ANECDOTES ABOUT MUSICAL ARTISTS—31
31.Veenai Dhanammal (1867–1938)
Dhanammal was a highly accomplished Carnatic musician, and the torch bearer of the school of Carnatic music that goes by her name. She was both a vocalist and a performer on the veenai .The prefix "Veenai" in her name is an indicator of her exceptional mastery of that instrument., Dhanammal made the National instrument of India--the Veena, her mode of expression and created a unique style or bani of playing it.
**************************
She was born in George Town, Madras, into a family of professional musicians and dancers. Her grandmother Kamakshi was a reputed dancer, and her mother was a vocalist who trained under Subbaraya Sastri, the son of Syama Sastri, one of the Carnatic Music Trinity.
*****************************
She was trained by her family members, She also learned from Walajapet Balakrishna Das ("Padam Baladas"), a blind musician who was a repository of the padams of Kshetragna and Satanur Pancanatha Iyer. Dhanammal belonged to a lineage of musicians and dancers at the Tanjavur court, traceable to Papammal four generations removed. Her own art drew admirers from the ranks of musicians and critics. Many composers like Tiruvotriyur Tyagayyar, Muthialpet Ponnuswami and Dharmapuri Subbarayar, wrote songs in praise of her genius, such as the gem-like javali "Sarasundaranguni" in Pharaz.
*********************************
A Veena player with pretensions to good vocal music is a rarity. Dhanam is equally good at both. At this age, her voice retains unimpaired all the traits that go to make an ideal singer. It is sweet, clear, powerful, and uniform in the three octaves. It blends with the Veena so well that to mistake the one for the other is a common experience of her hearers. Into the esoteric subtleties of this divine art, she weaves an endless variety of verses in Sanskrit, Telugu, and Tamil, fashioning the whole into a delectable wreath of soulful ecstasies, throbbing with a world of emotions. Thus it is that her wide and deep culture, born of close association with renowned scholars and epicures like the late Sathavadhanam Srinivasachariar and Tirumalayya Naidu, fulfils itself by directing her vision heavenward–the end of true culture as Tyagaraja lays down in his song, "Swararagasudha". Her repertoire of more than a thousand songs by seventy composers in six languages outlined her musical perspective and aesthetic sensitivity.
*******************************
Her personal style, known as the Veenai Dhanammal bani, is still regarded as a yardstick in terms of adherence to traditional values and profundity of music expression. Musicians, critics and composers attended her private recitals in Chennai. Her continuing impact is ascribed to the scope of her repertoire, knowledge and refinement. Many songs by leading were composed for, or inspired by Dhanammal. These compositions, mainly javali and padam, have been preserved, taught, and published by her grandchildren,
***********************************
Dhanammal played the veena in the slow tempo (without the plectrum as it was too harsh for one so aurally sensitive as she was) to bring out the subtle glints and nuances of the bhakti ragas. She also sang the compositions along in a manner that left listeners spellbound. Her style is considered to be the acme of all that is refined and chaste in traditional Carnatic music.
*********************************
Dhanammal has been the fountainhead of three generations of artists in her family-her four daughters (Rajalakshmi, Lakshmiratnam, Jayammal, Kamakshi) were exemplary vocalists. Her grandchildren include Brinda, Mukta (Vocal), Abhiramasundari (violin), Sankaran (musicology), Ranganathan (mridangam), Viswanathan (flute), and Bharatanatyam legend Balasaraswati, Great granddaughters Lakshmi and Vegavahini continue to bear the torch.
****************************
Dhanammal broke the barrier in the then male-dominated arena, gaining respect and admiration from all her peers and contemporaries. She was a force to reckon with in Carnatic music. To Dhanammal the Veena was a complete instrument and needed no accompaniments.
*************************************
Dhanammal also influenced a number musicians of her generation. T.N Rajaratnam Pillai said "She was my last guru, I learnt whatever I could about refinement in music from Dhanammal". In addition to Carnatic musicians, a number of Hindustani musicians admired Dhanammal's musical acumen and the admiration was mutual. Abdul Karim Khan and Dhanammal were good friends and Dhanammal even taught him Entha Veduko, a Thyagaraja composition.
******************************
"In the early 1920s Vina Dhanammal performed for the Raja at the Vizianagaram Palace. While several veena maestros entertained the Raja with their music during the day, Dhanammal was asked to lull the Raja to sleep every night with her Bhairavi raga. In return for her artistry, the raja offered to give Dhanammal anything she requested. She asked for a crafted shawl and a silver hookah made in the shape of a swan, with wings that would flap when the user drew on the pipe. The Raja had the hookah fabricated to her specifications and presented it to her."
*************************************
Dhanammal had shifted. in 1938 to granddaughter Balasaraswathi's residence at Aravamudan Gardens in Egmore as she was not well. She was playing ragas Nattakuranji and Paras on her veena. She strained herself considerably during the Navaratri celebrations that year in connection with daughter Jayammal's Dhanam School of Music in Egmore which began on Vijayadasami day. Dhanammal was laid up immediately after the event. The family began a continuous round of singing in order to ease her passing. Regaining consciousness briefly, she asked for her veena and when it was placed next to her, embraced it, stating that it was the only thing she regretted being parted from. Her last words were "Muvva Gopala." That was the signature of Kshetragna whose padams she had made immortal. It was found that her fingers searched for the veena till she passed away in the early hours of Saturday, October 15, 1938.
********************************
The Editor of Hindu , Kasturi Srinivasan, organized her funeral where he and T. T. Krishnamachari acted as pall-bearers for a short distance. On November 3, the Music Academy organised a meeting in her memory at the Senate House with C. Rajagopalachari, then the Premier of Madras, in the chair.
*******************************
A commemorative postage stamp on her was issued on 3 December,2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment