The rhythmical harmony provided the mridangam player in Karnatic music is a feature which has no parallel in the music of other countries. The Mridangam is the instrument par excellence for depicting nuances of rhythm, and if mridangam playing has become a highly refined and sophisticated art, it is in no small measure due to the efforts of gifted performers like the late Palghat Mani Iyer whose death at Cochin ten years ago let a great void in the sphere of Karnatic music.

His original name was Ramaswami. when he entered the field in 1930s, old time veterans like Alaganambi Pillai, Rangu Iyengar and Kothandarama Iyer were reigning supreme. Young Mani Iyer had to take up a challenging role and made his grade. with hard practice and his uncanny understanding of the intricacies of rhythm, he soon overshadowed his comperes and never looked back.

He was born at Pazhayannur in Kerala. His father, Sesha Bagavathar, was a well known vocalist of Palghat, but finding that his son had a predilection for laya he had the first lessons taught to him at the age of nine by Chathapuram Subba Iyer. But Mani acquired, side by side, a sound knowledge of vocal music and built up a sizable repertoire of songs with all their sangatis. this stood him in good stead when he commenced his career as an accompanist and he could anticipate every sangati in a kriti and be ready to translate it on his mridangam.

He improved his knowledge further by apprenticing under Viswanatha Iyer, a renowned local vidwan. Even when he was ten, he started accompanying Harikatha performers by his father and Sivaramakrishna Bagavathar. He gave up school education and became a full time percussionist.

He regularly accompanied veterans like Rama Bagavathar, and subsequently came under the influence of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bagavathar. this was a turning point in his life as the latter took a special interest in Mani and introduced him to the Madras audiences. Mani also made an all India tour with Chembai who was then at the peak of his popularity. Mani made his debut in the Music Academy when he was only 14.

The final touches of Mani Iyer’s unique Mridangam art were given by the doyen Tanjore Vaidyanatha Iyer. the guru taught him the higher aspects of the technique and the art of bringing out the rhythmical beauties underlying the musical construction of classical compositions. Mani’s close connection with Pudukkottai Dakshinamoorthy Pillai in numerous concerts gave him a further insight into the intricacies of laya.

By this time Mani Iyer had evolved a new technique of handling the instrument in which tradition and invention found a unique balance. the sequences of rhythmical phrases he played were as thought provoking as they were fascinating. He was at his best in the short solo interludes during the concerts. Many rasikas, who normally walked away when the ‘thani’ started used to stay back if Mani played the interlude.

There was hardly a vocalist who did not covet Mani Iyer accompanying him in concerts. He was conscientious artist who believed in giving wholehearted support to the main artiste whatever the latter’s seniority and stature. He earned the appreciation of veterans by his art but at the same time put young musicians at ease with his amiability. It appeared as if he was playing the kriti itself on the Mridangam. It pulsated on his hands with a melodious tone which was the only one of its kind. It was like the plucking of the Tara shadja string in a veena. there was never any tonal lapse even when he manipulated farans in a very quick tempo.

It is no wonder that awards came in search of him and he was the only percussion artist whom the Music Academy honoured with the title of Sangita Kalanidhi. He voluntarily retired from the field when he was at the peak of his career but kept all his instruments in fine trim even about a month before his sudden death.