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Ragamalika mangalam signature ‘Sri Krishna vinuta’ at the A young Krishnamurthy had beginning of the last charanam. accompanied his guru for the latter’s I read with interest the article on concert at the Sringeri Sarada Mangalam by Sivapriya Krishnan in S. Sankaranarayanan Peetham in Karnataka. Barely a the July issue of Sruti. It is a good Mettupalayam couple of hours before the concert, informative essay on the subject. Nellai Krishnamurthy Muthiah Bhagavatar was inspired to Several years ago, All India Radio, compose a on the Jagadguru of Chennai, had broadcast a feature on The article on Nellai T.V. Krishna­ Sringeri and taught it to his disciple ‘Ragamalika’ which included five murthy by C. Ramakrishnan deserves . The kriti was Jagadguro dayanidhe ragamalika compositions, all rendered compliments for its well compiled Sree Sankara Siva krite (Athana , in chorus. The last piece was a biographical account, elegantly Roopaka tala), which the duo sang unique ragamalika mangalam in portraying the many facets of the in the concert in the presence of the eleven composed by artist. Sringeri pontiff Sri Chandrasekhara Krishnaswamy Iyer (better known as Bharati. After the concert, the The maestro was once honoured by the composer of Amba Paradevate). Jagadguru enquired about his disciple T.N. Seshagopalan, under the aegis of He has dedicated it to his ishta devata, from Muthiah Bhagavatar and the Gurukrupa Trust at the Bangalore Goddess Meenakshi of Madurai. blessed young Krishnamurthy, Its pallavi, anupallavi and the first Gayana Samaja, in Bengaluru. Despite predicting a bright future in his charanam are set in , and his ill-health, Nellai Krishnamurthy musical journey. the following ten charanams in attended the event and delivered a Anil Murthy , Gaula, Varali, Sree, , short speech, reminiscing his guru Bengaluru Neelambari, Vasanta, Surati, Muthiah Bhagavatar’s prowess as A query Saurashtram and — a vaggeyakara. He recounted an the last four ragas are traditionally incident which in a way seemed like Who wrote Radhasameta Krishna considered mangala ragas. The pallavi a spiritual grace behind the valuable popularised and recorded by GNB? starts with the words ‘Mangalam, opportunities he got in future to mould My usual guide Index of Songs in mangalam Meenakshikku jaya his musical career in a constructive South Indian Music by Prof. Gowri mangalam’. He has mentioned his manner. Kuppuswamy and Dr. M. Hariharan (R.R. Publishing Corp. Delhi 110052, 1981) says it is Jayadeva’s, sourcing it to the collection of songs with the ubscribers lease ote editors. This is wrong, it is not in the S , P N Geeta Govinda. v If you do not receive Sruti by the 25th of every month, Decades ago, GNB’s son G.B. Dorai­ inform us immediately by email at swamy identified the composer but [email protected] unfortunately I cannot recollect it now. He added a rider: “Many so that we can send you a replacement copy. think it is a composition of GNB, but v For complaints received within the next month, the it is not. He composed many songs and he taught a few to some of his replacement copy will be sent after deducting postage. students, but he never sang them v Please note that postage and the cost of issue on stage.” will be deducted It strikes me now. Is it possible that if complaint is received after two months. GNB tuned another’s lyric? I wonder who can unravel this mystery now!

