .
Among his unpublished works are a delightful
Poornachandrika piece, Sangita, and an Asaveri song References :
1. Carnatic Music Composers: ‘Kotiswara lyer’ by
in praise of the Mylapore deity Karpagavalli.
N.M. Narayanan
Vidwan Dwaram Venkataswami Naidu once pointed 2. “The Hindu”
out that Kotiswara Iyer’s songs were composed in all 3. “Kanda Ganamudam” - Parts 1 & 2, 1932
103
CMANA
SANGEETHAM Vol 11, No.1 TNT # 389
NANDANAR CHARITRAM OF GOPALA KRISHNA BHARATI

Father of Tamil Music Renaissance
AN APPRECIATION by N. RAJAGOPALAN, I.A.S. (Retd.) (Excerpts from his Book ‘A GARLAND’)
Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam and Nauka Charitram of with all honors and paraphernalia by none else than
Tyagaraja in Telugu, Krishna Lila Tharangini in the priests and temple authorities. That is the glory of
Sanskrit of Swami Narayana Tirtha and Rama Saint Nandanar.
Natakam of Arunachalakavirayar in Tamil have
Devotion is shown to transcend caste barriers, social
certainly enriched Carnatic Music and literature.
inhibitions and religious constraints. The needed
G o p a l a K r i s h n a B h a r a t i ’s N A N D A N A R
qualification is not education, nor status nor
CHARITRAM is just not another in that tradition. It
occupation but the purity of devotion and the totality
broke new ground. It is unique in its exalted concept,
of surrender to Him. And it was given to Bharati to
subtlety in presentation and projections, incisiveness
portray the life of this devotee in the Tamil opera
in its presentation and the revolutionary impact of its
bringing out the ingredients of true spiritualism, the
social and spiritual message.
poignancy of the story he had himself woven, the
Barring a laconic account in Periapuranam on enthralling pleas of Nandanar, the subtle techniques
Nandanar, there was no story, drama, or legend resorted to by the landlord and the maladies of the
earlier. It was the genius of Bharati that brought forth rural unorganized labor then. Bharati chose the
the magnificent opera, reflecting his deep study of the fictitious landlord in a Brahmin to highlight the
rural socio-economic scenery and its deep malaise, effects of his opera. Its natural style, rich imagery,
blended with spiritual fragrance, his enormous profound insight and popular acclamation have made
creative talents and musical acumen. As S.V. it the noblest Tamil work of modern times. The theme
Parthasarathy says, ‘Nandanar Charitram has an was profoundly sensitive; the characterization fresh
abiding place in the hearts of music-loving public and and attractive.
which alone in its lofty reaches of devotion and
A word about the character of ‘Landlord’. The farm-
directness of appeal, in its purity and originality of the
servant very persuasively represents that he had
kirtan pattern, would have gained its author
grown up with the kind of favors of the master and
immortality. Nandanar is a Harijan farm-servant in
prays to be sent to Chidambaram with his blessings.
the employ of a Brahmin landlord. He has an
(He would not sneak out). Finding his importunity too
insatiable desire to have a darshan of Lord Nataraja,
difficult to ignore, the landlord invokes his right to get
the Cosmic dancer of Chidambaram. His caste,
his land planted and tells him to complete the planting
vocation , planting season for paddy and other factors
of his two hundred and seventy acres of land to go.
militate against the fulfillment of his ardent desire.
The tender heart of the devout melts in anguish. The
The purity of his devotion is unequalled and the
reaction is not in the landlord but is in the Lord
intensity of his longing to see the Lord unmatched and
Himself. His heart bleeds in sympathy with the lot of
profound.
his devotee. The next moment the entire farm smiles
The Lord comes to his rescue and ensures that His with the richest crop which any Green Revolution
humble and innocent devotee from Meladunur is would envy at. The landlord surrenders - not with his
allowed to go to Chidambaram and is received there permission or blessings. He begs: “Not realizing your
104
CMANA
eminence as a true devotee of Siva, I had said several dialogue and songs is brisk, waggish, dynamic,
things. Kindly forget my sins.” Does he stop ? No, poignant, appealing and captivating as occasion
Bharati does not allow him to. The scriptures say that demands pouring forth creative originality, clarity
the surrender to be effective should be complete and and incisiveness. The artiste in him understood ‘ life
total. The landlord is aware of it. So he says: “ Please in its height and depths put his aesthetic reactions and
take me as a disciple and initiate me so that I could impulses and the whole of himself into his creations’,
realize Celestial Bliss.” to adopt the words of Neville Cardus. The number of
songs in his operas is four hundred and twenty.
Kandappa Chettiar (a rich merchant ... Ed) of
Nagapattinam had encouraged him to write the opera If Tyagaraja’s adoration was Rama, Bharati’s idol was
and got it released in his place. His opera was an Nataraja, the celestial origin of Bharatanatyam.
instant success. It was a blitz. The book printed Nataraja was the warp and woof of Nandanar’s
strangely by a Frenchman went into reprint the next precarious but noble existence. R. Thirumalai
year itself. Dramas and musical discourses were seen beautifully sums up thus: Bharati’s style adopted
everywhere. His songs were the delight of the young simple, spoken Tamil and where appropriate, the
and old, the connoisseur and the lay, the theist and the slang and idiom of the character whose sentiments the
atheist. It sowed the seeds of an unprecedented social songs expressed . His command of Tamil was as facile
revolution and in this Gopala Krishna Bharati is a trail as his musical form. His time-setting was moving.
blazer to Mahatma Gandhi and Subramania Bharati. Here the form and content matched, merged and
He democratized the opera even as the other Bharati consummated.
did a century later. He carried the message of
Bharati’s versatility was multi-sided. Inspired after
untouchability, even as the Mahatma did a century
his meeting Tyagaraja at Tiruvaiyaru by his
later, to the nook and comers of the silent, innocent
pancharathana kirtanas, the gentle colossus
and rural areas. ‘Nandanar’ became a household word
composed his own. The emotional and spiritual
overnight.
wealth of his songs ‘Tiruvadi Charanam’ (Kambhoji),
The story carried the audience to such dizzy heights ‘Natanamadinar (Vasanta), ‘Pirava Varam Tharum
that it became the tour de force of every dramatist and and other pieces have delighted millions through
musical discourse (Harikatha Kalakshepam) artiste. d e c a d e s . ‘ E p p a Va r u v a r o ” ( K h a m a s ) ,
Nay, there have been two good feature films too with ‘Nadanamadinar’ (Vasanta) etc. have been favorites
stalwarts like Maharajapuram Viswanatha Ayyar and with dancers. The felicity of composition like
M.M. Dandapani Desikar taking the lead roles. The Tyagaraja’s can be seen in his songs.
opera has in-built versatility, vitality, vibrancy to
Bharati was the son of Sivarama Bharati, grandson of
cater to any audience, place or occasion. Bharati was
Ramaswami Bharati and great grandson of Kothanda
born poor but ‘was a great and abundantly enriched
Bharati - all scholars in Sanskrit and veena players.
man-enriched by nature, learning, living and thinking
Young Gopalakrishna, in different spells, learnt
- all taken in his stride.’
KAVYA, NATAKA, and ALANKARA under
Anyone desiring to see Gopala Krishna Bharati in Dikshappayyanathan Ayyar of Mudicondan, Tamil
creation needs to just attend a Bharatanatya recital by under Chokka Pillai of the same village, Philosophy
a competent artiste portraying Nandanar with his and Religion under Govinda Sivan of Mayuram and
song ‘Varuhalamo’? (may I come). His grip on diction Hindusthani Music under Tiruvidaimarudur Ramdas.
105
CMANA
He learnt some songs from Ghanam Krishna Ayyar. the inside front cover) on the next day fresh with the
Probably he had learnt music from different sources. fragrance of its over-night composition and the
Born poor and having lost his parents while young, elegance in the use of the raga.
Bharati worked as a cook in a temple at Kothanur near
Gopala Krishna Bharati loved goodness and good
Mudicondan. His (physical) deformities robbed him
people. Bharati was a saint without being a sanyasi.
much of what was due to him while alive. He suffered
He had few wants. His spartan living made him
ridicule and indignity. A local poet spread canards but
independent of others. He accumulated a sum of
the great man bore them all as “Patience sitting in
Rupees three thousand and left it for charities at the
monument smiling in grief”. His poor personality
temples at Mayavaram and Chidambaram.
compromised his position and status. Thus when he
met Tyagaraja, the latter aware of his merits but could Born poor but rich in musical and poetical
not take him for Bharati and so asked him whether he attainments, ungainly in personality but well
knew Bharati. The saint was thrilled to know that the accomplished intellectually, Bharati rose from dust
inelegant frame before him was none but the great against overwhelming odds by sheer devotion,
man he had heard of. The disciples were then singing dedication and self-control and has left a rich legacy
“Sri Rama Sita Alankara Swaroopa” in Abhogi raga. that is unparalleled. Truly, he is the ‘Father of Tamil
A casual query of the saint whether he (Bharati) Music Renaissance and Modern Tamil Opera.’. Quite
composed any in that raga brought forth the song appropriately, he passed away on the day of Lord Siva
“SABHAPATHIKKU VERU DEIVAM” (story on - Sivarathri.
106
CMANA
SANGEETHAM
Padma Srinivasan - An exemplary Guru

The Carnatic music scene in North America suffered a Her father imported his love for classical music and
significant loss in the passing away of Padma his knowledge of it to Padma at a young age. She
Srinivasan - popularly known as Padma Teacher - on joined Queen Mary’s College at Chennai and
31 December 2013, at Chennai, CMANA (Carnatic thereafter the music course at Madras University,
Music Association of North America) put out the sad where Prof. P. Sambamoorthy was head of the
announcement mourning her death, within minutes of department. Joining CCKM in 1954 - where we both
receiving the tidings from Chennai where she passed classmates and hosted makes - she quickly
away after moving back from the US. established herself as a serious and talented under
Boodalur Krishnamurthy Sastri, taking up
Padma (born April 1935) obtained a Sangeeta Vidwan
Guttuvadyam as her subsidiary subject.
degree from the Central College of Karnata Music
(CCKM, as it was then known) in 1956, during the Despite serious health complications caused by
time when Sangita Kalanidhi Musiri Subramania Iyer rheumatoid arthritis that left her handicapped just as
was the principal, and the teaching staff included she was poised to begin a career in music, she moved
stalwarts like T.Brinda and T.N. Swaminatha Pillai. to the US where her brother-in-law Dr. Madhavan
She was prize winner at the all India Akashvani talent was medical practitioner. She quickly established
promotion competition in 1954 (the year AIR started herself as a competent and much sought-after teacher
these annual nationwide competitions)( and received in the Edison area. The annual, day-long
the coveted award from President Rajendra Prasad in GeethaShrunkala music programme that she and her
Delhi. She was broadcasting from AIR - Chennai students put up, celebrated its 25th anniversary last
before she moved to the US in 1983. There she taught year. She took her students to perform at various
scores of students for over 30 years in the New Jersey venues along the east coast, including New York
area. Here was a life dedicated to music in the true (Flushing), Bridgewater (New Jersey) and
sense of the word. Pennsylvania, winning encomiums everywhere. One
review of her concert at a music festival co-sponsored
by CMANA in 1993 says it was an “excellent concert
by an exemplary teacher” and referred to he music as
“blissful”. Her style was indeed, reposeful
(aarpaattam illatha paattu) emphasizing azhuttham (a
la D.K. Pattammal) with strict adherence to tradition.
While she was catering to an NRI audience, she did
not hesitate to include rare compositions and raga-s in
107
CMANA
her recitals a varnam in Ramapriya by Her indomitable spirit was such that whenever we
Balamuralikrishna, a rare kriti in Sahana by chatted long distance, (I, in Mumbai or Bangalore,
papanasam Sivan, and a tillana in Revati by Lalgudi, and she in New Jersey) I would moan about my
for instance, in her 1993 concert). setbacks, whereas she would invariably find
something to chuckle over and lift my spirits. During
Padma was constantly upgrading her repertoire,
my visit to her on 30 November (a month before she
seeking new compositions from friends in India, or
passed away) though she was bedridden, she spoke
ordering books, which she then used to put up theme-
about forthcoming December season concerts and we
based concerts on Krishna, at Glen Rock in 1992,
reminisced about our student days of 50 years ago at
Kottesara Iyer’s rate melakarta Kriti’s for CMANA in
the music college.
1994, Arunagirinathar’s songs at Flushing, NY, in
1996, and on Sringeri Saradamba at Stroudsberg in Hearing that she missed good conffee at the
2000. She was a regular and devoted subscriber to retirement home she was in, I decided I would take
Sruti magazine, keeping up with news from the some for her when I went over again, from Bangalore
Carnatic music world in India till the end. Despite her in January. By then, sadly, she was gone She was like
physical handicap and mobility problems, she an elder sister to me, although the oceans lay between
regularly attended all concerts, whether by senior us. Especially during my college days in Chennai,
visiting artists or up-and-coming youngsters, and when I was teenager homesick and lonely in the
extended wholehearted encouragement to young hostel, it was Padma who cheered me up, as always,
talent. Her NRI students competed for the honour of with a packet of badam halwa and a funny story about
driving her round to these musical events, and such some musician or the other. Her cousin, flutist N.S.
was her popularity that there used to be a waiting list Srinivasan, a disciple of flute Mali, was part of a
to join her as a student, till a vacancy occurred. She group of up-and-coming male artists - Tanjavur
was, as one write-up puts it, “a rare combination of a Upendra, S. Kalyaraman and others, all bachelors
refined musician, excellent and committed teacher during the early 1950s - who brought us naughty
and remarkably humble and sensitive human being”. tidbits about goings-on in the music world. Being
with Padma was fun.
In 1998, CMANA honoured her on Teachers’ Day and
took her on board as a “Honorary Patron”. The Indian The North American music scene will miss you,
Academy of Performing Arts (IAPA) of New Jersey Padma, as I do too. RIP.
honoured her in 2003 for her contributions to music.
She also received honours from several other
organisations. her last performance was in December
2011 for CMANA at the Bridgewater temple, before
The Author Savitha Narasimhan is
failing health necessitated her admission to hospital
A feminist scholar with doctorates in
for intensive care, in the US. She moved back to
sociology classical music.
Chennai in August 2013 to be closer to her brother This article was originally published
C.S. Krishnaswami and his wife Padma. in the SRUTI Magazine
108
CMANA
SANGEETHAM Vol 7, No.4
C = Sa?
By Ramolasri*
Well, is it? Let’ see. The notes of Indian music are Sa, playing only one note at a time on her violin, but the
Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni and back to Sa. Western harmony arises from the notes played on the
music has C, D, E, F, G, A, B and back to C. Looks like accompanying violins, piano, cello etc.
there is a one to one relationship here. Most books on
The reason we need to consider this difference
Indian/Western music hint that Sa/C is the base note
between melodic and harmonic systems is that it has
from which the others are stepped off. Perhaps, then,
some implications with respect to fixing the
C = Sa, D = Ri etc. So, the answer to the title question
frequencies of notes. In harmonic music, it is very
could be yes, C = Sa. Well, I beg to disagree, and very
important that the instruments (and the singers too) be
strongly too. Let us (that is us as in you, the reader and
all set to the same ‘base’ note so that the harmony
me, the author) try to put our heads together and sort
envisioned by the composer comes through. Since
through some theoretical concepts to see if we can
Carnatic (and Hindustani too, for that matter) music is
arrive at an informed opinion.
melodic, the stress is instead on the effect of a
Indian music in generally melodic in concept. This is multitude of tunes sounded simultaneously. This
just another way of saying that there is only one note means that the frequency of the base note is not that
of interest at any given instant of time. In simpler important and it is mostly the placement of the other
terms, at any given instant, we are listening to only a notes about this is of consequence. In fact, this allows
single note, be it a Sa or a Ri whatever. In contrast, the main performer the freedom to place the base note
most Western music is essentially harmonic in nature. wherever he or she pleases, as long as all the
In this context, harmony can be defined as the accompanying instruments (and the players, too) are
combined affect of several notes of different able (and willing!) to accommodate it. The ever
frequencies sounded in unison. Visualize, for an present tambura provides the players and the listeners
instant, pressing two or three keys of a piano with the base note (sruthi) so that the tune can be fixed
simultaneously (usually referred to as chords in with respect to that. This process of ‘fixing the tune’
Western music). This concept has to be modified in then amounts to identifying the raga.
the case of instruments like the violin that are
Getting back to harmonic and melodic music, we can
generally used to produce only one note at a time. At a
say that for harmonic Western music, absolute
second level, one can also interpret harmony as an
fixation of the notes is essential since it fixes all the
affect that arises as each of the instruments of the
notes. This allows the various performers to tune their
performing ensemble is played its own tune and the
instruments to the same scale before the performance.
music essentially becomes the combined effect of
It was agreed at the London International Conference
these individual tunes. Thus, when Midori is
of 1939 that the note C would be fixed at 261.6.Hz
furiously bowing away at a Mozart piece, she is
109
1
CMANA
providing the fixed notes. Thus, the note C is around 230 - 300 Hz while female vocalists prefer
supposed to be 261.6 Hz on your Steinway baby something in the rage 350 - 450 Hz. Interestingly, the
grand as also on my Casio tone. About the only usual colloquial way of indicting where the Sa has
exception to this is in the case of ‘superior’ soloists been placed is by using the Western scale of reference.
who let their minds dictate some fine adjustments; The term kattai (Tamil, refers to a piece of wood;
well, that should serve as an eye opener to those who presumably referring to wooden keys) is the unit, with
thought that only Indian music has manodharma! the count starting from C. Whole tones up the scale
Getting back to the point, in melodic Carnatic music, are reckoned as one step with semi-tones (black keys)
one can get by with only relative fixation and since assigned half steps. Thus, placing the Sa at C is
only a few performers comprise the entire ‘orchestra’, referred to as using one kattai sruthi or pitch; C-sharp
final tuning can be done on stage, just before the (or the inharmonic D flat, both referring to the black
actual performance. Since the notes are not fixed in an key just higher than the C) is the Sa for one and a half
absolute sense, your Sa might be at 400 Hz while I kattai sruthi, D is Sa for a sruthi of two kattais and so
might choose to keeps mine at 275 Hz (assuming, just on. For placement of Sa below the C, one can either
for argument, that I was foolish enough to attempt to count up to the note an octave higher kattai, one
perform some music). Why, you can choose to set quarter kattai etc.
your Sa to 400 HZ today and move it to 275 Hz
In light of the above facts, it should be clear that the
tomorrow, if that is what you want.
relationship between Sa and C is that of an analogy,
The natural range of adult male and female voices not one of equivalence. Depending on the performer,
being different, it is only to be expected that women Sa could be equal to C or D or even something in-
will choose to set their Sa’s to be of a higher pitch than between. It pointed out at this stage that the range for
most men. Typically, male singers place their Sa Sa of male and female singers given is only a rough
C D E F G A B
Ru Du
Ra Mi Da
Gi Ni
Ri Di
Sa Gu Ma Pa Nu
Ga Na
110
CMANA
one and there are many exceptions. The aging of the actually set the Sa to be C. If the performer has set the
voice usually forces the adoption of ever lower Sa Sa to something other than C, the actual notes (in C-
placement. For example, the great G.N. D-E- terminology) could be very different. For
Balasubramaniam is said to have performed with the example, if the recording is of a female vocalist with a
Sa placed about G in his younger days, progressively typical sruthi of five kattais (Sa at G), the same
stepping down over the years to somewhere near D. In mohanam would be G-A-B-D-E-G which is
vocal concerts, since accompanying instruments (eg. obviously not the same. If the sruthi were at four and a
violin) follow the vocalist, they are tuned to the same half kattais, the same mohanam scale would become a
pitch. If the main performer is playing an instrument complicated F sharp - G sharp - A - C sharp - D Sharp -
rather than singing, he/she enjoys the vocalists’ F sharp (or the inharmonic flat scale). The point is
freedom of choosing a Sa to his/her convenience, simply that one cannot provide a description with the
within the limits imposed by the instrument. level of detail on the limited space of CD jacket - and
thus the best thing to do may be to avoid the
Having provided some information on the
equivalent’ scale (arohana - avarohana) if deemed
topic, let me now share with you my motivation for
appropriate. The whole idea is similar to the
writing this article. Being a regular CD buyer (no, I
“perverse” usage of the term trinity to refer to the
mean audio compact discs) provide detailed notes on
Thiruvarur trio and is better avoided
the jacket to enlighten listeners about what is in the
recording. Some among these tend to give So, what do you think? Is C = Sa?
‘equivalent’ western (C-D-E type) scales for the *Author also goes by the name of P. Sriram and
ragas, without regard to the fact that C is simply not enjoys listening to Carnatic music among the cows
equal to Sa. For example, if we consider raga fields of Wichita, Kansas.
Mohanam with the symmetric Sa-Ri-Ga-Pa-Sa set of
notes in both ascent and descent (arohanam and Dr. P.Sriram is the author of the Carnatic Music
avarohanam), the ‘equivalent’ is bound to be C-D-E- Primer published by CMANA; He makes his
G-A-C, without regard to whether the performer has living by being an aerospace engineer. (....Editor)
111
112
CMANA
INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC
Lakshman Ragde
Music is universal. It transcends language barriers Imbued with emotion and the spirit of
and international boundaries. Indian classical improvisation, both systems also use a scientific
music is one of the oldest in the world. Its origin approach in their presentation. Though strict
can be traced to the Vedic period and is extensively rules regarding the framework of notes and beat
mentioned in the Samaveda where all the seven cycles are observed, the music is innovative at the
notes of the raga Kharaharapriya (kafi) is said to same time. The basis of classical music is a system
have been mentioned. of ragas (melodies) and talas (rhythmic cycles).
The earliest record on music is the treatise Natya There is no doubt that music appeals to our
Shastra by Bharata written in the 5 century AD.
th emotions. Jagadishchandra Bose’s experiments
But it was only in the 13 century that a
th with plants proved that music enhanced their
systematized format appeared in the Sangita growth. Recent studies at Annamalai University
Ratnakara of Sarangadeva. attest to this fact. Some ragas are identified with
specific emotions, Khamaj (khamas) with sensual
love, Nadanamakriya with gentleness,
Mayamalavagaula (bhairav) with devotion and
peace andRevati (bairagibhairav) with sorrow.
Particular melodies rendered during certain times
of the day are said to enhance human emotions.
Both Karnatak and Hindustani music have a
number of styles of rendition providing us with
varied listening pleasures.
We can justifiably be proud of the fact that we have

