Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

The death of Sulochana Pattabhiraman is a great loss to Carnatic music. One of her most innovative efforts was training a few young children to sing ‘Pancharatna Kirtanas. ‘Pinju Rathnangalin Pancharathnam’ was an instant hit, the group invited to perform by sabhas and temples in the city. The Valmiki Manram records with humility that it was the first to organise the event at the Rathnagiriswarar temple in Besant Nagar on a Vijaya Dasami day a few years ago. The striking aspect was that the children in the 6-12 age group rendered the kritis without referring to their notebook. So perfect was the guru’s training!

It was a blessing indeed to be a student of Sulochana Maami, who was an institution herself. She would share rare insights into Carnatic music, be it the ragas, or the alapana format or the accurate method of tala, with great passion. Her ardent desire was to see her students grow with sensitivity.

I shared her love for animals, especially dogs, and one could only want to emulate the unconditional care and concern she had for them. Maami has left wonderful memories for her disciples to cherish.

With the passing away of Sulochana Pattabhiraman, the musical fraternity has lost one of its valuable gems. An unassuming charismatic, iconic figure, she carved a niche for herself in the field of review — both book and music. A musicologist of great knowledge, she donned the mantle of guru with great dignity. She always acknowledged a good effort with generous words of appreciation. She was a storehouse of information. As the late TSP once said, she was a mobile music library.

Teaching music was second nature to Sulochana maami. The greatest feature about her was perfection, especially in the sangatis of kritis. A sincere and devoted teacher, she would never compromise on even an anuswaram variation. In spite of the rigorous practice sessions, the students would never be tired as classes were interspersed with interesting anecdotes (it was especially amusing when she said how Semmangudi called her Thillana Sulochanambal for her prowess in composing). And in a group of 15-20, she would exactly identify the variation that a student makes and will not proceed until it is corrected. She was a noble teacher and it was amazing to see her sit up in spite of her fragile health.

Apart from the music, mami taught us discipline and kutcheri manners.

My first meeting with Sulochana maami happened when I was 12. I look back after 10 years. Being an NRI, I used to come to India during my summer vacations in high school, to learn music. Can anyone sit for two or even three hours in a music class, I used to wonder. But time just flew when we were with maami. Her teaching style was so unique. Class wasn’t merely time to recite songs and learn note after note. Mami would take the time to teach us the theory, the story, and the passion behind each composer’s song. Often times, she would reminisce with interesting stories of musicians of the yesteryear. Never did I know a dull moment in those evening classes with Mami. She was a perfectionist, tailoring every last note until it fell into the right place. Mami had interesting hand gestures and signals for each gamaka, each slide, and each detail. She could conduct her classes without saying a single word!

Although much of my time with Mami was spent in class, she was much more than a musician. Most important, she was a magnificent human being. She loved everyone the same way, but we would each feel that special bond with her, as though she loved us the most! Each person had their own unique connection with Mami that only they knew.

I’m maami’s disciple and an ardent fan of hers in all the respects. Maami was a very affectionate person and I admired her for her winsome nature. She showered us not only with music but also good values, discipline, affinity everything. And we could discuss cricket and cricketers with her. It was great fun. A great guru, who felt proud of even a small achievement that we made.

I was very glad to read the great review on a senior vidwan K.Rama Rao (Friday Review, February 29). Finally, the day has dawned in the life of a senior sangeeta vidwan whom my institution Bharatakalaanjali had honoured with the title of ‘Sangeetagna’ way back in 1988 (if I remember it correctly). Though people who have known him from his Kalakshetra days know the exemplary quality of his music and his great vidwat, he remained in the shadow of his celebrity younger brother Guru Adyar Lakshmanan. Probably his staying away from Chennai for some time serving the Darpana Academy of Mrinalini Sarabai in Ahamedabad has not revealed his musical virtuosity to Chennai rasikas. He would have continued his Guru Sangeeta Kalanidhi Bhudalur Krishnamurthy Sastry’s legacy as a Gottuvadyam vidwan of a rare quality, but for the sudden disability of his left hand, caused by arthritis.

I still remember attending his Carnatic music classes in Kalakshetra, and his squeezing us out to strike a perfect sruti-aligned note. He is an absolute uncompromising perfectionist, and probably this is the reason for his not being in the limelight.

Vidwan Rama Rao deserves much more recognition.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail