KERALA – The Foster Mother of Musicians

Kerala has given birth to a lot of extraordinarily talented Carnatic musicians. But most of them have pursued their artistic career out of the state, in a large measure. While singers like Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, M. D. Ramanathan and Palakkad K. V. Narayana Swamy, violinists like T. N. Krishnan, M. S. Gopalakrishnan, M. S. Anantharaman and V. V. Subramaniam, and mridangists like Palakkad Mani Iyer, Palakkad R. Raghu and T. V. Gopalakrishnan chose Tamil Nadu as their karmabhoomi, the talented composer, scholar and singer, Puthucode Krishna Murthy followed his musical profession in Delhi and Tamil Nadu. Perhaps during that time, it was because Kerala did not have a robust financial environment to retain and nurture them, that they sought greener pastures elsewhere. The past couple of decades however have witnessed a sea change in the field of Carnatic music in Kerala. Both Carnatic and Hindustani music have become hugely popular so much so that many young talents in the field have opted to remain in this home-state of theirs, and follow their passion. As an extension of this trend, many musicians from other places are opting to come to Kerala in order to lead a fruitful professional life here.

Today, Kerala has become a foster mother who nourishes their artistic abilities. In a sense, this is a typical case of the Law of Compensation coming into effect. This article is about two musicians who have come to Kerala, and chosen to make their fortune here – Shenkottai Harihara Subramaniam who has settled down in Thrippunithura and Mathangi Satyamurthy who has made Kottayam her home. It is noteworthy that both artistes are natives of Tamil Nadu, the major patron state of Carnatic music. Harihara Subramaniam was born in Shenkottai in Tamil Nadu in 1978. He inherited his talent from his mother. As his father also enjoyed music thoroughly, there was a vibrantmusical atmosphere at home, and Harihara Subramaniam grew up singing all the time. While he was still very young, the Tamil film Sindhu Bharavi was released, and its music, composed by Ilayaraja, cast a spell over him. He constantly crooned the songs of that film. Observing this, his family sent him to a teacher named Jayanti to learn music.

Two years later, Harihara Subramaniam started looking for another teacher who could train him further. He found the guru of his choice in Shenkottai Parameswara Bhagavathar but the latter did not show any enthusiasm in taking the young boy under his wing. Intrigued, he sought the reason for the Bhagavathar’s indifference, and soon learnt what Shenkottai Parameswara Bhagavathar had confided in Harihara Subramaniam’s mother. Pupils studied under him buteventually abandoned music and went in pursuit of other jobs. Therefore, he did not fancy pandering to the wishes of students who were frivolous about studying music. One day, as Shenkottai Parameswara Bhagavathar was on an evening stroll, Harihara Subramaniam fell prostrate before him on the street. The prospective student swore in the name of all the gods he worshipped that music was his life-breath and that he would not be able to give it up ever in his life. He refused to release his hold on the guru’s feet until Shenkottai Parameswara Bhagavathar promised to accept him.

The guru’s heart melted, and he gave his word that he would train Harihara Subramaniam. The music classes began at three in the morning and stretched up to seven. Harihara Subramaniam would wake up at two, finish his ablutions, and walk to his tutor’s house, a good half hour away. The guru was extremely strict but Harihara Subramaniam continued his studies under Parameswara Bhagavathar for seven years. That was his journey towards becoming a complete singer. In course of time, Harihara Subramaniam wished to do his higher studies at the Music College in Madurai but his father dissuaded him, arguing that it was impossible to eke a decent livelihood by following a musical career. At one point, even Shenkottai Parameswara Bhagavathar concurred with that opinion, and advised his pupil to give up his decision. As a result, Harihara Subramaniam joined a college in Tenkasi, choosing Physics as his subject of undergraduate study. However, he did not loosen his hold on music. Under the aegis of the Nehru Yuva Kendra, he participated in the college-level, national music competition that was held at Lucknow, and won the first prize. He received a gold medal on that occasion.On completing his graduation, Harihara Subramaniam hastened back to Chennai. His aim was to train under the famous mridangam artiste Srimushnam V. Raja Rao. While he was studying there, his father came in search of him in order to persuade him to take an M. Sc. degree in Physics. Compelled by his guru, Harihara Subramaniam had to return with his father, and join a college in Tirunelveli to do his post-graduate studies.

