Veenai Dhanammal ( ta, வீணை தனம்மாள்) (1867–1938) was a highly accomplished

Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...

ian, and the torchbearer of the school of Carnatic music that goes by her name. She was both a

vocalist Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

and a performer on the

Saraswati veena The Sarasvatī vīṇa (also spelled Saraswati vina) (Devanagari: सरस्वती वीणा (vīṇā), te, సరస్వతి వీణ, kan, ಸರಸ್ವತಿ ವೀಣೆ, ta, சரஸ்வதி வீணை, Malayalam ...

. The prefix "Veenai" in her name is an indicator of her exceptional mastery of that instrument. DhanammalFamily

Early life and background

Dhanammal was born in George Town, Madras (now

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

), into a family of professional musicians and dancers. Her grandmother Kamakshi was a reputed dancer, and her mother was a vocalist who trained under

Subbaraya Sastri Subbaraya Sastri (1803–1862) the son and student of Syama Sastri, one of the most famous figures in the history of Carnatic music. He also has the unique distinction of having studied music from all the three of the musicians now acknowledged ...

, the son of

Syama Sastri Shyama Shastri (; 26 April 1762 – 1827) or Syama Sastri was a musician and composer of Carnatic music. He was the oldest among the Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two. Early life and career Shy ...

of the

composer trinity. In addition to training by her family members, Dhanammal also learned from Walajapet Balakrishna Das ("Padam Baladas"), a blind musician who was a repository of the ''padams'' of

Kshetrayya Kshetrayya ( Telugu:క్షేత్రయ్య) (–1680) was a prolific Telugu poet. He lived in the area of Andhra Pradesh in South India. He composed a number of ''padams'' and ''keertanas'', the prevalent formats of his time. He is c ...

, and Satanur Pancanatha Iyer.

Career

"Regarding the veenai as an instrument complete and perfect in itself, she played it without plectrum, and often accompanied by her own singing. Her music is documented in a set of historical recordings. Her personal style, known as the ''Veenai Dhanammal bani'', is still regarded as a yardstick in terms of adherence to traditional values and profoundity of music expression. Musicians, critics and composers attended her private recitals in Chennai. Her continuing impact is ascribed to the scope of her repertoire, knowledge and refinement. Many songs by leading composers like Narasimhacarlu, Mutialpet Ponnusvami, Tiruvottriyur Tyagayyar, and especially Dharmapuri Subbarayar were composed for, or inspired by, Dhanammal. These compositions, mainly ''javali'' and ''padam'', have been preserved, taught, and published by her grandchildren,

T. Brinda Thanjavur Brinda (1912-1996) was one of the representatives of the Veenai Dhanammal school of Carnatic Music. She was primarily a vocalist, although she also played the Veena. She is affectionately referred to as 'Brindamma', by her fans. Musica ...

T. Muktha Thanjavur Muktha, also spelt Mukta and often referred as Mukthamma, (1914–2007) was one of the foremost representatives of the Veena Dhanammal school of Carnatic Music. She, along with her elder sister T. Brinda, formed one of the first women d ...

, T. Sankaran, dancer T. Balasaraswati, and flute player

T. Viswanathan Tanjore Viswanathan (13 August 1927 – 10 September 2002) was a Carnatic musician specializing in the Carnatic flute and voice. Early life and background Viswa, as T. (Tanjore/Thanjavur) Viswanathan is often called, was born in Madras, I ...

."Pesch, Ludwig. ''The Illustrated Guide to South Indian Classical Music,'' New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1999, p. 264. Her daughters Lakshmiratnam (mother of AIR Deputy Director T Sankaran), Jayammal (mother of Balasaraswati, T Ranganathan, and T Viswanathan) and Kamakshi (mother of Brinda, Mukta and Abhiramasundari) were also performing musicians and teachers. Of her four daughters, Rajalakshmi was the oldest, Lakshmiratnam the next, Jayammal was the third oldest and Kamakshi was the youngest. Three of her grandchildren (Brinda, Balasaraswathi, Vishwanathan) were awarded

Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sangeetha Kalanidhi or Sangeeta Kalanidhi (Tamil: சங்கீத கலாநிதி, Sanskrit : संगीत-कला-निधि) (''sangeetha'' = music, ''kala'' = art, ''nidhi'' = treasure or ocean) is the title awarded yearly to ...

title. Dhanammal's grandson T. Sankaran (not to be confused with musician Trichy Sankaran) was both an officer at AIR and director of Tamil Isai Sangham; he was also a singer who used to perform for the radio in 1930s. Music performed by Dhanammal, Jayammal, and several of Dhanammal's grandchildren and great-grandchildren is available on the internet. Dhanammal's fame had spread far and wide, and even

Abdul Karim Khan Ustad Abdul Karim Khan (Devanagari: उस्ताद अब्दुल करीम ख़ान, Persian: ) (11 November 1872 – 27 October 1937) Naayana Pillai her music and learnt from him, in a mutual give and take. A commemorative postage stamp on her was issued on 03-December-2010.

References

Sources

*SubbaRao, T. V. Studies in Indian Music, Asia Publishing House, London, 1962. *Ayyangar, R. R. History of South Indian (Carnatic) Music, Published by the author, Madras, 1972. *Pesch, Ludwig. ''The Illustrated Guide to South Indian Classical Music,'' New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1999. Women Carnatic singers Carnatic singers Saraswati veena players 1867 births 1938 deaths 20th-century Indian musicians Women Carnatic musicians Musicians from Chennai Indian women classical singers Indian women classical musicians 19th-century Indian musicians 19th-century Indian women musicians 20th-century Indian women musicians Women musicians from Tamil Nadu {{India-musician-stub