two superb musical systems, Hindustani
(northern) and Karnatak (southern) that exist in
India. Indian music is generally associated with
religion, philosophy, love and romance. Until
recently aspiring musicians underwent a period of
Gurukulavasa (literally living with the master) that
required the strict adherence of the moral and
spiritual codes of behavioras laid out by their
gurus.
113
CMANA
HINDUSTANI: Dhrupad and Dhammar are old philosophical in nature. These two types form the
styles that were prevalent in the temples and royal mainstay of the concert. A number of them are
courts until the 15 century. Khayal is the modern
th
rendered depending upon the artist’s expertise,
staple of the system. It evolved with a fusion of the mood and creative imagination. These could be
dhrupad and Persian music brought to India by the short or elaborate. Javalis are comparable to the
Moguls. Slower speed khayal is called vilambit thumris of hinduatani music. Padams are
(slow movement) and the faster tempo that follows compositions used particularly for classical
is known as drut.Thumri is the old dance oriented Bharatanatyam dance numbers. A ragamalika is
music that is generally associated with love and similar to a ragmala. The tillana is also used in
romance. Tarana (tillana in karnatak)involves dance numbers. A ragam, tanam, pallavi
singingsol-fa (sargam) note combinations at a fast (commonly referred to as an RTP) is an item that
pace. A ragmala (literally a garland of melodies) is can last upto an hour where a single melody
a composition combing several ragas. Other isexplored in depth. The concluding part of an
varieties are the Tappa, Dadra, Hori, Kajri and the RTP uses a few ragas in the form of a ragamalika
Dhun. In instrumental music the divisions are before reverting to the main raga.
alap, jod, gat and the jhala. Jod is the slow speed The Karnatak and Hindustani systems utilize a
playing of note combinations. In jhala the notes variety of rhythmic cycles (talas). In Karnatak
are played at a fast pace interspersed with the music Adi, rupaka, chapu, matya and eka talas are
plucking of the sympathetic notes. Gat is a melodic common. In Hindustani music tin, dadra, ek,
composition that is performed with percussion matta and sulfakta are some of the varieties.
accompaniment and may be played in vilambit and Both systems have a number of things in common.
drut modes. Many ragas have the same scales but have different
Both vocal and instrumental composition may be names. Both systems are complicated and are
preceded with an alap which is a free improvisation highly creative (as compared to “created” western
of the melody sans the percussion. compositions which are performed exactly as the
composers wrote them,) Both require years of
study and practice to acquire proficiency.
As the world shrinks in terms of movement of ideas
and information, there is freer exchange and
intermixing of ragas from the south to the north
and vice versa. Karnatak ragas like hamsadhvani,
arabhi, kiravani, sarasvati, charukesi and
simhendramadhyam have become popular in the
north whereas the south has borrowed
Dikshitar Thyagaraja Shyama Sastri
hamirkalyan, basant, jog, mand, jaijaivanti and
bageshri from its northern neighbour.
KARNATAK: A varnais usually the opening
piece of the concert and it makes use of a short One can say that Indian classical music is music
textual composition and sol-fa passages rendered that never wears away and that it will never die out.
in three speeds. A kriti or kirtana involves a The Author is a CMANA member,
composition that is either devotional or author and long-time supporter
114
CMANA
DO WE STILL NEED CMANA?
Dr. V. Ramaswami
The late Seventies when CMANA was formed was CMANA provided a forum for many visiting artists,
indeed quite a different time compared to today. local teachers, and promising local musicians to
The population of Indians in the USA was very perform. Through its ‘Great Composers Day’ and
small, the concentration in the East Coast being events like ‘Teachers Day,’ and programs honoring
primarily in Queens, New York with even New musicians and composers, CMANA raised the
Jersey sporting but a minuscule population of interest and awareness for Carnatic music among
Indians. There were few teachers of Carnatic the diaspora and created a market for it. By
music among us, and only a handful below holding various lecture demonstrations and the
eighteen who could sing Carnatic music even at the like (even at significant financial loss), the
level of a varnamor perform an instrument. There association has served to increase the level of
was no public, not-for-profit organization devoted music appreciation among the general audience
mainly to Carnatic music. Over the years, in most and to provide opportunities for the young and the
of these respects,not only the East Coast of the USA local musicians to hone their skills.
but the entire USA has undergone a major CMANA’s contributions did not stop there, but
transformation. went all the way back to the very citadel of Carnatic
It would not be an exaggeration to say that CMANA music and the community of Carnatic musicians
was a primary factor in the growth of Carnatic back in India. In fact, a specific event that led to the
music not only in the East Coast but all over the formation of CMANA was the way two (well-
USA. Unlike some other organizations, which known) musicians from India got stranded due to
were very local in focus and conducted all their an unexpected funding crisis experienced by their
events across just a couple of days in a year, (American) sponsor and forced them to take refuge
CMANA was there year round, and year after year, with Dr. P. Rajagopalan, CMANA’s founder, and
despite severe losses and many other hardships. Mr. SurySubban who has served CMANA in many
Filling a major void, CMANA organized, on a capacities and is now an Honorary (and paid)
regular basis, two tours to the US each year of a Patron. That event heightened the need for a non-
visiting troupe from India and made the artists profit, public organization owned by the Indian
available at near or below cost to many centers community at large that could support Carnatic
including both major cities like Atlanta, music and musicians. Dr. Rajagopalan initiated a
Philadelphia, Seattle, and Los Angeles and many call to friends in New York admitting that one more
small towns across USA, where only a few Indian organization may be desired by people only “as
families were present.It has helped the growth of much as a bullet in the head,” butwas indeed
many local Indian cultural organizations in the US. necessary. He received warm support from many
115
CMANA
lovers of Carnatic music, and the rest is history. organization in conducting many activities it once
pioneered even at significant loss and personal
Many of the now well-known musicians were
sacrifice of numerous volunteers and donors. In
introduced for the first time to the USA by
this backdrop, an inevitable question that arises is
CMANA, and to many of them, that invitation
indeed the one forming our title, “Do we still need
formed a major milestone catapulting them to
CMANA?” Outrageous as it may seem to some, this
greater fame even in music circles in India. The list
question has been raised even by some (younger
of such musicians include some easily recognized
activist) musicians and local teachers of music
names like Mandolin Srinivas, P.S.
running their own shows. I would be lying if I did
Narayanaswamy, the Rudrapatnam Brothers, K.S.
not admit that it even crossesmy mind, although
Gopalakrishnan, and Sudha Ragunathan to list
only rarely andonly when I get too dismayed by the
just a few. With no parochial or other vested
musicians’ and listening public’s inability to
interest, the Association worked for music without
distinguish and discriminate among the different
any favoritism based on any criteria other than
types of players. Thus, the question is indeed one
musical excellence and service to music. With a
that deserves to be answered at least once.
carefully crafted award Sangeethasaagara that is
unique in many respects such as a clear up-front Consider Chennai as an example (although I could
listing of the criteria for the award and the pick Mumbai, Bangalore, Trivandrum or many
requirement of a high level of multifarious other places and other organizations). Imagine
achievement for a recipient besides being just a someone asking why, given the large number of
concert performer, it has honored artists of the music organizations, television and multimedia,
highest caliber. Among the most memorable and ongoing entrepreneurial efforts of individual
aspects of this award is the fact that it brought the musicians, an organization like the Music
venerable Semmangudi SrinivasaIyer out of a long Academy or the Narada Gana Sabha should
period of hibernation back on the stage and got continue to exist. I am sure any sane person would
four generations of the Pattammal family to consider the question as insane for many good
perform together. The Semmangudi award reasons. Those reasons are precisely the ones that
program was even more special in that after a long not only would obligate an affirmative answer to
time, Professor T.N. Krishnan, another the question in our title, but will even provide the
Sangeethasaagara, played as an accompanist after fundamental reasons for strengthening and
many decades. Thus, the Association’s services do supporting CMANA.
not stop at the shores of the USA. It has 1. When it comes to Carnatic music and
established several worthy endowments in India to related fine arts, there are institutions and
encourage young musicians. I am indeed proud to there are organizations. The latter
have a long association with CMANA and am a concentrate primarily on entertainment
staunch supporter of it. and, oftentimes, on private profits or fame,
While it is nice to see greater support for Carnatic but the formers’goals go far beyond.
music today, with a well-established ‘market’ for Organizations like the Music Academy,
Carnatic music, the music scene and musicians Narada Gana Sabha, and
have also become quite commercialized posing Shanmukhananda Sabha are institutions
several hurdles for a public, not-for-profit that serve the art form indiverse ways.
116
CMANA
Many slog in them voluntarily knowing organizations of the type of CMANA