6 l SRUTI September 2019 The recording companies of that day, Wodeyar was an exceptional musician from Yadu originated the Yadu HMV and Columbia, omitted the and a patron of Western classical dynasty aka Yaduvamsa. Lord lyricists’ and tunesmiths’ names for music. Krishna hails from this lineage. A classical recordings to skip paying Ashok Madhav number of Saurashtra royalty like royalty. This continued till the time by email Kutch, Gondal, Morvi, are Kotada- of Annamacharya Sankeertanams Sangani are Yaduvamsi. For the recorded by M.S. Subbulakshmi. For the record record, the Wodeyars of Mysore hail I read the articles published in from this lineage. The community V.A.K. Ranga Rao which abounds in north India with Chennai Sruti, on the Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar as a birth Yadav surnames does not belong to Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar centenary tribute. The articles by the kshatriya clan of either race as S.N. Shastry, V. Raghavan and delineated above. I enjoyed reading the centenary tribute Sudharani Raghupathy were well Thus the aspersions cast on the to maharaja Jayachamarajendra written and nostalgic too! However, private life of the royal couple is a Wodeyar in the July issue of I was deeply distressed after reading figment of the mind. Sruti. S.N. Shastry has written an the article His Life was not a bed of The separation between the first informative article on the life, music roses, written by Sriram V in the July couple took place after a few years of and contributions of the composer- 2019 issue. king. happy married life during which they Though it is below my dignity to had a long European sojourn with It is interesting that Jayachamarajendra traverse what has been said in the the rest of the family in 1939 and she Wodeyar and his sister, article, yet I would be failing in my became the Maharani in 1940. There Vijayarajammani Devi grew up duty if I don’t do so at least for the are romantic accounts by Mysore in an environment surrounded by sake of the great soul! The writer Vasudevacharya in his books about Carnatic, Hindustani and Western says: “First Her Highness it was the jugalbandi of piano and violin music. Wodeyar became a good rumoured, refused to consummate between the couple, wafting down the composer in having the marriage on discovering that the corridors of the palace daily. composed close to 100 . Wodeyars were of the Yadava caste, Lastly, when for personal reasons they and therefore inferior to her....” This Before his coronation, Wodeyar made separated, she was given a mansion in comment is in bad taste! a trip to Switzerland. There he met Jaipur, popularly known as Mysore Sergei Rachmaninoff and expressed In Hindu mythology, the Lunar House. She never lived in the Summer an interest to become his student. dynasty (Chandravamsi or Soma- Palace after separation as stated in During this trip, Wodeyar happened vamsi) is one of the three principal the article. She came to Mysore only to listen to the works of Nikolai houses of the kshatriya varna, or after the privy purse was abolished, Medtner, a Russian composer. warrior–ruling caste. Wadiyars are due to financial constraints, and it was Though Wodeyar never met the Chandravamsi. According to the then she stayed off and on. She left composer, he was so much enamoured puranas, Brahma is self-born in the Mysore and returned to Jaipur after a of his music that he sponsored lotus flower which grew from the while only to return when Maharani recordings of his works. In fact, he navel of Vishnu at the beginning of Tripurasundarammanni passed away in 1982, but she died before she formed the Medtner Society in 1949 the universe. Brahma created by reached the palace. to popularise his music. the power of his will the Saptarishis to assist him in the creation of the More such kitsch is written but I will Another interesting episode is that universe. Atri Muni was one of them rest my case without much more the aging Richard Strauss wrote Four and his wife Anasuya, bore three ado. This should, to some extent, Last Songs, and expressed his wish famous sons: Dattatreya, Durvasa and make amends to the damage done in 1949 that the prominent soprano, Soma. The handsome Soma and Tara to the immortal memory of the late Kirsten Flagstad should render it. had a son called Budha. Suryavamsi Maharaja. However, Richard Strauss passed Manu’s daughter Ila fell in love with Raja Chandra away soon after. Coming to know of Budha, and they had a son named by email the composer’s last wish, Wodeyar Pururuva who later became emperor was magnanimous enough to send a and established Prayag as his capital. Sangita Kalanidhi title generous amount for a live recording The Pururuva dynasty was called Sangita Kalanidhi award—how of the soprano to perform under the “Yela” (derived from mother Ila). Nobel? The editorial on the Sangita baton of Wilhelm Furtwangler. Yadu is one of his descendants and Kalanidhi award in the August

