‘Life with a father, who carved his own niche in the Carnatic music world’

To father, with love

My father, T.V. Sankaranarayanan, symbolised high artistry and heart-warming simplicity. For four decades, he remained one of the most admired vocalists, with many honours and awards to his credit. Yet he never allowed that to change the way he behaved on and off stage. Music was a way of life for him.

He believed in purity of notes, strict adherence to sruthi, laya kacchidham and patanthara suddham. He exuded joy when performing. And would always reiterate the fact that it’s a blessing to be an artiste. He took up the Madurai Mani mantle in 1968 and firmed up his musical perspective by implementing vocal flamboyance in sarvalaghu style of singing in the late 1970s, and eventually reached the top echelons of Carnatic music in the early 1980s. His singing while reflecting his uncle and guru Madurai Mani Iyer’s bani made rasikas take notice of the pleasing similarities and the clear differences between their music. A Padma Bhushan awardee, he was also the recipient of the Sangita Kalanidhi, Nada Brahmam, Tyaga Brahma Nada Vibhushan and Swar Shikhar titles. He cherished the ‘Sangita Kalasarathy’ title awarded by the Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha because he received it during the sabha’s centenary year. Also because MS amma sang the prayer and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer sir presided over the special event.

My father composed two thillanas with the mudra ‘Madura Mani Nesan’. He was known for his virutham singing particularly Divyaprabhandham. He also wrote many viruthams on various deities. The one on Venkateshwara sounded similar to a Divyaprabhandham and I asked him “Idhu endha azhwarodadhu appa” (which azhwar wrote it)? And he said, ‘Sankaranarayana Azhwar’.

His penchant for English phrases, love for sports particularly cricket and his sense of humour were as admirable as his ever smiling, mild mannered demeanour. Someone who believed that music is much bigger than the musician, he always made his presence felt.