fully well that they or their contributions devoted to Carnatic music and related fine
may not be recognized or remembered by arts that fit these lofty criteria.
the vast majority of listeners. They 3. A Harvard Business Review article on non-
celebrate the stalwarts while at the same profits has emphasized the importance of
time expending much effort to sustain the transparency and fiscal responsibility as
art form and to generate and support future two of the most important desiderata of a
talent. They have helped to raise the real non-profit. In its own words, this is to
respect and stature of the very art form and ensure that the obligation of the founders
its practitioners. Some have established and trustees towards future generations –
schemes to support musicians and note not just their cohorts, but future
musicologists, who have not been generations – are met, and to assure
fortunate, with pensions etc. They conduct continuity of operation over a very long
scholarly discussions and events raising future. They called this ‘inter-generational
the art to higher and higher levels. CMANA equity.’ CMANA shines as a (rare) beacon
certainly belongs in that elite class by its in these respects with successive teams of
demonstrated focus, activities, and trustees sharing much of the financial
accomplishments that form an illustrious information with CMANA members with a
track record for a 100% volunteer high level of transparency and running its
organization. affairs with utmost probity and fiscal
2. Organizers come, and organizers go, and responsibility. We not only need CMANA,
that has been the painful history of Indian but we need to put pressure on other
music and dance in the USA. When an organizations to step up to the highest
organization is by an individual or by a levels that CMANA has maintained from its
small oligarchy and run with a vested start in matters that characterize a true
interest of profit or to promote a special non-profit, public organization enjoying
subset of artists or students, its activities tax subsidies.
and operation are not only hostage to the 4. An unfortunate fact of the Indian diaspora
whims of one or a small few, but the very is that it has carried with it the baggage of
continuity of the organization gets all forms of divisions that divide Indians.
threatened when a main person can no Though many organizations based on
longer perform a lead role. One reason Dr. state, language, and other criteria may
Rajagopalan chose to make CMANA a support Carnatic music and the arts,
public organization with elected trustees CMANA’s greatest strength is its non-
etc., despite recommendation from many sectarian character. Never in my long
founding members to keep it as a private tenure of over twenty-five years with
entity, was to ensure continuity and to CMANA can I cite one instance where
eliminate as much as possible the anything other than musical merit has
operation of vested interests or profit played a role in the selection of a musician
motives. Again, there are very few for a tour or even for a single concert. We,
117
CMANA
as trustees, have differed and even major organization in India, I learn, may also
quarreled sometimes, but never on the bear fruit soon. The trustees of CMANA
issue of maintaining a high level of deserve high kudos for thinking up such a
impartiality. An event like the Great collaboration and working hard towards
Composers Day, for example, is conducted making that possible. It has indeed been my
with so much meticulous care to avoid even pleasure to help them in both those efforts.
a semblance of a conflict of interest in the b. Carnatic music in the East Coast is still by and
selection of judges for the competitions or large an activity limited to the South Indian
in the opportunity to youngsters diaspora. The art form is highly rich in many
irrespective of who their guru is. Yes, we ways, and it would be a travesty not to bring it to
need organizations like CMANA for this the attention of a wider audience – our North
reason too. Indian fraternity and our American friends.
Not that I cannot cite more reasons to support my “Man does not live on bread alone,” and
affirmative answer regarding the need for the certainly not we, the successful Indians in the
continued presence of CMANA, but if the above US; Carnatic music is a cultural heritage that
four will not convince you to agree and to support we need to display as proof of that. As a leading
CMANA strongly, then nothing more will. So, let organization, CMANA should take it upon itself
me turn to what role CMANA should play in the to elevate Carnatic music to higher levels by
future to continue to distinguish itself from the taking a variety of steps to draw support from a
crowd of music organizers in the USA, a good many much larger community. In the old days, we
of whom may be motivated by a variety of motives used to have lunch hour demonstration
not as lofty as CMANA’s. programs in several NJ companies to
a. First and foremost, the Indian community in popularize and inform about Carnatic music.
the US has come of age, and we now have a These, and several other means of
group of young Carnatic musicians born and outreachshould be considered in addition to
brought up in America. CMANA should take it running music programs, tours and children’s
as an important objective to help them attain competition aimed primarily at the Indian
high visibility in India and around the world so diaspora.
that they have a level playing field that is well c. It has become quite evident that a very narrow
deserved by their hard work and effort. focus makes an organization not sustainable.
Similarly, there are many highly talented young Although CMANA needs to maintain its
musicians in India who lack visibility in the US, primary focus on Carnatic music, pragmatism
with most organizations here marked now by a requires it to support other Indian art forms so
competition for only name brand artists who that thesupport base can be enlarged. This
make cash registers ring. CMANA should expansion should also form a priority for
revive its pledge to young talent from India by CMANA.
making them visible to music lovers in the USA. d. Finally, a major regret of mine is that even after
I am pleased to see that CMANA has forged a forty years of existence, CMANA has not
major partnership with Narada Gana Sabha for assured its long-term existence through an
this purpose. A similar effort with one other adequate corpus of endowments. It does not
118
CMANA
even have a permanent venue of its own to generations. For example, a sufficient number of
conduct its activities. For the perpetual us are at the stage of life when we are in the exercise
continuity of CMANA, it is absolutely of estate planning, and I would beseech every one
important that a careful plan is evolved to raise of the senior members of CMANA (and senior
such an endowment and to lay down clearly the citizens interested in Carnatic music and related
principles under which the funds will be used. fine arts) to step up to the plate and make it
CMANA cannot meet loftier goals like the ones possible for CMANA to free itself from the fear of
mentioned above unless its trustees and going bankrupt through some unanticipated major
officials are freed from the financial burden. I loss or competition from vested interests. Based
truly believe that for CMANA to rise to its due on the support that has made CMANA to have
level, activities have to be supported by an survived and prospered this long, I have the
endowment to a substantial degree. confidence that you will not only agree with my
Although I have stated some lofty goals for analysis, but will join me in strengthening
CMANA (and am doing my part to make some of CMANA.
them possible), it is for the community at large to
step up to the plate and make it happen. This is a
1
precious organization of the community and not of Dr. V. Ramaswami is a former President and
Honorary Patron of CMANA. With a keen interest in
any individual or small group. We cannot just want
things Indian, he has authored many articles related to
our children to sustain an Indian connection and
India and has also written recently a book titled,
culture, but we need to make it easy for them to do
“innovation by India for India, the Need and the
that. We need to support CMANA much more than Challenge.” He holds no official position in CMANA,
we do at present recognizing its uniqueness as an and opinions expressed here are personal and do not
institution and as a great legacy for future represent those of CMANA as an organization.
119
CMANA
120
CMANA
121
CMANA
122
CMANA
Indo-American Festival in Chennai
Yeshwant Prabhu
Editor's Note: Below is a rasika review of the concerts at The Indo-American Carnatic Festival on January 2
and January 3, 2017, at The Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai.
In January I went to the Narada Gana Sabha, to attend the two day Indo-American Carnatic Festival
arranged jointly by CMANA and the Narada Gana Sabha. The three concerts on Jan 2 were sponsored by
the Narada Gana Sabha, and the two concerts on Jan 3were sponsored by CMANA. Here is a review of the
concerts based on the elaborate notes I took.
Sri T Kalaimagan, vocal; Sri Durai Srinivasan, violin; Sri N C Bharadhwaj, mridangam.
Sri Kalaimagan started with Sri Papanasam Sivan's kriti on Saraswati, VaaniArulpurivai, in Dhanyasi raga.
This is the first time I heard him; he has a high pitched, pleasant voice. He seems to be fond of Sri
GopalakrishnaBharati's compositions: He sang two of them: First the PoorviKalyani raga
kritiKaaranamkettuvaadi, with a pretty good alapana, and then, later, a kriti in the rare raga
Vandanadharini: Manameunnakithamai. Sri Thyagarajakriti in Bilahari raga, Kanugontini Sri
Ramuninedu he sang nicely. Sri Ghanam Krishna Iyer's composition in Rathipriya raga,
Jagajjananisukhavanikalyani he sang adequately. But what he sang next pleased me a lot: a very pleasant
Mayamalavagowla alapana, followed by Sri Thyagaraja's soothing kriti Vidulakumrokkeda. It would have
sounded even better had he slowed down a little bit and sung the kriti with more bhaava. Sri Deekshitar's
kriti Jamboopathe mam paahi in Yamunakalyani raga he sang well also. The accompanying artists
provided good support.
Akkarai sisters, vocal; Sri N Vittal Rangan, violin; Sri U Jayachandra Rao, mridangam; Sri
Sree Sundarkumar, Kanjeera
They started the concert with the often heard varnam in Saveri raga: Sarasooda, a composition of Sri
Kotthavasal Venkatrama Iyer. Like its parent raga, Mayamalavagowla, Saveri too is rich in sowkhyabhava.
The sisters followed this with Sri PurandaraDasa's Jaya Jaya Jaya Janaki kaantain Naatta raga. A chaste
Varali alapana led to Papanasam Sivan's KaaVaaVaa on Lord Muruga with the sisters and the violinist
taking turns in delightful swara exchanges. Next was a brisk SarasaSaama Daana in Kapi Narayani with
brief and interesting kalpanaswaras at the charanam line HitavuMaatalentho. The main was Swati
Tirunal'sPankajaLochana in Kalyani starting with an elaborate and explorative alapana showing Kalyani's
nuances and beauty.The violinist's alapana response too was pleasing to listen. The explosive interchange
between the two percussionists during the thani was a delight. The sisters nicely concluded with their
grandfather Sri Sivasubramanian's composition on Lord Muruga in Shanmukapriya.
Sri Sandeep Narayanan, vocal; Sri B U Ganesh Prasad, violin; Sri Neyveli Venkatesh,
mridangam; Sri Anirudh Athreya, Kanjira
Sri Narayanan started with Sri Thyagaraja's popular kriti Nada TanumanishamShankaram in Cittaranjani
raga. He brought out the ragabhaava of the sensitive and delicate raga, a janya of Kharaharapriya raga, very
beautifully. The next kriti, Sri Dikshitar's Shree RamamRavikulapthiSomam, in Narayanagowla raga
impressed me deeply. What followed astonished me: An elaborate, well delineated alapana in Kannada
123
CMANA
raga, followed by Sri Thyagaraja kriti Ninnadanelaneerajaksha. The violinist's Kannada raga alapana was
excellent also. He chose Vagadheeswari raga for RTP, and sang both taanam and swaras in several raagas
(Thodi, Kalyani). The tillana in Hameerkalyani, sung at a rather brisk speed was pleasant to hear. Here is a
vocalist whom God has generously endowed with priceless gifts: a pleasant, robust, and great voice;
excellent sangeetha jnana, and learning from great sangeethaaacharyas. The concert would have sounded
even better, had he slowed down a bit and sung the kritis with more bhaava. But I liked the concert
immensely, nevertheless.
Smt Kiranavali Vidyasankar, Vocal; Smt Usha Rajagopalan, Violin; Sri Trivandrum Balaji,
Mridangam
Smt Vidyasankar started her concert with the soul-stirring kriti of the Saint Tirujnana Sambandar in
Gambheera Nattai raga; what a wonderful way to start a concert! Smt Kiranavali's rendering of this kriti
with bhakti and bhaava impressed me deeply. Next she sang Sri Papanasam Sivan's kriti Kaanavendaamo?
in Sriranjani raga. A very pleasant Bahudari alapana, followed by Sri Thyagaraja's Brovabharama
Raghurama, was sung very nicely also. Her very elaborate Thodi alapana came as a big surprise because,
this year, for some inexplicable reason, almost every vocalist chose Thodi as one of the ragas, if not as the
main raga of the concert. Maharaja Sri Swati Tirunal's popular kriti Bhogendra Sayinam in Kuntalavarali
raga was sung very beautifully also. For RTP, she chose Kalyani raga, with a pallavi she herself composed
specially for the occasion: "Rama Ramagunaseema, naahridayaabhi". She also explained that she
composed this pallavi because the words "seemanaa-hridaya", when sung, sound like CMANA. It did, of
course! She ended her very nice concert with Sri Swati Tirunal'sVishweshwardarshankara in
Sindhubhairavi raga. An altogether pleasant and enjoyable concert. Credit must be given to the
accompanying artists, Smt Usha Rajagopalan on the violin and Sri Trivandrum Balaji on the mridangam
who mercifully, did not play the mridangam too loudly.
Sri Prasanna Venkatesh, vocal; Sri L Ramakrishnan, violin; Sri Neyveli Skanda
Subramaniam, Mridangam; Sri Alathur Rajaganesh, Kanjira
Of the five concerts of this festival, the concert that surprised me the most, without a doubt, was the one by
Sri Prasanna Venkatesh. I had heard him sing a few times before, especially at Sri Thyagaraja Day and the
Trimurthy Day organised by CMANA, but nothing I had heard before had prepared me for this.
The first thing that impressed me the most about Sri Venkatesh's concert was his pleasant, well-modulated,
and robust voice. He started the concert with Sri Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar's popular varnam Nera nammiti
in Kaanada raga. Shree Dikshitar'skriti in Kedara raga: Gajavadanamaashrayesatatam followed, sung
beautifully, with bhaavam. What I heard next truly astonished me: A long, very elaborate Hamsanandi
alapana. He sounded so much like his Sangeetha aacharya, Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri TNS, and that was
incredulous. I felt quite elated when I heard this alapana. He sang Sri Muthiah Bhagavathar's very popular
kriti Needumahimapogadanatarama. The kalpanaswaras were too long and excessive, I think; a sense of
proportion, while singing kalpanaswaras, helps in creating good feeling, I believe. But I was quite
impressed with the way he sang this kriti, nevertheless. I was breathless only listening to the torrential flow
of swaras, and wondered where he gets all the energy it takes to sing like this? Next he sang Sri Thyagaraja's
Jaganmohini raga kriti Sobhillusaptaswara at a very brisk pace. Oothukadu Venkata Subbaiyer's famous
kriti Ethanai Kettalum, in Bhairavi raga was sung very well. I was deeply impressed by the Bhairavi alapana
of the violinist Sri L Ramakrishnan. A disciple of Sangeetha kalanidhi Smt Kanyakumari, he is a very
popular violinist, and a rising musician. Sri Venkatesh ended the concert with a fine rendering of a tillana in
Hameerkalyani. An altogether delightful and surprising concert. I liked it very much indeed.
124
CMANA Coffee Table Book Release
Seen in Pictures are Sri Gopalakrishnan Gandhi, Chief Guest and Former Governor of West Bengal,
Sri. R Krishnamurthy, President of Narada Gana Sabha, Sri Harisankar Krishnawami, Secretary- Narada Gana Sabha
and Sri Som Sowmyan- President-CMANA
125
Pictures of Concerts in the

