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D. K. Pattammal, the revolutionary
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By breaking barriers, D. K. Pattammal became a pioneer in the field of Carnatic music, dominated by men. VATSALA VEDANTAM spends some time with her.
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IT WAS just like any other music class. A 15-year-old pupil sits crosslegged before the teacher, keeping time with her hand, while they both sing in a slow cadence the beautiful kriti "Bala Gopala... " Another student follows the lyric on the gottuvadhyam. The teacher's eyes are closed. As the song tapers off, she explains its meaning, talks about the 18th century vaggeyakara who composed it and describes its mood and setting. She turns to me with her characteristic smile: "This was the first song taught to me by Ambi Dikshitar. He was the great great grandson of Muthuswami Dikshitar," she adds.
Who was this extraordinary teacher? Sangeetha Kalanidhi. Padma Vibushani. Recipient of the Kalidas Samman award. One of the all time greats (of seven decades standing) in the annals of Carnatic music, D. K. Pattammal thinks nothing of teaching music to teenagers like Aishwarya Raghavan, a ninth standard student.
"She makes you realise the beauty of what you are learning. That's her greatness," says this fortunate young pupil.
Perhaps her childhood experiences had something to do with it. Born into a middle class Brahmin family - "we belonged to the Dikshitar vamsam" - in Damal village near Kancheepuram, Pattammal's only exposure to the outside world was the Kamakshi temple where she listened to slokas sung by the priest Nayana Pillai. During the Thyagarja Utsavam, the six-year-old sang all those slokas without a single omission. A "Telugu vadhyar" from Arni was so impressed that he offered to come home and teach her music. Krishnaswamy Dikshitar, her schoolteacher father, was ecstatic, yet apprehensive.
"Girls from orthodox families did not sing or dance in those days." It was decided that her elder brother, D.K. Ranganathan, accompany her. In fifteen days, young Pattammal learnt six songs. The village of Damal saw her first public performance where she sang "Thulasi billava... " with her brother in tow. Seventy-eight years later, the grand old lady recalls: "The audience was very happy and didn't stop clapping!"
Pattammal's second venture into the world of performing arts was in drama. She played Savitri and saw the audience in Damal weep when she sang the moving raaga maalika, "Thaayaar irundenna, thandhayum irundenna... " Like that other revolutionary, Rukmini Devi Arundale, she had succeeded in breaking the barriers that kept women artistes from performing in public.
Pic. by Vatsala Vedantam.
Learning at the veteran's feet ...
After that, her parents agreed to have the Telugu Vadhyar come and teach her both Telugu and Sanskrit along with music. Years later, when Pattammal was already a legend in music circles, she could barely recognise the old man who sobbed outside the Rasika Ranjani Sabha where her concert had just ended. "I told your father you would become a great vidwan," he wept with joy. It was her first teacher from Damal. Pattammal wipes the tears from her own eyes remembering the scene. She remains silent for a while, lost in memories.
"Tell me about your schooling." I ask. She immediately brightens. And describes her music education in the Government Training School at Kanchi, where she passed the IV Form when she was nine years old.
"Do you know I got a First Class with distinctions in both Theory and Practice? The Kandasamy Sari Shop in Kanchi gave me a medal!" Her face glows with the recollection. It was all the more creditable with great examiners like Samba Moorthy and Tiger Varadachariar, she says.
It seems the latter said "sing something." And the student sang Dikshitar's "Shri Subramanyaya Namasthe... " At this point, Pattammal breaks off, and sings the kriti again, slowly enunciating each and every syllable. Her childlike enthusiasm is touching.
In 1929, D. K. Pattammal gave her first ever radio performance. It was then called AIR Corporation, she adds with amazing accuracy. That same year, she married Iswaran, a music devotee himself. Far from curbing her talent, he encouraged her to make it her career. Even now, he looks at her proudly and declares: "Please note that Pattammal and Rukmini Devi were the two pioneers in music and dance. Until they came on the scene, Brahmin girls were not allowed to perform in public."
Trained by eminent scholars later, such as Koteswara Iyer, Appadorai Acharyan and Vaidyanathan among others, 84-year-old Pattammal firmly believes that a true musician must share knowledge with disciples. She trained her own brother the late D. K. Jayaraman, has groomed son Sivakumar and grand daughter Nithyashree - all musicians of repute.
What is more she spends time patiently teaching talented children like Aishwarya who will surely carry on her legacy. Just as she remembers the generosity and goodwill of her early mentors in Damal village like that Telugu teacher and Nayana Pillai, her students are sure to remember the graciousness of this teacher too.
Before I take leave of this one-in-a-million artist, I request her for a Daasara kriti. Without the least hesitation, she closes her eyes and sings: "Sathyavantharige kaala villa Dhushta janarigidhu subishta kaala... " When I thank her, Pattamal says: "Wait. Let me sing you this one," and breaks into that most evocative piece: "Yentha chaluva nanage maganannu kottanu Giriraajanna Nodamma Ammamma Nodamma... " Her mellow voice stayed with me long after I left her.
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