He reigned supreme as the monarch of Percussionists. However feeling more and more disgusted at the steady deterioration of the classical art he went into voluntary retirement in the late sixties. In recent years he was engaging himself in teaching mridanga to young students in Rishi Valley.

Mr. Mani Iyer condemned in unmistakable terms the ever increasing role of the mike in performances. the vocalists had bid good-bye to voice culture. singing at unusually low pitches had become the fashion. these artistes could never hold their voice steadily in any one live note. Naturally they had to resort to gimmicks to impress the listeners. This is no music, Mar. Mani Iyer would say emphatically. In such a situation mridanga playing posed little challenge. Surely the genius of Mr. Mani Iyer would not be content in just being a metronome.

His musical sense was the highest. Every song to him was a living person. with uncanny judgment he would catch the live spots of the song and embellish them by his mellifluous, solid and sure beats. He conveyed most by his silence whereas lesser mridangists convey less with ten times more beats than him. Accompanying the Sahithya of the song and the manodharma of the artiste was his strong point. In ‘Paramanodharma pravesa’ what Chowdiah was to violin Mani was to Mridanga.

the prince among vocalists, Mr. Ariyakudy Ramanuja Iyengar, was felicitated for his distinguished services to Karnatak music. In his reply he said "It is my good fortune that a genius of Mr. Mani Iyer’s order is accompanying me. No, we sing to him". And when Mr. Ariyakkudy passed away Mr. Mani Iyer is reported to have remarked, "To whom else can I play henceforward ?" that is the way of great minds. to quote Einstein on Gandhi, "Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth."

G . T . N .

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