Tributes

Mrs D. Pattamal and her husband were very fond of music and we used to run into them during the music season. She was a very pleasant natured person and enjoyed listening to my concerts.

She came to me with the manuscript of Ragapravaham and in the course of the conversation, I understood that she had also composed songs and notated them. I have also heard her songs being rendered on All India Radio.

When she invited me to release Ragapravaham, I was happy to do it as I felt that for the first time such a compilation was being brought out in print.

Bringing out such a book was a humongous effort. Carnatic music has so many ragas, so many janyas, each with subtle differences. Listing the aarohanam and avarohanam of each of these is a time consuming and difficult task. It is a magnum opus.

There were some attempts at compiling ragas and janyas earlier but Pattamal was the first to publish such a comprehensive list. It is really invaluable as a reference point to understand the scale of the ragas.

I used to be very fond of and always had great regard for Pattamal but after her Ragapravaham, my respect for her went up manifold.

Ragapravaham was a joint effort of D. Pattamal and her husband Dr. M. N. Dhandapani- something very rare and a matter of pride for the family.