Madurai Pushpavanam

Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer was a great Carnatic Musician who lived during the latter half of the 19th century and the first 25 years of the 20th century. He was known for his melodious voice and was very popular as a musician. He was the father of Rajam Pushpavanam, the paternal uncle of Madurai Mani Iyer and grand uncle of T. V. Sankaranarayanan.

Madurai Pushpavanam was a handsome man with a voice that was golden and sweetness personified, and one who could sing in any sruti between 2 and 4.^[1] He would enliven crowds coming from far and near, crowds that came to see him, admire him and hear him. People were willing to wait for hours together to hear the “great” Pushpavanam.

R.Rangaramanuja Ayyangar, who published many books on Carantic music, described him as "A handsome stripling with a curious coiffure that subsequently became the fashion among his fans, clad in spotless white muslin with loose sleeves flying about, with eyes closed and the music! What an intoxicating voice, responding readily, with incredible ease and grace, to the surging crescendo of ravishing, sophisticated music conjured up from a highly imaginative mind! And how the audience rocked and swayed as if in a trance" ^[2]

Early life and background

Pushpavanam was born in the mid-1880s, in Madurai. Not much is known about his early life except for rumors. When he was very young, his mother would go, clean and pray in a nearby temple, every day. One day, the young Pushpavanam, started singing. It was “claimed” that Hanuman, who was the deity in the temple, blessed her young son with an impeccable voice.

In an All India Radio interview, recorded in the 1960s, Madurai Mani Iyer said Ettayapuram Ramchandra Bhagavathar was Pushpavanam’s guru^[3]

A renowned teacher of yester years, Ettayapuram Ramachandra Bhagavathar. “prayed for a disciple who would blend his unmatched expertise with a divine voice and Pushpavanam was the answer and gift to him. Pushpavanam was a musical discovery, a treasure-trove. The ‘Flower-garden', which the name of the vocalist actually means, was a veritable garden of raga, tana, pallavi, kriti and swara and he was a master of concerts with few to challenge” ^[4]

Career

The late Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar during one of his visits to Tripunithura had remarked that Carnatic vocal music was rejuvenated by the genius of Madurai Pushpavanam.^[5]

Pushpavanam's career was an extremely successful one, beyond one’s dreams. He was a prodigy, a singing sensation and there was not a season when or not a sabha or temple where he was not invited to sing. And the whole town would turn up for his concerts.^[6]

Musicians' remuneration at that time went up only because of Pushpavanam. He stipulated and got what he wanted. Sometimes, the host-organizer would pay double the stipulated sum captivated by his scintillating music. Once all the great musicians had come for a function but he did not come as his stipulation had not been confirmed. Only on receipt of a telegram, he chose to come. And finally, he got a double of that amount, the host surrendering to the magical wizardry of his matchless melody!' ^[7]

Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar was glorified as having a huge stock of Kritis. Sixty of them in Todi alone but this was in sharp contrast with the star performer of the earlier generation Madurai Pushpavanam who mesmerized audiences with his captivating voice and a repertoire of hardly 20 songs in all! ^[8]

Carnatic Music Association of North America's "Sangeetam", Volume 2000 has this to say: “Pushpavanam Iyer was a very famous vocalist who shot to prominence in the early decades of the century. Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer in his heydays was supposed to have reminded his listeners of Pushpavanam and when GN Balasubramaniam came on the scene; his incomparable voice was compared favorably to that of Pushpavanam” ^[9]

He also sang Hindustani songs. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer has gone on record to say “Pushpavanam began singing Hindustani songs at his concerts”.^[10]

His spell was supreme and that continued long after his death. The great Madurai Mani Iyer had this to say: “What helped me was, my paternal uncle Pushpavanam Iyer had been so famous that people who had listened to his music would readily agree to hold my concert if someone recommended my name” ^[11] When writing a tribute to T. R. Mahalingam (flautist) "It is the privilege and sagacity of a chosen few to conjure up grand classical visions of supreme sublimity presenting beauteous graces and portraying graceful beauty. They open up magnificent vistas of art, enchant the congnoscenti and the lay. The spell outlasts their periods of glory and fame. Sarabha, the flautist, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer and Pushpavanam, the vocalists, T.N. Rajarathnam Pillai, the nagaswara player and S. G. Kittappa, the dramatist are specimens of this legendary galaxy. To this aristocracy of art belongs T.R. Mahalingam, popularly called Mali."^[12]

Tributes

Carnatica.net has this to say: "Pushpavanam was a treasure-trove. The 'flower-garden', which the name of the vocalist actually means, was a veritable garden of ragam, tanam, pallavi, kriti and swara and he was the master of concerts with few to challenge. Unfortunately, he passed away too soon leaving undying name and fame. Noted musician, Madurai Mani Iyer was his nephew. Pushpavanam's music was as attractive as his personality. His voice was his greatest asset."^[13]

In the book "MS and Radha: a Saga of Steadfast Devotion" by Gowri Ramnarayan, Kalki Krishnamurthy's granddaughter, Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Ayyar, scheduled to sing after a Pushpavanam concert, cancelled it, telling the organisers "The young man has rained sugar and honey today. I am deeply moved. I can't sing now. Let me come back and sing tomorrow".^[14]

