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Akka encouraged me to accept solo recitals. But I’d refuse anything that prevented me from singing with her...

Photo: R. Shivaji Rao.

Exceptional talent: T.M. Prabhavathi.

“My first guru T.K.Govinda Rao came at any time convenient to him. The family would begin dinner and find him at the doorstep. I’d get up at once. Once I recall how my brother enjoyed both his meal and my discomfiture as I struggled with an avaroha slide in Ranjani, and the vadyar scolded, ‘I will hit you with the tambura if you don’t do it right.’” T.M.Prabhavathi laughs as she recalls this childhood scene, her voice as melodious now as it was in all the years she accompanied celebrated artiste M.L.Vasanthakumari with perfect assonance.

Belonging to the Viswakarma community of Kerala, Prabha’s was a family of artists. Her uncle carved wood and ivory as he taught her sarali varisai and geetham. Father K. Madhavan was a painter, portraitist, magazine illustrator, designer of stage and film sets, constantly sought by artistes, writers, musicians and actors. He filled the house with music as he wanted his Prabha to become an outstanding singer. He kept complaining to her gurus that she was not practising enough.

From her debut at age ten, Prabha’s recitals were at pujas, functions and weddings of stage and film stars such as the TKS Brothers, M.V.Rajam, M.R.Radha, N.S.Krishnan and Thangavelu. After four years of solid music with Govinda Rao, and exposure to Musiri Subramania Iyer’s style as the vidwan’s tenant, Prabha had S. Balasubramanian introducing her to a different style and method, and to rare ragas like Garudadhvani.

“Both gurus ensured I knew the raga well before teaching a kriti in it. No bit by bit detailing of alapana or kalpana swara, I had to follow where they led. Govinda Rao was a master at splitting complex sangatis for teaching.” Completing SSLC, Prabha was selected by the examiners’ panel at the Central College of Music (“Auditions weren’t easy in those days, I sang alapana, niraval and swaram to Etavunara, Kalyani, and answered questions”). However, MLV happened to advise her to focus on a single style with a single teacher, without realising that the girl was desperate to learn from her. Finally, comedienne T.A.Madhuram took pity on the girl and told the singer, “Vasanti, Madhavan Anna’s daughter is longing to learn from you.” MLV heard Prabha sing “Subramanyena” (Suddha Dhanyasi) and agreed to teach.

But there were no direct lessons. MLV’s father Ayyasami Iyer reclined on an easy chair, correcting disciples singing different ragas and kritis, or teaching something new. One day he said to MLV, “Take this kutti to accompany you.” The miracle happened. Prabha was on the stage with her idol at the Academy in 1960, and continued to be her inseparable companion for 14 glorious years. “Akka encouraged me to accept solo recitals. But I’d refuse anything that prevented me from singing with her. It was a greater joy to watch, hear, and sing with her.”

She thrills to remember how, once, M.S.Subbulakshmi said that the MLV-Prabha team was better than her own with Radha. Later, D.K.Pattammal was to tell her how much she enjoyed hearing her flawless blending with her guru.

MLV was magnanimous. She insisted on Prabha being properly miked, and paused to let the disciple sing sangatis sparkling with sphurita prayogas and high sancharas. The guru would beam if people appreciated the disciple.

“You couldn’t expect regular class and line-by-line teaching. You had to be alert to catch what she sang a couple of times, learn with tape or notation. We learnt the new songs together. At times she would leave me with Govinda Rao who set to music some of her evergreen songs saying, ‘Teach it to your ex-disciple. I’m going out.’”

Prabha admits that singing with MLV was risky. “Akka would change the sangati, their order, omit, or add as her mood prompted. If I made a mistake, she gave a sharp look, but never scolded afterwards. She let it go.”

The guru insisted that Prabha too should travel first class with her. “I’d press her feet, serve her as best as I could. Such joy when sometimes M.S. Amma joined us in the train compartment. They recalled old times, old jokes, and laughed in glee.”

Once, when Prabha fell ill in Bombay, she saw another side to her guru. Nursing her anxiously, MLV made Horlicks and took it to the huge Shanmukhananda venue, urging Prabha to take sips between songs. When they returned, the guru made pomegranate juice for the sishya.

Prabha sang for MLV’s daughter Srividya’s dance recitals, as also for dancers Hema Malini, Lakshmi Viswanathan and Swapnasundari. She did perform solo, won awards, and continues to give radio recitals. Now, she teaches at home, after retiring from 20 years’ service as professor from the same Music College that she did not join, all those years ago.

Her sunny temperament refuses to brood over disappointments. Prabha’s exceptional talent and training did not bring stardom as expected by many. Parting from MLV was a blow. But husband K.G.Babu, and U.S.-based software engineer/mridangist son Hariprasad have been very supportive. But, at certain moments, when she hears MLV’s voice, Prabha is reduced to tears. Had she not found in her guru a great artiste, a generous elder, and a caring mentor?

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