First Indo American Carnatic Music Festival Jan 2 & 3 2017
126
SangeethaSaagara
Oceans of the Earth...
For millenniums, man has wondered with awe at the variety, wealth, and treasures of the
oceans of the world. What we see and know of the ocean is a trifle of what it holds, and even deep
sea explorations reveal but a minuscule. The countless joys of the ocean’s puzzles, sights,
sounds, and other gifts are open to all from the innocent child nibbling at the sandy beaches to
the scientist oceanographer searching even beneath the deep sea floor. The oceans of the world
are an almost endless resource. They are a living testimony of the wonders of Creation!
Oceans of Music...
The great men and women of the performing arts are akin to the ocean in many ways. Their
wealth of knowledge, repertoire, imagination, and skills is bound-less. Deeper explorations
into their contributions only reveal the greater enormity of their creativity that awaits further
exploration. From the novice and casual listener to the ardent and expert connoisseur, their
work offers immense enrichment and joy to all. They are an endless resource of inspiration and
knowledge and represent Man’s own immense creative capacities.
Award Criteria
The Sangeethasaagara award is a Lifetime Achievement Award of CMANA and is a major award
of the Association. Awardees are recognized through the presentation of a plaque and a gold
medal in a ceremony fitting the stature of the award.
To be the recipient of the award, a person should satisfy the following criteria:
a The person should be a performer, composer, or scholar in Carnatic music or a closely
related performing art who is deemed to have made lasting and archival contributions.
b The person, in addition to being talented and accomplished, should have significant
service to the larger community and demonstrated an exemplary level of professionalism.
c The person should be deemed by the larger community to be worthy of being emulated as a
Role Model.
d The Person shall have been nominated for the award by following proper procedures
e If a performing artist, then he/she has performed under the banner of CMANA at least
once.
f The person receives a favourable vote of at least 2/3 of the entire Board of Trustees in a
secret ballot of all trustees of the Association.
A performing artist who has never performed under the banner of CMANA may be
considered for the award only if the entire set of trustees unanimously waives the requirement
of (e.)
- Excerpts from the Bylaws of CMANA
127
** Sri. LALGUDI JAYARAMAN
on November 14, 1993
The Carnatic Music Association

of North America, Inc.
Sangeethasaagara
presented to PADMASHREE LALGUDI G. JAYARAMAN
for lifetime achievements as a violinist, composer, and pedagogue.
Like oceans of the world wondered with awe for their infinite treasures and gifts, are
great personalities of music admired for their unbounded talents, repertoire, and skills.
As the ocean's splendor is a testimony to the grandeur of Creation, are their
contributions a grand tribute to Man's own creative powers.
**Dr. SEMMANGUDI SRINIVASA IYER

on August 20, 1994

the lifetime achievement award
Sangeethasaagara
to
Sangeetha Kalanidhi SEMMANGUDI R. SRINIVASIER
The contributions of a musical genius are testimony to Man's own creative capacities,
just as the ocean's splendor is testimony to the grandeur of Creation. For this reason,
such a musician is admired and likened to the ocean itself.
128
Professor T N KRISHNAN
on August 20, 1994

Sangeethasaagara
to
Sangeetha Kalanidhi PROFESSOR T. N. KRISHNAN
**Dr. M S SUBBULAKSHMI
on December 16, 1999

Sangeethasaagara
to
Sangeetha Kalanidhi Dr. M.S. SUBBALAKSHMI
129
**Smt. D K PATTAMMAL
on December 16, 1999

Sangeethasaagara
to
Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt. D.K. PATTAMMAL
**Smt. KAMALA NARAYANAN

on June 12, 2004

Sangeethasaagara
to PADMABHUSHAN KAMALA NARAYAN
in recognition of her seminal contributions to Indian classical dances
and her highly successful efforts in propagating them in the USA
130
**Dr. M BALAMURALI KRISHNA
on June 4, 2006
Sangeethasaagara
Dr. M. BALAMURALI KRISHNA
Presented in recognition of your unparalleled talent and contributions as a
Carnatic vocalist, composter, and expert scholar
that have made you a living legend.
Sri. T N SESHAGOPALAN
on October 6, 2007
Sangeethasaagara
MADURAI T N SESHAGOPALAN
Presented in recognition of your unparalleled talent and contributions as a
Carnatic vocalist, Harikatha exponent, and expert scholar
that have made you a living legend.
131
** Sri. R K SRIKANTAN
on April 29, 2012

Sangeethasaagara to
Padma Bhushan Dr. R.K. SRIKANTAN
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to Carnatic Music
which include the promotion of Haridaasa Kritis, and the evergreen
Geetharadhana program on All India Radio
Padmashri A. KANYAKUMARI
on September 25, 2016

Sangeethasaagara
to Padmashri A. Kanyakumari
In recognition of her long, distinguished and multi-faceted career in Carnatic music as
a top-ranking soloist and accompanying violinist who has featured in multiple concert
tours under the auspices of CMANA, as a teacher and trainer of many instruments to
students around the world, and as a critically-acclaimed creator of many different
innovations to this art form without compromise on classicism and tradition.
132
"Naadha Jyothi" “Vaadhya Jyothi"
M.L. Vasantakumari (1983) A. Kanyakumari (2011)
"Tala Vadya Prakasa"

Prof. Trichy Sankaran (1983)
"Life-time achievement" "Life-time achievement"

Sri T.V. Gopalakrishnan (2014) Padma Bhushan Dhananjayan (2009)
133
CMANA
Remembering Sri T N Bala
Dr. P. Swaminathan, Ph.D.
Early years: श्लिष्टाक्रियाकस्यचिदात्मसंस्थासङ्क्रान्तिरन्यस्यविशेषयुक्ता।

