Tributes
Musician
My first exposure to Smt D Pattammal was through the famous book "Raga Pravaham." It has been a reference guide in my mother's music school in Los Angeles for as long as I can remember. In fact, it's original publishing year was the year I was born! I regularly recommend it to all musicians and music students wherever I travel. In 2013 when her son, Mr. Chandrasekhar, approached me to sing the annual concert in her memory, I was introduced to the enormous collection of krithis she had composed. I was completely taken aback by not only the sheer number, but also the variety of beautiful krithis in all ragams, talams, and languages. It is often musicians and composers like her, whom I wish I could have interacted with personally in my life, but did not have the chance to do so. But thanks to the detailed documentation of her work, we have her creations as resource material for all future generations of music. I am especially drawn to her vivadhi compositions, Chitrambari being one which I sing frequently. I hope to add many more to my repertoire. Recently I got to hear a recording of her singing and loved the clarity and perfect adherence to pitch. We must celebrate the work of this great musician, musicologist and vaggeyakara, and I encourage more artists to propagate her wonderful compositions.
