D K Pattammal: A musician who broke many social taboos
Nadeem Noushad
D. K. Pattammal’s centenary confer me an
opportunity to revisit the hardship she confronted to accomplish her dream. Pattammal’s
excellence in the field is neither an accident nor a coincidence but her
sedulous effort supported by her family combined with her talents. The age in which
she lived supported her in many ways to fulfill her dreams. The backdrop of
freedom movement has forged a new value system which was conducive to emerging
talented women in that era
She was born in 1919 in Kancheepuram. Her father Damal
Krishnaswamy Dikhithar was an orthodox Brahmin. He was a primary school teacher
and was a Sanskrit scholar too. He had an interest in classical music. Her mother Rajammal had a sweet voice and she knew some kritis
but she was not allowed to perform even before the members of the family. Those
days women in their community were not
permitted to sing, dance or perform in public. It is said that once Rajammal
sang in a wedding when her father- in- law heard and shouted “Is that my
daughter- in-law s voice that I hear? Can someone ask her to stop immediately
and go inside? So it is not amazing that in such a social condition Pattammal
was denied of formal training in music. Krishnaswamy Dikshithar also realized
that his daughter had natural ability in singing but he cannot imagine his
daughter performing public.
Pattammal's teacher Ammukkutti Ammal noticed her unusual
abilities when she performed a role in a play in which
she sang . When the news appeared at the local newspapers, the Columbia gramophone
company approached her father to record her daughter singing. That was a shock to him as it was an improper
act of Brahmin girl to sing publically. He was in a dilemma; at heart he wished
her daughter to sing but the social constraint frightened him. At last he
yielded before Ammukutti Ammal s affectionate
compulsion. Her first record was a success and this gave her an attention in
the musical world. She had only twelve years old then. The Columbia gramophone record changed her
life altogether. It is curious to note that the emergence of new technology
enabled her to break the social taboo. It was difficult to record the voice of
the upper caste women. The women voices recorded those days like Bangalore
Thai, Coimbatore Thai, Thirichethur Shanmukha Vadivu, and Veena shanmukhavadivu,
Madras Lalithangi and Veena Dhanammal were from devadasi communities.
The Thyagaraja festival in Kancheepuram was a great
event. Krishnaswamy Dikshithar used to
bring his daughter there. It was organized by well-known musician Kancheepuram
Naina Pilla. Pattammal got a rare opportunity to listen to maestros there at an
early age. Pattammal had a great adoration for Naina Pilla and she was deeply
distressed that she can’t learn music from him. She imbibed the repertory to her
singing and considered him a model. She wished she could sing like him. She was allured by his unparalleled Pallavis
too.
Once in a wedding she got an opportunity to sing. She
imitated the style of the singers heard at Thyagaraja festival. A music teacher
was there and he thought that if she is given ample practice he can develop her
innate talents. He came forward to teach
her. Pattammal didn’t recall his name. He was usually called by others as Telungu
Vadhyar. He taught her some Thyagaraga kritis. Telungu Vadhyar was her first teacher though
it was not a formal teaching in the true sense.
Her head mistress Ammukutty Ammal had a great
influence in her life she compelled her father to attend a music competition conducted by Madras Govt. One of the judges of the panel was comprised
of Ambi Dikshitar. He was so impressed by her singing and he insisted on
teaching her some Dikhitar Kritis. Her training lasted only fifteen days and
that had a tremendous impact on Pattammal singing career. Within a short span
of time she could grasp every nuances of Dikhitar kritis. Later it enabled her
popularizing Dikhitar kritis.
Unlike her contemporaries she didn’t get a prolonged
training from any guru. Neither she had legacy like
T Brinda, M S Subhalashmi ,M L
Vasanthakumari, etc. Pattammal s mother
was not a musician. Pattammal’s father used
to take her to the Thyagaraja festival where she was lucky to hear the music of
Carnatic maestros. She picked up a little knowledge from various masters. She
wished to learn music from a master but the restrictions imposed by the society
retarded her longings. That became a blessing in disguise in her life since she
could develop a unique style of her own without imitating any masters. What is
most significant in her music career was the way in which she overcame the social taboos with her vigorous talent and
passion for music.
Pattammal had to face bitter words from
different corners her community. She was the first Brahmin woman to sing
Carnatic classical music in public. So her father felt it difficult to develop
her career at her native place. He took a decision to move to Madras so that
they can’t be any adverse reactions from her community. So he left his job for
the sake of her daughter’s career. That was
a turning point in Pattammal s life. He was a staunch supporter of freedom
struggle and women’s emancipation was also a part of it. Consequently the socio
political situation helped her to revamp her talents.
At madras she got sufficient opportunities
to perform in the public. Opposition from her community had diminished. It was
a time that M S Subhalakshmi was becoming a star. She was from a non-Brahmin
community. Brahmin community wants a singer to uphold their esteem in the
society. So Pattammals advent was welcomed
Pattammals questioned the male domination
in the domain of singing ragam thanam pallavi during 1940s. It was a common belief
that women can’t sing ragam thanam pallavi. Many female singers internalized
this unwritten law among the musicians. Her father told her “if you have
confidence to sing pallavi just go ahead and sing it never mind what people say”.
The first pallavi she recorded was one
of the Naiana Pilla s favorite in the raga jagamohini. After that she was known
as pallavi Pattammal.
In the book Madras Quartet, Indira menon
says “one doesn’t know for certain who the first woman to sing pallavi was. Some
say it was Dhanakoti Ammal but the credit for being the first women to storm
this last bastion is usually given to Pattammal. Hailed as pallavi Pattammal
she brought to successful close of struggle against male domination in music
started by Brinda and M S Subhalakshmi. Following her lead Subhalakshmi also began
to sing pallavi in 1930s Pattammal
became the role model for other women artists prominent among whom have been M L Vasathakumari, R Vedavalli
,Sreerangam Gopalaratnam , Suguna Purushothamanan and Mani krishnaswami. R
Vedavalli , a scholar musician of the younger generation has said
that it was D K Pattammal
who gave courage and confidence to women singers to sing pallavi in the face of
disapproval by male gurus and colleagues” (The Madras Quartet page no
161-162)
The two things that enabled her to fulfill
her dreams were the technological progress in music and the freedom movement.
These two bestowed her much strength to break the constraint of her caste. With its adherence to traditional religious
beliefs , it is a daunting task to break dogma in Carnatic music. Moreover the admirers
of Carnatic music find it is a sin to break the tenet. In Pattammal s community
nobody was ready to defy the restrictions imposed by the community and none
questioned the prohibition of dancing or singing in public. Rukhmini Devi Arundale had already broken the doctrine
to become the first Brahmin woman to enter the Bharatanatym field as a dancer. With
the advent of gramophone Pattammal has got a prominent place in Carnatic music.
T Brida and Mukhta stayed away from recording her voice. Hence Subhalakshmi and Pattammal dominated this
field. Eppadi paadinaro is her
everlasting hit in the gramophone record. It was in Karnataka devaghandhari and
composed by suddhanatha bharathi. Other popular records are yaro ivar yaro, thookkiya thiruvadi, shivakama
sundhari, velan veruvavadi etc.
It was during the zenith of the freedom
movement Pattammal started her career.
Like M S Subhalakshmi, Pattammal also responded to the spirit of the
times and used her voice to popularize Subramanya bharathi s patriotic
songs. That also paved the way for
popularizing her music. Her father was an ardent supporter of the freedom movement.
With his full support she sang patriotic songs to a large audience against the
oppressing British regime. She considered singing Bharathi s aaduvome over AIR
at the stroke of midnight on August 5, 1947 as the most memorable moment in her
life. With much fortitude and endurance she set a new path where women could
flower there talent without any intervention. She singularly brought about
women s liberation without ever mentioning that word. Today gifted women
musicians from her communities and other communities stand with pride and
confidence
Reference
1) The Madras Quartet- Indira Menon
2) Eppadi
Paadinaro (Malayalam Essays) – Indira Menon
3) The Hindu Speaks on Music
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