SANGEETHA KALANIDHI PALGHAT MANI IYER

The Mridangam wizard Palghat Mani Iyer’s demise at the end of June is an irreparable loss to classical Carnatic music. Even though he was 69 at the time of his death, he was in full possession of his faculties as an ace percussionist. I had a concrete experience of his powers when a few months back he and I were associated in cutting a gramophone record along with L.Shankar, the sparkling young violinist. Although he was now and then troubled by stiffness in the knee, it did not affect his Mridangam playing, so much so that his sudden exit came more or less as a shock to musicians and music lovers.

Mani Iyer, whose baptional name was Ramaswami, was the eldest son of Sesha Bagavathar of Thiruvilwamalai. Hailed as a prodigy even when he was about 12 years old, Mani Iyer rapidly climbed the ladder of fame with his brilliant laya jnana. which he blended very nicely with an astoundingly sharp sense of musicianship. He had of course a kind of orthodox training at the hands of Sathapuram Subbiar ( who was then accompanying the late Rama Bagavathar) and Sri Viswanatha Iyer, both of Palghat.

But the real turning point in his career was his stint as a pupil of the famous Tanjore Vaidyanatha Iyer ( "Vaithanna" ) who was an extremely competent Mridangist himself but whose mind worked like a research laboratory all the time and who was affection personified towards his Sishyas.

The advent of a brilliant and talented Sishya like Mani Iyer sent Vaidyanatha Iyer into raptures because he could lavish all his own experience and vast learning on the young man. When Mani emerged from his apprenticeship under such a capable and large-hearted Guru, he was ready to take on any veteran in Carnatic Music. This was the formative period of his career and many a time Mani Iyer himself has acknowledged the wonderful training imparted to him by Tanjore Vaidyanatha Iyer. The peculiar analytical character of his playing on the mridangam stemmed directly from the tuning up his mind received at that time.

It should be noted at this point that when Mani Iyer entered the field, giants like Dakshinamurthy Pillai and Azhaganambi Pillai were providing Kanjira and Mridangam accompaniment of an extraordinary caliber and were well-established in the line. As a teenager, Mani Iyer was called upon to prove his mettle against those giants. Chembai Vaidyanatha Bagavathar of blessed memory first introduced young Mani to audiences and with his own strength in Laya, shaped Mani into a strong contender. Those were days when professional jealousies were not absent.

It is said that efforts were made by some Vidwans to put down the young Mani by resorting to unsporting means e.g. not showing the Tala while singing a complex Pallavi. But Mani’s great intelligence and flair for rising to the big occasion came to his rescue and "those who came to scarf remained to pray." Dakshinamurthy Pillai himself became one among Mani’s admirers. Thereafter, they started playing as a great tema. the very stature of Dakshinamoorthy Pillai as a great Laya vidwan enabled Mani to come up rapidly to full stature as a percussionist.

After the demise of the stalwarts, Mani Iyer carved not only a monopoly for himself, but also a niche in the hearts of his listeners by his brilliant playing. He accompanied me for the first time in Chembai at Palghat to a temple festival in 1929. Thereafter, for nearly 35 years, he and I have been associated in hundreds of concerts, which his great talent helped to make memorable.

Vidwans Palladam Sanjiva Rao, Musiri Subramania Iyer, Ariakkudy Ramanuja Iyengar, my guru Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer and Chembai were then tutors of Carnatic Music and Mani Iyer enlarged his intellect and experience by accompanying them with a resounding reputation. Later came myself, G.N.B., Alathur Brothers, Madurai Mani, Flute T.R.Mahalingam, and for all of us, Mani Iyer was invariably the first choice for Mridangam accompaniment. Vidwans used to adjust their dates to suit Mani’s engagement calendar, because with him at your side, the concert could never be a failure.

That brings me to a brief analysis of his playing methods. the most striking feature of Mani’s playing was his unerring instinct for choosing the appropriate part of Kriti or Neraval to highlight it, with a series of strokes of magnificent lift and melody. In effect, the listener tasted the heady wine of a Tyagaraja or Dikshatar or Syama Sastri Kriti when Mani’s nimble fingers lifted up the high spots with dainty charm. He was equally at home in a Vilambakala or a Dhurita piece - in the former case, he would fill the gaps with "Sollukkal" of depth and sonorousness and in the latter, his fingers moved like lightning. His pauses on the instrument were well-timed and calculated to enhance the musical effect.

Mani’s crescendos were as conspicuous as his sweet Tekkas and Gumki.He brought a whole new dimension to the Pallavi. He could dress it up with a series of brilliant strokes and even a beginner could understand the eduppu. Since Mani’s supreme felicity of tone made his percussion a real ornament to the main music both technically and aesthetically he was non pareil.

His decision to play in "mike-less" concerts was not perhaps wholly understandable in the context of modern conditions - poor acoustics in concert halls, external noise of traffic and plane, not to speak of inattention on the part of listeners. Be that as it may, one consequence of that decision that he cut himself off from major musicians and the listening public became the poorer for it.

His unique integrity in the profession, his impeccable platform manners, the extraordinarily low profile he always adopted for one so famous, his sympathy for young artists and his utter simplicity in habits of diet, dress and general comportment ( absolutely free from conceit ) endeared him all the more to his colleagues in the profession and to the sponsoring Sabhas and institutions.

Many years ago, I suggested that he should wear only Khadi and to the end of his life, he wore only Khadi clothes. the picture of Mani Iyer sitting on the platform with his vivacious face, an amused glint in his eyes and attired in spotless Khadi, is one that nobody can forget. His contribution to the art through his memorable Tani Avarthanams - with their deep Laya base, striking melody and many innovations - is inestimable. Suffice it to say that Palghat Mani Iyer, a genius in his own right, gave immeasurable happiness to millions of Rasikas, as few before him had done. May his great soul rest in peace.