Education is nothing but music to the mind and यस्योभयंसाधुसशिक्षकाणांधुरिप्रतिष्टापयितव्यएव।
exercise to the body, postulates, Plato, the pristine (Some are good at performing themselves, while
Greek philosopher. Shri T N Bala the musician par others are good at communicating what they know
excellence and above all a wonderful human being lucidly. The best teacher is one who has both these
bears out this postulate of Plato.He was born on traits conquer in him).Shri T N Bala exemplified
April 16, 1927 in Thiruvaiyaru, India. Bala learnt what Kalidasa visualized. My wife Dr. Viji
music initially from his mother who was a talented Swaminathan, son Dr. Sumanth Swaminathan
singer before becoming a disciple of Sangeeta and I learnt music from Bala. Bala has the ability
Kalanidi Sri. Madurai Mani Iyer. He served as to impart music to an instrumentalist as well. It
professional broadcaster, artist and executive in was Bala who introduced my son to play Karnatic
All India Radio,American Broadcasting Agency music on his saxophone before he went on to learn
“Voice of America” as director of Tamil advanced lessons from Sri Kadri Gopalnath. Dr.
programming division and manager in Peace Sumanth Swaminathan writes “…. as a teacher,
Corps where he trained India bound volunteers in Bala mama was a perfectionist. He often spent a
acclimatizing them with Indian culture and the great deal of time persuading his students to repeat
way of life, and finally broadcasting division of lines until they sounded exactly the way he taught
American Radio and Television (ABC network) as them. He was meticulous in preparing his musical
evening news producer in the greater Philadelphia script. These components of his teaching style
region before his retirement in 1983. were no doubt some of his fundamental strengths
Community Leader: that made mama unique from other Karnatic
Even with a busy work schedule with his day job, music teachers. Bala mama used to teach behind
Bala found time to organize community events his harmonium. Before we started any song, mama
during festival times like Navarathri, Deepavali, would sing various permutations and
Pongal etc. In those days, Bala was able to derive arrangements of the underlying swara (notes)
support from local schools and churches in renting behind a raga (scale/key), and he would ask us to
a hall to present music concerts by artists passing repeat while he played his harmonium. In fact, I
through Philadelphia area. He attracted the don't remember an occasion in which he ever
support of the music lovers in the community. He started a song without asking us to sing various
was one of the founding members of CMANA. As a passages from the raga. Mama's habits helped to
great devotee of Thyagaraja he arranged the Saint's develop a lot of our ears and rhythmic reflexes
annual Aradana until some years ago. early in life”. Dr. Yashwanth Prabhu writes “…I
Teacher: have learnt Karnatic vocal music from Sri. T.N.
Bala had an innate ability in teaching even the Bala for nearly thirty years. He has taught me five
most difficult krithis of the trinity and make it easy or six of his own compositions including the well-
for the naïve student to grasp the musical known composition Maha Ganapathim Sada
intricacies.Thus the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa Smarami, in pantuvaraliraga. This was the
declares:
134
CMANA
popular piece presented frequently during the as in the Cleveland Aradana in April 2008. The
Music season in Chennai for the past three years”. Tamil Nadu music college undertook to teach them
Composer and a musicologist: to students in 2006.
Bala was an accomplished composer of music. He Bala also had expertise in the areas of film making,
kept many of his compositions private and never videography and lately in electronic and digital
publicized. Only in the recent years he made effort music. He was well known for his Indian Radio
in publishing his compositions in the form of a program Magazine India, and a Bi- monthly TV
book. I have asked Bala what gave him the
Program, entitled “Image India”. Bala had a great
inspiration to compose krithis. The following is
sense of humor. He would make his audience
summary of his account – “As a practitioner and a
traditional teacher, I have been attracted by the burst with laughter with his jokes.
theme, musical value, and essence of the universal Awards
truths of life, eschewing the caste and language He was honored for his services to Karnatic music
identification. In a humble way, I was driven by an by many organizations in USA, including Council
urge to recreate the very appeal of these to those of Indian Associations of Greater Philadelphia,
who have been missing the benefit of them. This CMANA, SRUTI – India Music and Dance
time I have them created in another popular Association, and The Cleveland Thyagaraja
language of India and in praise of another Hindu Aradana Committee. He is the only Indian so far to
deity, while the universal appeal stands receive the Philadelphia Chapter of American
untouched”. Bala has expressed from his own
Composers Forum Award and a grant for
experience that music remains a source of comfort,
producing his compositions.
motivation and intellectual fulfillment for all our
lives. Inspired by the works of Thyagaraja and In the final days
Syama Sastri Bala composed in Tamil, Muruga It has been said time and again by various experts
Pancharathna krithisset in the ragas nattai, that music helps increase one's concentration and
arabhi, gowla, varali and sri, and swarajathis set attention span, facilitates relaxation and reduces
in the ragas todi, bhairavi and yadukulakambodhi, mental tension. Because of music, he was able to
all in praise of Lord Muruga. withstand the biggest shock of his life due to the
sudden demise of his beloved wife Susheela in
Bala published two books on his compositions, 2003, who was a pillar to his musical activities.
both released in Chennai in 2003 and in 2006, at She was a great support for him in all his
Mylapore Srinivasa Sastri hall. You can hear Bala endeavors. I have witnessed this personally during
rendering some of his compositions on YouTube the last few years of his lifetime. In fact I visited
under the keyword “tnbala”. His “Muruga him the day before his passing away when he could
Pancharathanam”, was staged in Chennai as well sing with ease his popular compositions and his
voice very clear and his mind was very sharp even
though other parts of his body were frail with
ailment. He rightfully recorded his compositions
on the YouTube for the posterity to listen and
enjoy.
Dr. P. Swaminathan is a life member of CMANA

since 1980. He lives in Pennsylvania. He is a
connoisseur of Karnatic music. He was past
president of SRUTI, The India Music and Dance
Society.
135
CMANA
RETROSPECTIVE
Rajesh Nathan
Those who have known me over the past couple awarded on occasion to recognize JMs who have
decades have perhaps realized that I have now had exemplary contributions to the association.
become the first CMANA Junior Member to have Back in the day, CMANA was indeed one of the few
graduated to a Life Member, then to a Trustee and of Indian cultural organizations in North America
most recently, to a second-term, second- (and particularly in the NY/NJ metropolitan area);
generational Office Bearer on the Board, a today, of course, the landscape is entirely different
progression quite unique and one I often think and marked by the proliferation of so many other
about and try not to take for granted. My initial cultural organizations and temples throughout the
involvement with CMANA can be traced back to region (too many in fact to count). One
the late 1980s - after attending just a concert or two commendable attribute, however, that was a pillar
and participating in its annual Great Composers’ of CMANA’s strength then and that continues to
Day (GCD) and then Teachers’ Day functions. I was set it apart from so many competing organizations
quickly summoned to take on various roles as a now lies in its recognition of and importance
routine volunteer for many of its programs, such as placed in the younger generation – its signature
ticket handling and admitting attendees at the body of Junior Members. I was there to see this
gate; ushering; setting up/breaking down, class of membership formally adopted into the
transporting and testing audio equipment, Constitution and now delighted to see that JMs
emceeing and performing other administrative continue to be entitled to free admission for almost
duties (many of which, interestingly enough, I all concerts when accompanied by their parent
regularly perform even to this day!). More behind member. Given my sustained interest in and
the scenes, following my father’s (Mr. Swami ongoing instruction in Carnatic music at the time, I
Nathan’s) appointment to the role of Treasurer in had to take full advantage of this benefit – I became
1993, I learned about and was engaged in many of an avid concertgoer for CMANA, often sitting in
the day-to-day, operational activities of the the front row(s) and maintaining a notepad in
organization from a financial standpoint as his which I would record the full repertoire of
assistant, and also assisted my family in the compositions performed at each concert, which I
hosting and transport of artists. CMANA was would then use on occasion to submit concert
gracious in recognizing my record of service as a reviews to be featured in Juniors’ Sangeetham (the
JM on the occasion of my first mini-concert under section of CMANA’s then quarterly periodical,
the CMANA banner and when conferring me with Sangeetham, directed exclusively to JMs); a few
the D.N. Visweswariah Prize (namesake of the other contributions of mine were published in this
father of past President, Dr. Uma Roy), which is medium over the years as well. The growing roster
136
CMANA
of JMs and greater interest in conducting activities iPhones, etc.). Additionally, with no internet, no
for and involving them over the next several years YouTube, no apps, etc. there certainly was no
saw the development of special thematic immediate access to audio/video recordings of any
productions such as the musical Thyagaraja’s kind at one’s fingertips, something which we
Pilgrimage (in which many fellow JMs and I were probably take for granted these days, though I was
cast in narrating and performing roles). still a regular listener to the audio cassette
It is mind-boggling at times to see the leaps and recordings released after CMANA concerts back
bounds in which technology has advanced for the then.
average student of Carnatic music over the years. There is no doubt the Carnatic music curriculum
In my earlier years, if in-person classes were not has evolved significantly and become much more
possible or convenient, telephone was the only sophisticated in comparison to what it was back in
other option. In contrast, Skype, etc. has made it the day, owing to the availability of more
both possible and convenient for today’s student to experienced teachers and musicians in the area,
learn music from whomever, amateur or the exponential growth of South Indian-
professional, anywhere in the world, with face Americans in our community and much interest
interaction and without having to leave home. among teachers and parents to have students
Class recordings were done on bulky audio cassette exposed to a greater depth and breadth of this art.
tapes, which posed two main challenges – they The sheer growth in number and complexity of
required actual physical storage and were much CMANA’s GCD categories/competitions alone and
less convenient of a tool in using to replay and flexibility in allowing multiple competition
relearn lessons during practice sessions by today’s registrations over the past 5-10 years is largely in
standards (no instant navigation to certain response to these trends. Consider that 20-30
recordings or sections of recordings, as is now years ago, GCD competitors only had the
possible with all the digital files we store on iPods, opportunity to present a 4-5 minute krithi or in the
BALAMBAL NATARAJAN TRIBUTE

