The legacy lives on
SUGANTHY KRISHNAMACHARI
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Rukmani Ramani takes off on a music sojourn as she dwells upon the greatness of her father, composer Papanasam Sivan.
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IN A REVERIE: Rukmani Ramani with father Papanasam Sivan's portrait in the background. Photo: R. Shivaji Rao.
`Naan Oru Vilaiyaattu Bommaiyaa?' ("Am I a mere plaything in your hands, O Goddess Uma?") — the angst and outpourings of a soul in anguish. The unkind blows that Fate dealt him could have prompted Polagam Ramaiah to sing thus. But they also impressed upon the evanescence of life. Rukmani Ramani, daughter of Papanasam Sivan (whose real name was Polagam Ramaiah), begins the conversation with a description of the travails her father faced early in life. She talks of his days in Trivandrum, where he worked as a cook in the Ootuparai (community kitchen) to support his family. While in Trivandrum, he heard the bhajanais of Neelakanta Sivan, and especially liked his rendering of Tiruvarutpa. Ashok Ramani, grandson of Papanasam Sivan, interrupts to say that since his grandfather was so fond of Arutpas, he always includes one in every concert of his.
Papanasam Sivan had no formal music training although he did learn music for sometime from Mahadeva Bhagavatar and Samba Bhagavatar. For the most part he imbibed it by listening to the stalwarts of the era. . He got his love of music from his mother Yogambal. His ascetic appearance earned for him the name Sivan, and his sojourn in Papanasam with his brother Rajagopala Iyer earned him the prefix Papanasam.
Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer, whose music Sivan first heard in 1912, was particularly fond of Sivan. Koneri was famous for his singing of Todi, and he must have transmitted some of his love for Todi to Sivan, who composed more than 20 kritis in Todi. Kharaharapriya was yet another favourite of Sivan, who composed more than 30 kritis in the ragam.
Margazhi bhajans
When did Sivan's Margazhi Bhajanais around the Kapaleeswarar temple begin? "From 1912 father had been singing bhajans during the Saptha Sthana festival in the seven temple towns around Tiruvaiyaru. His first bhajanais in Mylapore were in 1921. From 1925 to 1972 his
bhajanais in Mylapore continued uninterrupted. I used to accompany my father from the age of three, and I have continued the bhajanai tradition without a break," says Rukmani.
Sivan's compositions were spontaneous outpourings. His first song `Unnai Tudikka Arul Thaa' in Kuntalavarali was his spontaneous offering to the Lord of Tiruvarur. He was a patriot , having made the acquaintance of Subramania Siva as early as 1908. His `Paamaalaikkor Inai Undow?' bears out his admiration for Bharatiyar. He composed a song in praise of Annie Besant, and one extolling the services of Akashvani!
Regular practice
Even as an eight-year-old, Rukmani would jot down the notations as her father sang, a practice that continued till his death in 1973.
She has published in six volumes most of the 800 kritis for which she has notations. The seventh will soon be published. His film songs, of course, have the distinction of having put classical music within the reach of the common man. Both Rukmani and her sister Neela Ramamurthy have many compositions to their credit. . Rukmani runs the Sivan Arts Academy in West Mambalam, Anna Nagar and Virugambakkam, and plans to start one in Mylapore. Ashok has brought out an interactive CD ROM, which has Sivan's songs sung by DKP, GNB, M.S. and MKT Bhagavatar and also those of artists like Vijay Siva, and `Gokulam Yamunai,' songs sung by DKP that were brought out as 78 rpm records.
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