Musical homage to a singer, teacher
G. JAYAKUMAR
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`Guruvandana' was performed in memory of Neyyattinkara Mohanachandran.
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IN REMEMBRANCE: `Sangeetha Archana' for Neyyattinkara Mohanachandran.
Neyattinkara M.K. Mohanachandran was many things - a gifted vocalist who sought perfection through sadhana, a devoted teacher, and above all, a treasure house of knowledge always willing to share it with anyone, anytime. Friends, colleagues and disciples paid tribute to the singer at a `Sangeetha Archana,' organised jointly by Swaralaya and Sangeetha Bharathi in Thiruvananthapuram.
Music director M. Jayachandran,who was Mohanachandran's disciple for more than 17 years, had fond memories of him. An exponent of Indian classical music, Mohanachandran was proficient in the rendition of rare ragas and kritis.
Playback singer K.S. Chitra said Mohanachandran used to emphasise the importance of the `sahitya,' and was against the practice of splitting the words, which rendered them meaningless.
The Hindustani vocalist Ramesh Narayanrecalled his first meeting with Mohanachandran at the Government College, Chittoor. Mohanachandran was probably the only musician to approach him who understood the intricacies of Hindustani ragas. "Listening to the song of one of my disciples, he would say it is the right `chalan,' the `raga chhaya swara' is similar to that in Carnatic music." Mohanachandran pointed out the similarities between the two branches of Indian music.
L. Padma, a colleague of several years, said Mohanachandran could clear any doubt related to composers, compositions, and forms of music in an instant.
Kavalam Sreekumar said one could learn some rare ragas and kirthans from listening to Mohanachandran.
B. Surendran, noted mridangam artiste, spoke of when Mohanachandran called him at All India Radio to say he was going to sing some rare kirthanas.
Taken aback, Surendran was reluctant at first, but then relented. Kalyana Sundram recalled how Mohanachandran was approached to sing at a concert because Vechur Harihara Subramaniya Iyer could not make it. Mohanachandran was reluctant but his mother instructed him to sing. He sang one of the most difficult kalyani kirthans after practising for four hours. He was also well versed in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Sanskrit and Hindi.
Soothing songs
Musical tribute too was paid to the late vocalist. `Guruvandanam' sung by students of Sangeetha Bharathi described the soothing effect of Mohanachandran's music. `Smarananjali' was a rendering of a poem written by a close friend, Velayudhan Nair. Thyagaraja's `Entharo mahanubhavolu,' Poonthanam's reference to the guru in `Jnanappana,' and bhajans were also sung. Ramesh Narayan performed the `Sangeetha Archana.'
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