Back in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, teachers of Carnatic Music in the New York/New Jersey area were certainly
present but not nearly in prevalence as they are today. Mrs. Balambal Natarajan was not only a long-term teacher of
mine during my childhood years, the one under whom I had the most instruction and who groomed me into a junior
musician, but was regarded by many as a local doyen of Carnatic music. Her deep interest and passion in the field
spanned more than 50 years and was marked by service both in India and in the U.S. as a musician, musicologist, teacher
and composer. Her multi-faceted musical career and prolific work (original compositions which even I performed
alongside her and other students on occasion) received much respect, praise and recognition by her peers and by
CMANA in December 1994 when she was conferred with the title of Honorary Patron. A scholar in her own right,
Balambal Mami possessed a vast repertoire of theoretical knowledge in the field, especially of krithis, as evident by the
number of lecture-demonstrations she has presented to CMANA and other audiences and by her frequent contributions
of articles to CMANA’s Sangeetham periodical. In spite of facing minor health challenges, Mami amazingly possessed
the vocal talents and physical stamina to continue taking classes in person and over the phone and performing in public
well into her 70s. Balambal Mami passed away at the age of 92 more than a couple years ago in Maryland and is
survived by a large family presence both here and abroad. - Rajesh Nathan
137
CMANA
case of the advanced competition, were only those who inevitably end up relocating to other
expected to present a previously fixed combination parts of the country, for example. My appeal to the
of alapana, krithi, neraval and/or kalpanaswarams current generation of JMs is that they not limit
of their choosing. Plus, those who had multiple their involvement in CMANA to just annual
talents were still allowed to perform only once on participation in GCD, but that they make the most
stage. In the recent past, however, GCD of their Junior Membership by attending all of
participants with multi-faceted training have had CMANA’s programs (which can only augment the
the opportunity to enroll in multiple competition classes they are taking to further their knowledge
types, express more of their creativity and and development in music) and by contacting the
imaginative side and exhibit their skills and talents Board members to find ways in which they can
in many other areas of Carnatic music by taking volunteer their time and talents. My hope is that
part in varnam, alapana, neraval, swaram, bhajan, they will be inspired and follow in my example of
viruttam and/or pallavi competitions. And giving back to the organization once as adult life
advanced competitors must not only come member through continued volunteer efforts and
prepared to present all aspects of 3 different by taking on a leadership role as a member of the
competitions but are evaluated much more Board of Trustees or other committee, if possible.
critically by a panel of judges who take the liberty to We all undoubtedly face increasing commitments
ask questions, make requests and pose challenges and challenges as we progress into various stages
on the competitors. In the midst of all these of life, but I assure you that if I can contribute some
changes, one thing is certain from having closely of my time, in spite of the many demands from
observed these performances as one of the work and family (which include 2 young children)
organizers for the past several years – in general, that I must face, so too can many others. After all,
today’s competitors show greater depth, quality those of us born/raised in this country and who are
and maturity in their performances with each fortunate to grow up with an organization like
passing year and gracefully rise to the occasion. CMANA, are the ones that will continue to
Sadly, there is a paucity in the number of JMs who constitute more of the CMANA family of members
are actively contributing to the organization and and to whom the elder generation will have to rely
more importantly, in the number of JMs who upon more over the years to become the future
retain close ties with the organization after torch-bearers.
fulfilling their academic obligations and
aspirations and embarking on career and family
The Author is the vice president
life - of course, not as much can be expected of of the Board of CMANA
138
CMANA
Honor Roll of musicians who toured under CMANA sponsorship
1976 1977
Dr. M. L. Vasanthakumari - Vocal D. K. Pattammal - Vocal
A. Kanyakumari - Violin A. Ananthakrishnan - Violin
Karaikudi Krishnamurthy - Mridangam E. Shivakumar - Mridangam
1977 1978
Parween Sultana - Vocal Tanjore S. Kalyanaraman - Vocal
T. Rukmini - Violin
Srimushnam Raja Rao - Mridangam
1978 1979
Dr. S. Balachander - Veena Mani Krishnaswamy - Vocal
Guruvayoor Dorai - Mridangam A.Kanyakumari - Violin
Manargudi A. Easwaran - Mridangam
1980 1981
Dr. S. Balachander - Veena Maharajapuram Santhanam - Vocal
Nagai Muralidaran - Violin
Vellore Ramabadran - Mridangam
1981 1982
Gowri Kuppuswami - Vocal B.N. Suresh - Flute
Mysore M. Nagaraj - Violin
Bangalore Venkataraman - Mridangam
V. Praveen - Kanjira
1983 1984
Lalgudi G. Jayaraman - Violin P. S. Narayanaswamy - Vocal
Trichy Sankaran - Mridangam Khandadevi Alagiriswamy - Violin
T. Bhaktavatsalam - Mridangam
1984 1985
U. Srinivas - Mandolin Sikkil Sisters: Neela and
T. Parthasarathy - Violin Kunjumani - Flute
Srimushnam Raja Rao - Mridangam A. Ananthakrishnan - Violin
K.R. Ganesh - Mridangam
139
CMANA
1985 1986
E. Gayathri - Veena D. K. Jayaraman - Vocal
T. Rukmini - Violin
J. Vaidyanathan - Mridangam
1987 1988
Kadri Gopalnath - Saxaphone T. R. Subramanyam - Vocal
T.T. Srinivasan - Violin Vasantha Kannan - Violin
T.K. Ramakrishnan - Mridangam Trichur R. Mohan - Mridangam
1988 1989
N. Ravikiran - Chitraveena Bombay Sisters - Vocal
V. Thyagarajan - Violin Mysore H.K. Narasimha Murthy - Violin
Palghat Krishna Mani - Mridangam Trichur C. Narendran - Mridangam
Madras N. Govindarajan - Ghatam
1989 1990
Seetha Doraiswamy - Jalatarangam T. V. Sankaranarayanan - Vocal
K.T. Sivaganesan - Violin Mysore M. Nagaraj - Violin
D. Ramasubramanian - Mridangam T. Bhaktavatsalam - Mridangam
1990 1991
Lalgudi Krishnan and Rudrapatnam Brothers (R.N. Thyagarajan
Vijayalakshmi - Violin Duet and R.N. Tharanathan) - Vocal
R. Ramesh - Mridangam Mysore M. Nagaraj - Violin
V. Praveen - Mridangam
1991 1992
A. Kanyakumari - Violin T. N. Seshagopalan - Vocal
Srimushnam Raja Rao - Mridangam G. Chandramouli - Violin
V. Nagarajan - Kanjira Neyveli Narayanan - Mridangam
1992 1993
Sudha Raghunadhan - Vocal O. S. Thyagarajan - Vocal
V.V. Ravi - Violin Mysore M. Manjunath - Violin
Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan - Mridangam R. Ramesh - Mridangam
140
CMANA
1993 1994
K. S. Gopalakrishnan - Flute T. N. Krishnan - Violin
A. Kanyakumari - Violin Guruvayur Dorai - Mridangam
Guruvayur Dorai - Mridangam Vaikom Gopalakrishnan - Ghatam
1994 1995
Neyveli Santhanagopalan - Vocal P. Unnikrishnan - Vocal
V.V. Ravi - Violin M.A. Sundareswaran - Violin
T.K. Murthy - Mridangam Manargudi Easwaran - Mridangam
1995 1996
Kadri Gopalnath - Saxophone K. S. Gopalakrishnan - Flute
A. Kanyakumari - Violin M. Chandrasekaran - Violin
Guruvayur Dorai - Mridangam Guruvayur Dorai - Mridangam
1996 1997
M. S. Sheela - Vocal Balaji Shankar - Vocal
Nalini Mohan - Violin B.U. Ganesh Prasad - Violin
A. Ananthakrishna Sharma - Mridangam Poongulam Subramaniam - Mridangam
Sukanya Ramagopal - Ghatam
1997 1998
N. Ravikiran - Chitraveena Trichur V. Ramachandran - Vocal
R.K. Sriram Kumar - Violin Mullaivasal G Chandramouli - Violin
Arun Prakash - Mridangam Umayalpuram J Mali - Mridangam
1999 1999
Charumathi Ramachandran - Vocal Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar - Flute
Embar Kannan - Violin H N Baskar - Violin
Kalladaikuricji Sivakumar - Mridangam Madipakkam Suresh - Mridangam
2000 2002
Rudrapatnam Brothers (R.N. Thyagarajan Rama Ravi - Vocal
& R.N. Tharanathan) - Vocal Raghavendar Rao - Violin
R K Shriram Kumar - Violin Manoj Siva - Mridangam
Bombay N Balaji - Mridangam
141
CMANA
2002 2003
T M Krishna - Vocal Chinmaya Sisters Uma & Radhika - Vocal
B.U. Ganesh Prasad - Violin Raghavendar Rao - Violin
J Vaidyanathan - Mridangam Melakavery Balaji - Mridangam
2006 2006
Sanjay Subramaniam - Vocal Sangeetha Sivakumar - Vocal
Nagai Muralidaran - Violin R K Shriram Kumar - Violin
Guruvayoor Dorai - Mridangam Melakavery Balaji - Mridangam
Neyveli Venkatesh - Kanjira
2008 2009
Sikkil Gurucharan - Vocal Nisha Rajagopal - Vocal
Nagai Sriram - Violin Mysore Srikanth - Violin
Neyveli Skandasubramanian - Trivandrum Balaji - Mridangam
Mridangam
2011 2012
A Kanyakumari - Vocal Sanjay Subramanian, - Vocal
Embar Kannan - Violin S Varadarajan - Violin
J Vaidyanathan - Mridangam Neyveli Venkatesh - Mridangam
2012 2013
Mala Ramadorai - Hindustani - Vocal Ramakrishnan Murthy - Vocal
Joshi Anant Shrikrishna - Harmonium V V S Murari - Violin
Datar Abhay Prabhakar - Tabla Arun Prakash - Mridangam
2016 2016
A Kanyakumari - Violin Solo Smt Ranjani & Gayathri - Vocal
Smt Charumathi Raguraman - Violin
Delhi Sairam - Mridangam
142
CMANA
40th Anniversary Messages from Artists and Dignitaries

CMANA is one of the foremost organizations in the Unites States that has been passionately
working to promote the cause of Carnatic music. Started with a great vision, this
organization has contributed significantly to the awareness and propagation of this
beautiful art form in this part of the world. CMANA has the exclusive honor of most of the
doyens of Carnatic music performing under their banner, an honor that many other
organizations were not fortunate to have.
The energetic team of its organizers have great fervor for the art and have presented concerts
by renowned front ranking artists. Performing for CMANA has always been great moments
of happiness and honor. Memorable moments amongst many include a triad Bhairavi
selection by Sri KVN mama - Viriboni varnam, Upacaramu and Balagopala - all in the same
concert, back to back, a delightful concert of vintage rare treasures, aptly named 'Apurva' by
the Rudrapatnam Brothers, a delectable Sarasa sama dana by Sanjay Subrahmanyan, a
splendid Surati Pallavi by Sri Vijay Siva, a soul stirring Bhairavi svarajati by Sri T M
Krishna, an emotional Sarvam Brahmamayam by Smt Bombay Jayashri and a six hour
power packed concert by Smt Sudha Ragunathan.
My prayers to the Almighty for CMANA to scale greater heights and one wishes that it
continues to preserve and propagate the lofty values of the classical arts for many more years
to come.
R K Shriramkumar
Many thanks for your warm invitation.