When the results came out, Harihara Subramaniam was declared the topper in the university. He received his degree certificate and gold medal for his academic excellence but Harihara Subramaniam, leaving both symbols of his merit in his father’s hands, left home. He had resolved that he would make a living by following his heart’s desire, and the father had no alternative but to agree with the son’s decision. On reaching Kozhikode, Harihara Subramaniam joined the music academy run by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboodiri, as a tutor, and taught students for two years. Occasionally, he went to Chennai and continued his training under Srimushnam Raja Rao. Later, he settled down in Thrippunithura. In a brief span of time, Harihara Subramaniam became an asset in the field of Carnatic music in Kerala. Today, he is the most sought-after and busiest musician of Kerala. The hallmark of his styleis the Dravidian beauty that pulsates in his Carnatic renditions. Harihara Subramaniam has himself testified that the greatest virtue of the rasikas in Kerala is that they welcome artistes, no matter where they come from, with open arms. He asserts that his Kerala audiences do not look at differences in language, place of birth or culture from a narrow perspective. Harihara Subramaniam is married to Lakshmi, a native of Thalipparamba in Kerala. His opinion is that there is no unnecessary rivalry or tug-of-war among musicians in Kerala. As soon as one music programme of his gets over, he gets booked for another. He was once invited to be the music composer for a Tamil film but he turned down the offer. “Iworship pure music, and have accepted this land and its people as mine just as they have owned me up as one of their own. I cannot even dream of making a name for myself after giving them up, ever in my life!” Undoubtedly, these words come from the depths of the ardent heart of Shenkottai Harihara Subramaniam.

Mathangi the musician was born in 1958 in Turaiyur in Tiruchirapally district in Tamil Nadu. She virtually became the daughter-inlaw of Kerala, on marrying Satyamurthy, a native of Parippu village in Kottayam district. All the members of Mathangi’s family in Tamil Nadu, even while having high academic qualifications and holding high positions in their respective professions, are famous for their deep knowledge of and interest in Carnatic music. Mathangi Satyamurthy herself is gifted with a rich and deep voice as well as physical stature that are comparable to evergreen doyennes in the field, like M. S. Subbalakshmi and D. K. Pattammal. Today, she enjoys a reputation that is on a par with or perhaps higher than any living genius in the world of music in India. The factors that set her apart are the emotive range of her voice and her total commitment to the art. More importantly, the absence of an unhealthy competitive spirit, the indifference to fame, and the refusal to madly pursue awards and recognition ennoble her musical culture even further. Her world vision that encompasses a respect for knowledge and wisdom, commands the love and respect of her audiences. The marital alliance between Mathangi and Satyamurthy was fixed by their families. Satyamurthy had gained admission to medicine but opted to take up farming that his family was engaged in. He had deep knowledge of music too. At the time of the traditional bride-viewing, although he expressed his unwillingness to accompany her on her music tours, he ended up being her strongest pillar of support. Mathangi proudly states that her life exemplifies the reverse of the adage – ‘Behind every successful man, there is a woman’. Mathangi has a special affinity towards the musical style that characterizes the performances of D. K. Pattammal and her brother D. K. Jayaraman. She goes into raptures as she sings ragam-thanam-pallavi in the same style as D. K. Pattammal. She states that the initial days of her married life in Kottayam were very amusing. Her husband would leave for work in the fields very early in the morning.

And all she had for company was music! In the beginning, her neighbours, hearing her singing to herself, would tease her endlessly. “But gradually, a few students of music in the neighbourhood began to flock towards me. Some of them were vocalists, others violinists, and still others, mridangists. Soon, they started singing with me and playing the violin as well as the mridangam. In that manner, I became their guide. That was the beginning.” Mathangi’s first musical recital was in Kottayam district itself. The venue was Ranjini Sangeetha Sabha. The second was at the Mahadeva temple at Vaikom on the auspicious occasion of its famous Vaikkathashtamifestival. Her performances at both these places had such a profound impact on the rasikas that she was inundated with invitations for musical recitals all over Kerala. “The number of programmes I have conducted outside Kerala may be equal to those that I have done in Kerala. In the field of music, although Tamil Nadu is my birth mother, Kerala is my adoptive mother. I can say confidently that this is the land that has made me who I am today,” Mathangi Satyamurthy asserts. “Although I have had many interesting experiences while conducting music programmes in Kerala, let me narrate one specific experience.

Once I was singing at a concert organized by the Library Council in Kottayam. I was so completely absorbed in it that I closed my eyes as I sang. At some point of time, one member of the audience came up the dais, inserted a five hundred rupee note in the notation book that lay open in front of me, and left. After the recital, I was wonderstruck to see the money. It was one of my accompanying artistes who told me about what had happened!” Mathangi reminisces. “I am proud that I have contributed a little towards creating a refined aesthetic culture in the field of Carnatic music in Kerala. People from all walks of life – retail traders, railway porters, police personnel, barbers, bus conductors and so on – sit right in front of the audience, and listen to my music. What is really amusing is that these people have formed a Fan’s Association in my name at Ettumanoor – Mathangi’s Fans’ Association! This is a recognition that has not be given to any other singer in this area! My musical career in Kerala has upturned the general notion that a Carnatic singer has a future only in Chennai. Maybe this was true earlier. But today, that is not the case. I have been able to prove that the Thanjavur bani of Carnatic music has a fertile ground in Kerala. I’m sad that my spouse is not alive to see these successes of mine. But I continue to do my duty. After all, this land and its people are with me.” These words are an eloquent testimony to the cultural atmosphere of Kerala in the present times.