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The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Remembering virtuoso vocalist Tanjore S. Kalyanaraman
To connoisseurs of Carnatic music, Tanjore S. Kalyanaraman was many things — a virtuoso vocalist, visionary composer and a bold innovator. SKR, as he is widely known, was an illustrious disciple of the legendary G.N. Balasubramaniam. His most distinctive contribution to the Carnatic canon was the creation of the 36 dwi-madhyama panchama-varja melas — derived by excluding the panchamam and employing both shuddha and prati madhyamas in tandem. He not only ideated these ragas, revolutionary in theory and demanding in practice, but also gave several of them form and soul through his own compositions. On his 95th birth anniversary, Madhuradhwani paid a homage to SKR with a commemorative event at the Arkay Convention Center. The evening also featured a violin concert by Nagai R. Muralidharan, who was accompanied by Srimushnam V. Raja Rao on the mridangam and K.V. Gopalakrishnan on the kanjira. On the occasion were also present Cleveland Sundaram and Bhushany Kalyanaraman, among other dignitaries. Born on June 2, 1930, in Thiruvengadu near Mayavaram, kalyanaraman belonged to the lineage of vidwans — Komal Muthu Bhagavathar (great grandfather) and Madhirimangalam Natesa Iyer (grand uncle). While his father N. Srinivasa Iyer initiated him into the art, musicologist Kittamani Iyer played a crucial role in bringing him under the tutelage of GNB, shared Muralidharan, quoting family sources. Muralidharan recalled his first concert with SKR at George Town, Madras, in 1970. His guru R.S. Gopalakrishnan had requested that his student be permitted to accompany the maestro, alongside himself. That opportunity blossomed into a cherished association. 'People often link SKR with vivadhi ragas because he sang them with finesse,' he noted, 'but his renditions of mainstream ragas were equally compelling.' He cited SKR's Thodi as an object lesson in raga development and breath control, evoking the grandeur of T.N. Rajarathnam Pillai's music, and played recordings of SKR's Thodi and Arabhi alapanas, which brought those memories alive for the audience. The list of those who accompanied SKR reads like a roll call of Carnatic royalty — Lalgudi Jayaraman, T.N. Krishnan, M.S. Gopalakrishnan, M. Chandrasekaran, Palghat Mani Iyer, C.S. Murugabhoopathy, Umayalpuram Sivaraman, T.K. Murthy, Palghat Raghu, Karaikudi Mani, Mannargudi Eswaran, Raja Rao, and more — underscoring the esteem in which he was held, added Muralidharan. Raja Rao fondly recalled SKR's love for scooters, cars, gadgets, and surround sound set-ups long before they became a commonplace. It was SKR, he reminded, who first perfected and popularised the Tyagaraja kriti 'Enta muddo' in Bindumalini. Subbudu once, in his review, likened SKR's sangatis to a bountiful cascade of parijata flowers tumbling down when the branches of the tree are shaken, Raja Rao said. Sundaram reflected on his 18-year-long association with SKR, through his sister, who was his student. 'SKR faced many challenges in his personal life. His wife, Bhushany, was his pillar of support andinstrumental in his several accomplishments. He was incredibly hard-working. It was a frequent occurrence that he would take up a single raga and kriti and practise for four hours, mostly in the company of MSG and Karaikudi Mani. He was neversatisfied with himself and always looked for improvement. Never one to complain, he once lamented — words that not only saddened but left a lasting impression on me: 'uzhaikka kathundane thavira naan pizhaikka kathukkala' (I learnt to work hard, but not how to make a living). SKR was unrelenting in his pursuit of perfection, said Sundaram. 'Once, I gave him a recording of his concert. The next day, he returned it with the pallavi erased, saying it had not come out well. I argued that it was fine. He replied, 'If that is your idea of good music, and you are promoting it, then God save music!' This, he said, about his own music, which is rare to come across.' Sundaram recounted how SKR, on the advice of K.V. Narayanaswami, took a six-month break from sadhakam to regain his voice. Such was his discipline and respect for peer wisdom. Ever the innovator, SKR even performed a whistle concert — dubbed 'a flute concert without a flute' — accompanied by Raja Rao in the U.S. Music was his life; yet, recognition often eluded him. The Kalaimamani award came only on the eve of his demise — he passed away on January 9, 1994. The evening then segued into a violin recital by Muralidharan — an offering that resonated with the spirit of SKR. Assisted by his disciple D. Badrinarayanan, Muralidharan opened with Papanasam Sivan's 'Tatvamariya tarama' (Reetigowla), followed by 'Tolijanmamuna jeyu' (Bilahari). Neetimati and Vagadeeswari — two vivadhi ragas dear to SKR — were lovingly explored, the former through Koteeswara Iyer's 'Mohanakara Muthukumara', and the latter in Tyagaraja's 'Paramatmudu velige'. The tani avartanam, featuring Raja Rao and Gopalakrishnan, sparkled with vibrant and absorbing rhythmic interplay. SKR's own Darbari Kanada thillana in Misra Chapu served as a fitting signature from the master himself.
New Indian Express
25-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
SIT to probe illegal mining into remaining fields of Thadagam valley
COIMBATORE: Activists in Thadagam Valley welcomed the Madras High Court's April 17 order directing the special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the remaining brickkiln fields in the Thadagam valley to ascertain illegal mining which is affecting the movement of wild elephants along their corridor in the Perur taluk of Coimbatore district. Illegal activities of brickkilns in the fields too will come under the SIT purview. S Muralidharan, a petitioner and Chennai-based activist, told TNIE that the hundreds and thousands of acres of areas were illegally mined in the Thadagam valley. The Madras High court should punish the illegal brickkiln owners and revenue and mining officials who issued licence but failed to monitor the indiscriminate mining that resulted in environmental degradation and an increase in human-animal conflict. "Punishing the government officials will set an example and help protect the environment and wildlife in future," said Muralidharan. S Ganesh of Thadagam Valley Protection Committee said "These brickkiln units are located very close to the foothills of the Western Ghats and an important elephant corridor has been there for over the last 25 years. Out of the 806 brickkiln fields in five villages in the Thadagam valley, the joint committee has submitted a report after conducting field visits only in 565 fields and found illegal mining in up to 433 villages. The SIT will investigate the 241 remaining fields at Nanjundapuram, Veerapandi and Chinna Thadagam villages in the Thadagam valley." "These units have mined excessive soil and created a roadblock for free animal movement, thus resulting in elephant forays into residential areas and agricultural fields. If the SIT probe is not satisfactory, we will pray the Madras High Court to hand over the investigation into the illegal brickkiln units, which are sealed now, to the CBI if the revenue, mining and police personnel fail to stop those taking machines or soil, etc., from the sealed units," said Ganesh. The court has also appointed D Shanmugapriya, SP, CB-CID, Chennai, to head the SIT replacing G Nagajothi, the SP of the State Crime Records Bureau since Nagajothi was on continuous leave due to her husband's death.
