Nithyasree Mahadevan recalls the time spent with two legends and much more in this freewheeling chat with SAVITHA GAUTAM

The great mridangam vidwan Palghat Mani Iyer was in the U.S. for a concert tour. The group he was travelling with decided to visit the Niagara Falls. They reached the location, and all excited, got out of their cars. But Mani Iyer did not stir. He told them, “You proceed. An interesting korvai is coming to mind. I do not want to lose track of it!” One of the members exclaimed, “Sir, but this is Niagara falls. You have to see it.” To which the maestro calmly replied, “Sir, this is water. And it will remain here. But if I lose track of the korvai, it will be lost for ever.” Sure enough, though just a few feet away, Mani Iyer did not see the Niagara!

Narrating this incident, Carnatic vocalist Nithyasree Mahadevan says, “That is the kind of person my maternal grandfather was. There was nothing else for him but music. I was very young when he passed away, but I have heard so much about him from others. As for my paternal grandmother D.K. Pattammal, she was an amazing musician who broke rules with quiet determination. Two legends. That’s the kind of legacy I am born with, blessed with and have to live up to.”

The Carnatic vocalist, who is back on the Season scene with about 14 concerts, gets nostalgic while talking about her music-filled childhood and college years, her family and career. “Pattamma was a trend-setter. She had no fear, was a determined woman and a fun-loving grandmother. She would tell us stories of the epics, cook especially for us and even play with us. Above all else, she taught us to appreciate the finer aspects of life through her music,” says Nithyasree, who was also deeply influenced by her grand-uncle D.K. Jayaraman.

Spending time with stalwarts such as GNB, M.S. Subbulakshmi, M.D. Ramanathan or attending concerts at the Academy, “especially Sadas”, was a regular feature in Nithyasree’s life.

Says the vocalist, “Pattamma instilled discipline in all of us, especially when it came to sadhana. Soft-spoken, she was not one to use harsh words. Her criticism was more of a suggestion than finding fault. But those few words helped my musical evolution. Times have changed, values have changed. But what my grandmother taught me is relevant even now. So much so that my day is not complete without at least 45 minutes of music practice.”

Learning the nuances of Carnatic music from her mother, Lalitha Sivakumar was not such an easy task. “My mother is gentle but firm. She is a pillar of strength, my anchor.” Father and mridangam vidwan Sivakumar, Nithya admits, is her harshest critic. “He never minces words. There are days when he has told me what a washout my kutcheri was!”

A protected childhood gave way to a somewhat liberated college life at SIET College. (“I would zip around on my two-wheeler at the first given opportunity.”) But Carnatic music took precedence over everything. Nithya was still in school when she took the stage. “It was for Nungambakkam Cultural Academy. I still remember, there were only about 30 people in the audience, my family included. Patti was sitting in the first row.” But it was the 1991 concert for Kapali Fine Arts where her talent was spotted. “That concert gave me the break, if you can call it so.” Critic NMN of The Hindu hailed her as ‘Rani Nithya.’ And there was no looking back.

Today, life as a single parent may revolve round her daughters Tejashree and Tanujashree. “They are on holiday now, and that means I have to be on my toes,” she smiles. She has cut down on the number of out-station concerts to ensure she is there for the girls. It does not mean Carnatic music has taken a back seat. “On the contrary, I have derived great strength and peace from my music, especially during moments of crisis and depression,” she says. Here, she acknowledges the great support and encouragement she got from her late husband, V. Mahadevan. “He played a vital role in shaping my career.”

She continues, “My children need me now. And like any mother, I too enjoy spending time with my daughters. In fact, my younger daughter loves to watch movies. So I watch with her, though I am not a movie buff. I like to try out new dishes.” The girls are learning Carnatic music from their mother. Whether they will take it up as a career, only time will tell.

A drive to remember

D.K. Pattammal was a stickler for discipline and extremely punctual. Nithyasree remembers one incident which is a great example of that aspect of the legend’s personality. “Patti, past 80 then, had a 9.30 a.m. kutcheri at The Music Academy. By 8.30 a.m., the taxi had not arrived. She became restless and so asked my grandfather (Easwaran) to drive her to the sabha in their old Maruti car. Thatha, close to 86 then, had not sat behind the wheel for more than a decade. He was nervous. But Patti would not hear ‘No’ for an answer. She was determined and insisted that my grandfather get into car and drive her to the Academy. He did, with 10 minutes to spare. On reaching, he looked at Pattamma with triumph. And all she said was, ‘OK’ and walked off!” Nithyasree laughs.

Coming up

Jan 8, 6.45 p.m.: Madipakkam Papanasam Sivan Sangeetha Sabha

Jan 13, 7 p.m., Abbas Kalai Vizha