8 l SRUTI September 2019 issue of Sruti was timely. The award Chennai-based musicians because the present generation, which includes instituted in 1942, is considered as an many times the significant contribution more than 30 Sangita Kalanidhis. Oscar for Indian classical music and of musicians from the neighbouring R.K. Padmanabha, an able teacher, at par with the Nobel prize. Sangita states of Karnataka, Kerala and administrator, organiser and the main Kalanidhi, like any other award Andhra have gone unnoticed. The architect behind the tambura-shaped of its stature, is also fraught with last time the Sangita Kalanidhi title temple at Rudrapatna (a tiny musical controversies. was conferred on a musician from village near Hassan) who has a huge Karnataka, was in 1995, when vidwan The Nobel Committees, while following of fans and students across R.K. Srikantan received the award. honouring many meritorious the globe, richly deserves the title. Though there are many senior, highly scientists, litterateurs and others have Musicians from Kerala ignored also bypassed quite a few who are deserving musicians, their services have gone unnoticed during these by the Academy include vocalist really deserving. It is unfortunate that K.J. Yesudass, who has established inventors like Thomas Alva Edison, years. However, many leading artists from Karnataka are recognised and himself as a singer of repute, both who has a string of inventions to his in Carnatic music and films. Also, credit and Marconi, who invented the provided opportunities to perform in the prime slots in the annual music flautist K.S. Gopalakrishnan, who has radio, did not qualify for the prize. performed in the annual festivals many festivals conducted by many sabhas in Even Albert Einstein had to wait for times, are awaiting due recognition by Chennai. seven years before getting the Nobel the Academy. Prize. Mahatma Gandhi , a lone Violinists Mysore M. Nagaraj Kadri Gopalnath, the musician crusader of peace in the previous and Mysore M. Manjunath, have with “sax” appeal, who adopted century, did not get the Peace prize. mesmerised audiences across the an unproven instrument to Carnatic The Sangita Kalanidhi award shares a globe with their remarkable mastery music also remains a strong contender. lot of similarities with the Nobel and over the instrument and impeccable Oscar awards, in that, many deserving Unfortunately the music world lost style of playing. Nagaraj, who is in musicians did not get the award at all U. Shrinivas, who took the mandolin his late fifties, has the distinction of and in many instances, have received to unbelievable heights, at a very accompanying several leading artists, the award rather late in their career young age even before he was past and present, and has rendered after their juniors had already been considered for the title. more than five decades of service to bestowed with the title. Carnatic music. It is high time that the The #MeToo campaign has also taken A notable omission in the recent past contribution of the Mysore Brothers is its toll on the conferment of this is that of M.D. Ramanathan whose recognised in a deserving manner. title since some strong contenders music was quite unique and easily who were accused, are now out of All these years, musicians from recognised. With his rich, deep voice reckoning permanently. and a tempo which perhaps none has Karnataka had to be content with adopted, he was highly respected as the Sangita Kala Acharya awards, There is a saying, “There may be a “musician’s musician”. Though he bestowed on reputed teachers of many who deserve, but all will not get was a member of the Music Academy’s music. This year too, M.S. Sheela, their due”. When there is a long list of Experts Committee for many years, a leading vocalist from Karnataka achievers and the title limited to only he was not selected for the prestigious has been chosen for the Sangita Kala one in a year, the possibility of a truly title. Another glaring omission is Acharya award; she is in no way less deserving candidate being sidelined that the Academy did not honour the a contender for the main coveted title. cannot be ruled out. Kanakadasa in one of his compositions Kashtapattaru violin maestro and composer Lalgudi Outstanding vocalists from Bengaluru illa, kalavalisidaru illa concludes that G. Jayaraman with the Sangita like S. Shankar and R.K. Padmanabha, Srishtiyolu kaginele Adi Kesava Raya, Kalanidhi. The Academy probably are yet to get due recognition from the kottavarige untu, kodadavarige illa, conferred the “Life Time Achievement Music Academy. Violinist S. Seshagiri meaning: “Any extent of hard work Award” on Lalgudi, a few years before Rao, in his early seventies now, has may go unnoticed and one has to take he passed away to cover up this lapse! the distinction of providing violin whatever He bestows on us, and if Ghatam maestro Vikku Vinayakram, accompaniment to the female trinity of who also was a strong contender for He doesn’t, be content with what we Carnatic music, namely, M.S. Subbu­ the coveted title, was presented the have”. The Sangita Kalanidhi title is lakshmi, M.L. Vasanthakumari and Life Time Achievement Award. no exception. D.K. Pattammal. In a career spanning There is also a feeling that there is over six decades, he has accompanied S. Shashidhar a soft corner for and all the leading singers of the past and Bengaluru

9 l SRUTI September 2019