Source : Layamani - LAYAM [APRIL ‘96 - MAY ‘96]

" IMPLACABLE MANI "

It was when he was fifteen years old that Mani went to Salem to accompany Chembai Vaidyanatha Bagavathar. The great Thavil vidwan Panchami was to play on the Kanjira with Mani. When the concert was to start, Mani noticed that some of the admirers of Vidwan Panchami had located the Kanjira in the place of mridangam. that is, Mani was to sit behind Kanjira.Mani refused to play. But the people were adamant that Mani should sit only at the back. Mani’s stand was: "give the instrument its place". But his words carried no weight. realising Mani said "if that is so, I am not playing and let me go back". The situation became tense.In a moment Mani’s mridangam was hidden. "Now let us see how you are going to return without playing", the "extremists" challenged. Finding himself in a helpless situation, young Mani started weeping.Chembai Vaidyanatha Bagavathar who was keeping himself tight-lipped all this time watching how young Mani tackled the situation now interfered. "Mani" he called him affectionately with a compromising tone and continued, "you need not sit at the back; you sit with me here by my side". Mani accepted. Mani played the concert sitting by the side of vocalist in between Chembai and Panchami and facing the audience. But during a later concert Mani was able to "achieve" his usual seat with vidwan Panchami sitting in the usual Kanjira place. -------------------------------------

AN ENCOUNTER (?) WITH NAYANAA PILLAI

Mani was fourteen then. He had started accompanying top ranking artists like Chembai, Sivaramakrishna Bagavathar and others. It was during this time when Mani was requested to accompany veteran Naayanaa Pillai. The request was from a Sabha at Trichy. Mani when he came to know about this was in confusion. He was no doubt happy to have been invited to accompany such a giant. He had heard a lot from various musicians and his elderly friends about Naayanaa Pillai’s complicated pallavis and his unique way of executing them, and Mani was more concerned about the reputation he was building up very carefully in the field.seeing Mani’s hesitation, his father diplomatically avoided, saying that the date was not convenient. He had to apply the very same strategy two more times. But it was during the fourth time he simply blasted when Mani hesitated. "Are you not ashamed to say this again and again especially after having taken this as your profession?"Mani made an instantaneous decision, "If they will pay me hundred rupees, I will accompany Naayanaa Pillai." But within three days they got the advance from Trichy accepting his demand and confirming the date.On the day of the concert though Mani was nervous, he did not go and see the vocalist to get himself introduced and to ascertain about the pallavi or any other complicated items he would be rendering -- an usual practice among accompanists then.the Malaikkottai Vinayagar Temple was over crowded. Everyone was as anxious as anybody to watch the young boy of not even fourteen accompanying the great Naayanaa Pillai. As soon as the concert started Mani could sense the audience were only appreciating him. The fear within him gradually faded away. Pillai started a complicated pallavi in 8-kalai chowkam. Mani was startled when he saw the long Tala was being concealed under his Angavasthram. Perplexed, Mani remained silent. " Why remain silent?" was the question from the vocalist. Young Mani said in a confused voice, "Tala is not visible". Meanwhile Sri F.G.Natesa Iyer, an admirer of music and a close associate of almost all the stalwarts of that time, interrupted and suddenly gave a speech. "On behalf of the audience" he requested the veteran to "Bless the child and encourage him". The vocalist complied and towards the end he was in fact appreciating the sparkling brilliance of that thirteen year young boy.

THE FIRST APPEARANCE

Mani was completing his eighth year then, practicing fundamental lessons. Mridanga Vidwan Viswanatha Iyer, a close friend of Mani’s father often used to visit him and encourage young Mani to play the Korvais and Moharas of advanced stages. Though difficult to reproduce with his tiny fingers, Mani would not give up the task. He would be practicing them again and again to reproduce them to Viswanatha Iyer the very next day with the utmost precision possible in those tiny fingers. Viswanatha Iyer would find no end to his joy and happiness.On that night sitting with his friends Mani was enjoying the Harikathakalakshepam of the famous Mukkai Sivaramakrishna Bagavathar in the Vinayagar temple at Kalpathy village, Palghat. Viswanatha Iyer was accompanying him. Mani could not understand why, when suddenly Viswanatha Iyer was calling him from the stage. When the young boy was within his reach he suddenly gave the instrument to him and got down from the stage. Mani could not do anything. He was puzzled. Sivaramakrishna Bagavathar stopped his katha. Mani’s father Seshan Bagavathar, a disciple of Sivaramakrishna Bagavathar, who was rendering vocal support to his Guru then, was spell bound. The people had their own excitement. Yes, it is a boy, just a boy who had not even touched his ninth year, to accompany a famous top ranking Bagavathar! will he able to meet the challenge? The people of Kalpathy village were in utmost tension. It is a boy from their village sitting on the platform with a leading musician at the centre. They only knew Mani would be, during most of the time , practicing. If not he would be taking an active role in quarreling with elders or mocking with his friends at the hawkers coming to their village. Anyway their prayer at the moment was to give the necessary "STUFF" and strength to this naughty boy of their village so as not to spoil the programme and save them from the scorn of the people from the other villages.But God blessed him with something more, Young Mani started to play only to surprise the audience as well as the artist at the centre with his timely strokes with utmost clarity possible at that age. Everyone was thrilled. within a few minutes Viswanatha Iyer, at the peak of his happiness and pleasure who in fact was trying to hide from others the slight hesitation he had after seating the boy on the stage, soon recovered and leaving the place, said in a proud voice, "He will manage the rest". Yes, he did. Not only that concert but many other concerts also later, to the effect that the people coming never got disappointed even when it was not a very fortunate day for the artist sitting at the centre.Courtesy : From Palghat Mani Iyer Memorial Art Centre, Bangalore.