My very best wishes for the event and kind regards to all whom I have interacted with at
CMANA.
Sangita Kalanidhi Sudha Ragunathan
Nice to know that CMANA is celebrating 40th year. Congratulations for the wonderful
service and keep doing more to keep our culture growing.
Neyveli Venkatesh
I am very pleased to know that CMANA is celebrating its 40 anniversary a milestone indeed
in the annals of a cultural Organization's history, especially in a foreign land.
CMANA's yeomen service to the preservation, promotion and popularization of Carnatic
Music is very laudable. They have pioneered in establishing the credibility and solidarity of
Dakshina Bhaarat's performing arts in USA and the artistes, especially Carnatic musicians
owe a great deal to CMANA for opening up the door for them to serve the Bhaarateeyas
settled in a foreign land and also helping them to have a lucrative career in the music
profession. 40 years of dedicated service to art and artistes is not a mean achievement, kudos,
to those hands behind the great endeavor.
Wish you CMANA a happy 40th birthday and many more years of continuous service to
humanity through our great performing arts -THE SANGEETAM!! (geetam vaadyam
thathaa nrityam, thrayam Sangeeta muchyathe-- singing, playing instrument & dancing,
these three jointly constitute the word "Sangeetam”)
Naatyaachaarya V.P.Dhananjayan
143
CMANA
My hearty congratulations
Mannargudi A. Easwaran
It is a well-deserved honor to all the recipients of that evening and a great gesture on the part
of CMANA.
My best wishes to all.
Mani (Dr. Yegnasubramaniam) - Chairman Sringeri Vidya Bharathi
Foundation
I very glad that CMANA is going to celebrate its 40 years, in service to music.
Very big congratulations to all the trustees and board members. I am very happy that I also
participated in some of the concerts and GCD competitions as a judge.
Melakaveri Balaji
Hearty congratulations to CMANA on completing successfully 40 years of service to Carnatic

Music in North America.
CMANA being a pioneer institution has been doing yeomen service to the field of Carnatic
music in North America.
It has been my pleasure to perform at CMANA several times especially my first concert for
CMANA accompanying Sri K.V. Narayanaswamy in 1997 will always be special to my heart.
My best wishes to CMANA.
Manoj Siva
CMANA has held the strong position of being a premier and pioneering organization in the
United States and has an assured place in the history of Carnatic music. I am delighted to
have been associated with your organization for many years now, and have seen at close
quarters the sincerity and commitment with which things are run by your passionate board.
CMANA is under very able hands even today with fresher ideas and clear goals. It is indeed
testimony to your sustained and excellent leadership that you are now celebrating forty
glorious years of service! My compliments to you on this wonderful milestone and wishes for
many more to come!
Kiranavali Vidyasankar
We are indeed proud to note the milestone that CMANA has reached this year. It has blazed a
unique trail in unifying the vast continent that USA is, through the binding influence of the
"saptaswaras", not to mention the waves it has created internationally.
We wish it many more years of service to our rich tradition of classical Indian music and that
it will, with the support of rasikas and music enthusiasts, surge on to celebrate its golden
jubilee and Centenary.
Rama Ravi, Dr. Nanditha Ravi, Vinod.
144
CMANA
Very very happy that CMANA is celebrating 40th anniversary. What a milestone considering
the fact that the organization was conceived, established, and being operated in USA and still
going strong.
CMANA is truly one of a very few South Indian organizations which has done yeoman service
to the cause of great Classical Carnatic music and has indeed left an indelible impact on the
cultural map of USA.
It is hence a matter of great pride to be associated with CMANA. Especially so because my
father Padmabhushana Sangeethakalanidhi Dr.R.K.Srikantan was honored with
SangeethaSaagara title at the ripe old age of 93 during the annual festival in 2012. “What an
occasion to be cherished”- so commented my father after the function.
I take this opportunity to convey my sincere appreciation to the past and present office
bearers who have sweated it out in preserving, and propagating the great South Indian
Carnatic music tradition in US. I pray for summons from the Almighty to shower his
blessings on the organization for a continued, vigorous, dynamic, and productive existence
for years to come.
Rudrapatnam S.Ramakant
I wish and congratulate CMANA, You-as past President and the Past and Present office
bearers/personnel on the 40th Anniversary Celebrations.
Gayatri Devi
All the very best

Gowri Ramnarayan
My heartiest congratulations to CMANA on completing 40 glorious years of promoting and

enriching our arts in the USA. Like many other artistes, I am also proud to say that my first
full -fledged tour was organized by CMANA - what a start it was! Thanks to their highly
organized and professional way of facilitating concerts, we got to experience the bright
prospects of singing in North America.
Thank you, CMANA and here is wishing all of your members, the very best to carry on this
noble service of spreading our art form and making it truly global.
Sikkil Gurucharan
It was a very pleasant experience to have been hosted by CMANA 2 years ago for my concert
tour. Want to wish you and the organization the very best for continued success.
Mala Ramadorai
Greetings!
Arunaji has asked me to convey her best wishes to you on this momentous occasion of CMANA
turning forty. She cherishes the relationship she shares with you and CMANA and would like
to express her appreciation and admiration for CMANA and the work that it is doing.
Aruna Sairam
145
CMANA
I am very happy to be associated with your organization and cannot forget the wonderful
tour that I did with you in 2006.
Please convey my wishes to all the office-bearers (both present and past) and others who are
part of this organization.
Hope you have a grand show!
Sangeetha Sivakumar
I thank you for your invitation to the 40th Anniversary celebrations of CMANA and also for
your intention to honor the Temple Management on the occasion. I am sorry I will not be able
to attend due to prior commitments. I wish the function success and CMANA continues to
serve the community for many more years to come.
Dr. Uma Mysorekar - Chairman Newyork Ganesh Temple
Very happy to note that CMANA is celebrating 40th anniversary celebrations.

Malladi Brothers
Thank you for your invitation for CMANA 40th Anniversary Celebration on September 24th
and 25th.
The temple wishes CMANA to have nice and historic 40th anniversary celebration. Lord Sri
Venkateswara may bless CMANA to grow and live long to keep Hindu traditions and culture.
Appala Naidu Bonthu - President Bridgewater Temple NJ
146
CMANA
What is Carnatic Music

Carnatic music is one of the two systems of classical music of India. Practiced mainly in Southern India, it is
quite distinct from its northern counterpart, the Hindusthani music.
This ancient and very advanced system of music is based on a rational division of the octave, and in this
respect it resembles older Western music based on the natural scale. Unlike Western music in which the
absolute pitch of each note is specified, the Carnatic system is based on a relative positioning of the notes,
relative to a reference pitch provided by a drone instrument such as a tambura or an electronic sruthi box.
The music is based on melody. A specific set of notes in the ascending and descending scales are used to
define a raagaa and the music is set to a rhythmic pattern called taalaa. Indeed, the raagaa system is much
more complex in that a raagaa is specified not only by a set of notes but by precise gamakaas (shifting of the
frequency of those notes) and specific phraseology (chains of notes for that raagaa) and emphasis of certain
notes.
A typical concert piece consists of a lyric set to music in a specific raagaa and taalaa forming but a skeleton.
The musicians embellish this with detailed improvisations done extempore depending on their own mood
and that of the audience. (This explains why the musicians do not use a script). Before each main piece, the
audience is given a portrait of the raagaa, which is followed by a rendering of the written lyric interspersed
generously with imaginative improvisations. Such improvisations, though used as the main yardstick by
which the musicians are judged, however, must be within the strict confines of the rules of the raagaa and
taalaa system. Certainly, this is then a system of music that takes years of practice and one that has to be
learned from a master and not from any book or recording!
Carnatic Instruments
Besides vocal concerts, Carnatic music concerts on instruments like violin, veena, (bamboo) flute, and
more recently on saxophone, mandolin and guitar are popular. Rhythm is usually provided by the South
Indian drum, mrudangam and a specially made clay pot called ghatam, both of which are played using the
fingers and the palm. Some of the major instruments are shown below.
VEENA GHATAM
A string instrument with frets A specially made clay pot providing
resembling the Sitar. percussion; played using palm and fingers
VIOLIN NAADASWARAM
Adopted from western, used as main accompaniment A wind instrument resembling the oboe;
and also as a solo concert instrument. played on all auspicious occasions
MRUDANGAM FLUTE
South Indian drum made of wood and leather, Made of bamboo; unlike the western
played using the palm and fingers counterpart has no keys and is played
using fingers to regulate air flow
KANJIRA THAVIL
Circular frame made of the wood of the Thavil is a traditional musical instrument
jackfruit tree, between 7 and 9 inches in of the ancient city of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu.
width and 2 to 4 inches in depth. It is an integral part of the Carnatic music
in Thanjavur.
147

CMANA. A Thriving Institution and A Continuing Journey

Uploaded by

Document Informationclick to expand document information

Copyright:

Available Formats

CMANA. A Thriving Institution and A Continuing Journey

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

CMANA. A Thriving Institution and A Continuing Journey

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CMANA

a thriving institution and a continuing journey

“All rights reserved. Contents in this publication may be

The Current Trustees of CMANA have made best efforts to

Designed & Printed by:

Letter from the President

Dr. Jana Narasimhan

Aravind Narasimhan Rajesh Nathan Dr. V. Ramaswami

Public Relations and Outreach Committee Great Composers Day Committee

Sankar Narayanan Dr. Nachu Narasimhan Suresh Ramaswamy Sruthi Narayanan

Grants Committee Financial Oversight Committee

From the Editor's Desk:

Vision and Mission

Endowments & Fellowships

Dr. ML Vasanthakumari Fellowship – a CMANA Endowment established in Narada Gana Sabha,

Award for Veteran Musicians and Artistes

CMANA Music Awards for Youth

The Visweswariah Award for community service

An elite group of composers in karnatak music

compositions include songs in Samskrt, Kannada,

Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi

The Author is a CMANA Honorary Patron

disappoint their devoted abhang fans as well!

Raghuramam, Rangapuravihara, Jagadodarana, talent of Sandip Narayan. H.N Baskar

commended the CMANA Board for the celebrations

Sound and Sanaatana Dharma

Dr. M.G. Prasad

List of Sri Visweswariah Award recipients

Prasad Ramanan Sruthi Narayanan

Prem Ramaswami Sumathi Subbiah

Priya Ramaswami Varshini Narayanan

Rajesh Nathan Vinay Venkatesh

The Author is the CMANA member,

The Great Composers Day and Junior Members of CMANA

CMANA in the Press

The Author is a CMANA member,

Coffee Table Talks

Annamalai University & His Musical

Megharanjani- an Untold Story

mishra chapu talam. So Poochi advised Mys.V to

True Musical Fusion

CMANA’s Influential Role in

 Has earned an international presence and reputation

 Sponsored over 50 North American tours of famous musicians from India

 Conducted over 600 concerts in New York and New Jersey

 Established the coveted lifetime achievement award SANGEETHASAAGARA

 Endowed the M.L.Vasantakumari Fellowship at NaradaGana Sabha, Chennai for supporting

 Conducts many lecture demonstrations for enlightened understanding of Carnatic Music

The Letter that Formed the Genesis of CMANA

With warm regards,

CMANA List of Past Presidents

 Helped in the preparation of many publications of Sangeetham, fliers, and a variety of

 Organized the first Tamil Isai concert in the USA.

 Founder member joining CMANA in 1976 at its formation.

 Chaired an awards-committee to felicitate SangitaKalanidhi Madurai T. N. Sheshagopalan with the coveted

Mr J Ambrose Mrs Chitra Kumar

Dr V K Balasubrahmanyam Mrs Nithya Nagarajan *