Alamelu Ramakrishnan, who holds a doctorate in music and is a recipient of a Senior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, presented a series of lec-dems on ‘Women Composers in Carnatic Music,’ under the auspices of the ICCR. The fourth episode, which dwelt on seven composers, was held at the Arkay Convention Centre.
Hailing from the Travancore royal family, Kutty Kunju Thankachy (1820-1908) carried forward the literary and musical legacy inherited from her father, poet-composer, Irayamman Thampi. Her lyrics reflect her deep piety and scholarship in Sanskrit and Malayalam. They include ‘Sita Swayamvaram’ (attakatha), literary works Thiruvananthapuram Sthalapuranam, Sivarathri Mahatmyam and kirtanas such as ‘Ananda Roopa Hare’ (Pantuvarali) and ‘Baalike’ (Atana), redolent with devotional content.
A princess of the Tallaprole Zamin, Bobbili Rani Subhadrayamma Devi (born 1910) was married to the Raja of Bobbili, Raja Ramakrishna Ranga Rao, who served as Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency (1932-1937). Subhadrayamma was an active member of the Andhra Mahila Sabha. Published as ‘Srikrishnadasi Kritulu’ in 1965, 123 of her compositions, chiefly in Telugu, a few in Sanskrit, are structured along a pallavi with multiple charanams. Mohanam, Kalyani, Anandabhairavi, Dhanyasi, Abheri are oft-featured ragas and the songs invoke her family deity, Venugopala. Both she and her daughter Indira were adept at playing the veena. An icon of her times, the multi-faceted Vaithamanithi Mudumbai Kothainayaki Ammal (Vai.Mu.Ko. 1901-1960) went on to become an icon for all ages. Married at age 5 to 9-year-old Parthasarathy, she was fortunate to become part of a family, which encouraged her talent. She went on to author 115 works and is better known as the editor of Jaganmohini magazine. She composed songs with Kodhai Nada as mudra and sang them in her mellifluous voice. A freedom fighter, she even served a prison sentence for her participation in the satyagraha agitation, she constantly worked for the uplift of women.
A native of Tirunelveli, Lakshmi Rajangam (1910-2009) was valued for her integrity and wisdom. Married at 12 and widowed at age 37, she became a pillar of strength to her children, parents and in-laws. Skilled in embroidery, sewing, knitting, cooking and gardening, her flair for writing surfaced in published essays and one-act plays, many of which were staged by the Trichy Seva Sangham, of which she was a member. under Her music talent was nurtured by Hindustani maestro Pt. Omkarnath Thakur and Carnatic stalwarts Kallidaikurichi Ramalinga Bhagavathar and Sabesa Iyer. An artist of AIR, Tiruchi, she was a vocalist and violinist who served as judge on AIR’s audition committee. Her compositions number nearly 100, including ‘Brahmanandam Kondaen’ (Kanada), an outpouring of thanksgiving to Lord Muruga, and ‘Malaimagal Potrum Deivame’ (Poorvikalyani).
Recipient of the Kalaimamani and several honours, D. Pattammal was a musician, musicologist and vaggeyakara. Born in Lalgudi and brought up in Thanjavur, she was trained by gurus Sethu Bai, veena vidwan Varadaiyya, P.V. Ganesa Iyer, Kalakkad Ramanarayana Iyer and D.K. Pattammal. With kritis in the 72 melakarta ragas to her credit, she also used well-known, lesser known and rare janya ragas (eg. Rukhmambari and Sukhapaavani). Her ‘Karnataka Isai Tuvakka Padal’ initiates children into different ragas and nadais. Identified by the mudra ‘Arul’, her Tamil compositions number 658 and cover a gamut of subjects. She translated Jayadeva’s Gita Govindam into Tamil, developing it into ‘Madhava Geetham’ a dance drama. She published, with the support of the Sangita Natak Akdademi, ‘Raga Pravaham’ with an index of 5,000 ragas and their Hindustani equivalents.
Grand-daughter of an asthana vidwan of Mysore, surrounded by a family of ardent music-lovers and married to well-known musician Palakkad K.L. Sreeram, it was a given that Baby Sriram (born 1972) would mature into an artist of merit. Holding a doctorate in music, this experienced concert musician and ‘A-grade’ AIR artist who conducts lec-dems, seminars and workshops, is the recipient of prestigious music scholarships and prizes. Her compositions include varnams, swarajatis, kirtanas and tillanas, with a penchant for rare ragas.
Holding degrees in science and law, another contemporary composer, T.V. Sundaravalli Sridevi , is based in Andhra Pradesh. An AIR artist who has popularised Annamayya kritis, she has performed in India and abroad. Her versatility encompasses a translation of the Tiruppavai into Telugu and several music publications. She has won several awards and a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
