MLV

	October  31  marks  the  fifth  death  anniversary  of  a 
musician    extraordinaire,    Sangeetha    Kalanidhi    M.    L. 
Vasanthakumari. Her absence from the scene of Carnatic music  has 
left a vacuum that is almost impossible to fill. Melody, laya and 
vidvat  (MLV)  were the watchwords of her rare  musical  artistry 
that  was  a  gorgeous  aural  feast to  both  the  lay  and  the 
cognoscenti.  Her  parents  Annaswami  Iyer  of  Koothanoor   and 
Lalithangi  who  were  seasoned musicians  in  their  own  right, 
religiously  nurtured and fostered her art that was to  be  later 
honed to great heights by the one and only G. N. Balasubramaniam.

	It  is  not an easy task to evaluate all  the  facets  of 
MLV's genius. She was a consummate musician in every sense of the 
description  to whom singing became second nature.  The  terrific 
rapport that she enjoyed with her audiences, both discerning  and 
not  so discerning, was something remarkable. Her  raga  alapanas 
not only of major ragas like Thodi, Kalyani, Kambhoji,  Bhairavi, 
Sankarabharanam,  etc., but also of janya ragas such  as  Malavi, 
Amrithavarshini, Sivashakthi, Hamsavinodhini and many others were 
all jewels of such singular brilliance that have been  infinitely 
etched  in  the memories of those who have had the  privilege  to 
listen to her.

	Her  srutibedha  efforts  in many  ragas  reflecting  the 
ceaseless  activity  of  her  grey cells,  would  at  one  stroke 
delight, stun and thrill. Her amazing appetite for increasing her 
already stupendous repertoire, even during her days of illhealth, 
should  serve  as an object lesson to all  musicians,  senior  or 
junior.  Her kalpanaswara prastharas were magnificent mosaics  of 
imagery, aesthetics and rhythm. She introduced varied  innovative 
dimensions to the art of swara singing without resorting to  mere 
mechanical,  moth  eaten,  mathematical  calculations  bereft  of 
artistic  beauty.  The myth that intricate,  intelligent  pallavi 
singing  in  complicated thalams was the sole  preserve  of  male 
musicians  was effectively blown by MLV. She had the  astonishing 
capability, not only to coin a difficult nadai pallavi before one 
could say ``Jack Robinson'' but also execute it to the nth degree 
of  perfection. The colourful garland of ragamalika swaras,  sung 
with  mellow  grace,  in lilting ragas  such  as  Behag,  Tilang, 
Shekara  Chandrika, Sahana, Bouli and Revati to name just a  few, 
and also singing them in the reverse order, crowning the exercise 
with  a clinically precise korvai, lifted the listener  to  dizzy 
heights.

	MLV's name became synonymous with that of  Purandaradasa, 
who  was  to  Carnatic  music  what  Hippocrates  was  to  modern 
medicine. She popularised numerous compositions of Puranadaradasa 
and  also  those of other Kannadiga Dasas that are being  put  to 
good  use  in the contemporary concert forum. The thirst  of  her  p73 
rasikas  for  her post pallavi session  of  thukadas,  ragamalika 
virrutams   and   slokas.  Mahratti   abhangs,   Hindi   bhajans, 
Thirupugazhs, Thirupavvais, thillanas and Kavadichindus could  at 
no  time be adequately slaked within the limited timeframe  of  a 
public concert.

	She  was  one  musicians who was never  chary  of  having 
junior  artistes as her accompanists. She would gently guide  and 
encourage  them  to give of their best during  a  concert,  while 
correcting  their shortcomings, if any, in private. Violinist  A. 
Kanyakumari  is  one  accompanist  who  has  been  the  fortunate 
recipient   of   MLV's  guidance,  encouragement   and   motherly 
affection.

	MLV's  forays  into playback singing met  with  legendary 
success  and she was a much sought after artiste in  the  fifties 
and sixties.

	MLV had the utmost respect and admiration for the art  of 
her fellow artistes while she hardly ever listened to  recordings 
of her own music, much less talk about it. She paid scant heed to 
her  achievements.  She  always believed  in  moving  on  without 
looking  back.  Although MLV was an artiste firmly  ensconced  in 
tradition,  her ever evolving broad musical vision was  receptive 
to  innovations within the framework of classical music.  It  was 
the  misfortune  of  India Festivals abroad that  she  was  never 
featured in any of them.

	MLV  was  a great artiste but a greater human  being  who 
created  in the minds of all her friends and admirers  that  each 
one of them was a special person to her. It is more than probable 
that  MLV  was  thrice  blessed  by  the  goddess  of   learning, 
Saraswathi, the presiding deity in the temple at Koothanoor,  the 
place of her birth. 

        Incidentally, Koothanoor is the only place that houses  a 
temple  for Saraswathi in South India. MLV's voice that  gave  so 
much joy to so many may have been stilled by cruel Fate, but  her 
rich resonant reverberating musical legacy will live on,  defying 
the severe ruthless test of Time.


	TT])
SULOCHANA PATTABHI RAMAN