Pattammal honoured

WITH HANDS clasped together she acknowledged the applause. In fact her hands remained folded throughout as the speakers showered encomiums on her.

D. K. Pattammal was a picture of humility and grace, as she sat on her wheel-chair on the dais, at the Kalakshetra auditorium on the eve of Independence day to receive the Swaralaya Puraskaram.

Swaralaya, a Delhi-based cultural organisation that focusses on music and allied arts and aims at promoting and preserving traditional art forms, awards Swaralaya Puraskaram every year to eminent artistes whose contribution to music has been immense.

The award includes a citation, a piece of art by sculptor K. P. Soman and a purse of Rs. 1 lakh.

As Justice V. Balakrishna Eradi put it, the Chennai audience was fortunate to witness the event because the award presentation should have actually been held in Delhi. As D. K. Pattammal could not travel all the way the function was organised in Chennai.

A melodious violin recital by V. V. Subrahmanyam, with Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman on the mridangam, followed the award presentation.

Mr. T. N. Seshan, who also spoke on the occasion, described DKP as the ``grand old person of Carnatic music.'' Honouring such a great personality as Pattammal for her 78 years of service to music, is more an honour to Swaralaya, he said.

Pattammal began singing at the age of four, and her first recording was at the age of 13. Strict adherence to tradition is her hallmark. Swaralaya should have honoured her even earlier, Mr. Seshan felt.

It was a touching moment when Pattammal herself rendered ``Sri Venkatesa Nadham...'' with her granddaughter, Nityashree Mahadevan.

``I do not know what to say because I am not good at giving speeches,'' D. K. Pattammal modestly said. ``Why should she? Her music speaks volumes'', a voice in the audience commented softly.

MRN

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