Papanasam Sivan on Pushpavanam: “At 8.00 pm, a full bench concert of Pushpavanam Iyer accompanied by Govindasami Pillai, Azhagianambi Pillai and Dakshinamurthy Pillai commenced. It was music fit for the Gods.” ^[15]

Papanasam Sivan: "In those days, Vaidyanatha Iyer and Pushpavanam shared the top spot in vocal music and there was a lot of rivalry between their respective fans. In the puranas, we never hear of a fight for supremacy between Siva and Vishnu. However, the Saivities and Vaishnavites often fight tooth and nail about the greater God. It was the same way with Vaidyanatha Iyer and Pushpavanam. While they had great respect and admiration for each other’s music, the music world was divided into two large fan clubs, each swearing by their idol."^[16]

In a tribute, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer: “Pushpavanam's music was as attractive as his personality... effortless... His voice was his forte and audience listened with pin-drop silence'. He writes in the Journal of the Music Academy that Pushpavanam developed raga alapana leisurely, that his wonderful voice was noted for power and sinuous beauty and that it was difficult to see or talk to him. Pushpavanam would go away the minute the concert was over”.^[17]

Semmagudi, speaking to Gowri Ramnarayan, Kalki Krishnamurthy's granddaughter: "Pushpavanam Iyer's handsome face matched his music. His wonderful voice rained melodies as naturally as flowers at dawn. His swaras sparkled. He sang in the medium tempo in perfect unison with the sruti. Anyone singing after his performance was doomed to flatness."

Soolamangalam Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, the celebrated musical discourser wrote long back in 'Kalki ': “Pushpavanam's voice was a gift of Heaven. No accompanist is required to render his concert memorable”.^[18]

Thiruvalangadu Sundaresa Iyer, violinist, as quoted by Gowri Ramnarayan, Kalki Krishnamurthy's granddaughter, in her article in The Hindu: “A great moment at age 17 was getting the opportunity to accompany Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer, the unrivalled star and senior vidwan.” ^[19]

At a felicitation, Madurai T N Seshagopalan: “Madurai Pushpavanam dominated the scene so that his concert was a must in festivals of temples and his ksheerasagara in Devabandhari and Nagumomu in Abheri were loved by all.” ^[20]

An article on the 150th birth anniversary of Seshachari: "Seshachari established one of the earliest sabhas in Mylapore, the Sarada Gayana Samajam in 1908. Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar, Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Ayyar and Pushpavanam Iyer performed many times for the sabha". ^[21]

The young Pushpavanam also had the great fortune of Kanchi Acharya, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, gracing his concert.

“In October, 1916, the festival of Navarathri was celebrated grandly in the Kumbakonam mutt premises. The musicologists and artists of that day were competing to offer their art in the lotus feet of Devi. On the day of Saraswathi puja, the concerts of the famous artists Ramnad Puchi Iyengar and Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer took place. The residents of Tanjore district, known for their keen interest in music, gathered in numbers and enjoyed the concerts immensely. When Swamigal visited each of these events, the happiness of the crowd cannot be measured.” ^[22]

Pushpavanam was only in his twenties and yet such was the level of his musical excellence that he inspired awe in his listeners, young and old.

Death

MS Subbulakshmi in the book “MS: A Life in Music” by T J S George: 'It was predicted by the astrologer that the immortal Pushpavanam (Iyer) would have a long life. Yet he died at a young age.”^[23]

It is believed that Mahadeva Iyer, a well known lawyer of Tanjavur district and personal friend of Pushpavanam, looked after his medical treatment in Tanjore, during his last days.

Pushpavanam had become an idol even as a young man, and this was probably too much for fate, the cruel mistress. In the early 1920s, she cut his life short and he died at just 28, leaving behind a young grieving widow, Sundarathammal and a baby Rajam.

Indira Menon in her book “Great Masters of Carnatic Music by Indira Menon (1930-65)” says: "in the early years of the twentieth century, a meteor streaked across the music firmament and burnt itself out within a short span. This was Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer"

In the short span of life, he had emblazoned the horizon with his unique personality and supreme quality of music.

Family

• Wife – Sundarathammal
• Daughter – Rajam Pushpavanam, Carnatic vocalist
• Grand Children – Kalavathi, Nalini, Swaminathan and Pushpavanam
• Nephew – Madurai Mani Iyer, Carnatic vocalist
• Grand Nephew – T V Sankaranarayanan, Carnatic vocalist

On the controversy about Pushpavanam being linked with Shamugavadivu and having another daughter, M S Subbulakshmi, in the book "MS and Radha: a Saga of Steadfast Devotion", released in 2008, Gowri Ramnarayan, the author and Kalki Krishnamurthy's granddaughter, explains: "Through the long years of career establishment and longer years of celebrityhood, Subbulakshmi never mentioned her father. Many assumed that it was the brilliant Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer. Until the 1990s no mention was made of Subramania Iyer in public".^[24] And it was then that he was acknowledged to be her father.

Gallery

References

1. Biography of Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer at Artiste's Panorama