How Pattammal became the voice of freedom

D.K. Pattammal, known for her rendition of Bharati’s patriotic songs, was invited by AIR to sing on August 15, 1947

When you think of D.K. Pattammal, there are many musical associations that immediately come to mind, chief among them her songs of freedom. She was certainly not the first woman in Carnatic music to sing them. That credit goes to M.L. Vasanthakumari’s mother, Madras Lalithangi, who in 1925 recorded an elegy on C.R. Das. Thereafter, K.B. Sundarambal recorded several songs of freedom. The harikatha exponents, C. Saraswati Bai and Padmasini Bai, and the publisher, author and singer, Vai Mu Kothainayaki Ammal, made sure to incorporate patriotic songs when they performed, and Vai Mu Ko recorded discs of these as well. One aspect that was common among them was their admiration for the patriot, S. Satyamurti, the man who first thought of bringing stage and other performing artistes into the freedom movement to draw crowds. This later became an integral feature of the political strategy of Dravidian parties, with a long-term impact on Tamil Nadu politics. It was Vai Mu Ko who made many journeys to Kanchipuram to convince Damal Krishnaswami Dikshitar that his daughter Pattammal had it in her to become a concert artiste. She began performing in the city in 1932, and by 1935 had become an artiste of note. That year, when the golden jubilee of the Congress was celebrated, Satyamurti was at the forefront of organising the event that featured several performances, including Pattammal’s concert. It appears that her association with patriotic songs began here.